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Music and playlists — collect guest song requests

Collect guest song requests, arrange the list, export matched tracks to Spotify when available, or download a printable DJ sheet.

Last reviewed 8 min read

On this page8 sections
  1. Turning on the playlist
  2. Collecting and arranging songs
  3. What your guests do
  4. Turning it into Spotify
  5. Settings
  6. Where the playlist fits
  7. Common questions
  8. Related articles

The playlist feature lets your guests build the party soundtrack. Guests search Spotify or type a title and artist, and you collect every request in one place to arrange. Export matched tracks to Spotify when the service is available, or download the full request list as a DJ sheet.

This is different from the AI party song studio, which creates one custom song that plays on your invitation. The playlist is about gathering your guests' requests.

Turning on the playlist

Open your event and go to the Playlist tab. Off, it asks Want guests to build the party soundtrack? — with a note that as guests RSVP, each one adds a song you can reorder, tidy up, and turn into a Spotify playlist, and that you can add songs yourself if you'd rather DJ it. Tap the yes button to switch it on.

Collecting and arranging songs

In Songs (the Add & arrange songs step on the older Playlist layout), you manage the full list:

  • Add songs yourself at any time: search Spotify and tap the song.
  • Drag a song by its grip to reorder it (on a phone, press and hold the grip, then drag). Move to top sends a song straight to the first spot, and Shuffle mixes the whole list. New requests join the end of the list, so a list you've arranged never gets scrambled.
  • Remove any song.
  • Each row shows the album art, title, artist and length, an E for songs Spotify marks explicit, and who requested it. If several guests asked for the same song, it appears once with a count (like ×3).
  • A song we couldn't match to Spotify shows Not matched yet — Fix. Tap it, search Spotify, and tap the right song. If it isn't on Spotify, choose Not on Spotify? Edit the words instead and fix the title and artist yourself.
  • The DJ sheet prints a PDF with a QR code and the full request list, including unmatched typed requests. It includes track lengths and an E for explicit songs where that information is available, plus the running time from matched songs.

You see every requester's full name. What other guests see is up to you — see Settings below.

What your guests do

Guests search for a song and tap the one they mean. Each result shows the album art, title, artist and an E if the song is explicit. If a song can't be found, they can still add it as typed and you can match it later. There's no voting or ranking — every request goes onto your list.

  • In the RSVP — a song step with a search box. It's optional; they can skip it. After adding a song they can add another or tap Continue.
  • On the invitation page — when the design includes a playlist panel, guests see Drop a song with the same search, plus the party list: the first 10 songs, with Show all to see the rest. Each song shows who asked (see Settings) and how many guests asked for it.
  • On the Event Day kiosk and each guest's phone page — the same search box, when the playlist is on. A kiosk is a shared screen, so it forgets who added what about 45 seconds after the last song.

Under the search box, guests see Your picks (2 of 5). They can take back a pick with the × beside it, and right after adding a song an Undo button appears for a few seconds. A guest who returns to Manage your RSVP and taps Change on the song row lands on the same screen with their own picks.

Requests close when your event is over. The list stays as a keepsake, and guests can no longer add or remove songs.

Turning it into Spotify

On the Spotify tab, press Create the Spotify playlist. InviteBird uses its connected Spotify account to match requests and build the playlist — you don't need to connect a Spotify account of your own. Export depends on that connection being available and Spotify accepting the playlist creation and updates. If export is paused or a build fails, your song list stays safe and you can still download the DJ sheet.

Songs without a Spotify match stay on your InviteBird list and DJ sheet but are left out of the Spotify playlist. After a successful sync, the tab lists unmatched songs by name so you can fix them in Songs.

After a successful export, InviteBird automatically sends new requests, edits, removals and reordering to the same Spotify playlist. Its link and QR code stay the same. The tab says Up to date · syncs automatically after a successful sync. If a change hasn't reached Spotify, it offers Update now; use that to retry when export is available again. Your song list is safe even if an update fails.

Once the playlist exists, you see Spotify's own player in your dashboard, with Open in Spotify, Copy link and a QR code. Anyone who has the link or QR code can open the playlist. Spotify controls playback and preview availability, which can vary by listener. Signing in to Spotify alone does not guarantee full-song playback.

After export, guests can also use Spotify's player in the RSVP song step, on their phone page and on the post-event recap, and on invitation designs that include a playlist panel. They can also open the Spotify link directly. The same Spotify listening requirements apply.

Settings

On the Settings tab of the Playlist you choose:

  • Songs each guest can request — from 1 to 20 (5 if you don't change it). It's counted per RSVP, and the same song asked twice shows once.
  • Who asked, as guests see it — first name and initial (the default, like Ana B.), full name, or no names. This only changes what other guests see.
  • Allow explicit songs — turn it off and guests won't see explicit songs in search. Songs you add yourself aren't affected.
  • The question guests answer, and the switch that turns the playlist off. Turning it off hides the list from guests; your songs are saved.

An event's list holds up to 300 songs.

Where the playlist fits

The playlist is free to add on any plan and any occasion — you're only ever billed by guest count when you send. It's a great fit for weddings, birthdays, and any party with dancing. To have a song actually play on your invitation, use the AI party song and music feature instead.

Common questions

Do I need a Spotify account? No. You and your guests can collect song requests without Spotify accounts. InviteBird uses its connected Spotify account for export, so you don't link your own. Creation and updates depend on the connection and Spotify accepting them. Spotify controls playback and the listener's access to full songs.

Can guests vote on songs? No — guests add song requests, and you curate the list. There's no voting or ranking on the playlist. If you want guests to vote on a choice, use a poll.

Can a guest add as many songs as they like? Up to the limit you set (5 by default). If two guests ask for the same song, it shows once with a count. A guest can take back their own picks, but never anyone else's.

Some of my songs didn't make it into the Spotify playlist. Songs that guests added "as typed" and that don't match anything on Spotify stay on your InviteBird list and DJ sheet but not in the Spotify playlist. After a successful sync, the Spotify tab lists them by name. Open Songs, tap Not matched yet — Fix, search Spotify and tap the right song. It can join the playlist when the next sync succeeds.

I added new songs after building the playlist — are they in Spotify? InviteBird sends changes automatically after the playlist has been exported, but an update can be delayed or fail if Spotify is unavailable. Check the Spotify tab: if it says a change hasn't reached Spotify yet, use Update now to retry when export is available. Your requests stay on the InviteBird list either way.

I reordered the songs. Does Spotify follow? Yes, after a successful sync the playlist follows the order on your Songs list. Arrange the order in InviteBird — edits made inside Spotify can be overwritten the next time the playlist syncs.

A guest says the playlist looks out of date on their phone. First check the Spotify tab for a pending update. If a change hasn't reached Spotify, retry with Update now when export is available. If the tab is up to date, ask the guest to refresh or close and reopen the playlist; an already-open Spotify player may still show an older list. Unmatched typed requests remain on the InviteBird list and DJ sheet and won't appear in Spotify until matched and synced.

Why do guests only hear 30 seconds? The embedded player is Spotify's, and it may offer previews instead of full songs. Playback and preview availability are controlled by Spotify and can vary by listener. Signing in alone does not guarantee full-song playback; guests can try Open in Spotify to see the listening options Spotify offers them.

Where do I see everything guests requested? In Songs, with each song's art, title, artist, length and who requested it. The DJ sheet gives you a printable copy for your DJ.

Does the playlist cost extra? No — it's included on every plan. You're billed by guest count when you send, per Plans and pricing.

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