However, it’s not always easy to reconcile everyone’s diverse musical tastes. Here are some tips for creating a playlist that is music to everyone’s ears.
Be flexible
It can be tempting to prepare your New Year’s music selection far in advance, in order to include all the hits that defined 2022 – and there are many. However, you may run into last-minute requests from your guests. The key is to adapt.
Anticipate the requests of your loved ones by taking into account their musical tastes and including songs that will appeal to them. Is your best friend a heavy metal fan? Try slipping in a Metallica or Guns N’ Roses song to acknowledge them musically.
While some genres are more likely to get guests dancing than others, don’t be afraid to alternate styles to create a rich musical atmosphere. Varying the energy levels and lengths of the songs will help your guests make it to the stroke of midnight, or even the wee hours of the morning.
Down with musical snobbery
If you are a music lover at heart, chances are you take the task of building a playlist very seriously. Perhaps too seriously. New Year’s Eve celebrations can be the perfect opportunity to show off your DJ talents to your friends and family, but don’t lose sight of the fact that the goal is to appeal to as many people as possible.
The purpose of a playlist is to get the crowd moving, not to demonstrate how refined your musical taste is. Don’t roll your eyes if one of your guests asks you to play Britney Spears or ABBA. These artists may not fit your musical sensibilities, but they are staples at many New Year’s Eve parties around the world.
Being open to all genres and tolerant of new styles are key for concocting a playlist whose extensive repertoire will pleasantly surprise your guests. Add to that smooth transitions and you’ll have everyone glued to the dance floor for hours.
Look to the experts
Organising a New Year’s Eve party can be stressful, as there is so much social pressure to make it a success. Making your own playlist sometimes falls by the wayside due to other priorities like food and decorations.
If this is the case, don’t panic. Music-streaming platforms are full of selections specially designed for this event. And there is something for everyone: 80s, hip-hop, old-school, or even acoustic.
Spotify and Apple Music have even invited some of the biggest names in electronic music to create their own DJ sets for the occasion. If you can’t spend New Year’s Eve with Martin Garrix, Tiësto or Hannah Laing, you can at least play their musical selections for your guests.
The last option is to turn to one of the many playlists created each year by users of streaming platforms for Dec 31. Spotify saw 82,000 new playlists appear between Christmas and New Year’s Eve last year, including about 40,000 on the eve itself.
It’s a safe bet one of them will appeal to your loved ones.