Is a club night really a club night without a DJ? Since the burgeoning DJ culture of the 1970s, DJs have become icons in their own right. From mainstream radio DJs like Annie Mac and Annie Nightingale to Ibiza stalwarts and chart toppers like Skrillex and Diplo, DJing has changed a lot over the last 50 years. The latest reinvention of the DJ is the use of digital tech as part of their DJ equipment. But how exactly has streaming changed DJing?

The music industry contributes £5.2 billion to the UK economy and that figure is only rising – and DJs play a large part in that income. From hosting shows, creating downloads, as well as showcasing new and emerging talent, streaming has only opened up the door for more artists. 

Gone are the days when DJs would have to lug around massive pieces of expensive equipment. Thanks to streaming, becoming a DJ is more accessible than ever before. The physical DJ gear you need to host a set includes a laptop and controller – that’s it! Not only that but thanks to streaming, the cost of music has fallen too, and digital DJs can either buy music much more cheaply or even not pay for it at all and make their own. 

It’s not just professional DJs that are using streaming to radically change how they listen, produce and play music. As we move increasingly to a more digital world, more and more people are paying for music streaming services like Spotfiy, Apple Music, YouTube, and Amazon Music. Prior to streaming a DJ was limited by their budget and buying new records every week was almost out of the question, but thanks to streaming, budget is virtually no barrier to creativity. 

This ability to hear the latest music and discover new artists at the touch of a button is having a profound impact on the music scene as a whole and allows DJs to be at the fore-front of this revolution. An integral part of any DJ career is looking out for the next big artist or big hit and these streaming services allow DJs access to millions of songs.

Of course, the main worry for many DJs using a steaming service was unreliable internet connections, however, many sites now offer offline playback so should network connection fail, the set can continue without a hitch as long as the music has been downloaded. 

Whilst streaming sites have been mainstream since the early 00s, during the pandemic their positive impact was really highlighted. When nightclubs around the world were forced to close, kitchen discos with killer soundtracks became the new Friday night norm. 

This opened up the space for new collaborations between old and emerging DJs, part-time DJs and music enthusiasts which is sure to have a lasting impact post-pandemic. Not only that, but the virtual club has opened up the global arena. With many people attending virtual events hosted by DJs on the other side of the world, online events have helped to connect audiences and DJs with a wider group of likeminded people, that pre-streaming and pre-Covid would never have occurred. 

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