BBQ and Cookout Playlist

Updated October 2026 · 28 songs · Titles and artists only

A cookout playlist should sound good outdoors and stay out of the way of conversation. This list leans on beach rock, country, reggae-tinged songs and sunny classics. It starts mellow, keeps a steady groove while people eat and gets louder in the evening.

The playlist

Lighting the grill

Relaxed songs while people arrive.

1. Sunny Afternoon — The Kinks
2. Three Little Birds — Bob Marley & The Wailers
3. Island in the Sun — Weezer
4. Margaritaville — Jimmy Buffett
5. Lovely Day — Bill Withers
6. Down on the Corner — Creedence Clearwater Revival
7. Up Around the Bend — Creedence Clearwater Revival
8. Hey, Soul Sister — Train
9. Mr. Blue Sky — Electric Light Orchestra

Eating and hanging out

Songs with a groove and an easy chorus.

10. Surfin' U.S.A. — The Beach Boys
11. Good Vibrations — The Beach Boys
12. Wouldn't It Be Nice — The Beach Boys
13. Kokomo — The Beach Boys
14. Brown Eyed Girl — Van Morrison
15. Santeria — Sublime
16. What I Got — Sublime
17. Chicken Fried — Zac Brown Band
18. Toes — Zac Brown Band
19. Fishin' in the Dark — Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
20. Hot Fun in the Summertime — Sly & the Family Stone
21. Summertime — DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

Evening

Louder songs as the sun goes down.

22. Sweet Home Alabama — Lynyrd Skynyrd
23. Wagon Wheel — Darius Rucker
24. Cruise — Florida Georgia Line
25. Friends in Low Places — Garth Brooks
26. Summer of '69 — Bryan Adams
27. Free Fallin' — Tom Petty
28. Life Is a Highway — Tom Cochrane

Tips for your bbq and cookout music

• Put the speaker in the shade and away from the grill. Heat and smoke can damage it.
• Point the speaker toward the seating area, not the neighbors.
• Outdoor sound spreads out. Use a slightly higher volume than indoors, but stop at a level where guests can talk.
• Bring a backup battery pack for the phone and the speaker.
• Keep the queue running while you cook. Let guests handle it.

Let guests vote instead of playing DJ

You are at the grill and cannot hold a phone. Start a Jukebox session, put a QR code on the cooler or table, and let guests vote and request songs. Jukebox plays through your speaker using AirPlay.

Here is how it works. The host starts a session from Apple Music. Guests join by 6-digit code, QR code or by being nearby. They vote on songs, request their own and vote to skip. The most-voted song plays next. Guests need no account, and only the host needs Apple Music.

Frequently asked questions