Today, DJs are bigger than ever. From music festivals to block parties, weddings, and corporate events, we’re finally getting our proper dues! But let’s be real—too many DJs out there just aren’t that good. Yep, I said it. Some try to take the crowd on a “musical journey” that ends in No-Danceville, USA. Others are cutting and scratching like they’re building furniture, but to the crowd, it just sounds like noise.
Music Selection: The #1 DJ Skill
The truth is simple: music selection is the single most important skill a DJ must have before even thinking about calling themselves a professional. Right behind it? The ability to read the crowd in real time—and know exactly what to play, when to play it, and when not to.
Because let’s face it: it doesn’t matter how slick your scratches are or how many tricks you can pull off on the mixer—if you don’t know music, you’re just making noise.
Why Event DJs Need Deep Music Knowledge
Any day of the week, I’d take a DJ with deep musical knowledge and a killer library over the most creative scratcher who only knows one genre. Unless you’re spinning at an EDM festival or a scratch battle, the real job is moving the crowd. And that’s what clients pay us for at weddings, mitzvahs, and corporate parties.
Building the Right Playlist
Here’s the thing: music selection goes way deeper than a Serato crate labeled “Motown.” It’s about knowing which tracks hit, which ones flop, and which ones are so overplayed they’ll kill the dance floor.
It’s about finding the perfect alternative to “Respect” that still makes the crowd groove. It’s about knowing what “swing” means when an older guest requests it—and having the library to deliver. That’s the difference between being a true DJ entertainer and just another person with turntables calling themselves a DJ.
Learning from the Greats
Some of the greatest to ever do it—DJ AM (RIP), Funkmaster Flex, Kid Capri—mastered this balance. They blended old-school and new-school seamlessly because they were more than DJs; they were musicologists. They understood that today’s hits are rooted in yesterday’s sounds. Without the past, there’s no flavor in the present.
A Message to New DJs
So what’s the takeaway? If you’re a new DJ: learn your craft the right way. Know what you don’t know. Don’t just download random tracks, you’ll never play “just in case.” Spend time actually listening—really hearing the music, not just skimming through it. You don’t have to love every genre, but you owe it to your craft to understand it.
Because here’s the truth: maybe your dream of being the next big festival opener won’t happen. But if you actually know your music, you can still make a career as an event DJ. And don’t scoff at that—if you think making a million as a festival headliner is impressive, I promise you, it’s still not touching what I’ve made in the event world.
Think about that.
Peace & Howieness!
Howie T Style