How to structure your playlists if you're using Spotify and not a DJ

There are 2 common ways that people build and have their playlists run on the day.

1. Building the playlist either from scratch or using an existing playlist to start with, and adding songs as they come to mind - then you just hit shuffle to randomise the order on the day
2. Building the playlist into 2 distinct sections, all old music first and then all newer music later - then on the night, playing in order so that all the newer stuff is later in the night

Now the problem with these approaches is that the playlist is either far too random or far too structured; with no in-between and no ability for flexibility - which is why a good DJ is worth the investment.

So here are my handy tips on building and running your playlist:

• Build your playlist in genre or era groups of 2-4 songs of each genre/era - example is you might choose the 70s and pick 3-4 songs from the 70s era
• Make sure your first and last song in those groupings are known hits, songs that everyone knows and all generations - they help you change genre, without changing out your entire dance floor
• Avoid having any songs in your playlist that are not at least semi-well known amongst a group of your family and friends
• Your riskier and newer songs, are kept for later in your playlist
• When changing genres, don't change too sharply too soon - don't go from 60s rock to HipHop - but going 60s rock to 80s New Wave would be fine (think New Order - Blue Monday).
• It's okay to make sharp turns every 4-5 sets of 3-4 songs. For instance, go from an upbeat and energetic song to a slow love ballad. When you do sharp turns - use songs with iconic intros like Exponents - Why Does Love Do This To Me - almost everyone in New Zealand knows that intro.
• Now just mix and mash your sets from 60s to 80s to disco to 00s and back to 80s - the idea is to move in and out of those genres, but as the night progresses - you will play more recent hits and songs
• Then hit play to play in order
• Bonus Tip: Don't pocket your bangers! What this means is don't save up your best songs for the end of the night or for dancing. Way too many people keep the music during dinner to just background love songs or jazz. Playing a few classics over dinner helps to shift the energy and the mood in the room so that people are ready for a party later on.

There is no guarantee that these will work for you - and they certainly wont all work in every situation. 

The key thing that many of us as DJs bring, besides some of the above, is the ability to recognise when a song is or is not working and to change out before losing too much energy on the dance floor. Dance floor's are not about trying to keep the energy at 100 all night long - they're about using music in a very smart way to guide people on and off the dance floor, giving them a chance for bathroom breaks, breathers and bar-visits - but also enticing them back to the floor again.

People wont always dance at every event, but that doesn't mean they wont enjoy the music. The above approach helps to ensure that everyone gets a little bit of something they like throughout the night.