Six Degrees music game
Six Degrees of separation, with songs
Start from one song and link your way to a mystery end song, one track at a time. Work together as a room: you’ve only got so many moves.
Part of the full game · no app to install · everyone plays on their phone
Tonight’s challenge
Mr. Brightside → Dancing Queen
6 moves
How Six Degrees works
See where you’re heading
The shuffle picks the start song. The TV reveals a random end song and plays its preview.
Link, one song each
Take turns adding a song that links to the last one: same artist, same year, same word in the title, a cover… you decide.
Reach the end song in time
Play the end song within 4, 6, 8 or 10 moves to win. Run out and you can keep going as a free chain.
What you need
- From 2 to 10 players, or up to 20 if the host has a lifetime tier. Everyone plays on the same side.
- A host with the full game. Players don’t need to pay, sign up or install anything.
- A TV is best: it reveals the end song and plays its preview before the first link. Phones only and video calls work too.
- A room that likes a debate. Links are on trust, so somebody has to be convinced.
A Six Degrees game, step by step
- The host picks Six Degrees under “What are you playing?” and chooses the number of moves (6 to start with).
- “Here’s where we’re heading…” shows the shuffled start song and the random end song, and plays the end song’s preview if “Previews on the TV” is on.
- Players take turns adding one song that links to the last one. Each link is played and revealed before the next player is up.
- Every link uses a move, and so does a turn whose time runs out. The link timer is Relaxed (2 minutes) to start with; the host can change it.
- Land on the end song, in any version, to win. Run out of moves and the host chooses: keep going as a free chain, or end and see the playlist.
Tips
- Think two links ahead. Before your turn, work out what leads to the end song, not just what follows the last link.
- Any version of the end song counts, so don’t worry about finding the exact release.
- The end song can’t be the very first link, so even the shortest route takes two moves.
- Explain your link out loud before you lock it in. If you can say it with a straight face, it probably counts.
- Records of your fewest moves are kept for your crew when at least 3 of you are playing, or for the host’s account. A guest host with no crew keeps none.
Variations to try
Tighter or looser
Set 4 moves for a real challenge, or 10 for a gentler game with newcomers.
Full tracks
The host can switch previews off in the lobby. Then each player plays their link from their own music app instead.
Keep the chain going
Out of moves? “Keep going (free chain)” drops the move limit and the target, so the links carry on until the host ends the game.
Questions people ask
- What counts as a link?
- Anything the room agrees on: an artist, a year, a word, a sample, a film. Links are on trust, so arguing is half the fun.
- Is it competitive?
- No, the whole room plays together against the move limit, and 2 of you are enough to play. Sign in (or play with your crew) and you’ll keep a record of your fewest moves.
- Is it free?
- Six Degrees is part of the full game. You can try Top Tracks free first with a Classic game.
- Is there a Christmas version?
- Yes: from 1 November to 6 January the host can add Christmas songs to the end-song list.
- How many moves do we get?
- The host chooses 4, 6, 8 or 10, and it’s 6 to start with. A turn whose time runs out uses up a move too.
- Can we play Six Degrees on a video call?
- Yes. On a call every phone plays each link’s 30-second preview, so everyone hears it together.
- Does it count in leagues?
- No. Six Degrees isn’t played in league games: it’s the whole room against the move limit.
Think you can get from Mr. Brightside to Dancing Queen? Prove it.
Host Six Degrees