Most DJs have an affinity for making playlists in some shape or form during their career..
I was MIA for a long time, but thanks to Spotify, I REALLY love making playlists again!
I’ll share what I think is the perfect wedding DJ playlist for an Alternative dance party, which was featured on myweddingsongs.com.
But first, let’s go back in time a bit…
Long before I made wedding & event playlists, I made mixtapes.
For those of you that are old enough to remember, the mixtape was the original playlist. Crafting the perfect mixtape was an artform that took thoughtfulness, time and lots of $$ invested in an extensive music library.
One of the best examples of mixtape culture was summarized in the John Cusack movie “High Fidelity” which was also recently remade on Hulu staring Zoe Kravitz.
Long before my company became the #1 best wedding (award winning) DJ in Los Angeles and one of the top wedding DJs in the country, I starting perfecting my craft of music selection with hours and hours sitting in the bedroom obsessing over which song should start side A, and which song should start side B of the cassette tape. Additionally, I became obsessed with narrowing down my song selections as you could only fit about 8-12 songs on a 90-minute tape or 74 minute CD.
Not only might the perfect mix endear you to the object of your affection, but it was also a statement about who you are and your musical DNA as a person. A perfectly crafted mixtape would earn you massive bragging rights among your friends at school or especially during a summer road trip.
If you enjoy reading, then I highly recommend any book by Rolling Stone Magazine author Rob Sheffield. His book “Love is a Mixtape” perfectly encapsulates the labor of putting your heart and soul into a musical message.
A Brief History- From Mixtape to Playlist
Mixtapes eventually became Mix CDs, and in the 2000’s Itunes eventually killed off the CD almost entirely. So at some point the term “playlist” became synonymous with “mixtape” and eventually replaced it in our cultural norm. There was a bit of a drought for many years in terms of resources to craft a mix for someone you wish to impress. That changed radically when Spotify launched in 2008.
There were Mp3 sharing sites like Audiogalaxy, Napster, Gnutella, Limewire and Kazaa. However they lacked the ability to build and share a themed playlist much like you did when creating a Mixtape.
Sure, there were (and are) many other platforms for music curation. Itunes, Amazon Music, Grooveshark, LastFM, Pandora, Bandcamp etc… but Spotify created what I consider to be the most user friendly platform on the market. NOTE: We have no affiliation with Spotify directly, I just feel it’s the easiest and most intuitive platform. There are some concerns about how Spotify should be better compensating the artists but that is a topic for another day.
For me personally, Spotify reinvigorated my passion for making themed playlists after a long sabbatical. I use playlists to demonstrate our musical diversity to potential clients for business, but also really enjoy creating a playlist based on any given theme that pops into my head. It’s a way to “stretch my legs” creatively and access the massive rolodex of music that is forever stuck in my brain.
I have many different wedding DJ playlists, but you can check out a few of my favorite random themed playlists here:
Why We Love Wedding Playlists
Hey Mister DJ provides DJs, MCs, music along with sound & lighting production for pretty much every type of event you can imagine.
Our service area is Los Angeles, Orange County, Anaheim, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Malibu, Palos Verdes, Pacific Palisades etc…but we do also travel for destination weddings in Mexico, Hawaii etc…
Most of our events are weddings, corporate, fundraisers, Bar/Bat mitzvahs, reunions, graduations, premiere and birthday parties. Oh, and because I’m writing this in early 2021…also virtual events!
I’ve found creating and sharing music playlists particularly helpful when working with wedding clients. We always create sets in our DJ software (Serato & Virtual DJ) but during the planning stages, Spotify and Apple Music are both very helpful. It allows us to earn a client’s trust by showing that we get their style and musical vision. While we always provide clients with a custom site so they can create a personalized request list, some find it much faster & easier to share their Spotify or Apple Music playlists with us directly.
As much as I consider myself a master of music, I still need tools for inspiration and finding the best new music to recommend to clients.
I have a few different sites in my bag of tricks, but today I want to brag that we were just featured on my #1 favorite resource for wedding music songs.
I’ve been a fan of www.myweddingsongs.com for a few years and super excited that one of my custom playlists: Songs for a wedding Alternative Dance Party -Los Angeles was just spotlighted on their blog!
Check out the post HERE
Matt does an AMAZING job with keeping this site updated and constantly adding new playlists & song suggestions that will help you crate the perfect wedding DJ playlist.
If you are a newly engaged couple planning your wedding in 2021, 2022 or even 2023, you need to check out this website. It’s full of classic and eclectic song suggestions for every wedding formality in the book: Ceremony, Grand Entrance, First Dance, Father/Daughter Dance, Mother/Son Dance, Cake Cutting, Bouquet & Garter Toss and more…
Most professional DJs (myself included) will always work with you to personally customize the request list for your wedding or event, but we do ask that you submit a preliminary list to give us a feel for your style and vision.
By using this site and also trusting your DJ, you’ll shave hours off the time it normally takes to build your perfect wedding playlist.
Have questions or ready to book your DJ? CONTACT US!