You Shook Me was number 4 on my list. Don't Stop Believing has been very popular here since the end of the Sopranos but before that I don't know if I ever played it
What are the Top 5 Most Played songs at events for your whole DJ Career?
- Thread starter DJ Ricky B
- Start date
You Shook Me was number 4 on my list. Don't Stop Believing has been very popular here since the end of the Sopranos but before that I don't know if I ever played it
I can't say because different events require different styles of music. Some songs will stay hot for a while and die down. Others will remain classics forever. It depends on the style of music. For example James Brown has songs that will never go out of style.
It’s funny how a simple question can be made complex. It’s actually a pretty good & interesting question, if you don’t over think it.
If let’s say you have been a DJ for 30 years and you have been playing a song for a majority of your events over that time frame, I think that is what he looking for. Not what you play the most recently, well unless you new to DJing. I find fascinating at some songs I’ve been playing for so long for so many different audiences. Then I wonder what new stuff will we still be playing 20 years from now.
If let’s say you have been a DJ for 30 years and you have been playing a song for a majority of your events over that time frame, I think that is what he looking for. Not what you play the most recently, well unless you new to DJing. I find fascinating at some songs I’ve been playing for so long for so many different audiences. Then I wonder what new stuff will we still be playing 20 years from now.
For a list like this I would only name songs that meet BOTH these criteria:
1. They show up repeatedly on requests lists
2. They are songs I am myself inclined to use as building blocks in the absence of any requests or specific theme. (i.e.: Each one is a match that's known to spark a fire.)
I would nixCelebration because it shows up equally on 'play' and 'do not not' play lists.
September is at the top because it's some kind of Funk, R&B, anthem that never fails and if it's ever been on a 'No' list - it's only because they nixed all E.W.F. or disco and were unilaterally into other genres. Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough has that same legacy attached to it so that's No. 2 These are two songs that appear to transcend nearly every age group.
Other songs seem recurrent by generation; for example, Mr Brightside aligns with the age group of many young couples now getting married, yet when it was released and charting there wasn't much clamor for it. This is in contrast to something like Uptown Funk which peaked from the moment it was released and eventually got so overplayed people got sick of it.
You can go back to the early 80's and find Freestyle stuff like Let The Music Play which was a super club mainstay but might be completely unknown by an audience you play for today. Similar Pop/Dance by artists like Madonna ruled their time yet who kenew 40 years later she'd be getting Rick Rolled. So much of this period stuff fails to survive the era, unlike some previous decades from which songs like Twist & Shout become recurrent standards.
1. They show up repeatedly on requests lists
2. They are songs I am myself inclined to use as building blocks in the absence of any requests or specific theme. (i.e.: Each one is a match that's known to spark a fire.)
I would nix
September is at the top because it's some kind of Funk, R&B, anthem that never fails and if it's ever been on a 'No' list - it's only because they nixed all E.W.F. or disco and were unilaterally into other genres. Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough has that same legacy attached to it so that's No. 2 These are two songs that appear to transcend nearly every age group.
Other songs seem recurrent by generation; for example, Mr Brightside aligns with the age group of many young couples now getting married, yet when it was released and charting there wasn't much clamor for it. This is in contrast to something like Uptown Funk which peaked from the moment it was released and eventually got so overplayed people got sick of it.
You can go back to the early 80's and find Freestyle stuff like Let The Music Play which was a super club mainstay but might be completely unknown by an audience you play for today. Similar Pop/Dance by artists like Madonna ruled their time yet who kenew 40 years later she'd be getting Rick Rolled. So much of this period stuff fails to survive the era, unlike some previous decades from which songs like Twist & Shout become recurrent standards.
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I remember one song that was a must play back in the day, Follow Me. It still can get played at times but not as much as when it first came out. It depends on the crowd. When I get a request to play that song that tells me this crowd will want to hear what I call the standard stuff.
Weird I haven’t had a request for a James Brown song in well over 20 years
I have. It depends on the area that you do events in and what types of music they want to hear. There are some areas that they listen to Country music. Others it's Hip Hop, Rock & Roll and so on.
yeah that's what he's referring to... very popular amongst certain groups just like there are certain areas and groups in NJ that still like freestyle. A niche category essentially.
No, it is not a niche it is common club/house song played at Black weddings and other functions since the mid 1990s. There are many types of music, just because you are totally unfamiliar with it does not make it a niche category, lol
It's fair to assume many, especially someone of my age, are unfamiliar with this song and type of music... But here is a little known fact about me.
When I started getting into djing in the early 2000's, my focus was primarily on nightlife... not private events. I was extremely lucky to be part of a dj company where I happened to be trained and work alongside (for nearly a decade) by one of the very best House DJ's in the NJ nightlife scene of the 90's and 2000's. As a result, I was also given opportunities to often play alongside with him or other nightlife DJ's he would network with. Often when I was djing in a nightclub atmosphere I or the other dj I was playing with that night would regularly incorporate Follow Me in our sets along with other anthems of the time period (I personally loved "Work It To The Bone", "Sume Sigh Say", & "Women Beat their Men" from the time period of Follow Me... but my personal favorites, likely given my age, were the 2000's vocal house classics). So yes, while I have not lived it first hand in the 90's...I am well versed and can go fairly deep into this genre/time period of house music if needed (especially for someone who was just over 5 yrs old when these songs came out).
So while I know the power of this song and agree it was a common club song... it's now 30+ years later, and this song has faded from the mainstream and generally appeals to select crowds. You're typically incorporating it for 2 groups of clients. One as you mentioned would be more of a cultural group, whereas the 2nd would be the clubheads who frequented the nightlife scene in the 90's and early-mid 2000's. The first group has Follow Me engrained into their culture and will continue to be incorporated for some time until it isn't, just like any other culture does. That 2nd group though is way past the age of having weddings, so unless you're throwing a 50th birthday party for a group that was very much a part of that era's house scene... you're just not using that song like one used to. Even songs like "There's a Stranger In My House", "My Love is Your Love", Veronica's "Release Me", or "Final Chapter (Mike Macaluso),... those used to be anthems in the nightlife around here and were virtually played at all the trendy NJ/NYC weddings in the 2000's and even early 2010's. Are they still played today... yes but rarely, and there are only a small sample of dj's that know it well enough to create a vibe that reflects "the classics" as those generations know it. Same thing with freestyle music, and the deeper Studio 54 music, which have slowly faded from the mainstream and fallen more into the niche category of music.
This is why I called this and these types of songs a niche category... as much as I love the music... they're simply not songs that appeal to the masses anymore.
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Well, I don't know any of those house music songs. Different world up in Jersey and NYC. DC has GoGo Music from the 90s/early 2000s that other areas DJs likely have no clue about. However, I don't really get any Go Go music requests not at least for the last 12+ years.
When you mentioned "Stranger in My House" I thought you were referring to Ronnie Milsap who is more Country singer LOL.
"My Love is Your Love" I hope you mean by Whitney Houston, because that is the only song I know with that title. I just listened to Women Beat their Men on Youtube. Never heard it before. Only 212K views on YouTube in 12 years. Certainly not a popular song by any stretch. I would consider it a regional Niche song. "Some Sigh Say" Sounds like African Jungle Tribal Music.
That’s what I mean by saying these are niche categories. They’re not songs for the masses. My love is your love… it’s specifically the Jonathan peters mix… and more specifically if you’re the real old school type, it’s the 13 minute version. Same thing with there’s a stranger in my house… it’s the thunderpuss remix. I mention those two cause the originals are just slow r&b ballads
Follow Me was never on the radio nor was it ever on the mainstream circuit. I don’t think it ever charted. But it is still a staple at black weddings & events, just like Electric slide, Cha Cha. Now likely that is the niche you are referring to. Of course if you don't service that market you won’t play it. Although I could introduce you to many DJs who still play the track and have been for years.
Since you gave a little info, during the 1990s until 2010, played/worked three different markets programming 5 different formats of music. 15 years as a corporate DJ in NYC for JP Morgan Chase covering the Wall St Street & Park Ave, College events thru out the Northeast and private events throughout the tri-state area. Finally providing sound for a group of DJs so I used to regularly in the catering halls seeing many different types of DJs.
Where we differ is I say I do not currently program that type music or something to that effect. I try be diplomatic because just because something that doesn’t fit with my clientele might be popular with another.
Since you gave a little info, during the 1990s until 2010, played/worked three different markets programming 5 different formats of music. 15 years as a corporate DJ in NYC for JP Morgan Chase covering the Wall St Street & Park Ave, College events thru out the Northeast and private events throughout the tri-state area. Finally providing sound for a group of DJs so I used to regularly in the catering halls seeing many different types of DJs.
Where we differ is I say I do not currently program that type music or something to that effect. I try be diplomatic because just because something that doesn’t fit with my clientele might be popular with another.
That song still gets air play on certain radio stations around here and it charted on certain charts. My point to this is there are certain songs that get lots of play around here and in other areas people have never heard the song. When it comes to doing an event for a client and their guests, you need to know what styles of music they will want you to play and not just assume certain styles of music or certain songs will work at an event. For me that's where I like to find out as much as I can about the styles of music a client wants or songs they want the DJ to play.
Cupid shuffle?
Been DJing since 1980...and I can honestly say that I don't even have that song!
That has nothing to do with this thread though. The question is just what are the top 5 tracks you've played the most. Not whether you play them every night, or without regard to the event. It is a pure calculation on what songs you've reached for the most times in your career doing this.
I have it more than once on my portable HD. Nobody never requested that song at an event you were the DJ?
