How to Build a Wedding DJ Do-Not-Play List
In the middle of the party, the dancefloor is packed, the bride is cruuuuuushing it and up comes cousin Brenda with her phone in hand. I can tell she’s scrolling through her favourite Spotify or Apple Music playlist… scrolling, scrolling, scrolling... then holds her phone up to show me the song she’d just selected from her playlist – it is at the top of the bride’s Do-Not-Play list. In this moment, I’m glad the bride gave me her list. I politely decline Brenda’s request.
What is a Do-Not-Play list?
The Do-Not-Play list, or DNP, in our planning portal provides our couples with the freedom to dictate the elements of their wedding that they do and do not want. Some couples barely use the DNP but others rely on it to address so many issues: family sensitivities or dynamics; perhaps there is a song or artist that stirs memories of any kind of unpleasant situation, or; maybe they just have a strong disdain for Taylor Swift. Whatever the reason, it’s irrelevant. We won’t ask why a song is on there, we just won’t play it. Simple.
How many is too many?
At SOUNDfonix, we don’t limit the DNP. There’s no shortage of songs we can play, regardless of the artist or songs that are placed on your list. Just don’t go crazy. For example, if you Googled something like “most common wedding songs” and simply copy-and-pasted those songs into your DNP, the copied list could include songs that get requested at nearly every wedding and you may not even realize it. Google away, but read the whole list first. Some of those songs might be ones you and your guests actually want to dance to. We suggest keeping the DNP to no more than 30. In our experience, having a list of over 30 starts blocking songs your guests love.
Putting together your DNP (and how we help)
Identify the artists or songs on the Google list that are personal triggers, genres you just don’t want, or songs you feel are simply inappropriate. If your DNP list tops 30 songs, we can sit down and go through it together.
When we review the DNP, we can also sort some of the songs into a category called “Only If Requested”. And yes, we take guest requests. That being said, if cousin Brenda requests a song that is still on the DNP, it will not get played. A request is just that, a request.
You can fill out your DNP list inside our planning portal, where you can also fill in your Must Plays, Play-If-Possibles, and Only If Requested. These groupings are exactly what they sound like. We will do everything we can to play the songs on Must Play. The Play-If-Possibles are nice-to-haves but they won’t make or break the night. Finally, the Only If Requested is where we might put cousin Brenda’s choice if the song is not your favourite, but Brenda is.
We encourage you to put together a DNP list. Book SOUNDfonix to work with us and our planning portal.
