West Coast Swing Music Playlists
From social dancing, to competitions and even songs for training, these are my favourite West Coast Swing playlists.
West Coast Swing has a large variety of music, so I’ve shared some playlists that I use to train, social dance and also Shazam’d from competitions.
If you click on any of the playlist titles it will open Spotify and you can see the full list. The embed function only shows the first 100 songs, but some of these lists have over 500 songs in them.
As a side note, I’m also creating WCS music now (mainly to avoid copyright strikes on videos), but I’ve been dying to have some cool new blues music to dance to. This is my Artist page on Spotify which will soon have a few different albums with different genres suitable for West Coast Swing.
Rinse & Repeat Playlist
This is my playlist that I listen to daily. It’s what I drive to, it’s what I walk to, it’s what I listen to when I’m grocery shopping.
It’s a short list of songs that for whatever reason, make me want to dance and I can’t get enough of them right now.
This list churns a lot of songs, but the idea is once a song gets in my head, I play it over and over and it motivates me to keep grinding.
Competition Playlists
The first playlists I recommend are West Coast Swing Competition Playlists. These are songs I’ve added after watching competitions from around the world.
If you’re training for an event, I highly recommend using these lists and dancing to the first 90 seconds (the average time for a Jack &Jill or Strictly Swing competition).
Blues Playlists
These blues songs are very popular in West Coast Swing, at Competitions as well as on the social scene.
Learning these will give you an advantage when it comes to musicality, plus practising swung rhythm is always a good thing.
Training playlists for West Coast Swing
When we train, we need a mixture of straight rhythm songs and swung rhythm, plus fast and slow. This playlist provides that mix, with enough songs to gain familiarity so you can also practise musicality.
Lyrical – Slow and Gooey WCS Playlist
This is the music we love to dance to at the end of the night or on the Sunday at an event. Slower paced, more lyrical (the kind of music Jakub and Emeline love to dance to).
what makes great west coast swing dance music
West Coast Swing Music Style
West Coast Swing music is defined by its steady rhythm, smooth groove, and conversational feel. Traditionally rooted in blues and swing, the music has evolved to include a broad spectrum of contemporary genres such as pop, soul, funk, hip-hop, and R&B.
The rhythm typically sits around 80–120 beats per minute, creating a relaxed yet danceable tempo that allows for both playfulness and musical interpretation. A signature of WCS music is its syncopation and phrasing, giving dancers room for creativity, improvisation, and connection to the nuances of the song.
Unlike other swing styles that rely on big band or fast jazz rhythms, West Coast Swing music often emphasizes a groovy, elastic beat — something you can “ride” rather than chase. This adaptability makes it perfect for everything from bluesy slow burns to modern chart-toppers with a smooth, understated pulse.