What is a Playlist?

A playlist is quite simply a collection of suggested tracks given by the client to the DJ before the event. It may also contain songs/genres that the client does not want to hear too.

How many tracks should my Playlist contain? 

There is no definitive answer to this question. On average, a standard 4-hour DJ performance (from 8pm til midnight for example) will get through approximately 80 songs at most.

What kind of music should I suggest on the Playlist?

The DJ will be mainly looking for your personal favourites; specific songs that are special to you and your family & friends. They’ll also be interested in the genres that you prefer.

That’s pretty much the basic narrative of a Playlist explained. Now I’d like to explain some of the pitfalls and problems that come with dealing with playlists and the expectations of clients…

• Strict Set-lists Do Not Work! – This is an issue I’ve dealt with on many occasions…the client insistent on sticking to their song list without deviation. No-one can pre-judge the activity on a dance floor before the event begins, so why put in place a rigid list of songs that may not suit the moment? If you want total control of the evening’s soundtrack, then hire a PA system with lights and plug in your own iPad or Spotify source. You’ll quickly realise the missing value of a DJ’s input, reacting to the energy in the room and creating memorable moments.
• No Long Playlists – Keep your playlist short and sweet. Up to 20 of your favourite songs together with a list of tracks that you’d prefer not to hear. Don’t state obvious party tracks like Mr Brightside or ABBA…the chances are your DJ will play them anyway, and of course they’ll still be happily taking verbal requests on the night.
• A Playlist is a ‘suggestion’ list – Finally, please bear in mind that your DJ is the expert here, hired for their experience and knowledge in keeping the dance floor alive with energy and passion. You’ve entrusted them with hosting your event, and sometimes your music requests simply don’t suit the moment or the evening, so a less rigid approach to any lists will bring out the very best in the DJ’s artistic licence!

I have been a professional DJ for over 35 years and the advent of the playlist is a relatively new concept. It may be borne from a lack of trust of some of the more inexperienced (or just plain rubbish!) DJs out there, the client feeling like they have to provide a script for the night. Ultimately of course, you should have total confidence in your DJ. If you haven’t, then you need to call me today!

The post How Much Is Too Much? – A Guide To Making Playlists For Your Party first appeared on DJ Ian Scott.

I thought I would try my luck on the (relatively) new pop music quiz on BBC Radio 2 recently. It’s called Ten To The Top, hosted most weeks by Vernon Kay, and it’s the replacement mid-morning challenge for the legendary Pop Masters formerly presented by Ken Bruce.

Once you’ve gotten used to the scoring format (correct answers accumulate ascending scores) it’s a really good test of your overall pop music knowledge of the past 60 years. In the two weeks before my appearance on the show, I managed to astonish myself by scoring the maximum 65 points twice! ….however, this just served to give me false hope on the day…the tricky year question tripped me over and I never recovered! I still posted a very respectable score of 28, but my opponent on the day had an encyclopaedic knowledge of 80’s number one singles, which served him very well on his turn.

Never mind though, I still won a prized mug. Didn’t want the Bluetooth speaker anyway…..Ha! Ha!

My poor attempt will only be stored on the BBC Sounds for a couple of weeks, but click below to listen again to the most recent shows and have a go if you think you’re hard enough!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06q6h18/episodes/player

The post How much do you love pop music? first appeared on DJ Ian Scott.