There are a million reasons why the DJ Mag’s Top 100 is complete nonsense. To start, there what specifications does it take to make the list and rank on the list. Is it performances, skill, etc? There really isn’t any specification. One would assume it is all about DJing, but where does that fall? What makes DJ Jazzy Jeff or A-Trak who are turntablists better (or worse) than say Eric Prydz or Deadmau5. Then you have artists that are more producers than anything, but they make the list. Essentially, the contest has its flaws and has become one big popularity contest. You’ll find that in the past few years, many artists either campaign or speak out against it. You’ll also have artists like Maarten Vorwerk just straight up trolling on Twitter and making a mockery of it all. We don’t blame him and can’t stop laughing.
Laidback Luke recently brought up a huge point regarding the DJ Mag Top 100. He explains how artists use this to justify higher booking rates. Higher booking rates means higher ticket prices. Higher ticket prices means I’ll complain about the nonsense and see people beg for free tickets on Twitter. He also explains how just because people in India (his example) are voting for you, it doesn’t mean you can fill up a club in Vegas. The whole list has become so out of proportion.
Tack on allegations of cheating, manipulating, or however you’d like to describe it; the whole “Top DJ in the World” is such a dated feature. Not only is it dated, but music is subjective. Artist have good shows, they have great shows, and they have bad shows. It doesn’t mean that they’re bad as an artist or better than another artist. At the end of the day, your favorite DJ’s are who you’re going to see. New ones will appear. Old ones will retire. Your favorite DJ is going to be your favorite DJ and who cares if he is a local opener or headlining Ultra Music Festival.
Thank you to Laidback Luke and the other DJ’s that really do stand up to the bullshit.
https://twitter.com/TheFPIA/status/767168210089181184