What music should we play at the staff party? The real answer depends on your company. A law firm dinner and a warehouse crew celebration both count as the office party, but the right playlist for one would clear the room at the other.
If the planning landed on you, getting this right is most of what makes the night feel like a party. This guide sorts holiday party music by company vibe, so you can find the description that sounds like your team and borrow the songs. If your workplace is multicultural, there’s one simple step to take two weeks out that does more than any single song could.
Start with one rule: it is a party first, a holiday party second
The most common mistake we see is too much holiday music. Three hours of carols wears thin, and not everyone on your team celebrates Christmas.
A good rule of thumb is to lean on seasonal music while people arrive and eat, then pull back once the dancing starts. On the dance floor, about one holiday song in every five or six is plenty. People came to celebrate the year with their co-workers. The season is the backdrop.
It also helps to mix in winter songs that are not tied to one holiday. “Let It Snow” and “Winter Wonderland” feel festive without leaving anyone out.
Playlists by company vibe
The formal dinner: professional firms and client-facing teams
Think accounting, law, finance, or any party where clients and partners are in the room. Conversation matters most, so the music sits in the background for much of the night.
- “The Christmas Song” by Nat King Cole
- “Christmas Time Is Here” by Vince Guaraldi Trio
- “Sleigh Ride” by Ella Fitzgerald
- “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” by Michael Bublé
- “Let It Snow” by Dean Martin
- “The Way You Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra
- “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire, for when the jackets come off
Keep it to jazz, swing and soft soul through dinner. If there is dancing later, start with Motown and classic soul. It is familiar to every age group and it never feels out of place in a formal room.
The classic office party: mixed ages, mixed tastes
This is the most common crowd we play for. You have new hires in their twenties, people a year from retirement, and plus-ones who know nobody. The goal is songs that everyone recognises within five seconds.
- “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee
- “Jingle Bell Rock” by Bobby Helms
- “All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey
- “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” by Whitney Houston
- “Dancing Queen” by ABBA
- “Don’t Stop Believin'” by Journey
- “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon
- “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond
Move through the decades rather than staying in one. Two or three songs from the seventies, a few from the eighties, a few current ones, then back again. Nobody waits long for something they know.
The young team: startups, agencies and tech
A younger crowd usually wants less nostalgia and more of what they already listen to. Holiday music works best here as a quick, knowing nod.
- “Underneath the Tree” by Kelly Clarkson
- “Santa Tell Me” by Ariana Grande
- “Levitating” by Dua Lipa
- “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd
- “As It Was” by Harry Styles
- “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift
- “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers
Throwbacks from the 2000s tend to land well with this group too. Ask a few people on the team what they sang along to in high school and you will have half your dance set.
The casual crew: trades, shop floors and warehouse teams
Relaxed dress, a buffet, maybe a few tables of people who have worked side by side for twenty years. This crowd often wants rock, country and singalongs more than pop.
- “Run Rudolph Run” by Chuck Berry
- “Feliz Navidad” by José Feliciano
- “Life Is a Highway” by Tom Cochrane
- “Summer of ’69” by Bryan Adams
- “Friends in Low Places” by Garth Brooks
- “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi
- “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins
Singalongs do the heavy lifting here. You do not need a full dance floor to have a great night. A room full of people shouting a chorus together counts.
The multicultural team
Many GTA workplaces include people from a dozen backgrounds, and the playlist should sound like it. The simplest way to get this right is to ask. Send a short request form to staff two weeks out and invite people to add a song from home.
- “Jai Ho” by A.R. Rahman
- “Mundian To Bach Ke” by Panjabi MC
- “Suavemente” by Elvis Crespo
- “Danza Kuduro” by Don Omar and Lucenzo
- “Calm Down” by Rema
- “Dynamite” by BTS
- “What Christmas Means to Me” by Stevie Wonder
A short set of two or three songs for each group works better than a single token track. People notice when their music gets real time on the floor.
How the music should change through the night
Whatever your vibe, the night has the same four parts.
Arrivals and cocktails. Light, upbeat and quiet. This is where most of your holiday classics belong.
Dinner. Lower the volume again. Guests should be able to talk across the table without raising their voices.
Speeches and awards. Music stops for speeches, with short walk-up clips for award winners if you want some energy. Keep this part tight. Our guide to planning a company holiday party has a sample run of show.
Dancing. Open with something every age group knows, then follow the room. If you want more than dancing, we have a list of corporate party games and activities that work well between sets, and a photobooth gives the non-dancers something to do.
Keeping it office-safe
A work party is still work. A few habits keep the music from becoming a problem on Monday.
- Use radio edits only. Our DJs play clean versions at corporate events as standard.
- Skip songs with explicit themes even if the words are bleeped.
- Collect requests ahead of time, and give the DJ a do-not-play list along with your must-plays.
- Let the DJ filter requests on the night. A polite “I will see if I can fit that in” saves a lot of awkward moments.
- Keep one corner of the room quiet enough for conversation.
Playlist or DJ?
For a small team lunch, a streaming playlist and a decent speaker will do the job. Borrow the lists above and you are most of the way there.
Once you add a microphone, speeches, awards and a dance floor, the job changes. Someone has to watch the room, adjust the volume, fix the order when dinner runs late, and choose the next song based on what just worked. That is what a DJ and MC does all night. You can see how we handle these events on our holiday party DJ page.
Holiday Party Music FAQ
How much of an office holiday party playlist should be holiday music?
As a rule of thumb, lean on holiday songs during arrivals and dinner, then drop to about one holiday song in every five or six once the dance floor opens. Most guests want a party with a seasonal touch, not three hours of carols.
What music is safe to play at a work party?
Stick to radio edits, skip songs with explicit lyrics or heavy themes, and choose music that several age groups recognise. If you would not want the lyrics read out in a staff meeting, leave the song off.
Should we take song requests at a company holiday party?
Yes, with a filter. Collect requests from staff ahead of time and let the DJ take requests on the night, with the understanding that the DJ will skip anything that does not suit a work event.
How loud should the music be during dinner?
Quiet enough that two people can talk across the table without raising their voices. Volume comes up for the dancing portion, and a good DJ keeps one area of the room where people can still have a conversation.
Do we need a DJ or is a streaming playlist enough?
A playlist can cover a small lunch or a potluck. Once you have speeches, awards, a microphone and a dance floor, a DJ earns their place by reading the room and running the timeline.
Planning a holiday party this season?
If you would like a hand with the music, tell us about your team, your venue and the kind of night you have in mind. Send us a note for a quote and we will come back with options that fit your group.
