Wedding Playlists from Around the World

C&C Music Factory released “Everybody Dance Now” in 1990, and wedding guests ever since have endured its onslaught of synth beats and stuck-in-your-head-for-a-month lyrics. It’s time to change up the “classic” wedding playlist for 2016, and the international music scene is here to help.

Take your wedding playlist off the beaten track, for real, with our wedding playlist inspiration from around the world!

UNITED KINGDOM
As a major player in the global music scene, the UK offers Brit-invasion classics, modern pop, and an array of super-cool indie bands from cities like Bristol and Manchester. Infuse a little posh and punk energy into your reception with unexpected (but still iconic!) artists like Arctic Monkeys, Jungle, Hot Chip, T. Rex, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and The Yardbirds. Wedding playlists comprised of Queen, David Bowie, and The Beatles are acceptable, but avoid clichés like The Police, Mumford & Sons, and One Direction.

BRAZIL
Wedding playlist, meet bossa nova—a fusion of jazz and samba developed in the 50s nightclubs of Rio de Janeiro. “The Girl from Ipanema” is the earworm most iconic of the style, played in various incarnations by artists like Charlie Byrd and João Gilberto, but there’s plenty more to be enjoyed. Bossa nova is best suited for elegant yet sultry weddings—an excellent complement to an outdoor terrace or industrial-chic backdrop. See also: Seu Jorge’s samba and David Bowie covers, and Brazilian funk music popularized by M.I.A.

MEXICO
No Mexican wedding playlist is complete without…
• Santana’s “Oye Como Va”
• Tracks by Rodrigo y Gabriela (best suited for background music during the reception)
• Selena’s “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom”
• Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine’s “Conga” (if you insist on breaking out the classics!)
• “Cielito Lindo,” a wedding anthem performed by Mariachi bands

SOUTH KOREA
Love it, hate it, or never heard of it, K-Pop is a force to be reckoned with. Pull guests out of their Ed Sheeran and Maroon 5 comfort zones with tracks from Black Pink, Switch Berry, Cosmic Girls, and Beast. (Just avoid Psy’s “Gangnam Style” for everyone’s sanity.)

INDIA
Set your wedding playlist to “Bollywood romance” with tracks from Neha Kakkar, Sooraj Dooba Hain, and Shreya Ghoshal. As for the love triangles, magical song-and-dance numbers, and evil villains, you’re on your own!

While you’re at it, here are some songs to avoid:

• Billy Idol’s “White Wedding” (Just, no)

• The Black Eyed Peas “I Gotta Feeling” (Unless you’re going for that junior-high-dance vibe)

• James Blunt’s “You’re Beautiful” (Awkward and drawn out, especially in a large space)

• Savage Garden’s “Truly, Madly, Deeply” (So much cheese it hurts!)

• Kanye West’s “Gold Digger” (It’s not cute)

• The B-52s “Love Shack” (So much less catchy than you anticipate)

(The Knot’s list of songs to skip is also an excellent reference!)

There you have it! Now get Spotify-shuffling while you browse our list of wedding customs and traditions throughout the world.