U Know What's Up - Donell Jones

tempo: 103 bpm

bpm range: 100 to 105 bpm

the DJ’s take: If you spin hiphop and R&B, this single has aged well and should still get your crowd moving. Make sure you get the version with Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes from TLC. Should have an extended shelf life, especially in Northeast (e.g. NYC) venues, so make it a permanent part of your throwback playlist.

Some other key-compatible tracks to mix with:

If you're operating at 99-100 bpm:

Bitches N Marijuana - Chris Brown, Tyga & SchoolBoy Q

Loyal - Chris Brown

Ayo - Chris Brown & Tyga

I Don't F**k With You - Big Sean ft. E-40

From 100 to 105:

I Ain't No Joke - Eric B & Rakim
Team - Lorde

And just above 105:

Calm Down - G-Eazy

download or stream the song:

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Hotel Room Service - Pitbull

tempo: 126 bpm

bpm range: 125 to 130 bpm

the DJ's take: Has a definite Miami flavor - festive, heavy beat and a hook that's easy to remember and shout out on a crowded dance floor. A major hit when it was released, and it should still get a club or college bar going on a pop night. Samples the song Push The Feeling On by Nightcrawlers, which could make an interesting lead-in:



Some other key-compatible tracks worth mixing or mashing up with (scroll down in the box below for the full list):

PYT - Michael Jackson
Space Race - Sterling Mercury
Freak - R3hab ft. Quintino
FREE.K - Pitbull
Break Through The Silence - Martin Garrix, Matisse & Sadko
Children - Justin Bieber
Sun Is Shining - Axwell ^ Ingrosso
Beautiful Now - Zedd
Together - Calvin Harris
That High - Pitbull
Noche No Termina - Pitbull
Wake Me Up - Avicii
Don't You Worry Child - Swedish House Mafia
Gangnam Style - PSY
Starships - Nicki Minaj
Without You - David Guetta ft. Usher
Mr. Saxobeat - Alexandra Stan
Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5
Who's That Chick - David Guetta ft. Rihanna
Yeah 3X - Chris Brown
Only Girl in the World - Rihanna
Sexy Bitch - Akon
Meet Me Halfway - Black Eyed Peas
Down - Jay Sean
Disturbia - Rihanna
Angel - Akon

download or stream the song:

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spotify playlist

itunes

There For You - Martin Garrix, Troye Sivan

tempo: 106 bpm

bpm range: 105 to 110 bpm

the dj's take: Without the song title, I'd have guessed this was DJ Snake. A little more serious in tone, so probably better employed at a festival or on an electro night. That said, the driving percussion could make it a head-nodder on a regular club night.

If you're between 105 and 110 bpm, try mixing with:

You - Lost Kings
Middle - DJ Snake
Ghost - Ella Henderson

And if you're below 105, a couple other key-compatible recommendations:

2 On - Tinashe

Picture Me Rollin' - Chris Brown

download or stream the song:

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Crying In The Club - Camila Cabello

tempo: 86 bpm

bpm range: 85 to 90 bpm

the dj's take: From the beat to the vocals, sounds like a Sia single, doesn't it? Could be a nice backing track for the finals of the World Belly-Dancing Championships. Or a contemporary dance recital. Worth a spin when your crowd needs something to sway to.

If you're staying key-compatible between 85 to 90 bpm, try mixing with:

Throw It In The Bag - Fabolous

Between 80 and 85 bpm:

Sure Thing - Miguel
Golden - Travie McCoy ft. Sia

Talk That Talk - Rihanna

And right around 90 bpm:

Cheap Thrills - Sia

Ridin Solo - Jason Derulo

Take On Me (Kygo Remix) - a-ha

Should've Been Us - Tori Kelly

Stereo Hearts - Gym Class Heroes

download or stream the song:

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itunes

SexyBack - Justin Timberlake

tempo: 117 bpm

bpm range: 115 to 120 bpm

the DJ's take: To me, this was the single that established Justin Timberlake as a bona fide superstar. Play it at a wedding, a club, or a Top 40 night at a college bar - doesn't matter. People will get down, and that probably won't change for the foreseeable future.

And in case you forgot, a look back at another hit that put him on the map as a solo artist:



Some other key-compatible tracks to mix or mash up with SexyBack:

Renegade - Axwell /\ Ingrosso
I Love You - Axwell /\ Ingrosso, Kid Ink
I Don't Wanna Live Forever - ZAYN, Taylor Swift
Adore - Jasmine Thompson
Safe and Sound - Capital Cities
Bad Romance - Lady Gaga
Don't You Want Me - The Human League

download or stream the song:

amazon

spotify playlist

itunes

Most Girls - Hailee Steinfeld

tempo: 103 bpm

bpm range: 100 to 105 bpm

the dj's take: Gotta hand it to the songwriters - the message is loud and clear. Obviously not intended for me, but if they ever do a junior version of the Women's March, this may be blasting out the speakers at some point. I wouldn't be shocked to hear it during a telecast of the Miss Teen USA pageant either. Worth a spin on a pop night for a college-aged crowd.

On a side note, who should be #1 in the power rankings for pop songs called 'Most Girls'? Because P!nk came out with her own single awhile back:



Vote now or forever hold your peace:

Who came out with the better 'Most Girls'?

P!nk

Hailee Steinfeld

 

pollcode.com free polls

Getting back to the Hailee Steinfeld track, some key-compatible hits in the scroll-down box below:

Galway Girl - Ed Sheeran
Wave Your Flag - Afrojack ft. Luis Fonsi

Middle - DJ Snake

Picture Me Rollin' - Chris Brown
Alive - Sia
Ghost - Ella Henderson
2 On - Tinashe
Talk Dirty - Jason Derulo
Do What U Want - Lady Gaga
Hold On, We're Going Home - Drake
What's My Name - Rihanna
You - Lost Kings ft. Katelyn Tarver
Scenario - A Tribe Called Quest

download or stream the song:

amazon

spotify playlist

itunes

I’m In Miami Bitch - LMFAO

tempo: 129 bpm

bpm range: 125 to 130 bpm

the DJ’s take: Possibly the dumbest song of all time. And yet it was a hit at one point, and when you've had a few too many, this one hits the spot. Like Jack In The Box tacos. A perfect encapsulation of late 2000s pop culture - reality tv, YOLO, and the meteoric rise of pop edm.

Forgotten tidbit - apparently there were versions of this song for different cities (e.g. Las Vegas, LA, and even Milwaukee). Customizable merchandising at its finest. Reminds me of those t-shirts that say 'I [fill-in-the-blank] and all I got was this lousy t-shirt':



If you're staying key-compatible, try mixing or mashing up with the tracks in the scrollable box below:

Right Round - Flo Rida
Boom Boom Pow! - Black Eyed Peas
Hype - Dizzee Rascal & Calvin Harris
This Is What You Came For - Calvin Harris ft. Rihanna
Intoxicated - Martin Solveig & GTA
Higher Place - Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike ft. NeYo
Shades of Grey - Oliver Heldens & Shaun Frank ft. Delaney Jane
Can't Feel My Face (Martin Garrix Remix) - The Weeknd
Never Leave - DVBBS
Don't Look Down - Martin Garrix ft. Usher
On My Way - Axwell ^ Ingrosso
I Want You To Know - Zedd ft. Selena Gomez
Light Years Away (feat. DBX) - Tiesto
Save the World (Radio Mix) - Swedish House Mafia
Pursuit of Happiness (Extended Steve Aoki Remix) [feat. MGMT & Ratatat] - Kid Cudi
The Days - Avicii
Prayer In C - Lilly Wood & The Prick and Robin Schulz
Lay Me Down - Avicii
Adore You - Miley Cyrus (Cedric Gervais Remix)
Ten Feet Tall - Afrojack
Take Me - Tiesto
We Run The Night - Havana Brown ft. Pitbull
Marry The Night - Lady Gaga
Club Can't Handle Me - Flo Rida
Danza Kuduro - Don Omar
Shut It Down - Pitbull ft. Akon
F*ck You - Ceelo Green
Push It - Salt N Pepa
U Can't Touch This - MC Hammer

download or stream the song:

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spotify playlist

itunes

Malibu - Miley Cyrus

tempo: 140 bpm

bpm range: 135 to 140 bpm, 140 to 145 bpm, 65 bpm to 70 bpm, 70 bpm to 75 bpm

the dj's take: So I guess this is the new beach anthem for the summer? Feels like something you could spin at a bonfire. Or maybe it's the next theme for Malibu coconut rum. Given the buzz, won't be long before young females are singing along whenever you drop it. Mix / mash this up with Drunk In Love - Beyoncé and it's a wrap.

Kind of like Vince Carter over Fred Weis:



Some other key-compatible songs to mix with in the 70 to 75 bpm range:

Grammys - Drake, Future
Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae) - Silento
Ni**as In Paris - Jay-Z, Kanye
Deuces - Chris Brown
iSay - Wiz Khalifa ft. Juicy J
Light Years - Yellow Claw

And some more in the 65 to 70 range:

Confessions Part II - Usher
Ignition (Remix) - R. Kelly
Elevated - Wiz Khalifa
I Remember - AlunaGeorge
Call Casting - Migos

download or stream the song:

amazon

spotify playlist (65 to 70 bpm)

spotify playlist (70 to 75 bpm)

itunes

Call On Me - Eric Prydz

tempo: 127 bpm

bpm range: 125 to 130 bpm

the DJ’s take: Depending on your perspective, this is possibly the best (or worst) music video ever. Definitely in the Top 10 of any NSFW list. More importantly, a pulsing, fist-pumping banger that should liven things up in a high energy set, although Eric Prydz will never spin it. Just make sure anyone in the crowd with a heart condition signs a waiver in advance.

If you feel like doing a deep dive, Thump has an interesting story on the background behind the production of the video and the people involved. Apparently it almost made former British Prime Minister Tony Blair fall off his rowing machine during a workout.

And in case you were wondering where the sample came from:



download or stream the song:

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Body Like A Back Road - Sam Hunt

tempo: 99 bpm

bpm range: 95 to 100 bpm

the dj's take: As a native New Englander, I admit a little bias against country music. But this song is getting enough crossover buzz, and it's got a pop sound that should appeal to the masses. Break this out if the proportion of ten gallon hats in the crowd seems abnormally high.

Good set of key-compatible tracks you can mix or mash up with, including:

From 95 to 100 bpm:

Blem - Drake
Tek Weh Yuh Heart - Sean Paul
Blank Space - Taylor Swift
Don't Tell Em - Jeremih
Back That Azz Up - Juvenile
Dreamlover - Mariah Carey
Slow Motion - Trey Songz

From 100 to 103 bpm:

Doo Wop - Lauryn Hill

I Think Of You - Jeremih, Chris Brown, Big Sean
Kiss The Sky - The Knocks
Levels - Nick Jonas
Be Faithful - Fatman Scoop
Pretty Girls - Britney Spears ft. Iggy Azalea

download or stream the song:

amazon

apple music