Weddings are an absolute blast – especially later in the evening when the “real” party begins! Once the couple has said their “I Dos”, some tears of joy have been shed and the guests have been fed, it’s time to get down on the dance floor to party the night away!

Everyone knows that good music is key to keep the night flowing. All good bands/DJs will be sure to play most of the songs you’d expect to hear but what about those songs you didn’t know you needed to hear?! The ones that you weren’t expecting, and quite possibly have forgotten all about, but as soon as you hear those first couple chords, you’re sent into a trance?

Playing one of these under the radar songs can be a little bit risky for the band/DJ, but the greater the risk, the greater the reward! In fact, picking the perfect under the radar song might just be exactly what the crowd needs! That being said, we wanted to know what ‘risky’ songs work time and time again for a handful of the GTA’s top wedding bands/DJs! Here’s what they came up with.


“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” – Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell

“Every DJ knows that playing Motown at a wedding is essential because it’s dance-able and a great way to bridge the gap between generations. But when it comes to Motown, people will often think Respect or Sugar Pie Honey Bunch and overlook this one. This song is instantly recognizable and by the time Marvin says ‘Listen, baby…’ everybody knows what’s coming and are on their feet!”

– Rich, DJ Rich Sweet


“Build Me Up Buttercup” – The Foundations

“This song has been used in multiple movies and just gets people up, dancing, and singing along with the band. It definitely has a cross generational appeal. People of all ages enjoy it. That’s what makes it a classic!”

– Sandy, Soular


“I’ll Be There For You” – The Rembrandts

“This song is instantly recognizable by anybody that had a television growing up. From the first guitar riff, wedding guests run to the dance floor, and everyone is in place for the infamous ‘clap-clap-clap-clap.’ I’ll Be There For You is a nostalgic nod to the 90’s that is upbeat, easy for everyone to sing along to, and ultimately represents life-long relationships as you’re celebrating with all of your friends!”

– Mackenzie, Electric Blonde


“Home For A Rest” – Spirit of the West

“If the crowd is in their 30s/early 40s, later in the evening, sliding on “Home For A Rest” by Spirit of the West is a sure way to get everyone jumping and swinging each other around. This is a classic Canadian university anthem that is rarely requested but always fills the dance floor for a sing along and laugh and will have everyone arm in arm clapping, stomping and having a great time!”

– Nigel, Maximum Music


“Danza Kudro” – Don Omar ft. Lucenzo

“This is one of the most versatile songs in our portfolio. We find it works because it reminds people of vacations, it’s been on plenty of movie soundtracks and people from all over the world recognize the beat as soon as it starts playing!”

– Herbert, DJ Emporium


“Bang Bang” – Jessie J ft. Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj

“Our favourite under the radar song to play these days is this one! Even though this song was released back in 2014 and never charted higher than #3 in Canada, it always gets the crowd going crazy on the dance floor! It has a sparse yet funky groove that gets people to pay attention during the verses before the rock and roll chorus kicks in. I’m calling it the Lady Marmalade of the millennial generation!”

– RJ, StereoFlavour Entertainment


“I Want You” – Savage Garden

“This one gets all the ’90s kids into a frenzy! That ‘chica cherry cola’ hook still grabs people’s ears 20 years later. With a heavy beat and a catchy, sing-a-long chorus, it’s a sure way to get everyone together on the dance floor!”

– Dev, Impact DJ


“I Want You Back” – Jackson 5

“This song has it all! A great bass line, groovy drums and great vocals. It’s a great dance song that i think will be around for a long time. ”

– Dan, Willer Music


“You Can Call Me Al” – Paul Simon


“One of our favourite under the radar songs that comes up year after year is curiously Paul Simon’s 1986 exploitative release You Can Call Me Al. It features fun, happy African rhythms, trumpeting synth-horns and a fairly complex story about a bodyguard named Betty helping Simon escape everyday life. Singing these clever words is always a blast and the dancing it invokes is nothing short of inspirational (much like the living-room conga-lines this song has inspired since the late 80s).

Sidenote: Be sure to watch the video featuring Simon and Chevy Chase sitting in a small pink room together. Incredibly fun”

– Brent, Brent Miller LIVE


“I Was Made To Love Her” – Stevie Wonder

“People always want to hear songs from the incomparable Stevie Wonder and his top hits are usually the ones that get requested. Our under the radar song is one of his lesser known, titled I Was Made To Love Her. We love to play this tune and it really gets the crowd going. It’s a high energy song with fantastic lyrics and with a bit of our own twist on it, it’s become one of our top songs!”

– Tim, The Sound Parade


“Little Bones” – Tragically Hip

“We have had some awesome moments later on in the evening dropping a Tragically Hip classic like Little Bones. We have had multiple grooms grab the mic for a full on rockin’ performance. Not necessarily a big ‘dance’ song, but it gets the crowd connected for a big party moment! Of course there are so many directions that we could go!”

– Marc, Main Event Music


“The Way You Make Me Feel” – Michael Jackson

“This is one of the lesser requested MJ tunes… Usually songs like Billie Jean or Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough are more predominantly recognized as classic wedding hits, but The Way You Make Me Feel has some serious swag to it that still holds up, and that swag always translates to some serious dance floor bad-assery. In our world, it’s also been known to lead to some serious dance-offs!”

– Vincent, Symmetry Studios


“I Can’t Wait” – Nu Shooz

“My under the radar pick would be I Can’t Wait by Nu Shooz, it’s one of those great throwback warm-up songs that can be mixed in when it’s time to get dancing!”

– Sam, Evolved Entertainment


“I Say a Little Prayer” – Dionne Warwick

“We don’t often get requests for this song – but everyone remembers that scene from My Best Friend’s Wedding! You can see it in the eyes of guests from the first few bars, they are READY to sing-along on the dance floor. It may be from the ’60s, but with memorable verses and a total bop of a chorus it’s still a surefire hit!”

– Kat, Lady Be Good