[divider]The DJ Mag Top 100 Is Just…Hilariously Fucked[/divider]
Think about what you’ve read so far. Some of the same artists have been considered “The Best In The World” for a decade, despite the almost unbelievable explosion of new dance music artists. The artists who created a genre now enjoying a huge resurgence are on the decline. Tectonic shifts in pop sensibility don’t just alter the playing field–they decimate it. And underground genres inexplicably appear perennial despite the fact that the chart is clearly based on widespread popularity.
It all speaks to just how non-representative The DJ Mag Top 100 is of our modern dance music scene. We guarantee you read at least one of these facts and went “that’s total bullshit!” and you’d be right. It probably is. But that’s what you get when your genre’s primary ranking system is sponsored by its single largest retailer. Everyone knows that DJ Mag Top 100 ranking will translate directly into dollars, and those most capable of leveraging their own money and marketing power will stay. Indefinitely. Regardless of how talented they are (or aren’t).
It’s fun to look back at these charts and laugh, but as dance music fans we shouldn’t forget that these economic drivers matter, and that our voices aren’t always being heard by the people with the money to institute real change in our scene and culture. Makes you wonder what else isn’t being listened to…
Important things happen in Pacific Northwest nightlife, and DMNW will send you alerts!
