If there’s anything professional DJs have in abundance, it’s time on the road. But just because you’re in an Uber, doesn’t mean you’re off the clock. Your work takes on the form of checking out new tracks, researching trends and finding out what other DJs (and the crowds themselves) are up to. Podcasts are your friend. Here’s a list of some of the best music podcasts for DJs that you should be checking out. 

Resident Advisor

  • Who hosts: Resident Advisor Magazine

  • How often: Weekly

  • Format: 1+ hour mix, interview with DJ, tracklist (often) on site

The weekly RA Podcast contains a selection of exclusive mixes of electronic music from the top-ranked DJs. Their website has long been a repository and database for releases by basically the entire range of producers, DJs and events from around the world. If you’re good on RA, you’re good! Each episode features a 1+ hour mix, interview with the DJ, and (usually) a tracklist. Have fun exploring the back catalog of 500+ mixes.

Fact Mixes

  • Who hosts: Fact Magazine

  • How often: Weekly

  • Format: 1+ hour mix, tracklist on site

If DJing were a house everyone were trying to get into, Fact Magazine would be the comfortable couch in the living room. The weekly Fact mixes, which now number over 600, are a treasure trove of the best and freshest upcoming names in music media. The range is wide enough to encompass styles and genres which stray very, very far from the dance floor. Perhaps because of this inclusive approach towards new music, Fact has established itself as a trusted source in taste. 

Deeper Shades of House

  • Who hosts: Lars Behrenroth

  • How often: Every Friday

  • Format: 2 hour mix, tracklist and download on site

In the last decade, the deep house genre has absolutely eaten up the bandwidth. As Beatport CSO Terry Weerasingh puts it, “many genres that used to be techno or house are now being labelled as deep house. Same music, different label.” It’s no surprise that the Deeper Shades of House podcast includes a carefully curated and globally representative weekly mix of the smoother shades of electronic music. Guest mixes by both established and unknown DJs.

It’s always a good idea to keep up to date with what’s being put out there, and a weekly podcast is a good way to go about it. Just resist the temptation to download the mix and pass it off as your own! By the time the music has passed through the tastemakers, it’s on the way out. You need to find your own music and be your own tastemaker to win this game. Check out some of the knowledge offered by DJ Courses Online today.

John Bartmann is a music producer and DJ.