Music ideas for a 40th, 50th or 60th birthday party

This year I've been lucky enough to play birthday parties of all ages: from a 15th birthday to a 100th birthday party, along with loads of 40th, 50th, 60th and 70th celebrations. Each age has its own energy, and here are a few ideas that tend to work really well.

40th birthday

The crowd is usually between 35 and 50 years old, so I mix the hits from that generation's teens and twenties (90s and 2000s) with current tracks that also get people dancing. This is one of the ages where a crazy hour is requested most.

50th birthday

Here it works really well to mix timeless classics with a decade-by-decade journey: something from the 70s-80s to kick things off, building up through the 90s and closing with more current tracks. The emotional moment (a video, a toast) usually fits well around the middle of the party.

60th and 70th birthdays

These tend to be more family-oriented parties, with several generations on the dance floor at once. The key is not to stick to just one style: a bit of everything, and paying close attention to what gets that particular group going.

Golden anniversaries and very special celebrations

For 50th wedding anniversaries or particularly significant birthdays (like the 100th birthday party I did this year), I put together a special musical journey with songs from a whole lifetime, often based on tracks the family themselves send me.

If you tell me the age being celebrated, who's organizing it and how many guests there'll be, I'll put together a tailored musical proposal.