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I like bossa nova or Federico Abuele. Chill, but interesting.

There's a great Mad Men (vintage meets jazz) mix on Zune I just used at a party

Duke Ellington's "Three Suites" album, especially the Nutcracker suites ( Sugar Rum Cherry, etc.). That's perhaps more seasonal.

Stephan Grappelli would be good, especially the soundtrack to "May Fools".

Kashtin

Getz/Gilberto

B Tribe

Buddah Bar 1-9

Gotan Project, Mayer Hawthorne, Estelle, Raphael Saadiq

The Porter Project album is a trip-hop take on Cole Porter classics.

Adele?

Mancini!

For a dinner party Buena Vista Social Club is great. For a party party I like either of Beck's newest albums.

This is entiiiiiiiirely dependent on WHO is going to the party and what sort of party you've got. It has nothing to do with taste- except the taste of your guests!

I've played everything from Madeline Peyroux (sort of bluesy New Orleans French- lots of instrumentals) to nothing but old Bing Crosby Christmas Radio show broadcasts (during a Christmas party).

And of course, any songs with personal meaning (especially funny) for your guests is always a hit- although it ceases to be background. :D I played "Christmas is All Around" from Love Actually once, and the WHOLE group (guys excluded) burst out laughing and singing. :)

All of Bonobo's music. (best is probably "Scuba") His music is really experimental electronic lounge.

I like to do an iTunes genius playlist based on some MGMT ! I end up getting a really fun mix.

If this is for Christmas, don't forget the Jimmy Smith Christms album.

My husband is better at coming up with really inventive mixes; he does this for all our parties, even the kids' birthday parties!

My favorite dinner party "albums" are:

Next Stop Wonderland (soundtrack)
Alfie (ORIGINAL soundtrack)
Duke Ellington at the Newport Jazz Festival 1956
Morcheeba "Fragments of Freedom"
Pink Martini "Hang on Little Tomato"

Harold Lopez - Nussa Trio

Jobim, Sérgio Mendes and Mongo Santamaria.

I think Stereolab and Thievery Corporation are some great tunes to really set the mood

When I was growing up and reel-to-reels were a thing, my dad made a "three hour party reel" - my parents used it for every single party so, it's a personal thing, but I have strong party associations with many of the songs that were on there: lots of ABBA, Mancini, Mamas & Papas, bossa nova, hustle, Roberta Flack, Manilow, I Only Have Eyes for You...

I start every party mix with Splish Splash.

People always ask me about the music when Mocean Worker or Rodrigo y Gabriela is playing.

hotel costes...always a hit

Sorry for posting yet again (wish I could get my thoughts together!), but here are some more ideas:

Blossom Dearie
Stacey Kent
Lisa Ekdahl
K.D. Lang
The Red, Hot and Blue album (great Cole Porter mix)
Dean Martin
Les Negresses Vertes
and some African artists... Johnny Clegg, Ali Farka Touré, Youssou N'Dour

Old school ska! Like the Skatalites.

Or Latin Jazz.

Zero 7, Jobim, Bibio, Jamie Liddell...

If you want to get a party started and make sure EVERYONE has a good time...

"In Ghost Colours" by CutCopy.

Done.

I'm constantly assembling lists like this. Some that are always on my cheerfully-upbeat-without-being-overpowering playlist include:

Al Green: Take Me To The River
Andrew Bird: Fitz and Dizzy Spells
The Arcade Fire: Keep The Car Running
Bjork: Big Time Sensuality
The French Kicks: Carried Away
Wilco: Summerteeth
Talking Heads: Once In A Lifetime

Based on the bands you've already listed, these should fit your tastes. Happy listening!

My #1 source for discovering new music: http://copacabanna.libsyn.com/

Easy to subscribe on iTunes

Great post! The band Air is always on my go-to dinner party playlist. You can talk over it but it's soooooo good when you stop to listen.

I didn't read all the comments so forgive me if someone has already mentioned the Garden State soundtrack. Great mix!

And for something rockin: Spinnerette!

Oh, and Goldfrapp. Allison forever!

For a cocktail party, I avoid music with lyrics -- it's too distracting when the music makes you mentally "sing along." Better choices are jazz, bossa nova, world music.

This is especially true if you're inviting anyone over, say, 40. Hearing is like eyesight -- it starts to go at some point. Well before anyone needs a hearing aid, vocal music can make it difficult for them to hear conversations.

someone just turned us on to 'the xx' - really cool. mellow but not sleepy and perfect to have playing in the background.

I bet the Pandora website could be pretty useful for this...

The Kinks, Andrew Bird, Django Reinhardt, honeyhoney, Iron & Wine, any Wes Anderson soundtrack, Gnarls Barkley (The Odd Couple), any bossa nova or lounge music, and another vote for Thievery Corporation.

I'll add that my criteria for this kind of thing is music that's fun, mostly upbeat, has a bit of swing or a good beat, not too loud, nothing too emotional or dramatic.

@CozyLittleCave I absolutely agree! A playlist for a holiday party with my family is going to be different than one with my musician buddies and different still than one with my co-workers.

I absolutely love listening to The Penthouse via iTunes radio which I have channelled thru my stereo:

www.thepenthouse.fm

Sam Cooke! You could have an entire party to his music, from "I Don't Get Around Much Anymore" to "Tennessee Waltz" to "Twisting the Night Away".

Sam is magic at a party.

Nouvelle Vague's samba take on 80's tunes

Well, Pink Martini is at the top of my list, so you beat me to my to my best suggestion. I think samba makes great party music as well... also already on the list above. Did anyone already mention Feist? She's my new saturday night cocktail favorite.

Oh yeah, second vote for Stacy Kent. Very sexy music.

I recommend djBK, his lounge music tastes are beyond reproach. He calls it "Leisurely" music. Lots and lots of good suggestions there...

www.djbrianklotz.com

Thievery Corporation

I second Madeline Peyroux.

And how could i forget Air! Moon Safari in particular....

just a few off the top of my head (varying depending on the mood I want to set, obviously): Quadron, Flying Lotus, Robert Glaspur, J Dilla, Radiohead, Jose James, Coltrane (John or Alice), Al Green, A Tribe Called Quest, Adele, Slum Village, Sterolab, Bjork....a bunch others.

Koop!!!!!!! especially the song Koop Island Blues.

I want to add that I want to hang out w/ everyone on here. Never know people w/ good taste in music like that!

i'm pretty sure this was just a thread to boast you guys' obscure musical knowledge.

Ella Fitzgerald, the 'Chocolat' soundtrack, the Decemberists.

for those with a sense of humour: Richard Cheese. the dude is so, so awesome. swanky lounge covers of non-loungey songs (ie "smack my b*tch up" and "get down with the sickness" and "guerilla radio"). i love the swingy music, and the lyrics are just the icing on the cake.

Thievery Corporation is #1 by far. Also, Rodrigo y Gabriella, Mocean Worker, Portishead, and Röyksopp. Vampire Weekend is nice for a bit more casual.

aaaah, how was Portishead not mentioned before? Good one Sworthy :)

and don't hate mattiemay...if top 40 is your thing then so be it

Ditto on the bossa nova. Also Sade

Boogie Nights soundtrack

I think that cocktail parties reached their zenith in the late 50s and early 60s, so I tend to go with smart music from the era: Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Astrud Gilberto, Herbie Hancock, Jack Jones etc. You want retro without getting too camp... avoid Herb Alpert and Bert Kaempfert.

I also have a great CD of 70s latin funk - every track sounds like incidental music from a cop show in 1975. It's great for parties.

I'm putting together a playlist for my parents' anniversary brunch this weekend. Right now I'm leaning toward a mix of bossa nova, indie pop (sensitive guys & girls with guitars), and some classic Motown hits mixed real low. Oh, and Burt Bacharach! Lots of Burt Bacharach.

I love Burt :)

Oh, and here's some FANTASTIC 'obscurity'...Didiers Sound Spectrum, Owusu and Hannibal, Musinah...the list goes on.

Sadly, most of the best music never hits national airwaves

i always enjoy some frank sinatra

Koop! Koop makes an appearance whenever I entertain.

Thievery corp, frederico aubelle, karinsky experience, jill scott, koop, MJ Cole's back to mine, Thunderball, Timewriter,
Massive Attack's blue lines, All the albums by the Buena vista guys,orchestra baobab - specialise in all instruments (amazing!), Jaffa, the mighty bop.

anything richard cheese.

nicola conte, always.

Lisa Ekdahl is usually known for her Jazz covers in English, but since this is such an MCM/IKEA/Danish Modern crowd, have a listen to my favourite tune of hers, the Swedish Vem Vet:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GDQGAZunEg

Very cocktail indeed.

If you are going to throw a traditional cocktail party, play some traditional crooners from the 50's.
Bing Crosby, Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, some Marylin Monroe.
But my friends an I love the old 'Road to...' movies and watch 50's musicals on a regular basis

I second Stereolab! Also, I listened to Mogwai with some friends last night and it was absolutely perfect.

NUMERO GROUP SOUL COMPLIATIONS!

Seriously, the best rare soul compilations around. Definitely meant for the livelier part of your party.

http://www.numerogroup.com/

portishead, some goldfrapp, zero 7, air, mono, some yeah yeah yeahs, some tori, thievery corporation, iron and wine, and the postal service come immediately to mind.

mogwai! mmmm...

Thievery Corporation, Madeleine Peyroux, Zero 7, Nina Simone, Charles Mingus, Pink Martini, Nouvelle Vague, Joao Gilberto, Cassandra Wilson...and of course Ella and Billie never disappoint!

Almost any Wes Montgomery is good, the Nat King Cole Trio, The Gilles Peterson in Brazil mix, Herbie Hancock's Speak Like a Child, anything by Esquivel, Dub versions of Bob Marley & the Wailers if you're doing the no lyrics thing, Summer Suite and Fall Suite by the Last Electro-Acoustic Space Jazz & Percussion Ensemle (aka Madlib), Stevie by Yesterday's New Quintet (aka Madlib), Ruff Draft Instrumentals by J Dilla, Two Pages by 4Hero (except for the last 4 tracks might blow your guests' minds!)

no Kings of Leon, please.

anything from ursula 1000's kinda kinky.

Jackie Gleason has some wonderful cocktail albums!

YES to Richard Cheese.