1 day ago
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Name: “Do not play” lists.
Age: It’s probably been a thing for pretty much as long as playlists have been a thing, but it’s now more officially a thing because there was just a New York Times article about them.
OK, so I’m guessing a do not play list is about songs? Correct.
But songs that shouldn’t be played as opposed to songs that should be? Not unlike a no-fly zone.
Where shouldn’t they be played then? Anywhere, but particularly at your wedding.
Why not? It might be for political reasons, perhaps you don’t agree with an artist’s values or who they associate with. For example, one might put All Summer Long on their wedding do-not-play list because Kid Rock’s always hanging out with Trump.
One might indeed! Any other examples? Well one interviewee, Rebecca Keren Jablonski, a Manhattan rabbi, told the NYT that as well as giving the DJ at her wedding a list of songs she did want to dance to, she also made a list of what to avoid. Namely Kanye West.
Because of his vile undisguised antisemitism? Quite. In an article in The Times, also reporting on “do not play” lists, Ben Boylan, the founder of Non-Traditional Wedding DJs, said R Kelly and P Diddy were the other artists who, like Kanye, were regularly vetoed by couples.
Seems reasonable. But there are other reasons for omitting an artist beyond any controversies. It could be on the grounds of genre and taste (you might just really hate a popular song), explicit lyrics, knowing family members and what they like (death metal might be your go-to genre, but it’s unlikely to be a floor-filler), etc.
Grandma’s not into grime or drill? Exactly. The NYT spoke to a wedding DJ called Don Woodbury in Salt Lake City, who gets clients to list five to 10 songs they want him to avoid.
Would it not be easier just to get a list of songs they do want? Oi, this is about do not play lists, OK? Another wedding DJ told of a couple who banned Justin Timberlake, because the bride said: “I have a problem with Justin Timberlake since he ripped Janet Jackson’s bra off at the Super Bowl.”
Good reason! Get on that list, Timberlake. I’m also rethinking Michael Jackson. That’s a tricky one – such is his enduring popularity, the consensus is he’s possibly too big to cancel. But, really, it can just be that you don’t like a song.
Do say: “Yeah, who cares that it’s the new in-laws’ favourite: Sweet Caroline is top of the do not play list.”
Don’t Say: “Hey DJ, play YMCA! That’s definitely not political …”
