60th Birthday Party (Born in Nov. 1957) Music Question
- Thread starter Ben Auletta
- Start date
I think that is best answered by your client themselves. Even the most seasoned and experienced djs will ask their clients the atmosphere they’re looking for. Chances are they’re big disco fans... maybe they want standard disco or studio 54 underground disco... but who knows maybe they like current music more... or freestyle. Best to ask the client rather than guess.
I agree .. ask. I'm close to that age, but my preference is 70s/80s rock. Friends of a similar age range from Beatles to folk. All over the map.
We have a 60th Wedding Anniversary in January....music requested was stuff I have never listened to. Old Country Western (have a couple names of artists around here somewhere and artist types). Created a Pandora channel to start learning the genre with the artists they gave me and to get to know the music. No loud music (many people in their 60's - 80's with some older) because hearing aids can't handle it properly. Need to look at my notes, but I think the husband was late 80s....like 87, I think.
I have neighbors in their 60s and they are the first ones demanding things louder ... another reason to ask the client.
they asked for some current stuff like rihanna etc, and said her husband the birthday guy likes 70s/80s rock and stuff list she gave me Black Sabbath: Iron man, BOB DYLAN: tangled up in blue ; Hurricane GRANDFUNK RAILROAD: Foot stompin musc; Some kind of wonderful; black diamond bay; BAD COMPANY: Ready for love BEATLES: Here comes the sun; She came in thru the bathroom Window; Eleanor rigby; Helter skelter; blackbird EAGLES: victim of love; already gone; WHO: love, reign over me; Baba o'riley David Bowie: all the young dudes; ziggy Stardust"
deep Purple: smoke on the water Emerson, lake and Palmer: Lucky man"
My woman from Tokyo".
what else would you suggest?
Early to mid 70s would be the years I would concentrate on. But if the goal is to make it danceable it will be a challenge. The best dance stuff from that era was funk not rock. James Brown, Ohio Players, Kool & the gang etc. Some kind of Wonderful is usually a good dance song. Old time rock and Roll too. But a lot of requests you have ^ so far aren't good for dancing.
One of my DJ's is doing a 60th Birthday this weekend I'm just putting it together now. They were born in '57 so maybe a few from that era (All Shook Up, Bye Bye Love, Tuti Fruti, I Walk The Line)
They went to high school 72 to 75 roughly and university 76-80 focus on that. Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Meatloaf, popular disco....
They went to high school 72 to 75 roughly and university 76-80 focus on that. Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Meatloaf, popular disco....
You can find the top songs per year here: 1975 - Billboard Top 100
More lists here: DigitalDreamDoor Main Music List Page
More lists here: DigitalDreamDoor Main Music List Page
Oh well. Here goes any shot I may have had on this forum of being "Mister Congeniality" in one swift post.
Asking what we would play kinda denotes lack of intuitive skill for the event type. It's understandable if you're so much younger than the clients you're serving. Don't you have an opening barometer set that will lead to and down the magical Yellow Brick Road?
Asking a client for a list of what they would like is a career effecting crap shoot. Several lists listed above are great for traveling music but would hardly engage a dance floor. A couple of targeted questions might open up the list without having to ask.
People of the age group being addressed in this thread are more inclined to want their guests happy and are hiring someone to locate that sweet spot and hammer it for four hours, unlike the millennials of today who only want what they want and everyone else be damned. (So sayeth the bitter old guy)
Bam. Pow. Biff. Bang. Carunch. Boom. (The sounds of Mister Nice guy taking a header.)
Asking what we would play kinda denotes lack of intuitive skill for the event type. It's understandable if you're so much younger than the clients you're serving. Don't you have an opening barometer set that will lead to and down the magical Yellow Brick Road?
Asking a client for a list of what they would like is a career effecting crap shoot. Several lists listed above are great for traveling music but would hardly engage a dance floor. A couple of targeted questions might open up the list without having to ask.
People of the age group being addressed in this thread are more inclined to want their guests happy and are hiring someone to locate that sweet spot and hammer it for four hours, unlike the millennials of today who only want what they want and everyone else be damned. (So sayeth the bitter old guy)
Bam. Pow. Biff. Bang. Carunch. Boom. (The sounds of Mister Nice guy taking a header.)
Though ... not every 60th party (and I've done a few) have dancing in mind.
Honestly, I find that 60th birthday parties are typically similar to weddings as far as music goes except a little more emphasis on Oldies and Funk.
People in their 60s today really don't remember 50s music, although, if you play Jail house Rock or Rock around the Clock they will still dance to those songs.
The last 60th birthday party I did, I was about 30 minutes into an oldies and funk set, and I had older ladies coming up to me and saying "Can you play something from this decade???" ....I had to laugh about it, but they were serious. Oddly enough, many older people want current music as well IF they are big into dancing.
60th birthday parties seem to be the age where I see the most birthday party inquiries for over the last 5 years. 40th birthdays are not as popular. ...Runner up in popularity for a DJ would be the 50th birthday party, and then I would say 80th birthday parties are 3rd. My Dad actually just did a 87th birthday party at the American Legion he is a resident DJ at!
People in their 60s today really don't remember 50s music, although, if you play Jail house Rock or Rock around the Clock they will still dance to those songs.
The last 60th birthday party I did, I was about 30 minutes into an oldies and funk set, and I had older ladies coming up to me and saying "Can you play something from this decade???" ....I had to laugh about it, but they were serious. Oddly enough, many older people want current music as well IF they are big into dancing.
60th birthday parties seem to be the age where I see the most birthday party inquiries for over the last 5 years. 40th birthdays are not as popular. ...Runner up in popularity for a DJ would be the 50th birthday party, and then I would say 80th birthday parties are 3rd. My Dad actually just did a 87th birthday party at the American Legion he is a resident DJ at!
That may be true, but do the guests (some of which are perhaps in the market for a DJ for their event coming up in the future) know that?
"Heavens. We went to a 60th birthday party and the DJ didn't get anybody up dancing. It was lame."
Why any entertainer would take an event that wasn't clearly stated for all to know that it was not a dance party can (and will) negatively effect potential on-site referrals.
Many of my events are NOT dance parties ... yes, there may be a little dancing near the end, but since I don't do weddings, listening to music tends to be more prevalent.
OK... just doin' the math in my little pea brain; I'd say this looks a little suspicious???[emoji1] I'm sure it was a fun party, but unless mom gave birth to daughter when she was 15, someone ain't tellin' the truth about their age.[emoji1]... But if this mom and daughter were from Arkansas, never mind.[emoji1]
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Dang, I need more coffee...or sleep....or both....worked until midnight and back up and working at 4:45 this morning to meet a deadline....I was off.... It was 50th and 75th, apparently.
Attachments
Since I'm not a contestant, I'll deflect and echo your position.
These situations/posts really make my head want to explode.
This is like a plumber asking how to to frame a house because they sold someone on it. I'm all for anyone wanting to expand their knowledge of genres, decades and such, but we all know that there's more to an event than a library or playlist. If something is not your forte', be honest up front about it. Then, if the client is still willing to contract and advise you, fine. Outside of that, a special event deserves better.