After a long, sprawling write-up of why music is so vital to Dance Marathon, I’m now here to say that only two blocks truly matter musically - the first one and the last one. Everything between those two sections serve as a blanket of noise to keep dancers wobbling around on their feet - eventually, people stop dancing and start flapping about like a flag in a windstorm. But the first and last blocks, those are the exceptions, everyone moves regardless of what’s playing. For Block 1, all dancers come in energized, unaware about what they will soon face. Basically, an automatic home-run for the DJ.

Plus, the first three-hour stretch pigeonholds songs to be in the Top 40, meaning song selection is very limited. The fun doesn’t start until Block 2, but the kickoff (dubbed “Searchlights and Showstoppers” this year) does require a little careful navigating. Since the final block also adheres to a Top 40-only scope, one would have to be careful not to waste the top pop/rap songs this early when they could be better suited for the last period. Check out the local radio before Friday to get a taste of what you should expect the first night, but here are a few suggestions. Plenty of T-Pain ahead.

Showstoppers

1. DM Opening Song: “Good Life” by Kanye West

In one of the most tragic musical happenings of this generation, Black Eyed Pea’s “Let’s Get It Started” has become the mandatory party-starter for most events who need an opening song but would rather not research the topic beyond “does it have start in the name?” DM unfortunately falls into this category, and this song seems to be the natural choice to kick off this year’s incarnation as well. In order to avoid hearing this terrible excuse for a pop-rap song, I say start the thing off with Chicago’s own Kanye West. “Good Life” not only includes an introductory word (”welcome”) but also reps a sweet, danceable beat and T-Pain, who’s roboted-out voice does add a lot to a dance song. This song may not be as universal as the Black Eyed Pea’s song above, but it sure is a lot better, and just as high energy.

2. Second Song: “Low” by Flo-Rida

After the opening blast, dancers need the momentum to keep going. This song should do the trick. It is very recent and still relevant unlike a lot of songs that could be slotted here, and has a strong enough flow (lol) to keep bodies gyrating after whatever greets dancers once the door’s blast open. Yes, the words themselves are amazingly stupid (”fold you like a pornagraphic poster?”), but most Top 40 pop songs have idiotic lyrics, so whatever. Also, features T-Pain. The man is pure magic.

3. Last Song: “Umbrella” by Rhianna

Rhianna needs to take one for the team here. “Umbrella” is awesome and ubiquitous enough to grace the final block, but this block needs a monster closer, and no song from 2007 stood taller than this one. Since the next 24 hours feature far fewer contemporary songs, why not send the dancers off with one massive hit?

Avoid at all Costs

1. “Buy U A Drank” by T-Pain

Not because this song is bad, it’s actually quite hypnotic. But that’s the problem - this isn’t a good dance song for the first block, which seems like the only time this joint would make any sense. The Top 40 block needs to be bumping, and “Buy U A Drank” is more grinding. Choose “Bartender” instead, soulful and shakeable, and just as sexy for any early nasty dancing.

2. “Here in your Arms” by Hellogoodbye

Where in the world is the rock, you ask? The charts basically bow before rap and pop, but plenty of carbon-copy rock will grace this period, don’t worry. Expect plenty of Fall Out Boy, Boys Like Girls and (cringe) Jonas Brothers. Whatever, America likes it, go crazy NU. But Hellogoodbye…now here’s an annoying band that shouldn’t appear on any playlist, let alone one as big as Dance Marathon’s. Annoying electro-rock complete with vocoder. Not remotely rocking and more annoying than anything else. The DJ can spin Panic at the Disco a billion times, I might prefer that over this song once. Now that is hate.

3. “Gimme More” by Britney Spears

If college has taught me anything, there is only one good Britney song, and it will be played in the last block. It certainly isn’t this abortion.

A Few Other Good Songs To Include With No Reasons
- “Int’l Players Anthem” by UGK featuring Outkast
- “Famous in a Small Town” by Miranda Lambert
- “Take You There” by Sean Kingston

Indie(ish) Songs That Would Work But Will Never Be Played

- “Dashboard” by Modest Mouse - This track is suprisingly danceable for Modest Mouse, and it did pretty decently on the charts. That guitar is just so good, how could you resist?

- “The Underdog” by Spoon - Stick this lovely piece of horn-driven rock between two banging rap tracks, and you have the perfect chill-down track.

- “LDN” by Lily Allen - This British diva’s done pretty well in the States, but still doesn’t really have much name recognition. Which is a shame, because “LDN” is one of the most sunshiney-awesome dance tracks around, and deserves some more play.

Great Videos To Show

Sometimes, Dance Marathon plays a music video alongside a song, so for each block, we will select a few awesome videos to feature as well

- “Good Life” by Kanye West - We already went over why the song should be here, but the video just makes it that much cooler.

- “Sensual Seduction” by Snoop Dogg - Far away, the best music video that can be shown at Dance Marathon period. The song works alone as a solid little hip-shaker, but add in the overly-cheesy video and you’ve got a guaranteed hit. Just make sure the clip retians all its goofy 70’s charm.