Must Play Songs for Your Wedding Reception by Nashville DJ, Entertain!

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Finding a great wedding DJ in Nashville, TN is so important! They are the ones controlling the entertainment factor of your wedding and it can really make or break your wedding day! We are lucky to have DJ company (and more!) Entertain! here in Nashville to help couples bring the party to their wedding. But when you’re working with your DJ, what are some songs you have to play at your wedding? From fast, to slow, old and new, Brandon of Entertain! has broken it down for us in today’s interview. Keep reading and take notes on how you can have the best wedding reception dance floor (for young AND old!)…

From Entertain! Owner + Professional DJ, Brandon: The perception of a DJ is someone who just plays music, and this is true in some cases with some DJs just pressing play and fading in and out, but can be very boring. However, There is so much more that goes into it! I truly feel like it’s a science combined with musical talent. A great DJ will read their crowd and anticipate what they want to hear (without the guests saying anything) and base their next songs off of the reactions they are currently getting. You want to create an experience that all the guests can enjoy, so by reading the crowd correctly you can get a much more enjoyable experience. Add the talents of a DJ beat matching, word playing, and transitioning songs smoothly and you are guaranteed to have a packed dance floor, with high energy all night long!

The goal of your wedding reception is to have an awesome party! What are some awesome upbeat songs that couples MUST play at their wedding?

Brandon: It really depends on the crowd and taste of the guests. Here are the top 10 songs that I have noticed are always a crowd favorite.

Finesse – Bruno Mars

24K Magic – Bruno Mars

Can’t Stop the Feeling – Justin Timberlake

I Love it- Icona Pop

September – Earth, Wind, & Fire

Yeah – Usher

Party in the USA – Miley Cyrus

Wannabe – Spice Girls

Everybody – Backstreet Boys

Ignition Remix – R Kelly

Also 90’s pop music: A lot of couples that are getting married now, grew up in the 90s so this era/genres are making a huge comeback.

Mixing in some slow dances is also helpful! What are some slow dance songs that will fill the dance floor?

Perfect – Ed Sheeran

Tennessee Whiskey – Chris Stapleton

Die a Happy Man – Travis Rhett

Like I’m Going to Lose You – Meghan Trainor

Double It – Aaron Crawford

Bonus, 90’s Slow song: All my life- Kci and Jojo

What are some older songs that couples should have on their playlist?

Unchained Melody – Righteous Brothers

L-O-V-E – Nat King Cole

Stand by Me – Otis Redding

Crazy Love – Van Morrison

Old time Rock n Roll – Bob Seger

Tricky – Run DMC

Wonderful Tonight – Eric Clapton

I Want You Back – Jackson 5

Let’s Stay Together – Al Green

My Girl- Temptations

What are some more modern songs that couples should add to their playlist?

That’s What I like – Bruno Mars

Havana – Camilla Cabello

Ready For It – Taylor Swift

New Rules – Dua Lipa

Feel It Still – Portugal. The Man

What is a good fast vs. slow song ratio to have at your wedding?

Brandon: During cocktail and dinner, music should be mixed with love songs and some upbeat (non-dancing) tracks. Also keep in mind the music is for people to mingle and converse over so you don’t want it too loud and you don’t want people dancing yet. During the dancing portion of the reception, I always advise keeping it to 3-4 slow songs. I also recommend making one of the slow songs a “longest married dance”. A longest married dance is where you invite all the married couples to the dance floor, play a song and through the course of the song say “If you been married for XX amount of years, stay on the dance floor” and keep raising this number. It makes for a really sweet moment for the last remaining couple.

How can a DJ help you choose which songs to play at your wedding?

Brandon: When you book an Entertain! DJ, you will receive a username and password to your online planning suite. Also your DJ will meet with you at our office and go over all the details to make sure your day is spectacular! The planning suite is a great tool for you and your DJ to keep music organized. You will be able to make songs requests and pick out any special songs. It even gives you a section for “Do Not Plays”. I highly recommend keeping this limited to 10-20 songs. A talented DJ will be able to get a great idea of the taste of music you like, read your crowd, and mix in music you didn’t even think of to create an incredible dancing experience.

This is SO incredibly helpful! Thank you for sharing all of your DJ insider knowledge with us, Brandon! From personal experience, Entertain! TN knows how to bring the party to any dance floor! If you want to hire them, visit their website here and also be sure to follow along on Instagram!