Non-Offensive group music

[themyrmidon]

I have to admit, I have no sense of appropriateness when it comes time to put music on for a group of people with tastes not similar to my own (not everyone likes Black Label Society, believe it or not). Problem is I'm hosting a (relaxed) party this weekend and need some (chill) music to put on.

What do you put on when you have to host a group? The one thing I've noticed is the only people offended by Billy Joel are the Billy Joel snobs, but beyond that I have no clue.

 

[Esotera]

Usually I'd just shove my itunes onto shuffle, which could get quite interesting considering the amount of metal I've accumulated recently. But if I wanted to host non-offensive but also interesting group music I'd put on something that plays well in the background like ambient music.


Or potentially some Infected Mushroom, because they're awesome.

 

[Zantos]

It depends on how inoffensive you're looking to be. Are you looking for Daniel Craig's roguish good looks, or full on Kit Harrington's inoffensive attractiveness? (It's not a perfect metaphor).

I always find a good mix of Santana and Clapton is good to chill to

Spoiler: Santana - Smooth

Spoiler: Clapton - Promises

The worst thing you can do here is over think it though. It might be worth downloading the free version of Spotify and having some guests suggest things for a playlist. It's entirely likely that not everyone will love everything, but at least everyone gets a say.

 

[Queen Michael]

This can't possibly cause any problems, no matter how mixed the crowd.

 

[DazZ.]

Computer linked with an ipad on a coffee table in the middle that can be passed around, so everyone can select music and peoples tastes because conversation. Everyone gets a go, and everyone takes their own responsibility for boring the others instead of you taking all the blame constantly.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

Can't go wrong with just tossing some Led Zeppelin on (and really, if someone doesn't like Led Zeppelin they shouldn't be allowed in your house anyway).

 

[Fluffythepoo]

The beatles.. nobody doesnt like the beatles, if you think you dont youre actually wrong, because you do like them. Yes you do.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

As personally I have hugely hipster taste in music I rarely force people to listen to whatever whack jobbery I'm currently into (Alt-J and Tegan & Sara are my current fixes) so I'd usually go with the Canadian Classics... Great Big Sea and The Bare Naked Ladies, but that's probably a Canadian thing...

 

[StormSerge]

Dixieland or swing jazz. Most people, even if they aren't huge jazz fans, have at least heard Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, or Glen Miller in passing. Django Reinhardt or Billie Holiday are also reliable choices.

 

[Breaker deGodot]

Here's a few suggestions off the top of my head (BEWARE: LONG LIST INCOMING)
I've split it into three spoiler tags in order to fit everything:

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Hopefully that should help immensely.

 

[TheKruzdawg]

As personally I have hugely hipster taste in music I rarely force people to listen to whatever whack jobbery I'm currently into (Alt-J and Tegan & Sara are my current fixes) so I'd usually go with the Canadian Classics... Great Big Sea and The Bare Naked Ladies, but that's probably a Canadian thing...

Great Big Sea is awesome! I think I'm the only person I know that really listens to them, but I don't live in Canada, so that counts for something right?

If you're looking for some other chill music and you don't mind banjo/bluegrass/kinda jazzy I suggest Bela Fleck & the Flecktones.

Spoiler: My favorite track, and possibly their most popular

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

What do you put on when you have to host a group?

If forced to host a group I would put on a mix of Merzbow, Sunn O))) and early Melt Banana thereby ensuring I never have to host a group again.

On the other hand, for kicking back with a bunch of people I know and actually like I'd probably go with a shitpot of the mellower post-rock groups such as God Is An Astronaut, Explosions In The Sky, Mogwai, Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Red Sparowes... maybe some of the mellower tracks by Jesu and Pelican as well.

 

[Fayathon]

The beatles.. nobody doesnt like the beatles, if you think you dont youre actually wrong, because you do like them. Yes you do.

Here comes the shit, I actually can't stand the Beatles. Not my kind of music. That said I have a massive amount of respect for them, I just don't like them.

OT: Cash, put some JC on, and shoot anyone that disagrees.

 

[Fluffythepoo]

The beatles.. nobody doesnt like the beatles, if you think you dont youre actually wrong, because you do like them. Yes you do.

Here comes the shit, I actually can't stand the Beatles. Not my kind of music. That said I have a massive amount of respect for them, I just don't like them.

OT: Cash, put some JC on, and shoot anyone that disagrees.

As stated previously, youre obviously wrong, because you do like the Beatles.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

As personally I have hugely hipster taste in music I rarely force people to listen to whatever whack jobbery I'm currently into (Alt-J and Tegan & Sara are my current fixes) so I'd usually go with the Canadian Classics... Great Big Sea and The Bare Naked Ladies, but that's probably a Canadian thing...

Great Big Sea is awesome! I think I'm the only person I know that really listens to them, but I don't live in Canada, so that counts for something right?

If you're looking for some other chill music and you don't mind banjo/bluegrass/kinda jazzy I suggest Bela Fleck & the Flecktones.

Spoiler: My favorite track, and possibly their most popular

One year at the Calgary Folk Music Festival, Great Big Sea was headlining on the main concert stage but Bella Fleck & The Fleck Tones were one of the other mainstage acts earlier in the evening. At one point during Great Big Sea's set they had Bella Fleck come out and play banjo on a few tracks. It was pretty fucking awesome.

Just an amusing connected anecdote since you mentioned BOTH bands.

 

[TheKruzdawg]

As personally I have hugely hipster taste in music I rarely force people to listen to whatever whack jobbery I'm currently into (Alt-J and Tegan & Sara are my current fixes) so I'd usually go with the Canadian Classics... Great Big Sea and The Bare Naked Ladies, but that's probably a Canadian thing...

Great Big Sea is awesome! I think I'm the only person I know that really listens to them, but I don't live in Canada, so that counts for something right?

If you're looking for some other chill music and you don't mind banjo/bluegrass/kinda jazzy I suggest Bela Fleck & the Flecktones.

Spoiler: My favorite track, and possibly their most popular

One year at the Calgary Folk Music Festival, Great Big Sea was headlining on the main concert stage but Bella Fleck & The Fleck Tones were one of the other mainstage acts earlier in the evening. At one point during Great Big Sea's set they had Bella Fleck come out and play banjo on a few tracks. It was pretty fucking awesome.

Just an amusing connected anecdote since you mentioned BOTH bands.[/quote

I AM SO JEALOUS YOU GOT TO WITNESS THAT. SO JEALOUS I HAVE TO TALK IN CAPSLOCK. jealous.

 

[Mordekaien]

I would recommend Ink Spots, but, to paraphrase my girlfriend: "Who listens to this kind of music anyway?", it's not for anyone.
Or Rodrigo y Gabriela, you can't go wrong with it.

*also I'm quite drunk, so take this with a pinch of salt

 

[run_forrest_run]

If you're looking specifically for chilled music then try the XX. They're a band that specialise in very mellow songs.

Spoiler: All their songs are like this.

I'd also recommend the albums Unpatterns and North by Simian Mobile Disco and Darkstar respectivel for some chilled electronica (although some of the songs are a but odd).

Hell, Thom Yorke's latest album with Atoms for Peace is fucking great and I've been able to relax during exams in school while listening to it. It might be a but melancholy for some though (I'm a huge Radiohead fan so it doesn't bother me).

Spoiler

 

[saintdane05]

You can't go wrong with some good old classic rock.
Some examples

If you want everyone to start singing at once:
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<youtube=DDOL7iY8kfo>
<youtube=fJ9rUzIMcZQ> OR <youtube=tgbNymZ7vqY> If you have a muppet fan in the mix. Just make sure that you include video.