The Ultimate Rock Wedding Playlist
*Before you check out this list, you might want to read my instructions on how to build your wedding playlist so that you have everything flow smoothly regarding timing out the selections, etc.
Are you stuck for ideas and need some rocking song selections to give your wedding festivities a little flash and edge? Well you’re in luck, because below are all the songs I picked for our wedding, arranged in order of the ceremony. It has a little bit of everything, including new wave, britpop, alt-rock and indie, electronica, shoe gaze, glam rock,and more.
Many songs you’ll be familiar with, but I have several awesome under-the-radar tunes as well.
*Remember when getting your playlists together, always add more songs than you think you’ll need; that way if you go over your time you avoid dead air or repeats.
All the songs can be previewed of purchased on iTunes simply by clicking on the song title in the iTunes playlist below. Then check out the running order we used for our wedding, right below the playlist.
NOTE: For some reason some entries in top playlist were deleted. I’ve added the missing selections in the addendum playlist below:
CEREMONY running order:
Cocktails:
“More Than This”-Roxy Music
“Home”-Depeche Mode
“Starlight”-Muse
“Friday I’m In Love”-The Cure
“Tomorrow”-James
“Lady Stardust”-David Bowie
“Teardrop”-Massive Attack
“Regret”-New Order
“The Promise”-When In Rome
“Pure”-The Lightning Seeds
“No Ordinary Love”-Sade
“Something’s Changed”-Pulp
“Love Songs On The Radio”-Mojave 3
“Friday Night”-The Darkness
“1979”-Smashing Pumpkins
“Nothing’s Impossible” Depeche Mode
First Dances:
Bride & Groom: “Somebody”-Depeche Mode
Groom and Mother: “In Dreams”-Roy Orbison
Wife and Father : ” Lonestar” -Nora Jones
WEDDING RECEPTION:
“Venus”-Air
“Fall In Love With Me”-Booth And The Bad Angel
“I Guess I’m Floating”-M83
“747”-Kent
“June”-The Church (song 9 off ‘Forget Yourself Album)
“Brighter”-Slowdive
“Summerblink”-Cocteau Twins
“Falling”-Julee Cruise
“Fljotavik”-Sigur Ros
“As The World Falls Down”-David Bowie
[amazon_link id=”B000008GX1″ target=”_blank” ]”Providence”-Jack Frost[/amazon_link] (only available on Amazon)
“Summer Running”-Billy Idol
“Waiting For The Siren’s Call”-New Order
“One Caress”-Depeche Mode
“Shelter”-The XX
“Untitled 3”-Sigure Ros
“Pink Moon”-Nick Drake
“Under The Milky Way”-The Church
“Brother Wolf Sister Moon”-The Cult
“Protection”-Massive Attack
“To The Sky”-The Cure
“Tonight, Tonight”-Smashing Pumpkins
“Love Of My Life”-Queen
WEDDING DANCING:
“White Wedding”-Billy Idol
“I Go Crazy”-Flesh For Lulu
“It’s Tricky”-Run DMC
“I Want You To Want Me”-Cheap Trick
“Jeepster”-T Rex
“Kiss”-Prince
“Easy”-Faith No More
“She Sells Sanctuary”-The Cult
“Cars”-Gary Numan
“Battleflag (Radio Edit; otherwise you get the F-bomb)-Lo-Fidelity Allstars
“World In My Eyes”-Depeche Mode
“Revenge”-Ministry
“So Alive”-Love and Rockets
“I Believe In A Thing Called Love”-The Darkness
“World Destruction”-Time Zone
“Save A Prayer”-Duran Duran
“#1”-Goldfrapp
“Bizarre Love Triangle”-New Order
“Oh L’Amour”-Erasure
“Everyday Is Halloween”-Ministry
“Breathe”-Prodigy
“Blue Monday”-New Order
“In-Between Days”-The Cure
“A Little Respect”-Erasure
WEDDING TOSSES:
“Wildflower”-The Cult
“20th Century Boy”-T Rex
LAST DANCE:
“One”-U2
So that’s my list! I hope you find it of use and that it helped spark some ideas. What songs would you add to the mix, or for those already married, have used in your wedding?
And yes, I realized it was top-heavy with Depeche Mode, but since it’s our mutual favorite band, why not?
Want even more romantic rock music that isn’t cheesy or predictable? Be sure to read my Alternative Rock Valentine’s Day Playlist!
And for those planning a Halloween Party, check out my Halloween iTunes playlist.
And for those planning a Christmas/NY’s, etc, Holiday Party check out my Holiday Party Playlist.
And here’s my best list of summer tunes and rainy day playlist.
Also, check out my previous post on the power of the Mix-Tape for more insight into why my OCD lends itself to musical mixes.
[…] *Tips on making a wedding playlist that avoids being generic or groan inducing. Here we’ll cover the process of how to get your selections pre-planned and timed. If you want to see the songs I selected for my own wedding (complete with iTunes links, so you can preview and add to your own playlist) click here. […]
Love this list! I had a few of these plus Led Zeppin’s Thank You and U2’s All I Want Is You. Dephce Mode is our mutal favorite band too!
*mutual
Those are 2 good songs too! Yes, Depeche Mode just never get old to me. Some band you have to be in the mood for, but I think they fit any occasion, and still make good stuff.
Speaking of them and U2, have you heard their cover of U2’s “So Cruel”? It’s pretty awesome. Check out the link:
Happy to be of help :)!
Love this list. I agree – “Somebody” is a great song for a first dance!
I still find it so fitting that when I was looking for images for my wedding music articles, that the cover to Depeche Mode’s “Some Great Reward” (which has “Somebody” on it) has a bride and groom on the cover. So perfect.
It is such a great tune, and adding her performance from Massive Attack’s “Teardrop” gave us even more of Liz Frazer’s awesome vocals. I thought they both were a big hit at the reception.
This is the one part of the wedding planning that I was freaking out about. Thanks for such great advice and tips! I was going to go with a live band but the cost of the wedding was going up (even with a small intimate wedding) and why not just go with a playlist of all the music I love! Of course finding music from older gens will keep the grandparents happy!
I had vaguely remembered loving November Rain by Guns N Roses because of the wedding themed video and thought what a great idea! But after listening to the lyrics, I realized this was not a good one, even though people may not notice it, I would! LOL
Kumi,
I’m so glad you found this helpful :-). I feel sorry for a lot of wedding bands or DJ’s these days because the iPod just makes it so much easier and wayyyy cheaper! Plus you can pick so many other songs that they might not know.
Another bonus when you make your playlists is that you can listen to them long after the wedding and bring back fond memories of the big day. My wife plays ours all the time 🙂
Thanks for some great ideas….and the list on how to plan it out too!
Nice list!
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This is so less stressful/expensive then hiring a band/DJ. I have similar tastes so this helped spark some great ideas for music choices, esp. anything related to Bryan Ferry/Roxy Music!
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Sorry for replying so late, but this list is SUPER helpful! I’m tired of looking up “alternative rock wedding songs” & finding “Hey Soul Sister” on the list. I’m getting married next May, and this is exactly what I want to hear at my wedding. Thanks!
Glad I could be of help :-). Yep, Train doesn’t exactly qualify as alternative in my book either!
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