With the 4th of July so close by, I imagine a few of us will be throwing some parties. These parties usually need music. And if you're not playing music, or it's some background muzak, shame on you!

A party mix has a few things, which should include:

Numerous flavors and genres of music to keep it interesting while never sounding the same (as going from Ladyhawke to Naughty by Nature to Nas to Band of Horses would suggest on this playlist);
The ability for a passive listener to tune in and acknowledge that he or she loves this song (this ALWAYS happens with Phantogram's "Don't Move" and Alabama Shakes' "Hold On," two tracks which are on other volumes of this playlist :()
Songs upbeat enough to keep chatter alive amongst numerous awkward and/or silent pauses.
Most importantly, a flow and rhythm between tracks and blocks of songs to give the playlist an overall vibe and well-roundedness (if that's a word?).

This playlist was made back in 2013, but I still think it stands the test of (a short) time. If you don't have a playlist to throw on for the background of your party, I highly recommend this one!

Party on Wayne.