HOW TO MAKE A GOOD PLAYLIST

What makes the perfect playlist? It’s the question that most of us have thought – or even obsessed over – from time to time. Whether you’re creating one for a special event, a special person or for a particular reason, such as a road trip or the ideal tracks to help you work, we’re here to give you some pointers when you find yourself asking, ‘how do I decide what to put on my playlist?’

Contents

• How to make a playlist
• Playlist inspiration
• What is the flow of a good playlist?
• How many songs should be on my playlist?
• How many hours is a good playlist?
• Top tips

How to Make a Playlist

With so many streaming services available – all with their own playlists – why make your own? NPR, whose Tiny Desk concerts showcase live performances in an intimate way, make the point that playlists are, in a way, their own language. And no one knows exactly what you like, in the way that you do.

Sometimes you might want to tell someone how you feel about them through specially-curated songs – aka the mixtapes of old – at others, there’s a specific aim, such as getting and keeping a crowd on that dancefloor for as long as possible!

So, when it comes to how to make a good playlist, the first question to ask yourself is, what is the playlist trying to accomplish? If the playlist is for yourself, ask yourself how you want to feel – happy, excited, upbeat, or melancholy (everyone needs a good heartbreak playlist from time to time)? Or maybe you want 45 minutes of high bpm tracks to power you through a HIIT session at the gym?

The mood of your playlist is a particularly important element if you’re making it for other people. A road trip with your oldest friends will have a totally different feel from chilling on the beach with sundowner cocktails.

Alternatively, you might want to create playlists based around music genres, places you’ve visited or want to go to, decades or just current chart hits. With approximately 60,000 new songs uploaded to Spotify every day, you won’t be short on choice (keep an ear out for Spotify’s Radio, Release Radar and playlist suggestions if you want to discover new tracks.)

Playlist Inspiration

Been tasked with putting together a playlist ahead of time? If you’re looking for wedding playlist tracks, then make a note every time you hear anything that might be suitable ahead of the event. Heard a banger on the radio? Scribble it down. Great track on an ad? Shazam it and add it to the list. Think of your favourite romcoms and check out their soundtracks. Or look through existing playlists on Spotify – there’s no shame in getting ideas from other people. With literally billions on offer you can find everything from Bird Dreams for my Cat to the ideal tracks for hiding out overnight in an abandoned church during a zombie apocalypse…

Plus, of course, ask the happy couple what their favourite tracks are, and make sure to incorporate plenty of those.

You can apply this approach to any mood or event you’re creating a playlist for. And to help you out, we’ve rounded up the best movie soundtracks and the best ever romantic soundtracks.

Is there a theme you need to stick to? If it’s 80s or 90s, then obviously that will dictate the bulk of your playlist, as will disco or drum ‘n’ bass. Other themes will give you more room to manoeuvre in terms of tracks, but occasionally a strict theme can make life easier, as you’re not overwhelmed by choice.

Want a throwback vibe? Try a nostalgic playlist – pick a time period when you had the most fun and choose songs that remind you of it. For a workout, think about songs that will pump you up – you need a fast tempo, a strong beat and a solid baseline, such as EDM or dubstep. Slow music is obviously best for relaxation or meditation. Classical music can be great for studying or relaxation.

Here’s a walkthrough of how to create a playlist on Spotify:

What Is the Flow of a Good Playlist?

This can be one of the overlooked elements of a great playlist. A useful tip is to imagine your playlist like a flight: the plane takes off, stays in the air for a while, then gently comes down. That’s the arc you’re aiming for. Or to stick with the idea of movies, there’s your intro to the character and the story, then the action kicks in and the ‘final act’ sees all the pieces coming together, there’s a resolution and everything calms down before the end credits roll (with a suitably brilliant track leaving everyone feeling satisfied.)

So, once you’ve got a selection of tracks assembled, you can start moving them around to fit this structure. Plus, if you’re in ‘take off’ mode, you’ll immediately start whizzing through a bunch of other songs that are similar in feel and fit the bill. Bear in mind that the first three or four tracks will set the tone of the playlist, so keep rearranging till you get these right.

Planning out the tracks with this structure helps to avoid the ‘turbulence’ of shuffle mode where at the end of a Lizzo floor-filler everyone suddenly heads for the bar when something way slower kicks in. Also be mindful of the age range of the audience who are attending the event. If it’s a mixed crowd, then make sure you’ve got tracks from a variety of decades so that everyone can enjoy them.

Part of the joy of a good playlist can be in bringing in a few forgotten gems to mix things up and keep people interested – a great playlist should have an element of surprise or discovery that elevates it beyond just a collection of solid tunes. But if the atmosphere isn’t quite what you were hoping for, then it’s also a good idea to have a stash of back-to-back hits up your proverbial sleeve to fall back on.

Pop is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, but be adventurous and mix a few other genres in, as long as they fit the overall mood that you’re creating at the time. Plus, a great rule of thumb is not to be a music snob – there are times when you need a cheesy classic to make people have fun.

Playlists for parties should have a focus on flow and transitions – the order of songs matters. But if a playlist is just for your own use, then if you’ve put together songs with consistent beats and rhythms, you can play them on shuffle and not worry so much about what you’ve put where on the list.

How Many Songs Should Be On My Playlist?

If you know roughly how long the party or event will go on for, that will determine how many tracks you need for your playlist – and how many you’ll need for each section of your ‘flight plan’ above. A rough guide is 50 or 60 songs for an event that’s going to go on for a few hours. And don’t forget, if everyone’s having a brilliant time, then there might be an afterparty – so keep a batch of extra tracks on hand just in case.

As a rough guide, most pop songs are around three and a half to four minutes long, while rock songs are from five to seven minutes; jazz and classical tracks are both usually longer, so the number of tracks you need to fill an hour’s playlist will vary a bit, depending on what genre you’re playing.

How long should a playlist be on Spotify? The majority of the most-followed Spotify playlists have exactly 50 songs, but obviously there’s no ideal number. A good range of songs for a Spotify playlist is around 50-200 songs maximum.

How Many Hours Is a Good Playlist?

Music streaming experts say the ideal playlist should be between one and a half and two and a half hours long – which is about 20 to 35 songs.

If you’re putting together a Spotify playlist, then think about those that you already follow and why you follow them. And if you want to build up followers through a playlist, then most people will listen to between three and five tracks before deciding if they want to subscribe, so put your favourites at the top of the stack.

Top Tips

If you’re creating lots of playlists, then always be on the lookout for new music to add to your catalogue. It’s key to keeping your lists fresh and interesting. Take notice of music that’s around you – anytime! You never know where or when you’ll find a new song or artist.

Want to create a captivating playlist? Make variety your watchword. Yes, you need cohesive tracks, but you can have a diverse playlist that also flows. Incorporate different artists, genres, intensities and instruments.

Include one or two songs per artist – this again helps with variety. Having too many songs by the same artist can feel like just listening to an album. Although if you’re working to a very strict theme, you might want to put this rule on the backburner. Just don’t play the same artist back-to-back on the playlist.

Keep your playlists updated to keep them relevant and fresh. Add a few songs, take a few out, rearrange them a bit – if you use particular lists a lot (say, for weddings or parties), then it’ll help to keep them current, and to avoid you getting bored of playing them.

Use the music that you love! If you’re playing tracks that you already really like, then you’ve got a better chance of making it engaging.

Above all, have fun! Making playlists is a great hobby and there’s nothing better than someone saying, ‘great music’ at the end of a party, road trip or get together.

So, to sum up, here’s how to nail good playlists:

• Work out your mood, theme or emotion
• Assemble your tracks
• Work out your ‘flight plan’ – take off, middle section, landing – to create a great flow
• How long is your event (if your playlist is for a party, wedding or other gathering)? Think how many songs you need
• Always be looking out for new music – or undiscovered gems to create variety
• Update your playlists regularly
• Use music you love
• Have fun!

Be Inspired

Want more inspiration? Here is a selection of fantastic playlists that our expert in-house team have hand-picked. All our music is original and high-quality – it’s ideal for licensing for ads, TV, film or digital content.

Plus, we have loads of great seasonal playlists, from Classic Christmas to romance for Valentine’s Day and summer sounds for lounging on the beach, BBQs, or the perfect road trip.

Check out our collection pages and our latest releases – updated every two weeks, if you’re on the hunt for new music for playlists!