Birthday party DJ Birmingham

Matched to whose birthday it is

A milestone birthday is usually a mixed crowd. There might be school friends, work colleagues, parents and children all in the same room, each with a different idea of a good song. The DJ’s job is to find the music that links them. That is why we ask about the person whose birthday it is and the guests, not only the genres.

If you’re planning an 18th or a 21st, the music and the practical questions are different. See our page on 18th and 21st birthday DJs.

30th birthdays

A 30th tends to be closest to a night out. Many guests will know the same songs from school, university and their first nights out, so a mix of 2000s and 2010s anthems alongside current party music often goes down well. If the crowd wants to dance from early on, say so in the form and pick a lively or full-on vibe.

40th birthdays

By 40, the guest list often widens to include family, children and neighbours. Expect requests from the 90s and 2000s, with some 80s for older relatives and current chart music for the teenagers. A DJ who can move between those without it feeling disjointed is worth looking for. Some 40ths start with food and catching up, so tell us if you’d like quieter music for the first hour.

50th birthdays

A 50th usually means music from the 80s and 90s at its heart: pop, soul, dance and indie, plus the songs from the year the guest of honour turned 18. Motown and disco often fill the floor across the age groups. Speeches are common at 50ths, so it’s worth asking the DJ to handle a microphone for the toast and to introduce the cake.

60th, 70th and later birthdays

For a 60th and beyond, the floor might fill with Motown, Northern soul, 60s and 70s pop, disco and rock and roll, with grandchildren asking for something current. Volume matters more at these parties: guests want to talk as well as dance. A good DJ will keep the music comfortable while people eat, then build towards the songs everyone knows. Parties for older guests also tend to start and finish earlier, which can make weekday or afternoon bookings an easy option.

Choosing the venue

Milestone birthdays in and around Birmingham often take place in a hotel function room, a golf or cricket club, a room above a pub or a local community hall. Each brings different questions for the DJ. A hotel may have a sound limiter or set load-in times. A hall may need you to bring everything, including tables and food, and clear the room by a set hour. A club or pub may already have its own speakers. Ask the venue what’s included, then pass the answers to your DJ so there are no surprises on the day.

Things worth deciding before you enquire

• Start and finish times, and whether the venue has a curfew
• The shape of the night: background music while people catch up, building to a party, or dancing from the start
• Moments to plan: a speech, the cake, a slideshow or a surprise entrance, and who will introduce them
• Music from the birthday year: a few number ones from the year they were born can be a good talking point
• Extras: lighting, a photo booth or karaoke

If the party is in a hall or a function room you’ve hired yourself, our guide to what a DJ needs from your venue covers power, space and access. For other kinds of celebration, start from our party DJ hire hub.

How we match you

Tell us how old they’re turning, who’s coming and the songs they’d never forgive you for leaving out. We send your enquiry to the one Birmingham DJ who suits that crowd best, and they get in touch with you directly.