10 Facts About DJing We Guarantee You Won’t Believe

Whether you’re a seasoned DJ with years of experience spinning vinyl or a digital-first newcomer, DJing has a firm place in the contemporary culture.

From the breadth and depth of musical knowledge a DJ requires to the latest technical innovations, DJing is a rich topic with endless depth and scope.

We’ve dug through the vibrant scene of DJing to bring you 10 fascinating facts about DJing, exploring the deep history and emerging trends of this popular pastime.

10 DJ Facts We Guarantee You Won’t Believe

DJing is among the most popular activities of modern times, with millions of people invested in playing music to a live audience and getting the dance floor pumping.

To celebrate the rich and eclectic DJing scene, we’ve compiled ten fascinating facts covering everything from little-known historical anecdotes to record-breaking achievements.

1. DJing Is Over 100 Years Old 

DJing often brings up images of cutting-edge music in high-end nightclubs and festivals, but its origins go back further into history than most people realize.

Indeed, the history of DJing is over one hundred years old, beginning in the early 1900s with the first-ever radio broadcast.

This landmark broadcast came in 1906, with Reginald A Fessenden presenting a Christmas Eve narration through wireless transmission.

It marked the beginning of a new media style that would eventually be characterized by DJs’ role as music curators through mass media.

The term “disc jockey” would take several decades to emerge, with the expression first used in 1935 by Walter Winchell, the American gossip columnist and commentator.

Over the following decades, disc jockeys would play records individually to their audience, cementing their reputation as tastemakers and music trendsetters.

By the 1960s, becoming a radio DJ opened up access to early releases and helped emerging artists gain much-needed attention from the public.

It would take new technological developments for the art form to transform into its current form and the transition from radio DJ to club DJ to emerge.

Read more: How to become a DJ.

2. The DJ Mixer Was Invented In A Nightclub 

The emergence of the club DJ was intimately linked to the evolution of music technology and the ability to blend vinyl records between two turntables.

While this evolution began in 1963 with RCA’s invention of the mixer, it was Alex Rosner’s pioneering work that laid the core foundations for modern DJing.

In 1971, Rosner developed the Rosie mixer, which was dedicated exclusively to DJing, while working as a sound designer at The Loft, one of the most iconic nightclubs of all time.

An audiophile who also ran the cutting-edge company Rosner Custom Sound, this invention would reshape the DJing world to the present day.

The ability to smoothly blend records has become the staple technique of DJing, and the mixer Rosner designed remains the template for modern DJ controllers.

Indeed, The Loft would become the home of some of the best house music DJs of all time, with the likes of Larry Levan emerging in this club.

Other DJs soon followed suit, and new clubs such as The Haven soon opened their doors, advertising “continuous music” for punters.

The introduction of the crossfader allowed for radical new mixing techniques that redefined the contemporary nightlife of the era.

This technology would continue to evolve over the following decades, with some of the most dramatic innovations occurring by pure chance.

Find out how to DJ house music.

3. Scratching Was Discovered By Accident 

Just as the crossfader opened up a new world of continuous mixing for DJs to enjoy, so too has scratching become a foundational technique for many DJs.

The history of record players is deeply intertwined with the art of DJing, from the early days of radio DJs to world-class hip-hop DJs.

Early pioneers first began experimenting with the possibilities of vinyl records and mixers in the 1970s, with DJs such as Grandmaster Flash and Kool Herc leading the field.

Building on their experience of DJing with vinyl, Grand Wizard Theodore learned the ropes under the tutelage of Grandmaster Flash.

Grand Wizard Theodor accidentally discovered the art of scratching when he stopped a record by hand to listen to his mother calling to him.

Noticing the unique sounds created when moving the needle back and forth over the vinyl, he soon began incorporating the effect in his DJ sets.

By the early 1980s, turntables had become instruments in their own right, and DJs used the scratching technique throughout their hip-hop sets.

As mixers evolved to include flexible crossfaders with more responsive controls, learning how to scratch became essential for any aspiring turntablist.

Today, modern digital DJ controllers still include the tools for scratching, demonstrating the enduring appeal of this complex but rewarding mixing technique.

Read next: The future of DJing.

4. 1 Million People Attended The Largest Festival 

One of the significant challenges when learning how to become a club DJ is managing stress and anxiety, particularly when performing in front of a large crowd.

DJing in clubs can be overwhelming, especially when you’re a new DJ focused on private parties and have little experience with crowds.

Tomorrowland took things to the next level when it launched its 2020 virtual festival event, drawing in over one million people to share music.

Featuring over sixty artists and broadcasting the event online, the event was fully rigged with 4K cameras in studios around the globe.

DJs performed in a diverse range of countries, including Australia, Brazil, Belgium, and the USA, with some of the biggest names in the industry spinning tracks.

Artists performing at the event included David Guetta, Martin Garrix, Steve Aoki, and Eric Prydz, who represent the who’s who of the EDM scene.

Ticket prices reflected the event’s online nature, with attendees paying around $20, significantly lower than for other in-person Tomorrowland events.

While no DJing event has surpassed this figure, the classical festival Donauinselfest achieved an outstanding 3.1 million people in 2016.

5. Extreme DJing Is a Growing Trend 

With the culture of DJing constantly evolving to keep up with technology, standing out from the crowd requires increasingly innovative thinking.

Some DJs are doing this by participating in extreme DJing and taking the art of the performance in exciting and radical new directions.

Extreme DJing has seen artists spinning tracks everywhere from the highest possible altitudes to the ocean’s depths, partying alongside hardcore music lovers.

The more strange and unusual the DJ venue, the better, as the events draw dedicated crowds and are often live-streamed for a virtual audience.

Some examples of locations where extreme DJing events have taken place include:

• Everest base camp in Nepal: In 2018, DJ Paul Oakenfold took to the heights of the world’s tallest mountain to perform a set to a crowd of fans while raising money for charity.
• The world’s deepest diving pool in Italy: Also in 2018, a selection of leading DJs, including Peggy Gou, performed deep and tech house at the bottom of a deep man-made diving pool in Venice.
• The International Space Station: An event hosted in 2019 saw an ESA Astronaut and future ISS Commander collaborate with a leading DJ to livestream a set from outer space.

Other DJs have focused on some of the world’s most iconic landmarks for their performances, including the Egyptian pyramids and Stonehenge in the United Kingdom.

It’s a great way to get the media’s attention, with many DJs using the events as opportunities to raise money for charities and other causes.

6. DJ Tiësto Earned $250,000 Per Gig

The range of DJ rates can vary wildly, factoring in everything from the equipment provided and level of experience to name and brand recognition.

For the lucky few who make it into the big time, the earnings can be outstanding, and some of the highest-paid DJs have a net worth of tens of millions of dollars.

Household names such as Skrillex, Steve Aoki, and David Guetta can command high fees for a single DJ set at leading clubs and festivals worldwide.

One DJ who broke records for payment for a single gig is DJ Tiësto, who took in an eye-watering $250,000 per gig at the height of his career.

As one of the most famous DJs in the world, DJ Tiësto has headlined many high-level events, from Tomorrowland to the Ultra Music Festival.

Based in Holland, he also branched into music composition and production, delivering a string of chart-topping hits over the years.

DJ Tiësto has performed alongside some of the music industry’s biggest names, branching away from EDM to perform with David Bowie and Busta Rhymes.

The result is a net worth of over $170 million, a figure that only DJs such as Calvin Harris have been able to surpass over the years.

7. The Longest DJ Set Is 244 Hours

With thousands of DJs competing for the same gig, staying relevant as a DJ can be a challenge requiring new and innovative solutions.

One way to do this is to attempt to break new records, and the longest DJ set of all time is a goal many DJs have aimed for over the years.

Lengthy DJ sets have been a feature of some of the best old-school DJs for many years, with techno DJs such as Jeff Mills well known for their long sets.

The first notable effort came in 2014 when Polish DJ Norberto Loco performed an extended set in Dublin that set the bar for future attempts.

In 2016, DJ Obi completed a 240-hour DJing marathon in which he was said to experience hallucinations due to the lack of sleep.

Another record was set in 2021 by Nigerian DJ Soul Yin, performing for an outstanding 243 hours and 30 minutes in October.

The latest record was set in 2024 by DJ Faber Moreira, who played for an unprecedented 244 hours and 2 minutes, or ten days and 4 hours.

He was allowed to take fifteen minutes of rest for each hour of activity and avoided any alcohol or other substances throughout the performance.

Splashes of ice water complemented occasional short naps, and the DJ had been preparing for this record-breaking event for over two years.

Learn more: Dive into the latest DJ technology.

8. The DJ Industry Is Worth $11.8 Billion 

As the art of DJing has become more popular over the years, it has become a big business, with many leading tech brands entering the market.

This market growth has covered everything from digital DJ controllers and other hardware to digital music sales and a resurgence in vinyl records.

Recorded music growth has seen a steady rise in sales for physical media, which has seen smaller labels dominate the space.

Meanwhile, larger corporations have enjoyed similar growth in digital music files, from popular streaming services to downloadable music and record pools.

In 2024, the industry has grown to become valued at an impressive $11.8 billion and rising, thanks in part to the rising popularity in emerging markets such as India and Brazil.

This rise is across the spectrum of the DJ industry, with tickets for events and nightclubs also seeing a significant rise in recent years.

While the industry faces several challenges around the monetization of streaming content, its ongoing growth is a hugely positive sign for DJs everywhere.

It is also characterized by an expansion into other related industries, with movies, fashion, and television all incorporating DJing in their media.

The data reflects a thriving industry that is showing no signs of slowing down any time soon, particularly as new technology brings it to a broader audience.

9. 182 DJs Participated In The Largest B2B Relay

The ongoing evolution of DJing is constantly introducing new music trends and ways for DJs to keep their performances fresh and exciting.

One of the most common techniques is through back-to-back DJing, which allows two people to collaborate for dynamic DJ sets.

Back-to-back DJing, usually referred to as B2B Djing, involves two DJs sharing the decks and alternating tracks throughout the performance.  

It requires both DJs to be on the same page, sharing a similar approach to genres and style, which allows for smooth and engaging transitions.

Unsurprisingly, the concept has been the subject of record-breaking attempts, with events dedicated to running the largest B2B relays in the world.

The current B2B relay record was established in 2019 when 182 different DJs came together in Manchester for an industry-defining event.

Each DJ was required to present their selected song before the event to avoid repeats, and the event was held at the Joshua Brooks venue.

Beginning at 11 a.m., the relay continued throughout the day before finally wrapping up at 10 p.m., with guests also attending the event.

It beat the previous B2B relay record established in Australia, which featured 149 DJs alternating their time on the decks.

The money raised from the new record was donated to homeless charities based in Greater Manchester, including Mustard Tree and Share Tanzania.

10. The World’s First AI DJ Performed In 2023 

The role of artificial intelligence in music is evolving rapidly, impacting everything from music production to how DJs mix their tracks.

It’s a technology that is as promising as it is controversial, and many questions about copyright and ownership have yet to be fully answered.

While these questions hang in the air, the rise of AI DJs has been inevitable, with this powerful technology radically reshaping the potential for DJing.

This promise became a reality in 2023 with the first-ever AI Dj gig, which took place on the Portland Live 95.5 radio station.

Powered by Futuri’s RadioGPT system, the broadcast was based on Ashley Elzinga, a real-life radio personality and one of the station’s weekday hosts.

The broadcast wasn’t without controversy, with some comments on Twitter claiming that it “disrespected the radio profession” and denigrated the medium.

Despite these criticisms and reservations, AI’s role in DJing isn’t going away any time soon, with major companies fully invested in the technology.

It’s also impacting the industry beyond DJing, with AI lighting reshaping how event organizers put on visual displays at their gigs.

Access thousands of tracks with a subscription to ZIPDJ.

Summary

With DJing showing no signs of slowing down, it’s fast becoming one of the most popular activities for all types of music lovers worldwide.

As such, we can anticipate more fascinating facts to emerge as the technology develops and new artists seek innovative ways to perform their sets.

It’s an enduring art form with endless scope for creativity, with a rich and vibrant history that reflects its position at the forefront of music culture.