10 music party games for a night with friends

Updated on October 24, 2026

Music is already there at every party, so you might as well play with it. Here are ten music games, from timeless classics to newer formats, with what you need for each and the kind of group they suit best.

1. Who put this ? (guess who picked the song)

Everyone secretly adds songs from their phone. They play shuffled, and you guess which friend picked each one. Perfect for groups who know each other well, or want to. Play for free.

You need: one phone per person. Players: 3+.

2. The classic music quiz

A host plays clips, and the first to name the title or artist scores. Timeless, but the host doesn't play and the experts always win. Our guide to running one.

3. Guess the year

A song plays and each team writes down its release year. Closest wins. A great mix of nostalgia and debate.

4. Karaoke

No machine needed: karaoke versions of almost every song are on YouTube. Draw duets at random so three people don't hog the mic.

5. Musical chairs (grown-up edition)

The childhood classic works surprisingly well at parties, especially with songs picked for their fake endings.

6. Word chain

One player says a word, the next has to sing a line that contains it, then gives a new word. No equipment, perfect for road trips.

7. Hum it

One player hums a song with no lyrics, and their team has 30 seconds to name it. Much harder than it sounds.

8. DJ of the night

Each player gets three songs in the party playlist and the group rates each one. The best DJ picks the next game.

9. Theme-tune quiz

Only cartoon, TV show and game-show theme songs. Everyone grew up with them, so everyone can play. It also works as a theme in Who put this ?.

10. The mystery playlist

Before the party, each guest sends the host the song that represents them best, and the group guesses who sent each one. That's exactly what Who put this ? automates, so the host doesn't have to collect everything by hand and can play too.

Which one to pick?