How to host a music bingo night in a bar or pub

A quiet Tuesday or Wednesday is hard to fill. Music bingo gives people a reason to come in, stay for a few rounds and bring their friends the following week. You need little more than a speaker, a playlist and a host with a microphone.

This guide covers what to prepare, how to plan the evening, a list of 40 pub favourites ready to paste into My Music Bingo, three themed rounds and tips for the host. If you have never made the cards before, read how to make music bingo cards first. It takes about ten minutes.

Why music bingo works in a bar

A classic pub quiz rewards people who know a lot of facts. Music bingo is easier to join: players only have to recognise a song, and even a table that knows little about music can win.

The format also suits the rhythm of a bar. Each game lasts 20 to 30 minutes, and the breaks between games are natural moments to order another drink or something to eat. People sing along, talk about the songs and stay longer than they planned.

What you need

• Sound. A speaker that reaches every corner and a microphone for the host. Test both at the volume you will need when the room is full.
• The playlist. The same songs you put on the cards, in Spotify, YouTube or any music app with a shuffle option.
• Cards. Printed cards and pens on every table, or the digital cards link for phones. Many bars use both.
• Prizes. A small prize for each game and a bigger one for the last.
• A host. Someone relaxed on the microphone who can keep the pace and check the winning cards.

The song list: 40 pub favourites

We chose songs that most people can sing at least a few words of, from the 60s to the 2010s, so every age group in the room has a chance. Paste the list as it is into the text box of the card generator.

Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond
Mr. Brightside - The Killers
Don't Look Back in Anger - Oasis
Wonderwall - Oasis
Livin' on a Prayer - Bon Jovi
Dancing Queen - ABBA
Mamma Mia - ABBA
I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me) - Whitney Houston
Valerie - Mark Ronson ft. Amy Winehouse
Angels - Robbie Williams
Don't Stop Me Now - Queen
Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
Hey Jude - The Beatles
Twist and Shout - The Beatles
Africa - Toto
I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) - The Proclaimers
Come On Eileen - Dexys Midnight Runners
Take On Me - a-ha
Don't Stop Believin' - Journey
September - Earth, Wind & Fire
I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor
Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes
Zombie - The Cranberries
Wannabe - Spice Girls
Song 2 - Blur
Hey Ya! - OutKast
Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
Shut Up and Dance - Walk the Moon
Losing My Religion - R.E.M.
Footloose - Kenny Loggins
Girls Just Want to Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
Total Eclipse of the Heart - Bonnie Tyler
Love Shack - The B-52's
Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
Summer of '69 - Bryan Adams
Rolling in the Deep - Adele
Teenage Dirtbag - Wheatus
Murder on the Dancefloor - Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Dancing in the Moonlight - Toploader
Chelsea Dagger - The Fratellis

How to plan the evening

In a bar, play in teams of two to six people with one card per table. Teams talk, argue about the songs and order together, which is good for the atmosphere. These settings work well:

• Grid: 4×4 with a free space, or 5×5 for a longer game.
• Show artist: off. Recognising the song is the challenge.
• No. of cards: one per table, plus ten extra for people who arrive late.

A simple timetable for a two-hour night:

1. Before you start: hand out the cards or share the link while people order. Explain the rules in one minute.
2. Game 1, one line: about 20 minutes, then a 15-minute break.
3. Game 2, two lines: about 20 minutes, then another break.
4. Game 3, full card: the last game, with the best prize.

All three games use the same cards, so nobody has to clear anything between games. If you prefer to send the cards to phones, the step-by-step guide shows how to share the link.

Three themed rounds

For a night with a different theme in each round, make a separate set of cards for each one, using only that round's songs. A 3×3 grid works well with 12 to 15 tracks.

Round 1: singalong classics

Play Sweet Caroline, Don't Look Back in Anger, Wonderwall, Livin' on a Prayer, Angels, Bohemian Rhapsody, Hey Jude, I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles), Come On Eileen, Don't Stop Believin', Total Eclipse of the Heart, Brown Eyed Girl and Summer of '69. Turn the volume down for the chorus and let the room sing.

Round 2: the dance floor

Play Dancing Queen, Mamma Mia, I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me), Don't Stop Me Now, Twist and Shout, September, I Will Survive, Wannabe, Uptown Funk, Shut Up and Dance, Footloose, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Love Shack, Murder on the Dancefloor and Dancing in the Moonlight.

Round 3: name that intro

Play Mr. Brightside, Valerie, Africa, Take On Me, Seven Nation Army, Zombie, Song 2, Hey Ya!, Losing My Religion, Rolling in the Deep, Teenage Dirtbag and Chelsea Dagger. Play only the first 10 seconds of each song. These openings are famous, so the round is harder than it looks but still fair.

Tips for the host

• Keep a list of the songs played. When a team shouts "Bingo!", compare their card with the list. Each printed card has its number at the bottom, which helps when two teams call at the same time.
• Play 20 to 30 seconds of each song. That is long enough to recognise it and short enough to keep the game moving.
• Don't say the titles aloud. Let the music do the work, and read the list out only when you check a winning card.
• Think beyond drinks for prizes. A sharing platter, a voucher for the next visit or a reserved table for next week.
• Ask phone players not to press New card once a game has started.
• Announce next week's theme before people leave.

Make it a weekly night

Music bingo works best as a regular date. A fixed night, such as every Thursday or the first Friday of the month, gives people something to plan around. Change the theme each time so regulars don't hear the same songs: a decade one week, film songs the next.

For ideas, try the 80s music bingo list, and at the end of October the Halloween music bingo list. Make new cards every week, and promote the night with a poster by the bar, a post on social media and a word from the staff. Put the theme in the poster title: "90s night" tells people exactly what to expect.

Sources

All sources checked on 8 October 2026.

• Get a licence to play live or recorded music, GOV.UK.
• Diffuser de la musique dans son commerce : Sacem, Justice.fr (French Ministry of Justice).