NO ONE WANTS AN EMPTY D-FLOOR
Let’s all admit it, we’ve all been to a wedding before where a band or DJ has read the crowd completely wrong and ultimately missed the mark, equalling a bad night! Having an empty dance floor is one of the biggest worries we hear from wedding couples, which is why they come to us!
Have you hired a professional wedding band or a DJ? A quality musician will have your wedding guests on the dance floor all night long. The perfect wedding playlist is a must-have for any couple planning their big day and thankfully we’ve got you covered with our list of the best wedding songs guaranteed to keep your guests on the dance floor.
Whether it’s an old favourite by Michael Jackson, or something newer by Bruno Mars or Taylor Swift that’s just made its way onto the charts, we’re sharing the perfect wedding reception playlist that’s sure to get everyone up and moving at your wedding reception. But first, we’re going to let you in on a few key secrets.
WHY DO PEOPLE GET THE URGE TO DANCE AT WEDDINGS?
More often than not your guests have been seated for most of your wedding day, enjoying food and formalities. Once it’s time for the dance-floor to open, they’re ready and raring to get up and let loose. And what better way to keep them moving than with the perfect wedding party dance song list that’s guaranteed to make sure no one leaves early, or simply stays in their seats.
But how do you ensure that they stay on the d-floor? How can you guarantee a good time for everyone? Well, dance floor music at a wedding is more than just the beat, it’s personal. It makes you feel nostalgic.
Don’t be surprised when your crazy aunt enthusiastically runs to the d-floor to sing along to “Dancing Queen” by ABBA or “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” by Whitney Houston. It’s inevitable. People rush to the dance floor when they hear their song. You’ll often see their demeanour completely change and they get up, recruiting other people to join them.
BUT WHAT ABOUT CHEESY DANCE SONGS?
We all cringe at cheesy songs, but don’t be shy to admit you have a soft-spot for a classic tune like ‘Sweet Caroline’ by Neil Diamond (“haaaaaaandss….touching haaaaands…. reaaaching ooouuuuut…. touching meeeeee… touching youuuuuu!!!”).
No matter how lame it seems during the planning phase, you’ll be surprised at what happens in the moment, on the dancefloor. One time (when I was a wedding guest) I watched a dancefloor of ten people suddenly jump to a hundred people, in literal seconds. And you know why? Well, that’s the power of ‘The Nutbush’, my friends.
To make matters even more effective, the wedding couple were the first to fire it up! They rushed to the dancefloor so quickly I stood in shock. It’s guaranteed, if the wedding couple are the first to kick things off on the dancefloor, your wedding guests will be sure to follow.
WHAT ABOUT SONG REQUESTS?
Absolutely, getting song requests from friends and family will absolutely make a great party. Our best advice is to get your must-have requests onto your wedding playlist before your wedding day. Your Band or DJ would love to have the chance to review your choices and add more dance songs that they know will get everyone on the dance floor at your wedding (that’s what you’re paying the professionals for, right?).
If you’re DIY’ing it, ask your guests for their preferences ahead of time and curate your playlist on a device (bonus points for downloading that playlist in advance so you don’t have any wi-fi or cellular data troubles on the day!). Remember to pack a charging cable, dongle, and aux cable to connect to the speakers.
We also highly recommend putting someone responsible in charge who can ensure no rogue amateur DJ’s (cough drunk-guests cough) decide to hijack your wedding playlist throughout the night.
WHAT IF I DON’T WANT MY GRANDPA TO BRING SEXY BACK?
This is a legitimate concern, right? Maybe you don’t want to see your grandpa dancing to a Justin Timberlake song. With that said, you can talk with your wedding band or DJ and create “phases” for your reception. Yes. Play the corny songs, the 70’s classic rock song your mum loves, even the ABBA song your crazy aunt dances to (you know she got you a great gift).
But later in the evening, the wedding band, DJ, or playlist can segue into your jams. The ones that remind you and your wedding party of your good times together.
The best way to ensure that you have a great time with your guests is by choosing songs that are guaranteed to keep them moving all night long. Choose music that has an upbeat tempo. If it sounds like something from the 80s, 90s, 2000s, etc., chances are people will be able to groove along all night long.
TOP 50 BEST WEDDING SONGS
Wedding Band, DJ, or DIY wedding reception playlist, whichever way you decide to go, hopefully this list of our top 50 dance wedding songs will inspire you when you sit down to plan your wedding and entertainment.
- I Gotta Feeling – Black Eyed Peas
- Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars
- I Wanna Dance With Somebody – Whitney Houston
- Happy – Pharrell Williams
- Shake It Off – Taylor Swift
- Celebration – Kool & The Gang
- September – Earth, Wind & Fire
- Uptown Girl – Billy Joel
- Blame It On The Boogie – Michael Jackson
- Shut Up and Dance – Walk the Moon
- Livin’ on a Prayer – Bon Jovi
- Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
- Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey
- Wagon Wheel – Darius Rucker
- Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) – Beyoncé
- Summer of ’69 – Bryan Adams
- Crazy Little Thing Called Love – Michael Bublé
- Dancing in The Moonlight – Toploader
- Valerie – Amy Winehouse
- Marry You – Bruno Mars
- Walking On Sunshine – Katrina & The Waves
- Come on Eileen – Dexy’s Midnight Runners
- 9 to 5 – Dolly Parton
- Mr. Brightside – The Killers
- Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go – Wham!
- (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life – Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes
- I’ll Be There for You – The Rembrandts
- Macarena – Los del Río
- Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit Of…) – Lou Bega
- Man! I Feel Like a Woman! – Shania Twain
- Moves Like Jagger – Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera
- Crocodile Rock – Elton John
- Eye of the Tiger – Survivor
- Footloose – Kenny Loggins
- Girls Just Wanna Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper
- Y.M.C.A – Village People
- Hakuna Matata – The Lion King
- Hollaback Girl – Gwen Stefani
- It’s Raining Men – Geri Halliwell
- Love Is In The Air – John Paul Young
- Mamma Mia – ABBA
- CAN’T STOP THE FEELING! – Justin Timberlake
- Bohemian Rhapsody – Freddie Mercury
- Together in Electric Dreams – Giorgio Moroder and Philip Oakley
- Call Me Maybe – Carly-Rae Jepsen
- Wannabe – Spice Girls
- Guns N’ Roses – Sweet Child O’ Mine
- Kokomo – The Beach Boys
- Poker Face – Lady Gaga
- Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
A FEW EXTRA FIRST DANCE SONG IDEAS
- All Of Me – John Legend
- Unchained Melody – The Righteous Brothers
- Can’t Help Falling in Love – Elvis Presley
- Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours) – Stevie Wonder
- At Last – Etta James
- The Way You Look Tonight – Frank Sinatra
- I’m Yours – Jason Mraz
Also looking for a selection of wedding party entrance songs? Check out our Duke recommended playlist.
Good Luck with your wedding and may your dance floor be full!
THINKING OF HIRING WEDDING ENTERTAINMENT?
We admit – The task of selecting the best dance songs isn’t easy (that’s why you hire wedding music experts, like Duke!) Doing it well takes a lot of effort and is not as easy as you might think.
At Duke Music, we pride ourselves on having one super-tight killer live band, featuring some of Sydney’s best musicians. Our Duke team works together 100% of the time. This means the things we do best really shine, like reading a crowd and serving-up upbeat wedding songs we know guests will love… delivering mash-ups and medleys that keep the dance-floor energy high the entire night… and knowing when to throw-in an absolute banger, anything from anthems to rock ballads, that we know will get everyone singing at the top of their lungs.