6 tips for staff party music selection

Organizing a staff party is one thing, but choosing the right music? That really makes the difference between an event where people politely stick around and a party that everyone is still talking about for weeks to come! The perfect soundtrack will get colleagues from different departments dancing together, get even the most reserved team members to join in, and ensure that your staff party creates the connection your company culture could so well use. With these six practical tips, make sure the music strikes just the right chord with all your employees.

1: Know your audience before compiling the playlist

You can pick the fattest beats, but if you don’t know what your team likes, you’re shooting completely wrong! Analyze your target audience just as you would for a client event. Do you have a young, dynamic team or just a mix of different generations? Do you employ many international colleagues who bring their own musical backgrounds?

Send out an informal survey through your internal communication channels. Ask not only about favorite artists, but also about music people absolutely dislike. A short poll with “What is guaranteed to get you dancing?” and “What music makes you flee to the bar?” will give you gold-worthy insights.

Also remember to have informal conversations at the coffee machine or during lunch breaks. You’ll often get the most honest responses there. People will tell you, for example, that they secretly love guilty pleasure music from the ’90s, or that they don’t like electronic dance music at all.

• About us
• Book now
• View our services

2: Mix different styles of music for every taste

A good staff party playlist is like a perfect meal – you need several courses to keep everyone happy! Cleverly combine different genres: classic hits that everyone knows, modern pop that younger colleagues can move to, some rock for the guitar lovers, and international music that reflects your diverse team.

Consider the 70-20-10 rule: 70% well-known songs that almost everyone has a thing for, 20% music that appeals to specific groups within your team, and 10% surprises that people may not know yet but sound nice. That way you make sure no one feels left out.

Also note the cultural diversity within your team. If you have colleagues from different countries, add a few international hits. This not only ensures inclusiveness, but often makes for surprisingly fun dance moments when someone hears their favorite song from their home country!

3: Adjust the volume to the time of night

Volume is the secret sauce of a successful staff party! Start quietly during welcome drinks and drinks – people should still be able to hear each other. Background music during dinner should be just that: in the background. No one wants to shout to pass the salt shaker.

Once the last dessert spoon is put away and people start walking around, you can gradually turn up the volume. This is when you slowly build up the energy toward the dance portion of the evening. People should feel that the party is entering another phase.

Toward the end of the evening, turn the volume back down slightly. Close with quieter music – this gives people a chance to reminisce about the great night and provides a natural closure. Think feel-good songs that people can still sing along to, but that aren’t so loud that neighbors start complaining!

4: What songs are best avoided at a staff party?

Just to be completely honest: not all music is suitable for a staff party. Avoid songs with explicit lyrics – what is fine at home or at the pub may cause awkward moments at a corporate event. You don’t want the CEO turning red during a song full of obscene language!

Even controversial artists are better left out. Music should bring people together, not divide them. The same goes for overly personal or emotional songs that can make people sad. A staff party is no time for a cry to “Tears in Heaven.”

Also pay attention to music that may hurt or exclude certain groups. Consider songs with discriminatory lyrics or music that reinforces stereotypes. If in doubt about a song, just leave it out. There are plenty of other great songs that make everyone feel good! Still have questions about choosing the right music? Check out our FAQ for more practical tips.

5: Plan interactive music elements into your program

Music becomes truly magical when people actively engage with it! Plan a music quiz with songs from different decades – this always works and creates hilarious moments when the youngest colleagues try to guess who The Beatles are, while the older guard struggles with contemporary hits.

Karaoke is an absolute winner, but make sure you have a good selection of songs. Choose well-known classics that people can sing along to, as well as some more modern hits. A karaoke battle between departments can greatly strengthen the team spirit and is guaranteed to bring a lot of laughter.

Dance competitions bring movement to your party and provide spectacular moments. Consider a freeze dance, in which everyone must stop as soon as the music stops, or a battle between different teams. Live performances by colleagues who are musical can also work great – ask in advance who is talented!

6: Test your sound system well in advance

Without good sound, your staff party will sound like a poorly recorded voicemail! Test all equipment at least a week in advance, not on the day when it’s too late to fix problems. Check that the sound is well distributed throughout the room – you don’t want people in the corner not hearing anything while others at the speakers keep their ears shut.

Always arrange backup systems. Murphy’s law certainly applies to events: what can go wrong, will go wrong. Have extra cables, a backup playlist on different devices, and maybe even a second sound system for emergencies.

Don’t forget to test the microphones if you have planned speeches or interactive elements. Also check the acoustics of your venue – some rooms have weird echoes or dead spots where sound doesn’t come through properly. A good sound engineer can work wonders here and make sure your staff party sounds the way it should!

How Dutch Standard Events helps with the perfect music for your staff party

Choosing the right music for a staff party requires expertise, experience and above all knowledge of what really works in practice. Dutch Standard Events provides a seamless musical experience that perfectly matches your team and company culture:

– Professional sound engineering and backup systems – no technical problems to disrupt your party
– Experienced DJs and entertainment specialists who know how to captivate different audiences
– Complete preparation and coordination – from playlist composition to volume management
– Interactive music elements such as karaoke, music quiz and live entertainment
– Customized solutions to suit your specific team and venue

From the first consultation to the last dance, we ensure that music transforms your staff party into an unforgettable experience. Contact us for a free consultation on how we can make your staff party sound the way it should!