### **How to Create a Great Partylist**If you’re looking to entertain at home with a Christmas party, dinner party or any type of get together, here are some things to keep in mind. It’s still a mystery why some people host parties and play no music. The music should always be prevalent, but never center staged. The priority is always conversation.The music is background, but will always propagate the mood. Pandora, Amazon Echo, Spotify, etc. usually have a command for certain mixes. This is probably good enough for most people (and technology has certainly substituted detail for convenience), but sometimes it’s nice and appreciated to put in a little effort. **Volume**What DJs understand is their ability to follow the mood of the crowd and adjust the music accordingly. The most basic is the volume. As more people arrive, the music should become a bit louder, as more voices will begin to drown it out. Also, as the night progresses and the libations take effect, a higher volume and more upbeat sound helps to keep things going. **Familiar and Not Familiar**Don’t emulate a classic rock radio station. Meaning - not every song should be familiar. Too much familiarity is boring. Give your guests a song they recognize every few songs. This will grab their attention to the music and give them a sense of familiarity and comfort. But most songs should be more about mood and tone and are best presented as being in the background. **Mix It Up… Kind Of**Some genres work together. Some don’t. Most jazz seems to mix in with about everything. Most shoe gaze and softer-toned new alternatives are easily blended as well. Hip-hop can work in the context of acts like Jungle and Guru. But not so much for acts like Nas. A few familiar urban staples like R. Kelly and Nelly can work if in extreme moderation. Too much rap and too much country (for that matter) are no no’s. We love punk, but (like metal) it doesn’t seem to ever work well in too many mixes. **Holiday Music?**Some people love it. Some people don’t. One suggestion is to actually have a main playlist that is fronted to the main room(s), and another playlist that’s played outside, in a small area or even in a bathroom. That’s the place to play it. A small radio tuned to the Christmas music station or an alternative playlist can easily accomplish this. **Suggestions**Live songs can be tough to blend in, but are great pieces of a playlist. As far as jazz, stick to the quintets, quartets, etc. The acid and fusion jazz of the late 60s and early 70s isn’t for everyone. Ella Fitzgerald is great. Etta James is better. Massive Attack and the alternative French band Air always mix well. Speaking of French acts, you can really step it up with artists like Serge Gainsbourg or Françoise Madeleine Hardy.
