How to Make an Awesome Music Playlist

Co-authored by Diana Dorsey and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: February 14, 2023 References

Whether you want to take over DJ duties at your next party or create a good mix to listen to while you work out, there are a few tricks of the playlist trade. Picking a theme, sticking with the right amount of songs, and listening to your playlist over and over can help you modify and tweak it to be the best it can be. If you ever feel stuck, try asking your friends for suggestions or looking at popular playlists online to get some inspiration.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Picking a Theme

1
Try a nostalgic playlist for a throwback vibe. If you want to be transported back to the past, pick a time period where you had the most fun and choose songs that remind you of it. You could pick a time when you grew up, one when you were in school, or just one that reminds you of a good time.^{[1]
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- Try 90s R&B, early 2000s pop music, 70s psychedelic rock, or even 80s jam bands.
2
Go for an upbeat playlist for working out. If you want to take your playlist to the gym, think about songs that will pump you up and get you ready for your workout. Try songs that have a fast tempo, a strong beat, and a solid baseline to keep you in workout mode the entire time.^{[2]
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- Dubstep and EDM songs are great ones for working out.
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3
Stick with soothing music for relaxation or meditation. For calming songs that you can listen to while studying, meditating, or winding down, go for slow, soft tempo songs with quiet base lines. You can even pick music that is specifically for meditating with white noise or nature sounds incorporated.^{[3]
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- Classical music is also great for relaxation and studying since it doesn’t have any distracting lyrics.
4
Lean towards popular music for parties. If you’re taking your playlist to a party or a DJ set, go for songs that most people will know. You don’t have to choose songs that are all from the top 40 list, but try to pick ones that you and your friends all know. The more people can sing along, the more they will dance and jam to the music.^{[4]
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- Different parties might need different soundtracks. A kid’s birthday party, for example, will have different music than a house show in your neighborhood.
5
Base your playlist off your mood for a specific vibe. Some songs can bring up certain emotions, and you can make a whole playlist based on that. If you’re feeling happy, go for uplifting, supportive songs. If you’re feeling a little down, try adding melancholy or sad songs to your playlist.^{[5]
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- This is a great way to figure out a name for your playlist as well, since you can just title it after your mood.
- Angry playlists might have a lot of heavy metal, content playlists might play smooth jazz, and sad playlists might have classical or slow songs.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Organizing Songs

1
Open up a music program on your phone or computer. There are a few different websites where you can make a playlist. Spotify, Apple Music, Playlist.com, and Windows Media Player all allow you to make specific playlists, so you can choose whichever one you feel most confident with.^{[6]
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- Internet radio stations like Pandora allow you to make your own radio station, but they don’t let you compile individual songs into a playlist.
2
Start with a hook. Whatever your theme, genre, or taste, one thing about playlists is universal: it's got to start with a great song. Lead off with a song that'll hook everyone who'll listen, or will kick off your personal favorites playlist with a bang.^{[7]
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- Alternatively, maybe the order of the songs is predetermined (as in a countdown playlist) or maybe you're just not interested in a carefully selected order for the songs. Consider randomizing the order by hitting shuffle, or by tossing the songs in alphabetically for easy access. This tends to be easier for very long playlists.
3
Include some highs and lows. In most cases, you'll want an awesome playlist to vary the mood, the tempo, and the tones in the music somewhat, or else it'll get repetitive and dull. Even if you're making a Best of Black Metal playlist, try to throw some more atmospheric headbangers in there, or it'll be hard to follow.^{[8]
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- Alternatively, a party playlist should probably only go up, so start with a banger and progressively get rowdier. Likewise, a go-to-sleep playlist should stay relatively sedate. Let it fade off into white noise or silence at the ending.
4
Add a climactic song in the middle of the playlist. Whichever song is the loudest, has the most noise, or is the most interesting is the one you should put in the middle of everything. Think of your playlist like climbing a mountain: the middle is the peak, and then you gradually come back down again.^{[9]
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- Depending on the playlist theme, this could be a really fast rap song, a loud EDM song, an orchestral classical piece, or anything in between.
5
Listen to the transitions between songs. Some songs have abrupt endings while others will have gradual fade-outs or codas. Some rock songs end with long blasts of feedback, while other songs will fade out. Listen to how each song transitions into the next.^{[10]
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- Avoid aural schizophrenia. It's nice to have some variety, but going straight from Slayer to Simon and Garfunkel will sound strange. It's your playlist, but try to make the order relatively smooth. Slayer to Led Zeppelin's "Since I've Been Loving You" to Simon and Garfunkel? That's more like it.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Making People-Pleasing Playlists

1
Aim for 30 to 50 songs total. Playlists that are too short won’t captivate your audience, and ones that are too long can be a little overwhelming. Try to go for 30 to 50 songs total to hit the sweet spot for an awesome playlist.^{[11]
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- Sticking to this many songs gives you enough time to convey the theme of your playlist without dragging it out too long.
2
Think about your playlist’s audience. Different people like different music, and some songs may be more appropriate than others. If you’re going to a child’s birthday party, you might pick songs geared towards younger children. If you’re just hanging out with your friends, you could pick popular songs that are on the radio right now.^{[12]
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- If you’re making a playlist for kids, make sure you listen to the lyrics of every song you add to avoid curse words.
3
Include 1 to 2 songs per artist to avoid repetition. While this rule originally started to protect artists on radio stations, it’s a good rule of thumb to stick to so you and your audience don’t get bored. As you compile your music, try to only add 1 to 2 songs by the same artist throughout the whole playlist.^{[13]
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- Having too many songs by the same artist can feel too much like just listening to an album.
4
Name the playlist something eye-catching and relevant. If your playlist is public, people may be able to click on it and play it for themselves. To make it enticing, try to name it something that captures the theme of the playlist and seems snappy and fun.^{[14]
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- For example, you could try “100 Most Uplifting Songs Ever.”
- Or, “The World’s Most Perfect Pop Songs.”

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Elevating Your Playlist

1
Be on the lookout for new music. If you’re trying to make an awesome playlist, you probably listen to a lot of music. As you find new music, save it to your phone or computer so that you can add it to your existing playlist or create a new one in a few months.^{[15]
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- Try listening to the radio, other playlists, and your friends’ recommendations.
2
Update your playlist every few weeks. To keep your playlist fresh, try to update it every 2 weeks or so. You can add new music that you find and delete irrelevant music that you don’t like as much anymore.^{[16]
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- Updating your playlist too often can confuse your listeners, while leaving it for too long can make it feel stale.
3
Test out your playlist. You can put your playlist on your phone, iPod, or any other portable music device and take it out with you on a run, or to the gym, or to the party where you want to dance. Delete songs that don't work and add songs that enhance the experience that you're soundtracking. It's easy to make changes.^{[17]
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- You might decide that some songs fit better elsewhere, in which case you can make a brand new playlist instead.
4
Make collaborative playlists with your friends. If you’re feeling stuck in a rut or you want to take your playlist to the next level, consider making a playlist where multiple people can add and delete songs. This will take the pressure off of you to be the sole contributor, and it can introduce you to new music that you might not have heard of before.^{[18]
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- You can make collaborative playlists on Spotify and Apple Music.

Community Q&A

Question

Can I make a playlist on YouTube?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

You can put videos into a playlist on YouTube. Under the video you want to add, click "save," then create a new playlist. Then, hit "create" to make your playlist public.
Question

Can I just make a playlist on the internet?

Community Answer

Yes, there are various websites, including YouTube, where you can make playlists (as long as you have an account with them).
Question

Are there any more apps that can make a playlist that is free?

Community Answer

Most apps are free, but typically only play songs that must be leased or licensed by the app provider. iTunes, Amazon Music and Groove are examples of free apps that require a subscription and/or purchase for most songs they provide. If you have a blog or a web page/site management tool or app, you can create a playlist that links to music on YouTube or Vimeo. Many music publishers enter into license agreements with YouTube or Vimeo that permit the use of the songs they control in exchange for a percentage of any advertising or other revenues.