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How it works

Lindy Hop tempo, BPM ranges, and how SwingPlaylist builds your playlist.

What is Lindy Hop BPM?

BPM stands for beats per minute. It tells you how fast a song feels. For Lindy Hop, BPM is the single most useful number for picking music, because the whole dance is built on matching movement to tempo.

A slow track lets dancers breathe and play with rhythm. A fast track pushes energy and footwork. A good Lindy Hop playlist varies tempo across the night so dancers can pace themselves and enjoy every kind of swing.

Tempo ranges we use

Slow (up to roughly 120 BPM)

Soulful blues and slow swing. Great for late-night floors, slow drags, and warming up. Think Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong ballads, Dinah Washington.

Medium (around 120 to 170 BPM)

The heart of a Lindy Hop playlist. Big band classics, groovy rhythms, and the tempos most social dancers are comfortable with. Think Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald up-tempo.

Fast (170 BPM and up)

The floor-burners. Room-lifting tempos for experienced dancers and the peak of the night. Think Jumping at the Woodside, Sing Sing Sing, classic Fletcher Henderson.

How SwingPlaylist builds your playlist

1. You describe your party

Tell us the name, duration, tempo mix, era and mood. Or paste a sentence in plain English.

2. We match songs to BPM

We pick tracks from a curated cache of Lindy Hop references, balancing slow, medium and fast to fit the duration you chose.

3. We build a Spotify playlist

Sign in with Spotify, and we create the playlist directly in your account with a smooth BPM curve for the dance floor.

Frequently asked questions

What BPM is good for Lindy Hop beginners?

Medium tempo around 120 to 140 BPM is the sweet spot. It feels musical, gives room to move, and matches most beginner workshops.

Do I need a Spotify account?

Not to generate the playlist: SwingPlaylist creates it on a shared account and gives you a link. You only need a Spotify account to open the link and listen, like with any Spotify playlist.

Is SwingPlaylist free?

Yes, SwingPlaylist is free to use. If you enjoy it, you can tip the author to support the project.

Can I avoid songs I dislike?

Yes. Rate songs in the Rate game. Rejected tracks can be skipped automatically in future playlists.

How long does a playlist take to generate?

About 60 to 90 seconds. Behind the scenes we ask an AI for suggestions and then search each song on Spotify.

Does SwingPlaylist work outside Lindy Hop?

The curated cache focuses on Lindy Hop and swing eras. Other swing dances like Balboa or Collegiate Shag share the same music pool, so results are still useful.