Every party needs music. David Malitz, who writes about pop music for The Washington Post, put together playlists for three very different outdoor parties: a grown-up sit-down dinner, a brunch with lots of children and a big cocktail party.

• Intimate Dinner for Six: “Come Away With Me,” Norah Jones; “My Baby Just Cares for Me,” Nina Simone; “Alison,” Elvis Costello; “Blue in Green,” Miles Davis; “Songbird,” Eva Cassidy; “Ordinary People,” John Legend; “Summer Wind,” Frank Sinatra; “Break Your Promise,” the Delfonics; “Harvest Moon,” Neil Young; and “Changes,” Seu Jorge.

• Brunch With Kids: “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,” the Beatles; “Stay Up Late,” Talking Heads; “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay,” Otis Redding; “Me Myself and I,” De La Soul; “Jump Up,” Dan Zanes; “I’m a Little Dinosaur,” Jonathan Richman; “Eastern Standard Time,” the Skatalites; “Istanbul (Not Constantinople),” They Might Be Giants; “Rock Lobster,” the B-52s; and “Three Little Birds,” Bob Marley.

• Cocktail Party for 50: “Dance With Me,” Nouvelle Vague; “A Minha Menina,” Os Mutantes; “Everyday People,” Sly and the Family Stone; “The Noise of Carpet,” Stereolab; “Lebanese Blonde,” Thievery Corporation; “Where It’s At,” Beck; “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’,” Nancy Sinatra; “Let Me Down Easy,” Bettye Lavette; “One (Blake’s Got a New Face),” Vampire Weekend; and “Playa Azul,” Los Amigos Invisibles.