Office Party Playlist
An office party needs music that no one finds awkward. This list sticks to upbeat songs with no strong language and wide appeal across age groups. It starts as background music and gives people a chance to dance later.
The playlist
Arrival
Light background music.
- Here Comes the Sun — The Beatles
- Better Together — Jack Johnson
- Lovely Day — Bill Withers
- Put Your Records On — Corinne Bailey Rae
- Budapest — George Ezra
- Three Little Birds — Bob Marley & The Wailers
- Island in the Sun — Weezer
- Dreams — Fleetwood Mac
- Valerie — Amy Winehouse
Mingling
Familiar songs people hum along to.
- Happy — Pharrell Williams
- Can't Stop the Feeling! — Justin Timberlake
- Walking on Sunshine — Katrina and the Waves
- Mr. Blue Sky — Electric Light Orchestra
- Best Day of My Life — American Authors
- Sweet Caroline — Neil Diamond
- Brown Eyed Girl — Van Morrison
- Respect — Aretha Franklin
- Ain't No Mountain High Enough — Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
- Rolling in the Deep — Adele
Dance floor
For the team that stays late.
- Uptown Funk — Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars
- September — Earth, Wind & Fire
- Celebration — Kool & the Gang
- Dancing Queen — ABBA
- Girls Just Want to Have Fun — Cyndi Lauper
- Love Shack — The B-52's
- Come On Eileen — Dexys Midnight Runners
- Shake It Off — Taylor Swift
- Good as Hell — Lizzo
- I Gotta Feeling — Black Eyed Peas
- Levitating — Dua Lipa
- Shout — The Isley Brothers
- Don't Stop Me Now — Queen
- Don't Stop Believin' — Journey
- Shut Up and Dance — Walk the Moon
Tips for your office party music
- Check Apple Music explicit tags and pick clean versions for a workplace event.
- Keep the volume low enough that coworkers can talk across a table.
- Pick songs that are fine for all ages and backgrounds. Skip anything controversial.
- Do not make one person the DJ. Voting spreads the choice and avoids complaints.
- End the dance block at a set time and switch back to quiet songs.
Let guests vote instead of playing DJ
A team event is a good fit for voting. Guests join Jukebox with a QR code on the screen or a calendar invite note. Nobody needs an account, and each person gets a fair number of votes, so the loudest voice does not control the room.
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
What music is appropriate for an office party?
Upbeat, clean songs with wide appeal, such as Happy, September and Uptown Funk. Avoid songs with strong language or adult themes.
How do I take requests at a work party fairly?
Use a voting app. Everyone gets the same number of votes, and the most-voted song plays next.
Do coworkers need to install an app?
No. On iPhone an App Clip opens, and other phones use a web page. Only the host needs Apple Music.