My 7 Favorite Music Choices for a Formal House Party

Let's pretend that in a matter of hours, you are planning on having a sophisticated house party with your friends at your house. You have already finished cleaning out your house, making everything on your menu, but you just remembered that you forgot to pick out music. But you have no idea what type of music would be suitable for this occasion!
The trick with picking out music for a social is whatever you choose to play has to fit the mood that you want from your party. For socials, you should be looking for music that has a classy, happy beat. Luckily, I have multiple ideas for music that suits a social.

1.) The Pretenders: Whenever I listen to this legendary band, I start thinking about the television series, Friends. Being that The Pretenders glided their way into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, you might be able to make an argument about this band being too wild of a pick for a social. However, lead vocalist Chrissie Hynde defied the rock band stereotype by creating tracks that were psychosexual, flamboyant, and a little bit punk. Yet, Hynde managed to avoid crossing the thin line between classical rock and punk rock. My favorite album by this band is Get Close.

2.) Paradis: What can surpass the sophistication of French music? Nothing, which is why Paradis would be an excellent choice for your social. Being that this electronic duo has only released about 10 songs, quality over quantity really comes into play here. Some songs, such as "Sur un Chanson En Français-Superpitcher Remix", last 15 minutes. To make this more relevant, that means your guests would be immersed in some of the most cosmopolitan, exuberant, and worldly house music that can be found today.

3.) Joey Pecoraro: You can thank Buzzfeed Videos for putting Pecoraro in the spotlight. As Coco Chanel once said, "Simplicity is the key of all true elegance," Greatly known on Soundcloud, Pecoraro creates a very unique form of house music by using piano, percussion, and sometimes conversations! Pecoraro's music will create a warm and welcoming atmosphere in your social.

I found the Buzzfeed video that brought Pecoraro into the light. Hopefully, you'll find his music just as relaxing as I do. 

4.) Sara Bareilles: People are still trying to figure out which music genre Bareilles falls into. If you ask me, I would say that Bareilles falls into the piano rock genre. Bareilles flawlessly writes very catchy, upbeat songs. Bareilles uses a lot of piano and percussion in her song making. What is nice is Bareilles has learned how to get a message across to her audience using only a few instruments. Because of this, Bareilles's simple-sounding music will have no trouble creating a jovial vibe for your social. 

5.) Minas's Bossa Nova: I am proud to say that I have had the opportunity to play alongside this inspiring duo. Honestly, Orlando Haddad and Patricia King are relationship goals. You should see the way they look at each other when they are performing a jazz duo. Based on what I have learned from Haddad and King, this couple uses a string ensemble, a jazz band, and the essence of Brazilian culture to create a seasoned atmosphere.

6.) The Police & Sting: According to The Police's official biography, The Police combined "controlled energy and evocative melodies and played with the improvisational instincts of a jazz trio and the raw energy of a punk-rock band-a blend that made them one of the definitive rock groups of the 70's and 80's." The bands classic hits, such as Roxanne, Message in a Bottle, and Can't Stand Losing You will not only be a major throwback for your guests, but will also switch between rock and Jazz that will rock your guests' socks off! And the fun didn't stop when The Police broke up, Sting continued creating hits that had phenomenal chart success. Some of Sting's hits had a lot of meaning, such as History will Teach Us Nothing, They Dance Alone, and the Wild Wild Sea. Other hits also feature some distinct instruments, like Fragile and Englishman in New York.

7.) Bajofondo: According to the tango club's website, "Bajofondo has been a pioneer in what has been known internationally as 'electrotango'." Bajofondo has been experimenting with different sound effects, has a small orchestra, features guest artists such as Julieta Venegas and Elvis Costello. Most of their tango-based music is instrumental, which will create the sophisticated vibe you have always been looking for.

And those are my favorite music choices for formal house parties. Are there any choices that stand out to you? Or can you think of any choices that were not on this list? Either way, I hope this list will help in one way or another.