{"id":6153,"date":"2023-04-26T12:23:59","date_gmt":"2023-04-26T11:23:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lastminutemusicians.com\/blog\/?p=6153"},"modified":"2026-02-27T17:29:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T17:29:12","slug":"songs-you-should-never-play-at-a-wedding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lastminutemusicians.com\/blog\/songs-you-should-never-play-at-a-wedding\/","title":{"rendered":"60 Songs you should never play at a wedding"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Whether you’re a couple finalising your wedding playlist, a wedding band<\/a> putting together a setlist, or a wedding singer<\/a> reviewing your repertoire \u2014 the music you choose on the big day matters enormously. Get it wrong, and you could turn the happiest day of someone’s life into an awkward memory. In this guide, we’ve put together 60 songs you should think twice about playing at a wedding, and why each one could cause more than a few raised eyebrows.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Selecting a set list<\/a> is something of an art form. Every musician will take a different approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, it’s definitely worth considering the type of event you are playing at when selecting material. Obviously, weddings celebrate love and happiness \u2013 meaning any songs with a less than appreciative take on the subject should probably be avoided. Always keep in mind that the event is supposed to be a celebration, especially if you are taking requests from the audience. Hopefully, this will help you avoid any awkward moments!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have you ever heard any awkward tracks played at a wedding?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As such, we’ve put together a list of songs that you should generally avoid playing as a wedding band<\/a>. Many of these songs you probably wouldn’t have considered putting into your set in the first place! However, some cursory googling of the lyrics of any of these hits will make it obvious why they shouldn’t be played at anyone’s big day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

60 Songs to avoid playing at weddings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Breakup & Heartbreak Songs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

These songs are about the end of a relationship, moving on, or the pain of a breakup \u2014 the last thing anyone wants echoing around the dance floor on their wedding night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. “Someone Like You” \u2013 Adele.<\/strong> One of the most beautiful breakup songs ever written \u2014 and one of the most commonly played at weddings by mistake. It’s about watching an ex move on and wishing them well. Heartbreaking, not celebratory.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. “Go Your Own Way” \u2013 Fleetwood Mac.<\/strong> Written by Lindsey Buckingham about his painful split from Stevie Nicks, this is one of rock’s great bitter breakup songs. The line “Loving you isn’t the right thing to do” says it all.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. “Since U Been Gone” \u2013 Kelly Clarkson.<\/strong> A power-pop anthem about the relief of escaping a bad relationship. Brilliant song \u2014 wrong occasion.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” \u2013 Taylor Swift.<\/strong> The title alone should be enough of a warning. A gleeful kiss-off to an ex is not suitable first-dance material.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. “Drivers License” \u2013 Olivia Rodrigo.<\/strong> A raw, devastating song about watching an ex move on with someone new. Genuinely emotional, but very much not a wedding song.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do” \u2013 Neil Sedaka.<\/strong> It’s literally in the title. One of the most famous songs about the difficulty of ending a relationship.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” \u2013 The Righteous Brothers.<\/strong> A classic about the slow fading of love and passion in a relationship \u2014 not exactly the sentiment you want to open the evening with.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. “Last Request” \u2013 Paolo Nutini.<\/strong> A melancholic ballad about one final intimate night together before a relationship ends forever. Beautiful, but deeply sad.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  9. “Somebody Else” \u2013 The 1975.<\/strong> A brooding indie track about emotional detachment after a breakup. Not exactly feel-good wedding fare.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  10. “Lost Cause” \u2013 Beck.<\/strong> All about a partner who’s given up on the relationship. Sparse, sad, and unmistakably a goodbye song.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  11. “I Hate Myself For Loving You” \u2013 Joan Jett & The Blackhearts.<\/strong> The title speaks for itself \u2014 a song about being unable to resist someone you know is bad for you.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  12. “If You Leave Me Now” \u2013 Chicago.<\/strong> A plea not to be left \u2014 and therefore a song about the very real possibility of being left. Probably not what you want at a wedding.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  13. “Leaving on a Jet Plane” \u2013 John Denver.<\/strong> Originally written by John Denver as a young man preparing to leave his girlfriend behind, this is fundamentally a song about departure and uncertainty \u2014 not the most optimistic message for a wedding.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  14. “Forget Her” \u2013 Jeff Buckley.<\/strong> A song about desperately trying to forget a lost love. Deeply personal and melancholic.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  15. “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off” \u2013 Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.<\/strong> A playful but pointed song about a couple whose differences might doom the relationship. Even if it’s charming, the message is clear.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Infidelity, Cheating & Revenge Songs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Whether it’s about someone cheating, someone being cheated on, or someone plotting their revenge \u2014 these songs have no place on a wedding playlist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n