Popular music lists for your DJ
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As a DJ, selecting the right music is an art that blends crowd psychology, musical knowledge, and technical skill. Every track I play is carefully chosen to shape the energy of the room, guiding the audience through a journey of sound & movement. The goal is to create an atmosphere that keeps people engaged, whether that means hyping up a dance floor or setting a smooth, laid-back vibe.
Popular music is essential to my set because it creates an instant connection with the audience. Familiarity is key—when people recognize a song, their energy shifts, and they’re more likely to sing along or move to the beat. But just playing radio hits isn’t enough. I mix in remixes, deep cuts, and unexpected transitions to keep things fresh and unpredictable. A great DJ balances mainstream appeal with personal flair, ensuring the set feels unique rather than generic.
The tempo, key, and overall energy of a track determine when and how I play it. A high-energy song with a strong beat might be perfect for peak hours, driving the crowd into a frenzy. Meanwhile, a smooth groove can offer a breather, allowing the audience to reset before building up again. I also consider how songs mix together—seamless transitions maintain momentum and create an immersive experience.
Ultimately, my job is to read the room and adapt. A disc jockey doesn’t just play music; they craft an experience, blending nostalgia, excitement, and rhythm to keep people moving all night long.
Helping someone choose the right songs for their event is about more than just picking popular tracks—it’s about curating the perfect vibe that aligns with their vision. As an experienced DJ, my first step is understanding the event itself. What’s the occasion? A wedding, corporate gala, birthday party, or club night all demand different musical approaches. The guest demographic is crucial too—age range, cultural background, and personal preferences all influence the best selections.
I always ask clients about their must-play songs and, just as importantly, their do-not-play list. This ensures that the music reflects their tastes while avoiding any tracks that might not fit the mood. Then there are the songs we grew up with, songs that inspired us, songs that we cried to. In addition to that, there are always songs that bring a flood of memories: first love, first dance, firsts abound in our lives! From there, I consider the event’s timeline. A cocktail hour or dinner might call for smooth, background-friendly tunes, while a dance segment needs high-energy selections that build up at the right moments.
Flow is everything. The music should feel like a natural progression, starting with warm-up tracks to ease guests in, gradually increasing tempo and intensity to peak at the right moments, and winding down gracefully when needed. I also factor in transitions—songs should mix smoothly to maintain energy without abrupt stops or awkward shifts.
Finally, flexibility is key. Even the best-planned playlist needs room for adaptation. I always read the crowd and adjust based on their response. A great event soundtrack isn’t just a list of songs—it’s a living, breathing experience that keeps people engaged, entertained, and on their feet.
With all that being said, some people are just at a loss to choose even a small set of songs. So, below I have listed some of the more popular tracks that are broken down into multiple different genres. You can listen to some of these and it might spark ideas for you. If that doesn't work, you can always ask your DJ to give you ideas.
Pop music
"Abracadabra" – Lady Gaga
"Guess" – Charli XCX featuring Billie Eilish
"Espresso" – Sabrina Carpenter
"You Can Do Anything" – Jason Derulo, DJ Lucas Beat & Sia
"Die with a Smile" – Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars
"Marry You" – Bruno Mars
"Shut Up and Dance" – Walk the Moon
"I Gotta Feeling" – The Black Eyed Peas
"Can't Stop the Feeling!" – Justin Timberlake
"Uptown Funk" – Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars
"Levitating" – Dua Lip
"Blinding Lights" – The Weekend
"Watermelon Sugar" – Harry Styles
"Don't Start Now" – Dua Lipa
"Good 4 U" – Olivia Rodrigo
Rock music
"Johnny B. Goode" – Chuck Berry
"Tutti Frutti" – Little Richard
"Great Balls of Fire" – Jerry Lee Lewis
"Jailhouse Rock" – Elvis Presley
"Rock Around the Clock" – Bill Haley & His Comets
"La Bamba" – Ritchie Valens
"Blue Suede Shoes" – Carl Perkins
"Good Golly, Miss Molly" – Little Richard
"Peggy Sue" – Buddy Holly
"Shake, Rattle and Roll" – Big Joe Turner
"Long Tall Sally" – Little Richard
"Roll Over Beethoven" – Chuck Berry
"Hound Dog" – Elvis Presley
"Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" – Jerry Lee Lewis
"Lucille" – Little Richard
"Keep the Faith" – Armin van Buuren & Bon Jovi
"People Watching" – Sam Fender
"Billboard Heart" – Deep Sea Diver
"Under You" – Foo Fighters
"Psycho" – Asking Alexandria
"The American Dream Is Killing Me" – Green Day
"A Symptom of Being Human" – Shinedown
"Leave a Light On (Talk Away the Dark)" – Papa Roach
"Dark Matter" – Pearl Jam
"Friendly Fire" – Linkin Park
"I Was Alive" – Beartooth
"Truth" – Godsmack
"This Is the Way" – Five Finger Death Punch featuring DMX
"Call Me Little Sunshine" – Ghost
"Wait a Minute My Girl" – Volbeat
"Stairway to Heaven" – Led Zeppelin
"Bohemian Rhapsody" – Queen
"Hotel California" – Eagles
"Sweet Child o' Mine" – Guns N' Roses
"Don't Stop Believin'" – Journey
"Livin' on a Prayer" – Bon Jovi
"Back in Black" – AC/DC
"Born to Run" – Bruce Springsteen
"Free Bird" – Lynyrd Skynyrd
"Smoke on the Water" – Deep Purple
"You Shook Me All Night Long" – AC/DC
"Start Me Up" – The Rolling Stones
"Brown Eyed Girl" – Van Morrison
"Proud Mary" – Creedence Clearwater Revival
"American Pie" – Don McLean
Country music
“Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" – Shania Twain
"Boot Scootin' Boogie" – Brooks & Dunn
"Friends in Low Places" – Garth Brooks
"Chicken Fried" – Zac Brown Band
"Country Girl (Shake It for Me)" – Luke Bryan
"Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)" – Big & Rich
"Achy Breaky Heart" – Billy Ray Cyrus
"Honey Bee" – Blake Shelton
"Wagon Wheel" – Darius Rucker
"Chattahoochee" – Alan Jackson
"The Git Up" – Blanco Brown
"Life Is a Highway" – Tom Cochrane (covered by Rascal Flatts)
"I Like It, I Love It" – Tim McGraw
"My Maria" – Brooks & Dunn
"She's Country" – Jason Aldean
"Red Solo Cup" – Toby Keith
"This Kiss" – Faith Hill
"House Party" – Sam Hunt
"Play Something Country" – Brooks & Dunn
"T-R-O-U-B-L-E" – Travis Tritt
Latin music
"Despacito" – Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee
"Bailando" – Enrique Iglesias featuring Sean Paul, Descemer Bueno, and Gente de Zona
"Danza Kuduro" – Don Omar featuring Lucenzo
"Mi Gente" – J Balvin and Willy William
"Vivir Mi Vida" – Marc Anthony
"Hips Don’t Lie" – Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean
"La Gozadera" – Gente de Zona featuring Marc Anthony
"Macarena" – Los del Río
"Gasolina" – Daddy Yankee
"Suavemente" – Elvis Crespo
"Livin’ la Vida Loca" – Ricky Martin
"El Perdón" – Nicky Jam and Enrique Iglesias
"La Tortura" – Shakira featuring Alejandro Sanz
"Propuesta Indecente" – Romeo Santos
"Baila Baila Baila" – Ozuna
Disco/Funk music
"Le Freak" – Chic
"Super Freak" – Rick James
"Boogie Wonderland" – Earth, Wind & Fire featuring The Emotions
"Get Down On It" – Kool & The Gang
"I Feel Love" – Donna Summer
"Good Times" – Chic
"September" – Earth, Wind & Fire
"Stayin' Alive" – Bee Gees
"Uptown Funk" – Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars
"Brick House" – Commodores
"Funky Town" – Lipps Inc.
"We Are Family" – Sister Sledge
"Get Down Tonight" – KC and the Sunshine Band
"Disco Inferno" – The Trammps
"Blame It on the Boogie" – The Jacksons
"You Should Be Dancing" – Bee Gees
"Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" – The Jacksons
"Let's Groove" – Earth, Wind & Fire
"Got to Be Real" – Cheryl Lynn
"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" – Michael Jackson
Dance/Electronic
"Revolving Door" – Tate McRae
"Push the Tempo" – Sub Focus & Katy B
"Flex" – Shygirl
"Wifey Riddim" – Shygirl
"True Religion" – Shygirl
"Cherry" – Le Chev
"Plastic Miami" – La Fleur
"It's OK I'm OK" – Tate McRae
"Von Dutch" – Charli XCX
"Dancefloor" – Kylie Minogue
"Starlight" – The Supermen Lovers
"One More Time" – Daft Punk
"Titanium" – David Guetta featuring Sia
R&B music
"Hypnotized" – Anyma & Ellie Goulding
"Cuff It" – Beyoncé
"Leave the Door Open" – Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak)
"Blinding Lights" – The Weeknd
"Good Days" – SZA
"Heartbreak Anniversary" – Giveon
"Damage" – H.E.R.
"Pick Up Your Feelings" – Jazmine Sullivan
"On It" – Jazmine Sullivan & Ari Lennox
"Come Through" – H.E.R. featuring Chris Brown
"Essence" – Wizkid featuring Tems
"Peaches" – Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar & Giveon
"No Guidance" – Chris Brown featuring Drake
"Boo'd Up" – Ella Mai
"Adore You" – Harry Styles
Hip-Hop/Rap music
"Raving in the Studio" – Aitch & Bou
"Whatchu Kno About Me" – GloRilla & Sexyy Red
"Not Like Us" – Kendrick Lamar
"Alligator Bites Never Heal" – Doechii
"Sicko Mode" – Travis Scott
"God's Plan" – Drake
"HUMBLE." – Kendrick Lamar
"Old Town Road" – Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
"Rockstar" – DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch
"Savage Remix" – Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé
"Money Trees" – Kendrick Lamar featuring Jay Rock
"Sicko Mode" – Travis Scott
"In Da Club" – 50 Cent
"Hotline Bling" – Drake
"Lose Yourself" – Eminem
Don't see the genre you want? Not a problem...just hum a few bars and we'll figure it out :)
