well, should have not tooken the gig then.

True, true.

Need more info on the crowd. Is it a older crowd who lived the 80's or younger crowd who is having a "80's party". Is the crowd most Black, White, mixed, etc.

80's can go from Electro & Bass, to New Wave to Rock.

Ran across this in a google search - typical 80's - that is why we need crowd demographics:

www.jabproductions.us

I think it's gonna be 25-35 type of crowd. It's lied a payed favor I'm doing for someone. I wouldn't usually do this.

if you're not into 80s music, trying to wing it at a gig can be tough. you really gotta know the music and the demographics to pull it off well.

This did me a lot of good about 4 years ago...

www.scratchlive.net

Every dj should know 80's music

If you don't know what to play don't take the gig

Good as thread everyone needs to look through this I have a lot of music to get now. I have some of these on LP already

Word. I don't care if you were born in the 90s or if you don't play 80s music. You should know every hit and single.

i found this out last weekend, i had alot of requests for 80s stuff and i tried to wing a set, it was pretty bad, i gotta break open the books and do some homework on the 80s. Any advice guys

If you have Franchise record pool, go into "diggin in the crates" window. A good start for someone who's not too knowledgeable with 80s. Oh, and grab a seat cusion, you're gonna be a while.

Exactly! Especially if your in Cali and I see you are ......... 80's can range from Freestyle, Disco/Retro, Funk, Kroq/New wave even HipHop. It's a wide range and you can potentially be a bit over your head.

Here are some essentials:

Freestyle
1. Let the Music Play - Shannon
2. I Wonder If I Take You Home - Lisa Lisa & The Cult Jam with Full Force
3. When I Hear Music (It Makes Me Dance) - Debbie Deb
4. Don't Stop the Rock - Freestyle
5. Fantasy Girl - Johnny O.
6. Spring Love (Come Back to Me) - Stevie B.
7. Change on Me - Cynthia
8. Take Me in Your Arms - Lil' Suzy
9. Together Forever - Lisette Melendez
10. Show Me (The Next remix) - The Cover Girls
11. Come Go with Me - Expose
12. Point of No Return - Expose
13. Fascinated (By Your Love) - Company B
14. Lookout Weekend - Debbie Deb
15. Silent Morning - Noel
16. Bad of the Heart - George Lamond
17. Temptation - Corina
18. I'll Be Loving You - Collage
19. I Can't Wait - Nu Shooz
20. Please Don't Go - Nayobe
21. I'll Be All You Ever Need - Trinere
22. Come Into My Arms - Judy Torres
23. One Way Love - T.K.A.
24. Boy, I've Been Told - Sa-Fire
25. I Won't Stop Loving You - C-Bank feat. Diamond Eyes
26. I Wanna Be the One - Stevie B.
27. Tell it to My Heart - Taylor Dayne
28. Give Me Tonight - Shannon
29. Party Your Body - Stevie B.
30. (You Are My) All N All - Joyce Sims
31. Funky Little Beat - Connie
32. Diamond Girl - Nice & Wild
33. Crying Over You - Soave
34. Clave Rocks - Amoretto
35. Summertime Summertime - Nocera
36. Dreamboy/Dreamgirl - Cynthia and Johnny O.
37. Two of Hearts - Stacey Q.
38. No Reason To Cry - Judy Torres
39. Do You Miss Me? - Jocelyn Enriquez
40. Dreaming of Love - Stevie B.
41. Sending All My Love - Linear
42. I Remember What You Like - Jenny Burton
43. Sincerely Yours - Sweet Sensation
44. Baby Talk - Alisha
45. Can You Feel the Beat? - Lisa Lisa & The Cult Jam
46. Set You Free - Planet Soul feat. Nadine Renee
47. Release Me - Angelina
48. In a Dream (My Love) - Jossette
49. Feels So Good - DJ Juanito w/ Lina Santiago
50. Give Me (A Reason) - Buffy

Disco / Retro
1. Crazy over You - Desire
2. My Forbidden Lover
3. Danger - The Flirts
4. Sweet Fantasy - Lisa Smith
5. Mandolay - La Flavour
6. Too Tuff to Cry - The Tyrants in Therapy
7. Funkytown - Lipps, Inc., Lipps, Inc.
8. Capitol Tropical - Two Man Sound
9. Three Time Lover - Bardeux
10. Panic - French Kiss
11. Samba - Johnny Chingas
12. Spin It - Sunbelt
13. Love & Devotion - Michael Bow

Old School & Funk
1. Pull Fancy Dancer/Pull - One Way
2. Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll - Vaughan Mason & Crew, Vaughan Mason & Crew
3. Oh Sheila - Ready for the World, Ready for the World
4. Juicy Fruit - Mtume
5. Burn Rubber (Why You Wanna Hurt Me) - The Gap Band
6. Mary Jane - Rick James
7. Strawberry Letter 23 - The Brothers Johnson
8. Let It Whip - Dazz Band
9. I Got You (I Feel Good) - James Brown
10. Dazz - Brick
11. Push It - Salt-N-Pepa
12. Love Rollercoaster - The Ohio Players
13. Got to Be Real - Cheryl Lynn
14. Pop It - One Way
15. Mr. Groove - One Way
16. Double Dutch Bus - Frankie Smith
17. You're the One for Me - D Train
18. Funkin' for Jamaica - Tom Browne
19. Flash Light - Parliament
20. Five Minutes of Funk - Whodini
21. Atomic Dog - George Clinton
22. All Night Long - The Mary Jane Girls
23. Cutie Pie - One Way
24. It Takes Two - Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock
25. Square Biz - Teena Marie
26. Friends - Whodini
27. You Dropped a Bomb on Me - The Gap Band
28. Smerphies Dance - Spyder-D

And Im just scratching the surface here!

good list kermit. the most important genre of 80s music, in my opinion is, classic alternative and early mtv stuff. 80's pop and new wave is what most people think of when they play an 80's party. i'd recommend building your set around that genre. i'm an 80's dj and spin at 80s clubs weekly. freestyle and disco is cool, but unless its a very hispanic heavy crowd (at least out here in LA), then it might not fly too well.
and last....keep in mind...just because it was from the 80's, doesnt mean you can play it at an 80's party

I love 80's music. I got a pretty good crate of 80's jams. Im gonna track this thread jus incase I miss some must have's.

Very good points their, just goes to show you how vast the music selection can be....You can go so many directions........ 80's pop and new wave are definately must haves!!!

Love the high energy disco. Too bad theres not a lot of songs on that genre. KERMIT you forgot some high energy disco songs
TRILOGY- NOT LOVE
J.D. HALL- # 1 Lover
Rocket to Your heart

WHen I get home I'll add more.

here are a few ....

1. Alphaville - Big In Japan (4:44)
2. Baltimora - Tarzan Boy (3:25)
3. Billy Idol - Rebel Yell (4:47)
4. Bros - When Will I Be Famous? (5:01)
5. Camouflage - The Great Commandment (4:16)
6. Corey Hart - Sunglasses At Night (5:18)
7. Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Want To Have Fun (3:55)
8. Dead Or Alive - You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) (3:13)
9. Depeche Mode - Master And Servant (4:12)
10. Dexys Midnight Runners - Come On Eileen (4:08)
11. Duran Duran - The Wild Boys (4:17)
12. Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) (3:37)
13. Falco - Rock Me Amadeus (3:22)
14. Fox The Fox - Precious Little Diamond (3:55)
15. Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Relax (3:58)
16. Frida - I Know There´s Something Going... (5:29)
17. Howard Jones - What Is Love? (3:40)
18. Irene Cara - Flashdance (What A Feeling) (3:48)
19. Jermaine Jackson & Pia Zadora - When The Rain Begins To Fall (4:05)
20. Kajagoogoo - Too Shy (3:40)
21. Kim Wilde - You Keep Me Hangin´ On (4:11)
22. Kiss - I Was Made For Lovin´ You (4:31)
23. Kool & The Gang - Celebration (3:40)
24. Lipps Inc. - Funky Town (3:59)
25. Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing (3:58)
26. Mc Miker G & Dj Sven - Holiday Rap (4:28)
27. Men At Work - Down Under (3:35)
28. Men Without Hats - Safety Dance (2:45)
29. Michael Jackson - Billie Jean (4:54)
30. Michael Sembello - Maniac (4:08)
31. Moti Special - Don't Be So Shy (3:29)
32. Mr. Mister - Broken Wing (4:38)
33. Musical Youth - Pass the Dutchie (3:26)
34. Prince - Kiss (3:39)
35. Real Life - Send Me An Angel (3:51)
36. Samantha Fox - Touch Me (I Want Your Body) (3:43)
37. Shannon - Let The Music Play (3:28)
38. Soft Cell - Tainted Love (2:35)
39. Styx - Mr. Roboto (5:28)
40. T.H.P. - Dancin' Forever (6:08)
41. Talk Talk - Such A Shame (4:26)
42. Tears For Fears - Shout (4:51)
43. The Weather Girls - It's Raining Men (3:30)
44. Toto - Africa (4:58)
45. Visage - Fade To Grey (4:02)
46. Wham! - Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go (3:52)
47. Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance With Somebody (4:50)
48. Yazoo - Don´t Go (3:01)

49. Devo - Whip It

and like i said earlier, just cuz it was from the 80's, doesnt mean its to be played at an 80s party

thats right. could be a real problem for you, ihy2.
all you can do is listen to all the hits of the 80s and then go and create a playlist.
good luck with that ;)

lil wayne =P

there are alot of 1 hit wonders from the 80's that people seem to remember...
-the VH-1 countdowns are a good place to start, and the celebrity commentary is usually hilarious!

This is something I learned collecting 80's music. You gotta figure out what is working on the Dancefloor like you are Partying in the 80's.

exactly. just cuz i'm djing a hip hop/top40 party, doesnt mean i can drop soulja boy at any given moment and expect to get away with it.

Jermain Stewart - We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off

I heart the 80's. I was there for it.

good links and suggestions here.

Whoa... Thanks for the help everyone.