What’s NOT Playing at a Wedding Near You

Bride and bridesmaid dancing at wedding
Photo Credit: M Place Productions

When putting together wedding reception playlists, professional DJs understand the importance of knowing not only what their couples want to hear, but also what they consider “death on the dancefloor”.

It’s known in DJ circles around the country as the “Do Not Play” List.

But musical tastes vary by age, demographics, and region. To get an idea of what’s not playing at a wedding near you, check out what these DJs are hearing from their clients. Couples are cutting out group and line dances. They’re also tired of the same old music they’ve heard at every other wedding. And they’re paying attention to the actions of the artists as well as their music.

Overplayed artists and group participation dances are out

“The growing trend we’re seeing with Do Not Play Lists is an aversion to the traditional wedding songs and the desire for a more unique playlist that is reflective of their tastes as a couple,” says David Fox, Owner of Bunn DJ Company Charleston. “Since the average age of our couples is slightly older than in prior years, many of them do not want to hear songs that were overplayed when they were released. For example, we see a lot of Bruno Mars and Pharrell Williams on people’s DNPLs because those songs were exhausted both on the radio and at weddings.”

And even Taylor Swift is not immune to the DNPL.  “With the Taylor Swift invasion of the last few years, couples either want a lot of Taylor Swift or none at all,” notes Fox. “Wedding playlists are a great way for couples to differentiate their wedding from others they’ve attended, and every couple utilizes DNPLs to make that happen.”

Bruno Mars seems to be taking a hit up and down the East Coast. Jose DeLeon is the owner of the New Jersey wedding DJ company LEM Entertainment. “More and more, I find songs that are overplayed at weddings are being added to the Do Not Play List,” says DeLeon. “ A perfect example would be Bruno Mars’ Uptown Funk.  People are tired of hearing the same track at every wedding.”

One of the foremost authorities on wedding DJs is Joe Bunn, Founder/Owner of Bunn DJ Company in Raleigh with an additional 5 locations. He also runs the industry resource The DJ’s Vault. “Do Not Plays seems to always be about the same for me from year to year. I would say about 80% of my personal clients don’t want any line dances. I’ve been seeing more and more DNP with the tried and true wedding classics like “We Are Family” or even “September”. I think the one that’s breaking my heart the most is folks saying no more Bruno Mars. I love Bruno!”

Ally Heintz Radditz of Elevated Events, a Greater Chicago entertainment and event decor company, knows exactly what her couples want – and don’t want. “Common music skipped by our couples includes Happy by Pharell Williams, Cotton Eyed Joe, Shout, YMCA, Chicken Dance, Cha Cha Slide, and Taylor Swift.”

Explicit Rap is not an option and your reputation matters

Rap is also not favorably received at most wedding receptions, especially rap with explicit lyrics. “Many of our couples dismiss a lot of the new rap, especially inappropriate rap. They’re pretty adamant about not wanting vulgar music playing,” says Allen Walker, Owner of Big Daddy Walker Productions, a Cincinnati DJ company that also serves Louisville and Lexington, KY. “We have a more mature clientele. Most of them are post-secondary graduates with either their masters or doctorate.”

Heather Laughman is the owner of HD Entertainment, an all-female DJ company in Gettysburg, PA. “Each couple will have a different DNP list but for the most part, our couples trust our ladies’ judgment in reading the crowd and changing up styles and selections if we need to. Most of our couples are asking us not to play WAP (by Cardi B) or similar songs. Heavy metal and hard-core rap are normally a no-fly at most weddings as well. Sometimes, we get requests to axe R. Kelly, Michael Jackson, and other artists who unfortunately have black clouds over their names in the public eye.”

Today’s couples are definitely more aware of an artist’s reputation outside the recording studio. “I do tend to see certain artists on the Do Not Play list that have recently (or not so recently) gone through a major scandal,” says Jason Strycharz, owner of Kennebunk ME entertainment company The Music Man DJ Service. “These would include Chris Brown, R. Kelly, and Michael Jackson. This isn’t always the case, but these controversial artists can pop up from time to time.”

And while couples are staying away from bad language and controversial artists, “By far the most common songs that end up on the Do Not Play list would be group and line dances such as The Chicken Dance, Cha Cha Slide, and Cupid Shuffle,” says Strycharz. “Additionally, I’ve found some of my couples want to stay away from the commonly played wedding songs and put artists like Bruno Mars, Black Eyed Peas, and The B-52’s on their DNPL to steer the dancefloor away from those commonly heard songs.”

Tips for putting together a Do Not Play List

Need some help putting together a Do Not Play List for your wedding reception? Count on your experienced DJ to lend a hand. Start with the songs you definitely know you don’t want to hear, especially ones associated with negative memories or events. Feel free to specify genres or even decades of songs that you don’t want to hear. And don’t be surprised if your guests want to hear requests. Discuss how to handle them with your DJ. A polished entertainment professional knows how to deflect a song request without offending a guest.

Along with your playlist desires, you should also take into consideration the musical enjoyment of your guests. You want your DJ to play artists with appropriate lyrics, especially if you’re hosting a family-friendly reception.(If you want unedited versions, save the songs for later in the evening.) Lastly, it’s nice to throw in a few favorites that will get everyone on the dance floor. That’s when the best wedding memories are made!

Are you a wedding DJ? Submit your Do Not Play List quote to hello@myweddingsongs.com.

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