Setlist

A setlist is a list of songs or pieces performed during a live concert or other public performance, usually presented in the order they are played. It may also refer to a planned playlist for a specific show or tour date. A setlist provides a structured outline of the program for both performers and the audience.

The setlist serves multiple practical purposes. For performers and crew, it helps manage pacing, transitions, and technical cues such as lighting and sound changes. For venues and promoters, it aids scheduling and stage management. For fans and researchers, the setlist offers a record of what was performed and can reveal an artist’s preferred repertoire for a given tour or period.

Setlists are typically prepared in advance by the artist, band, or tour manager, sometimes with input from the creative team or sound engineers. They commonly include an encore and may be adjusted from night to night based on factors such as tempo, crowd energy, or weather. Some artists use a fixed setlist across a tour, while others vary the order or rotate songs to keep performances fresh or to test new material.

In practice, a setlist is a working document that can be revised up to showtime. Notes may be added for segues, key changes, or equipment needs. The concept has become a subject of interest in fan communities and databases, which compile setlists from concerts worldwide; setlist databases, including prominent online tracks, help compare performances across venues and years.