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Disc jockey

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"DJ" redirects here. For other uses, see DJ (disambiguation).

A disc jockey (also called DJ) is an individual who selects and plays prerecorded music for an intended audience.

Etymology of the term

The term disc jockey was first used to describe radio announcers who would introduce and play popular gramophone records. These records, also called discs by those in the industry, were jockeyed by the radio announcers, hence the name disc jockey, which was soon shortened to DJs or deejays. Today, there are a number of factors, including the selected music, the intended audience, the performance setting, the preferred medium, and the development of sound manipulation, that have led to different types of disc jockeys. However, today there are many different kinds of 'DJ's' and it does not always mean 'disc jockey' in the traditional sense, for example turntablist DJ's use actual 'discs' whilst radio DJ's may use a number of sound sources including music files, CDs, jingles, and other pre-recorded media.

Job description

The physical act of selecting and playing sound recordings is commonly referred to as DJing (or deejaying), playing or spinning. The resulting performance is called a DJ set.

Equipment

The most basic equipment that is necessary for a standard disc jockey to perform consists of the following:

  1. Sound recordings in preferred medium (eg. vinyl records, compact discs, computer media files)
  2. A minimum of two devices for playback of sound recordings, for alternating back and forth to create continuous playback (e.g. record players, compact disc players, computer media players)
  3. A sound system for amplification of the recordings (e.g. portable audio system, radio wave broadcaster)

The addition of a DJ mixer (used to mix the sound of the two or more playback devices), a microphone (used to amplify the human voice), and headphones (used to listen to one recording while the other is playing, without outputting the sound to the audience) is strongly recommended, but not required. Other types of equipment including samplers, drum machines, effects processors, and Computerized Performance Systems, add to the performance of the DJ.

Advanced Equipment

Other equipment can be added to the basic DJ set-up (above) providing unique sound manipulations.

  • Such devices include but are not limited to:
  1. Effects processors (delay, reverb, octave, equalizer, chorus, etc).
  2. Computerised Performance Systems can be used with timecode encoded vinyl/CD content to manipulate digital files on the computer in real time.
  3. Multi-stylus Headshells like The R.A.K.E. gives a DJ the ability to play different grooves of the same record at the same time.

Techniques

Several techniques can be used by the disc jockey as a means to manipulate the prerecorded music. These primarily include the cueing, equalization and audio mixing of two or more sound sources. However, turntablist DJ's also utilise slip-cueing, phrasing, cutting, beat juggling, scratching, beatmatching, needle drops, phase shifting, back spinning, and more to perform the transitions and overdubs of a number of sources in a more creative manner.

Many professional DJs use harmonic mixing for choosing compatible songs according to music theory.

DJ control and economics

Throughout the 1950s, payola was an ongoing problem. Part of the fallout from that payola scandal was tighter control of the music by station management. The Top 40 format emerged, where popular songs are played repeatedly.

Today, very few radio DJs in the United States have any control over what is played on the air. Play lists are tightly regulated, and the DJ is often not allowed to make any changes or additions. The songs to be played are usually determined by computerized algorithms and automation techniques, such as voice tracking, allowing single DJs to send announcements across many stations. A DJ might announce a song as a request even though it was already set to appear in the play list. It is not unusual for modern radio DJ's to get a request for a song, if they are allowed to play a request, which is rare, and download it from a free download site such as LimeWire;[citation needed] then they enter it into the computer play list to make the listener happy. With modern computers and high-speed internet access, it is possible to fulfill any reasonable request in a matter of minutes. This is a little-known legal use for "free" music downloads, as all radio stations must pay licensing fees to ASCAP and Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI).

Economically, this formula has been successful across the country. However, music aficionados look upon such practices with disgust and either seek out freeform stations that put the DJs back in control, or end up dumping terrestrial radio in favor of satellite radio services or portable music players. College radio stations and other public radio outlets are the most common places for freeform play lists in the U.S.

Types of disc jockeys

By definition, the role of selecting and playing prerecorded music for an intended audience is the same for every disc jockey. The selected music, the audience, the setting, the preferred medium, and the level of sophistication of sound manipulation are factors that create a number of different types of deejays. The following is a list of the most common types of disc jockeys, along with notable examples of each, listed in chronological order by birth.

Radio DJs

A radio disc jockey plays music that is broadcast across radio waves, AM and FM bands or worldwide on shortwave radio stations. Radio DJs are notable for their personalities. Often due to terrestrial radio using program directors to generate the playlist, present-day radio DJs do not typically pick the music to play at stations. Emceeing is their primary duty.

Notable Radio DJs

  • Christopher Stone (1882–1965), became the first disc jockey in the United Kingdom in 1927.
  • Martin Block (1901-1967), the first radio disc jockey to become a star, inspired the term "disc jockey".
  • Alan Freed (1922-1965), became internationally known for promoting African-American Rhythm and Blues music in the United States and Europe under the name of Rock and Roll.
  • Jimmy Savile (born 1926), British DJ and television personality, in 1947 he was the first ever DJ to use twin turntables for continuous play after he paid a local metalworker to weld two domestic record decks together.
  • Jack Armstrong (born 1946) worked at many radio stations over the US, including 50,00 watters like WKYC, Cleveland; WMEX, Boston; CHUM, Toronto; WKBW, Buffalo, and KFI, Los Angeles. He was once listed in the Guinness Book Of World Records as the world's fastest talking human.
  • Dick Clark (born 1929), host of American Bandstand, television's longest-running music/variety program, as well as a number of nationally syndicated radio shows.
  • Casey Kasem (born 1932), disc jockey and music historian, host of the long-running radio series American Top 40. Also the voice of Shaggy in the Scooby-Doo cartoon series.
  • Wolfman Jack (1938-1995), drew upon his love of horror movies and rock and roll to create his raspy-voiced, howling persona, one of radio’s most distinctive voices, and the subject of the song by The Guess Who "Clap for the Wolfman" which featured spoken parts by him.
  • Bill Randle (realy name: William McKinley Randle, Jr) (1923-2004), former famous and distinguished Detroit, New York & Cleveland DJ who was intricate and responsible for introducing Elvis Presley's career on radio and TV in the 1950's; first on the Jackie Gleason/Dorsey Brothers' Stage Show television program in 1955 & 1956; helped introduced big names of the 20th century like Pat Boone, Johnny Ray, The Four Lads, Tony Bennett, and literally scores of other famous pop-icons of the past; true genius in what he did in his life and for others in radio, music business, as attorney of law, higher education, for his country in general, and for the quality and integrity of man-kind. Probably up there with Alan Freed and Martin Block as one of the best DJ's that ever lived.
  • John Peel (1939-2004), one of the original DJs of UK's Radio 1 in 1967, known for the extraordinary range of his taste in music, and for championing unknown musical artists.
  • Gary Perkins (1937-1991), a man of major importance to the industry who began his radio career in 1957 at Midland Texas' KCRS where Roy Orbison and Buddy Holly used to drop off their records. He later rose to fame in the early to mid 1970s for changing the face of country music by playing the likes of Paul McCartney, Elton John and The Eagles along side the country standards.
  • Howard Stern (born January 12, 1954). "King of All Media" The original "shock jock", Though controversial, he is one of the highest-paid radio personalities in the United States and the most fined personality in radio broadcast history. On October 6, 2004, Stern announced on his show that he signed a five-year deal with Sirius Satellite Radio.
  • Robert W. Morgan
  • Rick Dees
  • Charlie Tuna Los Angeles-based DJ who is well known for his top-40 show played for the American military worldwide.
  • Machine Gun Kelly
  • Bobby Ocean
  • Don Steele
  • Johnny Walker (1948-2004), Baltimore, Maryland based DJ (1974-1987), early shock-jock and Baltimore icon.

Bedroom DJ

A person who owns DJing equipment (i.e. turntables, mixer, CDJ, etc.) and has a passion for music, but does not play out to crowds at bars or clubs. Instead, they opt to play their music at home for their friends, record mix tapes or broadcast over the internet via audio broadcasting software, such as SHOUTcast.

Club DJs

A club disc jockey is one that selects and plays music in a club setting. The setting can range anywhere from a small club, a neighborhood party, a disco, a rave, or even a stadium.

Music is the name of the game for club DJs. They focus more on the music and "beatmixing" (or "beatmatching") the music to wow their crowds. Using a seamless mix by matching the tempos of two different songs, the club DJs control the energy level of the crowd.

Notable Club DJs

File:Oakenfold@Nation.jpg
DJ Paul Oakenfold
Judge Jules
File:DSCN1798.JPG
Tiesto
  • David Mancuso (1944- ) Founder of New York City's first underground party, called The Loft.
  • Francis Grasso (1948-2001) Popularized several new disc jockey techniques, including beatmatching, slip-cueing and programming.
  • Larry Levan (1954-1992) An early and prolific re-mixer and the DJ at The Paradise Garage.
  • Mark Kamins A well known DJ/mixer/producer. He was perhaps one of the most famous DJs in the New York club scene, he played in Danceteria, Studio 54, Underground, and other notable clubs.
  • Frankie Knuckles (1955- ) The godfather of house music.
  • Paul Oakenfold (1963- ) British record producer, remixer, and one of the best-known DJs worldwide.
  • Tiesto (1969- ) One of world's leading trance music DJs, voted 'No. 1 DJ in the World' for the third consecutive year in 2004 by DJMag's top 100 DJ list.
  • Keoki (1969- ) Famous techno musician, portrayed in the 2003 film Party Monster.
  • Paul van Dyk (1971- ) A famous trance DJ who earned DJMag's top 100 DJ list No. 1 DJ award in 2005 and again in 2006.
  • Judge Jules (1965- ) One of the U.Ks top House/Trance DJs
  • Armin van Buuren (1976- ) Armin is one of the world's top Dutch Trance DJ/Producers, voted No. 3 DJ in the world by "DJMag's top 100 DJ list" 3 years in a row 2003-2005. He is currently the No. 2 DJ in the world by "DJMag's top 100 DJ list".
  • Carl Cox (1962- ) World famous and legendary techno DJ.
  • Tall Paul (1971- ) Well known Trance DJ in the UK in 1998 he was voted "Muzik" DJ of the Year.
  • Ferry Corsten (1973- ) A Dutch trance producer, DJ and remixer, one of the pioneers in the genre.
  • Erick Morillo (1971- ) American DJ, music producer and record label owner, the world’s number 1 house DJ.

See also: Category:Club DJs

Digital DJs

The term Digital DJ is the incorrect terminology for the simple fact that any DJ using CDs, DVDs, DAT, Mini Discs, any number of computer music file formats or even digital signal processing equipment, is in fact a Digital DJ. Digital DJs became common when the CD player became much more readily available in the mid to late 1980s. And with new technology comes new terminology.

The correct terminology for playing, mixing or DJing with a computer, is a Computerized Performance System (CPS). A DJ who utilizes this technology is called a Computerized Performance System Disc Jockey (CPS DJ). There is an elective certification program related to the Computer DJ Summit for certifying a DJ as a CPSDJ or as a CPSME (Computerized Performance System Master Entertainer).

Sources that support this terminology may be found on the Computer DJ Summit web site, the Computer DJ Summit Learning Center, Disc Jockey University, the American Disc Jockey Association, several industry related manufacturers / software developers, the ComputerDJing.com Learning Center and based on the book by Snyder, Charles E. III (2005) So You Wanna Go Digital? - Revised First Edition River Valley Publishing. ISBN 1-59971-441-8.

Hip Hop DJs

Main article: Turntablism

A hip-hop disc jockey is one that selects, plays and creates music as a hip-hop artist and/or performer, often backing up one or more MCs.

Notable Hip Hop DJs

  • DJ Kool Herc (born 1955), inventor of breakbeat technique, "the father of hip hop culture".
  • Grandmaster Flash (born 1958), one of the early pioneers of hip-hop DJing, cutting, and scratching. Created the Quick Mix Technique, which allowed a DJ to extend a break using two copies of the same record; essentially invented modern turntablism.
  • Grandmixer JulianG (born 1971)West Coast MixMaster and the Originator of the EDIT SCRATCH. Prefers Cutting up Rock/Dance/R&B/80's New Wave-MTV/70's Disco records in the two copy hip hop way. He avoids break beats and never cuts up/plays any hip hop from 1990 to current.
  • Afrika Bambaataa (born 1957 or 1960), instrumental in the development of hip-hop from its birth in the South Bronx to its international success. He also created the first hip-hop track to feature synthesizers; "The godfather of hip-hop"
  • Jazzy Jay (born c. 1962), pioneering DJ and co-founder, with Rick Rubin, of Def Jam Records
  • DJ Jazzy Jeff (born 1965), of DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince (also backed Will Smith on his solo efforts)
  • Jam Master Jay (1965-2002), founder and DJ of Run-DMC, one of the most innovative hip-hop groups of all time.
  • DJ Clue (born Ernesto Shaw on January 8, 1975 in Queens, New York City) is a mix DJ known for his involvement in the mix tape circuit. He signed as an artist on Roc-A-Fella Records
  • Eric B. (born 1965), one half of duo Eric B. & Rakim, popularized the James Brown-sampled funky hip-hop of the late 1980s.
  • Dj Focus (born 1970), DJ Producer, Turntablist and Inventor. Creator of "Focus Fader" the world's first contactless optical fader for Hip Hop and Scratch Mixers.
  • Terminator X (born 1966), DJ of the highly influential hip-hop group Public Enemy.
  • Dj Steve Dee (born 1966), one of the next generation of pioneering hip-hop Dj's and the creator of beat juggling, he also founded the The X-Ecutioners, a turntablist band.
  • DJ Lethal, the DJ for Irish hip-hop group House of Pain who subsequently became the DJ for Limp Bizkit.
  • DJ Qbert (born 1969), founding member of the turntablism group the Invisibl Skratch Piklz and three-time winner of the International DMC Award.
  • DJ Woody (born 1977), UK based DJ, Turntablist, ITF and Vestax World champion and creator of various 'new-school' scratch techniques.
  • Mix Master Mike (born 1970), skilled DJ of hip-hop group Beastie Boys, three-time winner of the International DMC Turntablism Award.
  • The X-Ecutioners, a turntablist band with several collaborations with groups and artists, including Linkin Park and Xzibit.
  • DJ Premier (born 1966), one of the duo Gang Starr. He also featured with many famous Hip-Hop artists like Nas, LL Cool J, Rakim and many others.

See also: Category:Hip hop DJs

  • DJ 2 Freaky (born 1971), Pensacola, FL member of Hardhitter djs, Freaked Out Promotions, voted most popular dj on the gulf coast (FL, AL, MS),

Reggae DJs

In reggae terms, the deejay is traditionally a vocalist who would rap, toast, or chat to a riddim. The term "selector" is reserved for the person who performs the traditional function of a DJ, though he does not always play the music. He often just selects it and passes it to the mixer who plays it.

Mobile DJs

File:Mobiledj.jpg
Mobile DJ Image

The mobile disc jockey is an extension of the original radio disc jockey. In its infancy, Mobile DJing was perceived as a part-time career, subsidised by a 'daytime job'; today, it is recognised a legitimate skill which leads to a marketable profession - there are many mobile DJs around the world that use this as their primary career. Even as far back as 1975, many disco companies sprung up around the world, with fleets of discos that entertained thousands of people in remote places, such as Hamilton, New Zealand. By 1980 there were up to 50 consoles in regular weekly operation in that area. They had names such as 'Radio Active' 15 consoles, 'Music City Discos' 22 consoles, and 'Captain PJs Disco', 7 consoles.

Mobile DJs travel or tour with their own sound systems and play from an extensive collection of pre-recorded music, on various media, for a targeted audience. Mobile DJs tend to work for hire at private functions such as wedding receptions, religious ceremonies, school dances; but they can occasionally be seen in bars, nightclubs, or even block parties. Unlike many club/rave DJs, mobile DJs often play more mainstream selections of music from multiple genres and they usually take requests.

History

Historic Image - Captain PJ

The definition and responsibilities of a mobile disc jockey have changed since Bob Casey's first two-turntable system for continuous playback was utilized for sock-hops in 1955. Bands had long dominated the wedding entertainment industry, but with the advent of the less expensive mobile DJ, the demand for live performers dwindled. Even so, in the early years, the mobile DJ industry was seen as a last-resort choice for entertainment, as the DJs were reputed to frequently be unreliable and unprofessional. Mobile DJ companies came and went. However, a few companies of this era did establish themselves as competent businesses and thrived; some even still exist today.

During the Disco era of the 1970s, demand for mobile DJs (called mobile disco in the UK) soared. Top mobile DJs in this era would have hundreds of vinyl records and/or cassette tapes to play from. The equipment used in this era was enormous and usually required roadies (similar to those who work for bands) to set up. Because of the high demand for mobile DJs, many people from all facets of life jumped into the industry, hoping to make a few extra dollars on the weekends. These "Weekend Warriors", as they are called by many, helped enhance the negative stereotype of the mobile DJ; many of the same complaints from the earlier era continued.

Some tried to improve this image by forming professional associations. The Canadian Disc Jockey Association (CDJA) was one of the original associations formed in 1976 as a not-for-profit trade association for disc jockeys across Canada. It was joined by a much broader online association called the Canadian Online Disc Jockey Association (CODJA), founded by Canadian mobile DJs Glenn Miller (not the famous bandleader) and Dennis Hampson.

As the late 1980s turned into the 1990s, new technologies emerged. Compact disc collections were becoming the standard to play music from. Many equipment manufacturers realized the potential market that existed for mobile DJs and raced to make equipment that was smaller, easier to use, and of better quality. Dedicated mobile disc jockey trade publications such as DJ Times magazine and Mobile Beat magazine were founded in this era. These publications helped to spread the word about the emerging technologies and published informational articles that were helpful to the mobile disc jockey. This is also the era when mobile disc jockeys became the top entertainment choice for most private parties, including wedding receptions.

In the mid-1990s, computers and the Internet had a profound impact on the mobile DJ industry. Professor Jam (aka W. P. Rader), a Tampa Bay, Florida disc jockey already known in the industry for having performed for many celebrities and television networks, became one of the first mobile DJs in the United States to regularly use computer technology to play music at his shows, and was the first professionally endorsed computer disc jockey internationally. CODJA cofounder Glenn Miller became the first licensed MP3 DJ under new music licensing agreement that was introduced to Canada in 2000 by the AVLA, and had already pioneered online networking for mobile disc jockeys by starting the first bulletin board system for mobile DJs from all over North America (and eventually the world).[1]

In the 21st century, the role of the mobile disc jockey has expanded. While there are still many conventional, "human jukebox" mobile DJs, many others have assumed more responsibilities to ensure the success of the events where they perform. These responsibilities include emceeing, event coordination, lighting direction, and sound engineering.

The number of resources available for mobile DJs has also expanded. Aside from the many online community forums, there are now annual conventions, regional conferences, and many local seminars for mobile disc jockeys to attend.

  • 1857 - Leon Scott invents the phonoautograph, the first device to record arbitrary sound, in France.
  • 1877 - Thomas Alva Edison invents the phonograph cylinder, the first device to playback recorded sound, in the United States.
  • 1887 - German-American Emile Berliner invents the gramophone, a lateral disc device to record and playback sound.
  • 1889 - Coin-slot phonograph machines, the public's first encounter with recorded sound, begin to be mass-produced. The earliest versions played only a single record, but multiple record devices, called jukeboxes, were soon developed.
  • 1892 - Emile Berliner begins commercial production of his gramophone records, the first disc record to be offered to the public.
  • mid-1890s to early 1920s - Cylinder and disc recordings, and the machines to play them on, are widely mass marketed and sold. The disc system gradually becomes more popular due to its cheaper price and better marketing.
  • 1906 - Reginald Fessenden transmits the first audio radio broadcast in history when he plays Christmas music from Brant Rock, Massachusetts.
  • 1910s - Regular radio broadcasting begins, using "live" as well as prerecorded sound. In the early radio age, content typically includes comedy, drama, news, music, and sports reporting. The on-air announcers and programmers would later be known as disc jockeys.
  • 1920s - "Juke-joints" become popular as a place for dancing and drinking to jukebox music.
  • 1927 - Christopher Stone becomes the first radio announcer and programmer in the United Kingdom, on the BBC radio station.
  • 1929 - Thomas Edison ceases phonograph cylinder manufacture, ending the disc and cylinder rivalry.
  • 1934 - American commentator Walter Winchell coins the term "disc jockey" (the combination of "disc", referring to the disc records, and "jockey", which is an operator of a machine) as a description of radio announcer Martin Block, the first announcer to become a star in his own right. While his audience was awaiting developments in the Lindbergh kidnapping, Block played records and created the illusion that he was broadcasting from a ballroom, with the nation’s top dance bands performing live. The show, which he called Make Believe Ballroom, was an instant hit.
  • 1940s - Musique concrète composers utilize portions of sound recordings to create new compositions. This is the first occurrence of sampling.
  • 1943 - Jimmy Savile launches the world's first DJ dance party by playing jazz records in the upstairs function room of the Loyal Order of Ancient Shepherd's in Otley, England. In 1947, he paid a local metalworker to weld two domestic record decks together and became the first DJ to use twin turntables for continuous play.
  • 1947 - The "Whiskey-A-Go-Go" nightclub opens in Paris, France, considered to be the world's first discothèque, or disco (deriving its name from the French word, meaning a nightclub where the featured entertainment is recorded music rather than an on-stage band). Discos began appearing across Europe and the United States.
  • late 1940s to early 1950s - The introduction of television erodes the popularity of radio's early format, causing it to take on the general form it has today, with a strong focus on music, news and sports.
  • 1950s - American radio DJs would appear live at "sock hops" and "platter parties" and assume the role of a human jukebox. They would usually play 45-rpm records featuring hit singles on one turntable, while talking between songs. In some cases, a live drummer was hired to play beats between songs to maintain the dance floor.
  • 1955 - Bob Casey, a well-known sock hop DJ, introduces the first two-turntable system for the purpose of alternating back and forth between records, creating continuous playback.
  • late 1950s - Jamaican sound systems, a new form of public entertainment, are developed in the ghettos of Kingston, Jamaica. Promoters, who called themselves DJs, would throw large parties in the streets that centered on the disc jockey, called the "selector". These parties quickly became profitable for the promoters, who would sell admission, food and alcohol, leading to fierce competition between DJs for the biggest sound systems and newest records.
  • mid-1960s - Nightclubs and discotheques continue to grow in Europe and the United States. However, by 1968, the number of dance clubs started to decline.
  • 1969 - American club DJ Francis Grasso popularizes beatmatching at New York's Sanctuary nightclub. Beatmatching is the technique of creating seamless transitions between back-to-back records with matching beats, or tempos. Grasso also perfected slip-cueing, the technique of holding a record still while the turntable is revolving underneath, releasing it at the desired moment to create a sudden transition from the previous record.
  • late 1960s - Most American discos either closed or were transformed into clubs featuring live bands. Neighborhood block parties that are modeled after Jamaican sound systems gain popularity in Europe and in the boroughs of New York City.
  • early 1970s - The Vietnam War, oil crisis, and economic recession has a negative impact on dance clubs and disc jockeys. The total number of clubs and DJs dropped substantially, and most of the dance clubs were underground gay discos. It should also be noted that electronics company Technics released a series of direct-drive DJ turntables during this period.
  • 1973 - Jamaican-born DJ Kool Herc, widely regarded as the "godfather of hip hop culture", performs at block parties in his Bronx neighborhood and develops a technique of mixing back and forth between two identical records to extend the rhythmic instrumental segment, or break. Turntablism, the art of using turntables not only to play music, but to manipulate sound and create original music, is considered to begin at this time.
  • 1974 - Technics releases the first SL-1200 turntable, which evolves into the SL-1200 MK2 in 1979, currently the industry standard for deejaying.
  • 1974 - German electronic music band Kraftwerk releases the 22-minute song "Autobahn", which takes up the entire first side of that LP. Years later, Kraftwerk would become a significant influence on hip hop artists such as Afrika Bambaataa and house music pioneer Frankie Knuckles.
  • mid 1970s - Hip hop music and culture begins to emerge, originating among urban African Americans and Latinos in New York City. The four main elements of hip hop culture are MCing (rapping), DJing, graffiti, and breakdancing.
  • 1975 - Disco music takes off in the mainstream pop charts in the United States and Europe, causing discotheques to experience a rebirth.
  • 1975 - Record pools begin, enabling disc jockeys access to newer music from the industry in an efficient method.
  • 1976 - American DJ, editor, and producer Walter Gibbons remixes "Ten Percent" by Double Exposure, one of the earliest commercially released 12" singles (aka "maxi-single").
  • 1977 - Hip hop DJ Grand Wizard Theodore invents the scratching technique by accident.
  • 1977 - New York's Studio 54 nightclub grosses $7 million in its first year of business (which is roughly $21 million in today's dollars after adjusting for inflation). In the same year, the motion picture Saturday Night Fever popularizes discotheques and becomes one of the top-10 grossing films in history (at the time).
  • 1979 - The Sugar Hill Gang release "Rapper's Delight", the first hip hop record to become a hit. It was also the first real breakthrough for sampling, as the bassline of CHIC's "Good Times" laid the foundation for the song.
  • 1979 - An anti-disco protest in Chicago's Comiskey Park marks the major backlash against disco amongst rock music fans. This is considered by some to be the year that disco "died", although the music remained popular for several more years, particularly in underground clubs and in Europe, where the subgenres Euro Disco and Italo Disco emerged.
  • 1981 - Cable television network MTV is launched, originally devoted to music videos, especially popular rock music. The term "video jockey", or VJ, was used to describe the fresh faced youth who introduced the music videos.
  • 1982 - The demise of disco in the mainstream by the summer of 1982 forces many nightclubs to either close or to change entertainment styles, such as by providing MTV style video dancing or live bands.
  • 1982 - "Planet Rock" by DJ Afrika Bambaataa is the first hip-hop song to feature synthesizers. The song melded electronic hip hop beats with the melody from Kraftwerk's "Trans-Europe Express".
  • 1982 - The compact disc reached the public market in Asia and early the following year in other markets. This event is often seen as the "Big Bang" of the digital audio revolution.
  • 1983 - House music emerges. The name was derived from the Warehouse club in Chicago, where the resident DJ, Frankie Knuckles, mixed old disco classics and Eurosynth pop. House music is essentially disco music with electronic beats. The common element of most house music is a 4/4 beat generated by a drum machine or other electronic means (such as a sampler), together with a solid (usually also electronically generated) bassline.
  • 1983 - Jesse Saunders releases the first house music track, "On & On".
  • mid-1980s - New York Garage emerges at DJ Larry Levan's Paradise Garage nightclub in New York. The style was a result of the club DJs who would unsuccessfully try to duplicate the Chicago house sound, for example, leaving out the accentuated high-hats.
  • mid-1980s - Techno music emerges from the Detroit club scene. Being geographically located between Chicago and New York, Detroit techno combined elements of Chicago house and New York garage along with European imports. Techno distanced itself from disco's roots by becoming almost purely electronic with synthesized beats.
  • 1985 - The Winter Music Conference starts in Fort Lauderdale Florida and becomes the premier electronic music conference for dance music disc jockeys. TRAX Dance Music Guide is launched by American Record Pool in Beverly Hills, the first national DJ-published music magazine; created on the Macintosh computer using extensive music market research and early desktop publishing tools.
  • 1986 - "Walk This Way", a rap-rock collaboration by Run DMC and Aerosmith, becomes the first hip-hop song to reach the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. This song is the first exposure of hip hop music, as well as the concept of the disc jockey as band member and artist, to many mainstream audiences.
  • 1988 - The acid house scene emerges in the UK. Originally called "acid parties" for a select few, the events grew in size and popularity, eventually spreading throughout England, Europe, the United States, and the rest of the world.
  • early 1990s - The rave scene grows out of the acid-house scene. Many elements of the rave scene, such as baggy pants and break dancing, appear to be inherited from the Northern Soul scene of the UK approximately 15 years earlier. The notion of "trainspotting", for example, derives from Northern Soul's emphasis on researching and collecting rare & obscure records; while preventing other DJs from stealing titles via "white labels". The rave scene forever changed dance music, the image of DJs, and the nature of promoting. The innovative marketing surrounding the rave scene created the first superstar DJs.
  • early 1990s - The compact disc surpasses the gramophone record in popularity, but gramophone records continue to be made (although in very limited quantities) into the 21st century, particularly for club DJs and for local acts recording on small regional labels.
  • mid-1990s - Trance music, having run rampant in the German underground for several years, emerges as a major force in dance music throughout Europe and the UK. It is to become arguably the world's most dominant form of dance music by the end of the 1990s, thanks to a trend away from its repetitive, hypnotic roots, and towards commercialistic song structure.
  • 1992 - MPEG which stands for the Moving Picture Experts Group, releases The MPEG-1 standard, designed to produce reasonable sound at low bit rates. MPEG-1 Layer-3 popularly known as MP3 (a Lossy format) will revolutionize the digital music domain.
  • 1992 - Promo Only, a popular music service for disc jockeys is launched.
  • 1993 - The first Internet "radio station", Internet Talk Radio, was developed by Carl Malamud. Because the radio signal is relayed over the Internet, it is possible to access internet radio stations from anywhere in the world. This makes it a popular service for both amateur and professional disc jockeys operating from a personal computer.
  • 1995 - The first full-time, Internet-only radio station, Radio HK, begins broadcasting the music of independent bands.
  • late 1990s - Nu metal bands such as KoЯn, Limp Bizkit, and Linkin Park reach the height of popularity. This new subgenre of alternative rock bears some influence from hip-hop, because rhythmic innovation and syncopation are primary, often featuring DJs as band members.
  • late 1990s - Various DJ and VJ software programs are developed, allowing personal computer users to deejay or veejay using his or her personal music or video files.
  • 1998 - The first MP3 digital audio player is released, the Eiger Labs MPMan F10.
  • 1999 - Shawn Fanning releases Napster, the first of the massively popular peer-to-peer file sharing systems.
  • 1999 - late 1999 - AVLA (Audio Video Licensing Agency) of Canada announces MP3 DJing license. Administered by the Canadian Recording Industry Association. DJs can now apply for a license giving them the right to burn their own compilation CDs of "usable tracks", instead of having to cart their whole CD collections around to their gigs.
  • 1999 - Judge Jules 'cleaned-up' in 1999, collecting most of the major titles at all the music awards. Voted Best DJ at the Muzik Awards and number one in the Mixmag Readers' Poll and at the Ministry Awards Jules won two awards - Best DJ and Best Radio DJ - as well as Best International DJ at the Smirnoff Dance Star Awards.
  • 2001 - Apple Computer's iPod is introduced and quickly becomes the highest selling brand of portable digital mp3 audio player. The convenience and popularity of the iPod spawns a new type of DJ, the self-penned "MP3J". First appearing in certain East London clubs, and spreading to other music scenes, including New York City, this new DJ scene allows the average music fan to bring two iPods to an "iPod Night", plug in to the mixer, and program a play list without the skill and equipment demanded by a more traditional DJ setup.
  • 2001 - late 2001 - Atlanta, Georgia, The fist Computerized Performance System Disc Jockey gathering was scheduled and organized during the small DJ3 convention. CPS mixing culture begins to emerge and organize.
  • 2005 - Computerized Performance System Disc Jockey Summit is launched. Hosted by Professor Jam (W.P. Rader) and originally developed as a social gathering in 2001, it was the first dedicated computer disc jockey industry event.
  • 2006 - The DJ is 100 years old this year. DJs have been playing on radio and in clubs for a century.

Bibliography

Wikiquote has quotations related to Disc jockey.
  • Poschardt, Ulf (1998). DJ Culture. London: Quartet Books. ISBN 0-7043-8098-6
  • Brewster, Bill & Broughton, Frank (2000). Last Night a DJ Saved My Life: The History of the Disc Jockey. New York: Grove Press. ISBN 0-8021-3688-5 (North American edition). London: Headline. ISBN 0-7472-6230-6 (UK edition).
  • Lawrence, Tim (2004). Love Saves the Day: A History of American Dance Music Culture, 1970-1979 . Duke University Press. ISBN 0-8223-3198-5.
  • Assef, Claudia (2000). Todo DJ Já Sambou: A História do Disc-Jóquei no Brasil. São Paulo: Conrad Editora do Brasil. ISBN 85-87193-94-5.

See also

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