Wedding Band
Song List

46 songs · 6 sections · about 3 hours

A wedding isn't one gig, it's four: background music while people find their drinks, something warm under dinner, a couple of moments everyone's filming, and then a dance floor that has to work for a 9-year-old and a 90-year-old at the same time.

This list is laid out in that order. Cut what your band doesn't play, swap in the couple's requests, and load the rest into the free setlist maker to time out your sets.

Free, no signup. Each section becomes a set you can reorder, trim and print.

Cocktail hour

Recognizable but easy to talk over. Keep the volume down and the grooves smooth.

#	Song	BPM	Length
1	Sunday MorningMaroon 5	88	4:02
2	ValerieAmy Winehouse	96	3:50
3	Lovely DayBill Withers	98	4:15
4	Banana PancakesJack Johnson	—	4:03
5	Put Your Records OnCorinne Bailey Rae	96	3:35
6	Let's Stay TogetherAl Green	—	3:19
7	Fly Me to the MoonFrank Sinatra	119	2:30
8	I'm YoursJason Mraz	—	4:02
9	MoondanceVan Morrison	135	4:34

Dinner

Mid-tempo, warm, a little romantic. Everyone's eating, so nothing that demands attention.

#	Song	BPM	Length
10	At LastEtta James	87	3:00
11	Make You Feel My LoveAdele	137	4:06
12	Can't Help Falling in LoveElvis Presley	101	3:01
13	Thinking Out LoudEd Sheeran	158	4:41
14	Just the Way You AreBruno Mars	128	3:41
15	Your SongElton John	128	4:03
16	Wonderful TonightEric Clapton	—	4:30
17	Brown Eyed GirlVan Morrison	158	3:36

First dance & family dances

Usually the couple's pick. These are the ones that come up most, so it pays to have them ready.

#	Song	BPM	Length
18	PerfectEd Sheeran	95	4:23
19	All of MeJohn Legend	126	4:29
20	A Thousand YearsChristina Perri	93	4:45
21	My GirlThe Temptations	105	2:45
22	What a Wonderful WorldLouis Armstrong	—	2:27
23	The Way You Look TonightFrank Sinatra	133	3:22

Open the dance floor

Songs every generation knows in the first two bars. Get the grandparents up, the rest follow.

#	Song	BPM	Length
24	SeptemberEarth, Wind & Fire	126	3:35
25	Uptown FunkMark Ronson	115	4:30
26	I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)Whitney Houston	—	4:52
27	ShoutThe Isley Brothers	137	5:25
28	Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm YoursStevie Wonder	—	2:40
29	CelebrationKool & The Gang	—	4:58
30	Dancing QueenABBA	101	3:51
31	Shut Up and DanceWALK THE MOON	128	3:17
32	Crazy in LoveBeyoncé	—	3:55
33	SuperstitionStevie Wonder	101	4:01

Peak of the night

Everyone's warmed up. Big choruses, fast tempos, as few gaps between songs as you can manage.

#	Song	BPM	Length
34	Mr. BrightsideThe Killers	—	4:39
35	Livin' on a PrayerBon Jovi	122	4:09
36	Don't Stop Believin'Journey	121	4:09
37	Sweet CarolineNeil Diamond	127	3:21
38	Shake It OffTaylor Swift	—	3:39
39	Hey Ya!Outkast	—	3:55
40	Party in the U.S.A.Miley Cyrus	—	7:00
41	You Shook Me All Night LongAC/DC	129	3:28
42	I Gotta FeelingThe Black Eyed Peas	128	3:54
43	Dancing in the MoonlightToploader	—	2:54

Last dance

Bring it down or blow the roof off. Ask the couple which one they want.

#	Song	BPM	Length
44	Don't Stop Me NowQueen	—	3:32
45	Stand by MeBen E. King	119	2:54
46	Closing TimeSemisonic	184	4:33

BPM and length come from the original recordings and are approximate (tempo apps sometimes read half or double time). Your band's version will vary.

Tips from the stage

Get the do-not-play list. Ask the couple for the songs they never want to hear, along with the ones they do. One wrong song can sour the night more than ten great ones can save it.
Plan for 50 to 60 songs. A four-hour reception is usually three or four sets of about 45 minutes. At around 12 songs a set, that's 50 to 60 songs once you count requests and the special dances.
Learn the special dances properly. The first dance gets filmed and watched for years. Rehearse the couple's version, including their cut point, and confirm the length with them before the day.
Keep the dance sets moving. On the dance floor, the space between songs matters as much as the songs. Group by tempo so you can segue, and save the band chat for the set breaks.

Common questions

How many songs does a wedding band need?+

Most wedding bands play three or four 45-minute sets, which works out to 50 to 60 songs. Build a bigger pool than that, around 80 to 100, so you can read the room and take requests.

What order should wedding reception songs go in?+

Follow the night: easy, recognizable songs for cocktail hour, warmer mid-tempo songs under dinner, the couple's special dances, then dance sets that build in energy toward the end. This list is in that order.

What are the best songs to get people dancing at a wedding?+

Songs that every generation knows within a few bars: September, Shout, I Wanna Dance with Somebody, Uptown Funk and Dancing Queen are reliable openers. Once the floor is full, move to the big singalongs like Mr. Brightside and Livin' on a Prayer.

Can I turn this list into a setlist?+

Yes. Hit "Load into the setlist maker" and every section lands as its own set. Reorder, cut and add songs, check the run time, and print it. No signup needed.

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