Can You Play The Same Songs At Your Gigs ?

I was reading the topics on a DJ forum site and one of them caught my eye. A beginner member was asking if it is ok to play the same songs for his DJ gigs.

I think he’s concerned about boring his audience with repeating the same tracks gig after gig.

The first basic answer I’d give to that is yes and no, together. Ok, don’t get confused right away, I’ll explain.

One of the contributors to that topic says he throws few new ones in, maybe every month or so. Other than that, he basically plays whatever he has in the library.

Another DJ tells he challenges himself to play different sets at every gig.

The third indicates that %50 of what he plays every week is the same stuff.

Now, let me come to my opinion and tell you why I said yes and no at the same time.

First of all, what you play depends on the nature of the gig you have and the crowd. DJ’ing at a bar or club and weddings or private parties are whole different ball games.

If it’s a venue open to public, it means you are very likely to face the same people week after week, after week. In that case, the answer is no up to a point.

A bar or club DJ eventually plays the same songs at every gig  if they are popular at the time being, because there is demand. That’s why there is a Top 40 list.

But, if you throw the same tracks in the same order every time, your audience will notice that. People love listening to hit music and dance to it, no matter when they are played, and that gives you the advantage of spinning the same songs regularly.

A good DJ may play the same set only by changing the order of songs as long as there are new and fresh tracks blended in.

What about private parties or weddings that there is always a different crowd ?

Now my answer goes yes. You can perfectly play the exact same set in the same order for those kinds of events. Why, cause you get different faces. Nobody knows your routine.

This doesn’t mean DJs should stick to the very same playlist. It’s up to you. You can have multiple DJ sets containing great songs of various genres and use them at your parties.

Especially weddings are such events that certain songs are most suitable. You usually end up playing them no matter what. So are private parties.

My final thought and answer to this question is that DJs may play the same songs on regular basis as long as they are not in the same order and blended in with new and popular tracks.

Last updated by Murat Celikbas on November 29, 2014.