My dinner party playlist has veered toward the more downtempo, groovy side. Thievery Corporation, Massive Attack, Zero 7, etc. I sprinkle that with a little samba, because Bebel Gilberto just sounds so sexy. I wouldn't listen to Coldplay or Air normally. Why would I play them when I'm trying to entertain? I understand the notion that it distracts away from the food, but keep in mind that people go to restaurants and dinner party not just for the food, but also for the environment. If they were there just for the food, cafeterias would be popular and buffet lines would be all the rage. Instead, people are looking for ambiance, specifically to allow them to have a good time with (and forgive me for saying so) their friends, not the staff. Of course, with a dinner party, their friends ARE the staff, so it works out. The other aspect of it is to create an atmosphere in which there's a base level of noise to help distract away from any lack of conversation. I don't like taking first dates anywhere that's too quiet. No echo chambers, no matter how good the agnolotti is. I love the sound of a busy restaurant; the chatter, the clink of glass, the clang of the grill, the sizzle of oil and the whoosh of fire. Ah, the sweet music of an industrious crew.