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DJs have a way of making or breaking a party with their music. Unique, creative song choices can leave people wondering how a DJ came up with something so good. So, how do DJs find new music?
DJs typically find new music by searching record pools, online music sites, social media, podcasts, blogs, and even by listening to other DJs.
The inspiration a DJ needs to find the right song can come from any number of places. To learn more about the process and the websites that are usually used, keep reading.
How Do DJs Find New Music?
Keeping the party going with fresh music is every mobile DJ’s goal. To do this, they have to constantly look for new songs that will appeal to their audiences. There are several ways DJs discover new songs, and we’ll go over all of them.
Requests From Past Events
One of my favorite ways to find new songs is by taking requests during school dances and weddings, especially years ago when I was starting out. I’d get a song requested at an event that I didn’t have, but by the next event I’d have it. Add these requests to your DJ sets.
Most of the time, if it worked at one wedding or school dance, it would work at another. It was the fastest way to discover songs I’d never heard.
New Songs for School Dances
I like finding new songs—songs I like and songs I think will work at an event. Each month we update our school dance playlist and wedding playlists: pop, dance, country, hip hop, and slow love songs.
- School Dance Songs: exclusive school dance DJ song lists
- Upbeat party songs that always get people dancing
- Wedding songs that should be in your wedding
- Best summer songs and beach playlists
- Best slow songs of all time
- Best prom songs to create a memorable prom dance
- Popular TikTok songs and viral dances
Record Pools
A quick Google search will give you ten record pools you could join for a monthly cost. It’s a good way to add to your collection, especially if you’re starting out. You can also look at their charts to see what’s new. The monthly subscription isn’t bad if you need a bunch of new songs.
Record pools are websites with a large assortment of songs you can download for a monthly fee. It’s cheaper than buying each song one by one, and a lot of DJs get their music this way. It can help you build up a collection of songs you don’t know.
Just download the most popular ones from each category. Not all pools are the same, so it’s a good idea to read the reviews before trying them out.
Where Do DJs Find New Music?
Music Sites Are Goldmines for New Music
One of the most common ways a DJ can find music is by visiting music streaming services. These sites have millions of songs to search through. Some sites only let you listen to music and create playlists, while others let you download or buy the music.
While there are many sites to choose from, here are some of the most popular places a DJ can find music:
- SoundCloud –
This is one of the most popular places for DJs to search for music. There are millions of songs and DJ sets, and you can even upload your own music to SoundCloud. This site lets you download, buy, or listen to music. - Mixcloud – Mixcloud has become popular since some artists had problems with SoundCloud removing their songs. You can only listen on this site.
- iTunes – If you’re looking to find current, popular hits quickly, then iTunes will get the job done. It tends to be more affordable than other places to buy music. You can even find good mixes in the podcast section.
- Spotify – Check out the playlists in every type of music you’re interested in. Spotify is the most well-known streaming service. You can no longer use third-party DJ apps with Spotify. An alternative is Tidal, which creates playlists for you, though it has no offline version.
- Amazon – Amazon Music isn’t much different from iTunes and lets you buy or download high-quality DJ music.
- LÜM – A streaming service where fans can discover new music and support independent artists through virtual gifting.
- Bandcamp – Bandcamp is a good place to follow bands and find new artists and songs.
- And there are many more sites to explore.
These are only a handful of the music sites DJs use. Making music discovery part of your day-to-day routine will help you find new songs quickly. Do it all the time, not just the week before an event.
Social Media Sites
Some DJs say they can easily find music on social media because new artists are trying to get their music heard any way they can. This is a good way to find music that’s unique and rarely been heard.
You may also find that some mainstream artists offer a free song or album as a gift to fans, which lets you get music that’s likely to become a hit or already is one.
Popular artists also promote upcoming releases or new songs on social media. Set up a second account for your DJ business so you can separate your personal and business social media accounts.
Social media sites include:
- YouTube – You can pay a premium to stream music without ads. YouTube Premium is good.
- Facebook – Many mainstream and new artists post their music on Facebook.
- Facebook Groups and Pages – Join groups and pages that share new songs.
- Instagram – Artists tease new releases and talk about upcoming albums.
- TikTok – Either you like TikTok dances or you don’t. It depends on your crowd.
Podcasts Curate New Songs for DJs
As mentioned earlier, the podcasts tab on iTunes is a good place to find mixes for inspiration, but it’s not the only place.
Here are some other podcasts where you can find mixes that feature new and old tracks:
- Club Killers podcast
- Best in Space Radio podcast
- Glitterbox Radio Show
- Fire & Ice: Drum and Bass Mix
- Fact Mixes
- RA Podcast
You can find all of these and many more at SoundCloud or Mixcloud.
DJs Have Blogs Too
Searching through different types of music helps DJs discover music, but so does reading music blogs. Artists will talk about new songs that are coming out.
Music blogs are one of the best ways to find music because you’ll have access to it much sooner than if you waited for it to come out on a music site.
I Shazam Everything
New movies, TV shows, Instagram stories—it doesn’t matter—if I hear a song I don’t know, I Shazam it. The app keeps track of my newly discovered songs, and later I’ll look them up and purchase them. I like finding new songs to motivate me or to get the dance floor packed. Make discovering new music part of your everyday life.
Where Do DJs Buy Their Music?
Most mobile DJs get their music through Amazon Music or iTunes. Watch out for sites that let you buy music and download it only to their own music player. You won’t be able to transfer the file to a different DJ software like Serato, Traktor, or Virtual DJ.
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Conclusion
DJs can discover new music or inspiration in several places. It all comes down to the DJ being willing to dig through thousands of songs and websites to find the right mix.
There are tons of websites, podcasts, and live shows a DJ could look into. While pleasing the crowd is a big plus, it’s always important to stay true to yourself and play tracks and mixes that appeal to you. If you don’t appreciate the music you’re playing, you’ll never reach your potential.
Looking for more? Check out our DJ articles page, or jump straight to these popular guides:
- DJs Don’t Skip the TikTok Songs
- DJ Music FAQ
- How to DJ a Party
- Best DJ YouTube Channels
- What Is a Mobile DJ?
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From discovering new songs to getting more gigs, I’m excited to share the wealth of knowledge I’ve gained through many years of DJing. [email protected]
