I found an article on BPMSupreme from 2016 that tried to classify the various “styles of DJ”. Central to the piece was this diagram listing the styles and drawing a relationship between certain styles (and not others):
What do you guys think of the implications of this Venn? Are there any missing styles that should be added?
Only thing that diagram speaks to me is that the “Superstar DJ” is probably very different in the minds of DJ versus the larger audience. As a DJ I have few idols who indeed are versed in many different areas, many being producers as well and definitely know a lot more than just the basic club thing. But I have a feeling that if you would ask random a person from the street to name a superstar DJ they would say Paris Hilton or something in the lines of that
So, according to this, as a music producer it’s unlikely you are also radio DJ (let’s AVB or others, I know, not exactly Radio… but what is Radio nowadays?) and no likely to be a Mobile DJ?
I don’t fully agree or I’m missing something.
I love music production and mobile DJing, because I don’t feel being in a club till 7am shapes me. Of course not in the 100 TOP DJs neither producers in the Industry, hahaha.
Paris Hilton? I could see that but my guess would be the average person would say Diplo or Tiesto. For the longest it was good ole Oaky but he’s kept a low
Profile recently. The whole diagram is fairly interesting except the superstar DJs who are turntablists are even less known I think minus Craze and DJ Jazzy Jeff. I also feel that the majority of Super Star DJs lack the essential skills of the common turntablist. Some can scratch, but I wouldn’t really say too many can go beyond that. With looping now I don’t know very many people who can juggle outside of scratch competition and hip hop world. Even Drum and Bass DJs scratch less often now. Maybe I’m reading the chart improperly. I’m seeing it more Venn Diagram like. I don’t know how else to look at it. I’m NOT poo poo-ing Mobile DJ’s in any way. I feel they are just like the rest of us. I would hesitate to include them in this diagram though. At one point when my health issues were starting to show and I had seen little progress in my career despite being talented (mainly due to addiction) I questioned whether this passion was actually just a hobby. That’s when I read an article that split DJ’s into Club/Rave/Festival DJs- Mobile DJs - Hobby DJs. Ever since then I’ve just had the attitude that Mobile DJs are not quite cut from the same cloth as the Producer/DJ/TT.