The 10 Best British DJs of All Time

Britain has enormously influenced electronic dance music over the decades, from the rise of the drum and bass genre to the rave scene defining a generation.

As such, many of the best British DJs have left an indelible mark on the music industry, renowned for their intense and energetic performances and impressive music curation.

This article celebrates the best British DJs loved by dance music fans worldwide, exploring their backgrounds and experiences as world-class music producers.

The 10 Best British DJs of All Time

With decades of rich history to explore, spanning many of the leading electronic music genres, there’s no shortage of outstanding DJs heralding from the United Kingdom.

We’ve selected ten of the best British DJs, covering various eras and electronic dance music styles to ensure there’s someone here for all tastes.

10. Richie Hawtin

Richie Hawtin’s background and pedigree in the electronic music scene are hard to overstate, with his career beginning in the early 1990s and not slowing down since.

Along with Carl Craig and Robert Hood, he was a pioneering figure in the early minimalist techno scene and became a fixture in clubs throughout the decade.

Before long, Hawtin was widely recognized as one of the best techno DJs of all time, performing in the UK, Germany, and the United States.

Hawtin also earned critical acclaim as a music producer, releasing a string of singles, EPs, and albums throughout his career.

His 1993 release, Plastikman, is widely considered to be one of the greatest minimal techno albums of all time, earning a reissue in 2024.

He has worked closely with many of techno’s most noted artists and DJs, collaborating with Sven Vath, Joey Beltram, and Pete Namlook, to name a few.

In addition to producing his own music, Hawtin regularly remixes other artists’ innovative productions and continues to actively DJ around the world.

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9. Annie Mac

While some of the best British DJs are best known for their role in performing club music and festival shows, others made their name on the radio.

Annie Mac is one such DJ who became prominent on the BBC radio station, performing live sets on Big Weekend and other notable broadcasts.

As a radio personality, Mac soon became a regular host on the iconic Essential Mix radio show, reaching millions of listeners every week.

Her eclectic taste, which incorporated many of the best music genres, and versatile mixing skills paved the way for a series of high-profile DJ sets at major UK festivals.

Her dynamic DJ sets have spanned multiple genres, taking in everything from UK garage and acid house to the latest releases from the drum and bass scene.

Mac has also rubbed shoulders with many mainstream pop music artists, supporting Harry Styles in 2023 and DJing in front of a crowd of 80,000 people.

Her career has also included forming the Lost & Found Festival in Malta, a four-day event featuring multiple parties around the island.

8. Fatboy Slim

The history of DJing wouldn’t be complete without a mention of Fatboy Slim, a British musician and superstar DJ who helped define the dance music scene in the 1990s.

Real name Norman Cook, Fatboy Slim began his music career as a member of the pop-rock group the Housemartins before branching out into electronic music.

Adopting the moniker in 1996, he became a hugely influential figure in the emerging big beat scene, appearing at many national and international festivals.

The album Better Living Through Chemistry, which featured the track “Everybody Needs a 303,” became widely played on radio stations that year.

Fatboy Slim collaborated with many leading artists and bands during the decade, notably with Blur on the album Think Tank.

As his career evolved into the 2000s, he continued to DJ regularly at festivals such as Glastonbury and Creamfields and in his hometown of Brighton.

Outside of the UK, his DJ sets at the Ultra Music Festival in the United States brought him international success and cemented his impressive legacy.

Learn more: Find out how to introduce DJ phrasing into your sets.

7. Sasha

Originally from Wales, the British DJ Sasha rose to fame thanks to his ongoing collaboration with John Digweed and their DJ sets at the club Renaissance.

Before long, he had risen through the ranks to become one of the most famous DJs in the world, known for his exceptionally complex

At the same time, Sasha built a reputation as an impressive music producer, releasing many tracks through his own record label, Renaissance Records.

He also served as a record producer for some of the biggest names in the music industry and remixing for artists such as Madonna and the Chemical Brothers.

The recipient of multiple dance music industry awards, Sasha has won the International Dance Music Awards on no less than four occasions.

Sasha’s influence also extends to other notable British DJs, mentoring the likes of James Zabiela and BT and helping them develop their careers.

He continues to push the envelope of technology and music, launching a revolutionary mixed-media Leonardo Da Vinci exhibition in 2024.

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6. Paul Oakenfold

Like Annie Mac, Paul Oakenfold is best known to critics and fans alike as one of the figureheads of the UK radio scene and a regular fixture on the Essential Mix.

A key player in shaping the evolution of the art of DJing, Oakenfold has performed at all major clubs and festivals since his career began.

Born in South London, Paul Oakenfold played a major role in the rise of the Ibiza club scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s before transitioning to radio.

He then ventured into working as a music producer in the early 2000s, releasing his debut album, Bunkka, in 2002 to critical and commercial acclaim.

Throughout his career, Paul Oakenfold has consistently worked to promote other DJs from the UK and beyond, sharing their work through his media projects.

He has also branched out from the world of electronic music, becoming a TV personality and appearing on the program Las Vegas and other shows.

Also, outside of the electronic music club scene, Oakenfold has engaged in production work remixing for Madonna, the Rolling Stones, and Michael Jackson.

5. Goldie

A discussion of British DJs wouldn’t be complete without mentioning drum and bass music, which emerged from the UK in the early 1990s.

One of the leading artists in the drum and bass genre was Goldie, the English DJ and record producer who led the field in the scene from 1991.

After DJing drum and bass in clubs in Bristol and beyond, Goldie’s debut studio album, Timeless, sent the genre into the mainstream.

At the same time, Goldie earned his place among the best drum and bass artists while DJing at major clubs and festivals in the UK scene.

His influence on drum and bass is legendary, and many other notable DJs in this genre worked with Goldie or adapted his production techniques.

Goldie has worked with many major artists outside the dance music scene, with rock stars such as David Bowie and Noel Gallagher among the big names.

He has also made several movie and television appearances, including a small role in Guy Ritchie’s gangster classic Snatch and the television series Eastenders.

Today, his reputation is secure, with Goldie responsible for putting out some of the best jungle DJ sets of all time and continuing to produce music.

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4. Aphex Twin

Few DJs and producers have existed at the cutting edge of music trends quite like Aphex Twin, one of the key pioneers of electronic music.

Born Richard D. James, Aphex Twin began DJing at free parties in and around Cornwall, leading the field in experimental dance music before producing his own tracks.

Aphex Twin found early success in the mid-1990s with the release of his seminal album, Selected Ambient Works, launching a career that has spanned decades.

His ability to effortlessly shift between DJ and producer and his reputation for visually outstanding live performances have inspired countless others to enter the industry.

Tracks such as “Windowlicker” and “Come to Daddy” presented his music’s dark and surreal side that blew up the underground scene when released.

Behind the decks, Aphex Twin blended seemingly disparate genres in sets that would become legendary, with highly sought-after tickets for his events.

His productions have also influenced some of the biggest names in electronic music, with Daft Punk and Radiohead among many who have cited his work.

Aphex Twin continues to earn significant respect in the music sphere, including a free listening party at the Tate Modern to mark the reissue of Selected Ambient Works.

3. Calvin Harris

If Aphex Twin represents the experimental underground electronic music scene, Calvin Harris sits at the opposite end of the spectrum, dominating the mainstream commercial space.

One of the best EDM DJs working today, Harris’s impressive career has seen him perform on the main stage at festivals including Ultra Music, Creamfields, and Tomorrowland.

Harris began DJing at an early age before moving into production in the mid-2000s and becoming a regular fixture in the US and UK charts.

Tracks like “Acceptable in the 80s,” “I’m Not Alone,” and “You Used to Hold Me” all achieved platinum certification, complemented by solid album sales.

Known for his energetic style that blends house music and EDM, his sets are often accompanied by impressive lights and visual displays.

Calvin Harris has performed on numerous concert tours over the years, collaborating with artists including Groove Armada, Deadmau5, and Rihanna.

Regularly ranked among the highest-paid DJs in the world, Harris is also known for his philanthropic work, including the anti-AIDS charity Project Red.

He continues to DJ regularly and release original tracks, with his seventh studio album, 96 Months, hitting the charts in 2024.

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2. Pete Tong

Like Annie Mac, Pete Tong is a DJ perhaps best known by music fans in the United Kingdom for his role as a BBC Radio 1’s Essential Mix presenter.

One of the key players in the rise in popularity of house music, Tong’s career has seen him DJ at many famous clubs and festivals over the years.

He has also helped promote the work of countless artists through his radio show and by releasing their tracks on his record label, FFRR Records.

Tong is often associated with the Ibiza electronic music and club scene, notably through his involvement in the International Music Summit event since 2008.

A frequent nominee and winner of major DJ awards, he has been active in many music genres, ranging from the early acid house scene to contemporary EDM.

Few DJs can match Tong’s extensive discography of mix albums, with the star responsible for dozens of mix CDs based around the Essential Selection franchise and other shows.

Tip: Learn how to DJ a house party.

1. Carl Cox

Like Pete Tong, Carl Cox has been a fixture in the UK dance scene since the early days and is also a major player in the Ibiza club circuit.

Frequently ranked among the best old-school DJs, Cox is a highly regarded house music DJ known for exploring techno’s darker side.

Carl Cox began DJing in the 1970s, performing disco sets before discovering Chicago house music and branching into dance genres.

A pivotal player in the emerging rave scene in the UK during the late 1980s and early 1990s, he also ran hugely successful club events around London.

As a record producer, Carl Cox has been prolific, releasing many singles, remixes, albums, and mix CDs over the last few decades.

Having performed at all of the major venues in Ibiza and headlining large festivals in the United States, Cox has his eye set on the moon for an upcoming gig.

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Summary

With so many iconic DJs emerging from Britain over the years, there are many classic DJ sets and tracks for electronic music fans to explore.

This article has provided a great starting point for anyone looking to explore the UK scene’s offerings and dive into the rich and vibrant history of its most prominent DJs.

Since the British music scene shows no signs of slowing down, many more iconic artists are likely to lead the field over the following years.