Our wedding cocktail hour playlist is 50 relaxed songs for 2026, with Norah Jones, Hozier, Leon Bridges, Jack Johnson, Olivia Dean and Noah Kahan setting a warm, easy mood. It's free on Spotify and fits the drinks reception, garden photos or the gap while the room is turned around.
It opens with breezy acoustic tracks, moves into smooth soul and indie folk then lifts gently with Florence and Bill Withers before guests head in to eat.
The full tracklist
- Better Together - Jack Johnson (2005)
- Don't Know Why - Norah Jones (2002)
- You Are the Best Thing - Ray LaMontagne (2008)
- River - Leon Bridges (2015)
- Take Me to Church - Hozier (2013)
- Banana Pancakes - Jack Johnson (2005)
- Come Away with Me - Norah Jones (2002)
- Trouble - Ray LaMontagne (2004)
- Bad Bad News - Leon Bridges (2018)
- Dive - Olivia Dean (2023)
- Like Real People Do - Hozier (2014)
- Stick Season - Noah Kahan (2022)
- Ho Hey - The Lumineers (2012)
- Home - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros (2009)
- So Easy (To Fall In Love) - Olivia Dean (2025)
- Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers (1971)
- Dog Days Are Over - Florence + The Machine (2008)
- Northern Attitude - Noah Kahan (2022)
- Stubborn Love - The Lumineers (2012)
- Golden Hour - JVKE (2022)
- Lovely Day - Bill Withers (1977)
- You've Got the Love - Florence + The Machine (2009)
- Fast Car - Tracy Chapman (1988)
- Work Song - Hozier (2014)
- Ordinary - Alex Warren (2025)
- Birds of a Feather - Billie Eilish (2024)
- Sunday Morning - Maroon 5 (2002)
- Fly Me to the Moon - Frank Sinatra (1964)
- L-O-V-E - Nat King Cole (1964)
- Feeling Good - Michael Bublé (2005)
- Put Your Records On - Corinne Bailey Rae (2006)
- Moondance - Van Morrison (1970)
- I'm Yours - Jason Mraz (2008)
- Bubbly - Colbie Caillat (2007)
- Sway - Michael Bublé (2003)
- Kiss Me - Sixpence None the Richer (1997)
- Just the Way You Are - Bruno Mars (2010)
- Lucky - Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat (2008)
- Stand by Me - Ben E. King (1961)
- Isn't She Lovely - Stevie Wonder (1976)
- Can't Take My Eyes Off You - Frankie Valli (1967)
- Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison (1967)
- Everywhere - Fleetwood Mac (1987)
- Budapest - George Ezra (2013)
- Golden - Harry Styles (2019)
- Sunflower - Post Malone & Swae Lee (2018)
- The Way You Look Tonight - Frank Sinatra (1964)
- La Vie en Rose - Louis Armstrong (1950)
- Beyond the Sea - Bobby Darin (1959)
- Adore You - Harry Styles (2019)
Why these songs work
The cocktail hour is when guests mingle, hug old friends and grab a drink. The music should feel classy and relaxed without drowning out the conversation. These songs are mellow, melodic and familiar enough to make people smile.
We've spaced artists out so the mood keeps changing gently, from Ray LaMontagne's warmth to Norah Jones's jazz touch. Fast Car and Ain't No Sunshine bring a touch of nostalgia for the older guests.
Bring this playlist to life at a silent disco
Planning a silent disco later in the day? The same headphones can soundtrack your whole wedding. Channel 1 can keep this cocktail hour mood going, channel 2 can carry our wedding dinner playlist and channel 3 our wedding dance floor playlist once the tables are cleared.
With channels glowing red, blue and green, guests instantly see who is chilling and who is dancing. They press a button to switch, turn the volume wheel to taste and use the on/off button when the speeches start.
Want it handled from start to finish? In South Wales and West Wales our Full Service crew brings and sets up the kit before guests arrive, then packs it all up at the end. Venue elsewhere? Our couriers drop DIY hire at any address on the UK mainland and Northern Ireland. See wedding packages.
Frequently asked questions
What music should be played during a wedding cocktail hour?
Relaxed acoustic, soul and indie folk works best. Norah Jones, Jack Johnson, Hozier and Leon Bridges are ideal. They're all on this playlist.
How long is a wedding cocktail hour playlist?
This one has 50 songs, about three hours, which covers even a long drinks reception.
Should cocktail hour music be quiet?
Yes. Keep it soft enough for conversation. These songs were chosen to sit nicely in the background.
Is the cocktail hour playlist free?
Yes. Play it free on the V360 Silent Disco Spotify account.
Can silent disco headphones be used during the drinks reception?
Yes. Guests can tune in at their own volume on one of three colour coded channels. Everyone else can chat without background music.
Do you offer wedding silent disco hire near me?
DIY hire covers the UK mainland and Northern Ireland. Our Full Service team works at weddings across South Wales and West Wales.
More free playlists
- Wedding Dinner Playlist
- Wedding Ceremony Playlist
- First Dance Songs
- Wedding Dance Floor Playlist
- Chill Playlist
Hire silent disco headphones
Make your wedding sound as good as it looks. Each V360 headset has a volume wheel and lights up red, blue and green to show which of the three channels it's on. Order DIY hire to the UK mainland or Northern Ireland. In South Wales and West Wales book our Full Service team.
