Choosing your prom music

Choosing your prom music

Since those who attend proms are the younger set, these parties are the best places to catch the latest music. Music ranges from the latest hip-hop to techno to pop, and the varieties are endless. You have the choice of hiring a DJ or a band, or you may just make a mix tape and play it during the party. Whatever choice you make, here are some dos and don’ts for those in charge of the music.

Keep it positive.

With some genres like hip-hop or rock, you might want to keep things positive. Stay away from tunes that poke fun at other people or demean a gender, or even an ethnic group. Your playlist should exude positivity, inspiring a new generation of prom-goers to stop hating and start spreading the love. Remember, you’ll be passing something on to next years’ seniors; you might as well give them something positive to remember you by.

Keep it tasteful.

No matter how much you or your friends may be tempted to go all-out for uncensored Liz Phair or Britney Spears, remember that this is an event for young people and that the music you play is a reflection of how they (and you) were brought up. Again, there is a line to be drawn when considering today's pop music raciness. Also, it isn’t pretty to see girls in gowns doing too much of the grind.

Stick with the current hits.

Using old music from the fifties to seventies is okay for a novelty dance, but this is a prom, and at the end of the day, you must consider what the rest of the crowd is listening to right now. You might play a Motown hit (perhaps some of The Temptations), but you have to do this wisely; going too retro will get some negative feedback. Remember, not everyone likes James Brown or Mötley Crüe; they’d rather dance to something familiar.

Make them dance.

Always remember that people go to parties to have a good time. You must have something upbeat playing. Dirges aren’t welcome; neither is too much emocore. You may play My Chemical Romance, but make sure it’s something with a danceable beat at least. The key to a good prom is to keep the people on their feet and off the tables. I suggest that you include at least one OK Go song in your playlist just for fun – you might just see people doing the dance steps the band is known for posting on YouTube.

Build up the momentum.

Start off with something a bit slow. Music during meals should be played softly so as not to disrupt the conversation. When people are already on the dance floor, you can start playing dance tunes, maybe inserting one really wild song in between relatively slow ones. . This will keep the crowd engaged the whole time. Don’t play all the fast songs in one medley – this will tire out the crowd too early and will diminish the impact of the final song. When it’s time to end the party, go for the grand finale!