We’re always amused when the Knot or similar sites run articles with headlines like “These 26 Wedding Songs Are a Hard Pass.”
Some of the titles on these "do not play" wedding song lists seem like no-brainers. The Chicken Dance. Macarena. Who Let the Dogs Out. Baby Shark. The Hokey Pokey. All long past their expiration dates. And those last two -- how did they ever get into any wedding ever?
But some titles get included on these lists just because the author decrees they’ve been played too many times. Sure, we’ve played A Thousand Years about a kajillion times, and we’ll play it as many times as we’re asked. The song is deeply meaningful to many brides. No couple should care about what was played at anyone else’s wedding, or how many times it gets played. This is their day, and that’s all that matters.
The article we’re looking at says over and over: this song has been played too much, so people are sick of it. That’s counterintuitive. A song is played over and over because a lot of people enjoy hearing it, and they probably outnumber those who don’t. For instance, this article bashes Kool and the Gang’s Celebration and the Village People’s YMCA. Yes, they’ve been played at a lot of receptions. Why? Because they fill the dance floor!
That said, there’s something to be said for mixing it up a bit. Not every song needs to be as familiar as your favorite blanket. Ask your musician – live or DJ – for suggestions on how to freshen your playlist. There’s so much good music out there, and you probably have favorites that your guests haven’t heard. Leaven the familiar with the new. It’s a great combination.
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