An important discovery I've made is a dark room illuminated by the big red screen you get after a movie is done on netflix is the perfect mood-lighting. Everyone looks way hotter bathed in red light, but its still dark enough that they cant see my pale, hairy thighs. I tried fucking to George Benson once because it seemed like a good idea, but it really prevents you from fucking hard. Or saying dirty things. Wasn't even a girlfriend either. Not recommended for hookups.
Jerry Springer was on when I lost my virginity. Foreshadowing. Focus: I'm a news junkie and I religiously listen to NPR. It's pretty much on 24/7, just playing in the background. I pretty much have a Pavlovian response to the Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me intro music.
The girl I had my first serious relationship with in college always played the same 5 or 6 song playlist during sex. The only two that I remember are Christina Aguilera's "Dirty" which was appropriate and a pretty good rhythm and some Sum 41 song that I don't really remember. These days I just use Pandora if I remember to play any music at all. I used to put Winamp (anyone remember winamp?) on random which was good until some cartoon theme song or something like Bloodhoung Gang came on and killed the mood.
After college I dated a girl who took the cue to get with the sex as soon as the late night shows came on. Leno or Letterman it didn't matter. If I was in the bed she'd be grabbing my junk as the opening monologue started. Thinking back I'm pretty sure I subconsciously realized this and would stay out at the bar with my friends just late enough to be at her place before those shows came on. Crafty motherfucker I was.
The idea of a 'sex soundtrack' seems kind of weird to me. I think I've done it once or twice years ago, but that was because it involved certain narcotics and a couple extra people thrown into the mix. These days it just seems too contrived, and god forbid the playlist comes to an end in the middle of it. That's just awkward. Right now it ends up being whatever's on the TV at the time. It provides background noise as well as light, so its a bonus. Usually it's Food Network. Diners Drive-In's & Dives does the trick just fine. If I'm lucky Rachael Ray with a lower cut top so you get a glimpse of her pancake tits or Giada's huge mouth might help a little too.