‘Tis the season for jaunty holiday soirees, which naturally got me inspired to create some new iPod playlists. One that I’m particularly happy with is called “Cocktail Hour,” a hodge-podge of dance-club classics, electronic oddities, and underrated diva tracks that’s festively upbeat, yet not so propulsive that inebriated guests will be threatening to push my kitchen table against the wall in an effort to get their boogie on. After the jump you’ll find my 21-song party-starter (best played in “shuffle” mode). Once you’re done reading, post your own recent playlist creations, be they for hosting get-togethers, surviving the treadmill, commuting to the office, or zoning out in your darkened living room after a particularly beastly workday. And remember: Editing out “uncool” tracks is strictly verboten (thus my inclusion of ridiculously campy Army of Lovers), as is mockery of your fellow readers’ selections. iPod Inspection is a judgment-free zone, y’all!
“Chewing Gum,” Annie
“My Army of Lovers,” Army of Lovers
“Left My Baby For You,” Blake Lewis
“Spend Some Time,” The Brand New Heavies
“More, More, More,” The Dust Brothers
“Rock D’Amour,” Emmon
“I Did It Just The Same,” Eurythmics
“Missing (Todd Terry Club Mix),” Everything But The Girl Missing
“La Vie En Rose,” Grace Jones
“Blind,” Hercules and Love Affair
“Good Life (12″ Steve Hurley Remix),” Inter City
“Whenever,” Jody Watley
“Sunshine & The Rain,” Joi
“Atmosphere,” Lettie
“Club Lonely,” Lil’ Louis & The World
“Move With Me,” Neneh Cherry
“Overpowered,” Róisín Murphy
“Get A Life,” Soul II Soul
“1973,” T.H. White More
“Love’s the Only Drug,” Ultra Naté
“Near The Black Forest,” Vanessa Daou
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There’s no Kris Allen? No Rockerchick? Wow, you surprise me Slezak!
With me, it’s Scorpions and Disturbed. As long as I can listen to those, I’m good. The rest of the world fades away when Klaus Meine is singing.
For your Entertainment – Adam Lambert
Calista – Adam Nickey
Infushi – Super8 & Tab
Every Other Way-BT ft. Jes
Ashley – Filo & Peri
Hearing Damage – Thom York
Emipre State of Mind – Jay Z
Dream On – John O’Callaghan
Bad Romance – Lady GaGa
Secrets – OneRepublic
You & I – Medina
Morning After Dark – Timbaland
Love Story – Taylor Swift
When I Grow Up – Pussycat Dolls
My list is eclectic as it is questionable and is what I worked out to yesterday morning at the gym.
God, Army of Lovers “Crucified” is in my Top 25 most played list.
I love me some Army of Lovers! And no party playlist of mine is complete without some Erasure & Nikka Costa.
Okay Mike, so I have a Jazzy playlist that’s great for the office or riding home from work which includes Adele, Duffy, Maxwell’s Urban suite as well as Pretty Wings, Eryka Badu’s “on and on” and India Arie’s “Video”. But it also includes a little known singer from years ago that i just love, Andru Donalds. I also have an exercise playlist that includes, “I like to move it”. It reminds me of Madagascar every time and really does make me want to move it on the elliptical.
My playlist entitled “Some good stuff”:
“Alright With Me” -Kris Allen
“Red Guitar” -Kris Allen
“Bring It Back” -Kris Allen
“Defying Gravity” -Glee Cast
“Somebody to Love” -Glee Cast
“Imagine” -Glee Cast
“Lean On Me” -Glee Cast
“Sweet Caroline” -Glee Cast
“Vanilla Twilight” -Owl City
“Fireflies” -Owl City
“Hot Air Balloon” -Owl City
“How Do You Talk to an Angel” -The Heights
“Sunshine Song (Live)” -Jason Mraz
“Manhattan From the Sky” -Kate Voegele
“Gonna Make You Love Me” -Ryan Adams
“Cowboy Casanova” -Carrie Underwood
“Learning” -Green River Ordinance
“Come On” -Green River Ordinance
“New In Town” -Little Boots
“Bette Davis Eyes” -Kim Carnes
“Anodyne” -MWK
“Only Prettier” -Miranda Lambert
“Sin For a Sin” -Miranda Lambert
“Haven’t Met You Yet” -Michael Buble
“3″ -Britney Spears
“Scream” -Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson
“how do you talk to an angel” — excellent choice!
thanks, I love that song
Liking a lot of this one. Interesting mix!
That video for La Vie en Rose is riDONKulous. Love it!
My “Best Songs of 2009″ playlist I have on repeat lately…
Phoenix – “1901″
Editors – “Papillon”
Tiesto feat. Tegan & Sara – “Feel It in My Bones”
Muse – “Uprising”
Metric – “Help I’m Alive”
Passion Pit – “The Reeling”
Empire of the Sun – “We are the People”
U2 – “Magnificent”
Silversun Pickup – “Panic Switch”
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – “Zero”
Adam Lambert – “Broken Open”
Pet Shop Boys – “This Used to be the Future”
Mads Langer – “Too Close”
VNV Nation – “Sentinel”
Depeche Mode – “Wrong”
This list scares me. I apparently have way more in common with you than I’d like to admit …
LOL. You have excellent taste in music then.
Nice list!
Great list!
I canNOT stop listening to Phoenix’s “1901.” It’s so damn catchy!
It is definitely my favorite song of the year. I have seen the album on many best-of lists, but I think it has only 2 good songs and a whole lot of filler. I wish the rest of it was as good as 1901!
This is a great list! Muse and Editors rule!
A+ on the passion pit. i wish they would get more exposure!
You, my friend, have excellent taste. Passion Pit, Muse, Phoenix, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and the best song on Adam Lambert’s debut disc? I think I may love you and I don’t even know you.
Silversun Pickup and Yeah Yeah Yeahs are great. There is not one song on there that I hate. You my dear stranger friend, have outstanding taste in music. Rock. On.
Latest indie stuff mixed with random older goodies:
Introducing Palace Players – Mew
Silvia – Miike Snow
Soviets – Boxer Rebellion
I’m a Pilot – Fanfarlo
I am not a Robot Remix – Marina & the Diamonds
Temple Pressure – Alvin Band
Vision One – Royksopp
Fireflies – Owl City
We will become Silhouettes – Postal Service
Down ft. Lil Wayne – Jay Sean
Can’t Take my Eyes off You – Jersey Boys
In the NA – Hidden Cameras
This Time – John Legend
Ruby Blue – Roisin Murphy
Hanuman – Rodrigo y Gabriela
Bulletproof – La Roux
Tesla Girls – OMD
New Gold Dream – Simple Minds
One for my Baby (and one more for the road) – Frank Sinatra
I was just listening to “Tesla Girls” the other day. OMD are great!
My favorite band in high school – I’m rediscovering them via iTunes!
FYI: For kicks and grins, I googled OMD after reading your list… turns out they have a new album due out in 2010 and they just released a free demo. You can download it at their website.
I’m surprised there’s no Adam Lambert on your party list. I dare you to play his album and keep from doing a little chair dancing or head banging.
“My Christmas Playlist”
The Pogues feat. Kirstie McColl-Fairytale Of New York
The Raveonettes-The Christmas Song
Blink-182-I Won’t Be Home For Christmas
Cracker-Merry Christmas Emily
John Lennon-Happy XMas (War Is Over)
Ella Fitzgerald-Sleigh Ride
Bobby Helms-Jingle Bell Rock
Boys II Men-Silent Night
Holly Cole-Baby It’s Cold Outside
Coldplay-Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
The Pretenders-2000 Miles
Stevie Wonder-What Christmas Means To Me
U2-Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
Death Cab For Cutie-Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
The Dandy Warhols-Little Drummer Boy
The Ramones-Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight)
Michael Buble-Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
Mariah Carey-All I Want For Christmas Is You
Madonna-Santa Baby
Whitney Houston-Who Would Imagine A King
The Chipmunks-Christmas Don’t Be Late
Bob & Doug McKenzie-The Twelve Days Of Christmas
Vince Guaraldi-Christmastime Is Here
Vince Guaraldi-O Christmas Tree
you should add slow club’s christmas tv!
I make like 3 new play lists a month…my current one has many current songs but I always include some of my older favorites..
“Alejandro,” Lady Gaga
“Lights Out,” Santogold
“Defying Gravity,” Glee Cast version
“About a Girl,” Sugababes
“I Know UR Girlfriend Hates Me,” Annie
“Hard,” Rihanna
“Half of my Heart,” John Mayer
“Shut Up and Sleep With Me,” Belle and Sebastian
“Folding Chair,” Regina Spektor
“Tik Tok,” Kesha
“Hella Good,” No Doubt
“Meet Me Halfway,” Black Eyed Peas
“Why Wait,” Shakira
“With Every Heartbeat,” Robyn
“Never Forget You,” The Noisettes
“Bulletproof,” La Roux
“Whatya Want From Me,” Adam Lambert
“Need You Now,” Lady Antebellum and
“I Can’t Stay Away,” The Veronicas
These are currently my favorite songs…many of these artists are more popular in Europe(I’m from/live in North Carolina) but I find them online and love them.
love love love Santogold…her whole album is gold
I love Hella Good. Amazing taste!
Thanksgiving Drive Playlist:
For Your Entertainment Entire Album –Adam Lambert
Supermassive Black hole — muse
starlight — muse
just dance — lady gaga
poker face — lady gaga
bad romance — lady gaga
empire state of mind -Jay Z/AK
We Cry — the script
Before the Worst — the script
breakeven — the script
Friday I’ll Be Over You – Allison Iraheta
With the exception of Lambert and the addition of Kris Allen and a little Zac Brown Band, that’s pretty much my playlist! LOVE it!
Hmmm… My December 2009 playlist (for I make a new one every month)…
What About Now – Westlife
Celebration (feat. Akon) – Madonna
Bad Times – Annie
Meet Me Halfway – BEP
Telephone – Gaga
Unapologize – Carrie Underwood
Love Comes (Wideboys Edit) – Bananarama
How Soon is Now – David Guetta
Tik Tok – Ke$ha
Hotel Room Service – Pitbull
Until the End of Time (Johnny Vicious Remix) – JT & Beyonce
Give It Up to Me – Shakira
I Need You Now – Agnes
3 Words – Cheryl Cole
Ego – The Saturdays
Wordshaker – The Saturdays
About a Girl – Sugababes
Breathing Your Love – Darin
For Your Entertainment – Adam Lambert
Bodies – Robbie Williams
I See You – Mika
F*** You – Lily Allen
Half of my Heart – John Mayer
River – Ronan Keating
Get Sexy (Max Sanna and Steve Remix) – Sugababes
Boys and Girls – Pixie Lott
Lisztomania – Phoenix
Bad Boys – Alexandra Burke
Outta Here – Esmee Denters
Somebody to Love – Glee Cast
Bigger – Backstreet Boys
Tardy for the Party – Kim Z. (shaking my head in embarassment)
Robbie Williams! Love him. Can’t believe he’s not a huge star in the U.S.
don’t be ashamed about “tardy for the party”– it’s pretty amazing
“F*** You”… great choice, I love that song!
ummmmm…….im guessing your british??? and by the way we have almost the same playlist
Nope. Just prefer the British pop music scene to the US.