How to Find Songs for a Reunion

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How to Find Songs For a Reunion
by Alex Cosper (11/18/12, revised 3/20/14)

Finding songs for a reunion is easy with Playlist Research. Just go to the home page, by clicking the logo in the upper left corner, then click a year or decade to visit. From there you'll get lists of songs that were popular during that time. Eacy year since the 1920s has been researched to create thorough lists of the most popular songs during that period.

Much of the research behind these song lists involve examining data of respective eras to list songs listed on national charts, appeared in movies or became anthems that capture the spirit of the times. These song lists work as a starting point for planning reunion music. You may not want to include just the music of a certain era. Perhaps the reunion has a wider theme.

These lists help create an historical soundtrack for a time period. If it's a high school reunion you may want to include music from classmates. You may also know better than any book what types of music were most popular at your school. Every region of the country has its own musical profile and perception of popular music.

Make a list of the songs to explore then search for them on YouTube, iTunes and other places that archive music history online. Plan out a reunion playlist, but keep in mind that most people will likely be talking over the music, unless everyone happens to be dancing. Reunions are typically more social gatherings than dance parties, but every reunion is different. The only was to predict how the crowd will respond to the music before the event is to know the crowd already. Sending attendees a music survey in advance can help.

But just because a class reunion might reflect on a certain year doesn't mean the crowd wants the whole night dedicated to just the music of that year. I have hosted many reunions in Northern California and almost every reunion had its own unique twist. Some of them just wanted music from the era of their high school class, which others wanted more current music mixed in. It really comes down to the theme of the event, which might be quite different from celebrating a particular era.