setlist

noun

set·​list ˈset-ˌlist How to pronounce setlist (audio)
plural setlists
1
: the planned components of a performance
especially : the songs chosen to be performed by a musical artist at a concert
The Glaswegian singer was in the finest of voices as he ran through a 16-song setlist for fans … Kirsty Bosley
2
: a written list of the components of a performance and especially of the songs performed by a musical artist
Most bands don't release their setlist ahead of their performances, as that takes away part of the excitement.Rachael Davies

Examples of setlist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The bulk of McCartney’s setlist consisted of Beatles songs—more than 20 of them—but the show didn’t feel like a nostalgia tour, because the effect was less sentimental and more elegiac. David L. Ulin, The Atlantic, 11 May 2026 This means his setlists aren’t predictable. Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 9 May 2026 So there are all these different filters that songs need to go through to get to the final setlist. Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 8 May 2026 Alongside the setlist, Cameron checks in on Eilish throughout the 18 or so hours leading up to the show, as Eilish selects from her jersey-forward wardrobe, or gets special attention for her chronic ankle sprains. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 7 May 2026 But 12 of the selections this time around were not included in the setlist here or for his entire 2025 tour. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026 Ariana Grande's tour setlist may get a bit longer, as the singer has new music on the way. Edward Segarra, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026 The show featured a setlist full of her classic hits while introducing a blend of modern-day music and jazzy, old-school Vegas style. Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026 Her Holy Fvck and Dancing With the Devil…The Art of Starting Over eras are largely absent from the setlist, save for the possibility of appearing as a surprise song. Tomás Mier, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

set entry 2 (sense 19) + list entry 1

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of setlist was in 1935

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Setlist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/setlist. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

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