Who picks the music

I can think of exactly one club I've been to where the dancers picked their own songs. Usually it's up to the DJ, who is taking direction from management. Management is usually trying to sell some kind of "idea" about the club with the music selection, for example "it's a beachy party vibe in here" or "it's cool and hip," which maybe the idea your local club's management is trying to sell with all the "obscure" songs.

Often I find that the music just caters to whichever demographic is most dominant among the club's customers. Usually, that's middle-to-late aged guys. Like at Chicago Club in Tijuana for example, they play a bunch of classic rock. That's not because the chicas or locals like it, it's because it's what the biggest spenders at the club (40-60 year old americanos) are into.

Your question about licensing is an interesting one. I understand that in the US, bars and nightclubs are required to license their music, I wonder how this works for strip clubs?

At all the clubs I've been to, it's been bad obscure rap music with heavy bass. Since I'm an older WASP, it's not my thing. Fortunately, the girls make up for it. ;)

At one club I frequent, the dayshift dancers always dance to music they’ve chosen, almost always the same group or song. If I walk in and hear Tool, I know who’s on stage before my eyes adjust. On night shift, the music might not match the dancer, but it is almost always the same fucking music. I often hear a new song on my Amazon music feed, and think it would make a great stage song, but only if a dancer really worked it. I like high energy driving music, rock, blues, R&B, but hear way to much rap and techno. It seems to me that stage music could bring a lot of energy if the girl on stage really worked it, but most of them just saunter around the stage, with an occasional twirl on the pole. Sometimes I wish I could work a shirt as a DJ, but I would probably just piss off the dancers, and probably a lot or customers too!

I use to frequent one club with no DJ. The dancers would select songs using a touch screen on an automated audio system. I think maybe they had to pay different amounts, depending on the song. (Wasn't there some thread where nicespice was going to work at a club like that, and was asking us to help pick songs?) That seemed to work fine.

My mood is much, much, much more influenced by the mood of the dancers I'm getting dances from than by the music. Whereas, the music seems fairly important to the mood of most dancers. So, for me, it makes sense for them to pick the music.

I only know that it is not me. I'd probably get kicked out if I was allowed to play what I like.

In college I was a club DJ for almost 2 years before goin into my career. BTW, being a DJ isn't about the girls hitting on you, you need to stay focused on the room and how people are reacting each night. The music sets the clientele and atmosphere. I detest gangsta rap and most rap in general, then there is the rap about "fuck all the bitches" type that is just denigrating and gross. Sometimes a tune like Michaël Bublé's "Feeling Good", "Fever", "Boom Boom Ba" & "Nomah's Land" (Matisse, she did music for "Dead Like Me"), "I'm Outta Love" (Anastacia), "Smooth Operator" (Sade) and "Thunderstuck" (AC/DC) makes for a really hot set IF and ONLY IF the girl can get into it. If you got SC full bangers and bikers, my choices would not really be accepted. Anyway.

Fridays & Saturdays my experience is almost always modern rap (not older school like Dre, fluffier rap) that includes a way too loud bump beat. Its essentially lyrics with a bump bump bump. But I’ve seen one dancer who danced to the same song that she chose. It was her signature pole set songs. I’ve also seen customers request songs.

Way too much rap these days. I do go to one club that has a juke box including one that technically you could choose songs remotely. Pretty sure someone has been messing with everyone once or twice. I once heard Amazing Grace in the club at 2 AM.

I Think The DJ Picks Out The Songs Mostly, I Prefer Rock & Techno/Electronic. A Good Variety Of Music That Isn't Overly Loud Is A Way To Go For Clientele. 👄

I know many of the Seattle area clubs, the dancers have a list of songs they will dance to and the DJ will pick from that list

Years ago, I was at a club where the dancers picked the songs off a juke box and one of them wanted me to pick her music, so I picked Tool and Rob Zombie. It seemed right for her and that moment. That's something that will never happen again.

There is one club I know about where they can pay the DJ to play a specific song, or at least they did when I was a regular. I used to know the signature song(s) of all my favorites and a few who weren't there.

I tipped the DJ $50 to let me pick out the next three songs before buying a 3/100 deal. I chose Marque Moon, Stairway to Heaven, and Sister Ray. They told me those were longer songs than they usually play, but I insisted a deal is a deal.

^ many clubs now have 3:00 minute versions of every song.

If you got them to play the full version, you really got a deal for your $150.
Marque Moon - 9:58 or 10:40
Stairway to Heaven - 7:55
Sister Ray - 17:29
In total, that is 11 or 12 three minute songs for $150!