Maybe you’re in DJing for the extra money. Maybe for the street cred and the fans. So if you’re aiming to make a name as someone who has taste, you’ll need to find the gems - or even better, produce them yourself. And what’s the one place that upcoming DJs always forget to look for the bangers? The past! Let’s check out a few tips for DJing older music.
Why look back in time?
It’s 2022. The 1970s were 50 years ago. There was way less recorded music back then, but most of it did have to pass through some kind of tastemaker to ever see the light of day. The result? A higher quality-to-rubbish ratio. In other words, it’s easier to find good undiscovered music by going through the Motown back catalog than by searching online for ‘stuff that sounds like Motown’. The goal is to find those gems.
Retro is cool
The past is always in fashion, if you know when to look. Usually it takes a generation for culture to start recycling. In the 2010s, synthwave and synth-pop were in fashion. And true enough, a lot of 90s stuff is trending now. Go with it. Find those 90s hits and remixes that you think are dope and play them at your next party. DJing isn’t always just about playing the hits. Sometimes you have to show people your own taste and style. Start with a list of 90s dance music artists.
Old people party too
Of course, avoid playing ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ at a beach bar just because you spot someone in a leather jacket. But do acknowledge that not everyone who parties is under 30, even if you are. It’s definitely worth having some of yesterday’s hits in your crate, or at least some uplifting remixes of them. DJing is about showing people a good time. The older you get, the less you care about new stuff. Where appropriate, show the oldies a good time too! (Oh yeah, and they generally have more money, too.)
There’s still a ton of good undiscovered music from the pre-Internet days. And you’ll be surprised at the recording and production quality too. The way music is mixed has changed, and the party crowd always wants something new. Especially when it’s old. Get on track with the Advanced DJ Techniques and Tips III course