dizzyrocks2001
[Quote] [old post] Posted Thu 05 Nov 09 @ 3:49 pm
I did a Google search on "the world's best DJs" and every list I came across was filled with nothing but house DJs (Tiesto, Van Buuren etc.). Where are the hip hop DJs and turntablists in these lists? In my opinion hip hop DJs possess a greater skill set because not only can they mix, but they can scratch, beat juggle, use the turntable as an instrument etc., whereas every big name house DJ I've ever seen only displays mixing skills.
Who do you think is the more skilled DJ? The house/dance DJ or the hip hop DJ?
And remember, there is a difference between popularity and skill.
Let the flame wars begin!
I did a Google search on "the world's best DJs" and every list I came across was filled with nothing but house DJs (Tiesto, Van Buuren etc.). Where are the hip hop DJs and turntablists in these lists? In my opinion hip hop DJs possess a greater skill set because not only can they mix, but they can scratch, beat juggle, use the turntable as an instrument etc., whereas every big name house DJ I've ever seen only displays mixing skills.
Who do you think is the more skilled DJ? The house/dance DJ or the hip hop DJ?
And remember, there is a difference between popularity and skill.
Let the flame wars begin!
Inviato Thu 05 Nov 09 @ 12:17 pm
SBDJ
Why do you have to be one or the other? Why can't someone playing dance music scratch and beat juggle? I've seen many EDM DJ's doing just that.
The main reason for the popularity is probably that the world is bigger than the US, and IMHO the dance scene is more popular outside the US than the Hip Hop scene.
The main reason for the popularity is probably that the world is bigger than the US, and IMHO the dance scene is more popular outside the US than the Hip Hop scene.
Inviato Thu 05 Nov 09 @ 12:30 pm
jolofboy
SBDJ,
I love your comment....thanks for bringing him to love music period instead of competing about skills. It's all taste, opinion, geographical areas and many more intangible elemements. Taste and Opinion will always be different, so stop ranking!!!!
Thanks for putting a stop to that thread.
DJ Omar
I love your comment....thanks for bringing him to love music period instead of competing about skills. It's all taste, opinion, geographical areas and many more intangible elemements. Taste and Opinion will always be different, so stop ranking!!!!
Thanks for putting a stop to that thread.
DJ Omar
Inviato Thu 05 Nov 09 @ 12:44 pm
Tear Em 'Up
No, Scott, your right. Here in my area right now Mash Ups are big in the saloons/clubs. I think its because most people in their 20-30s here have the attention span of a gnat on speed. But, back to the topic. If a DJ can beat juggle, they should be able to beat match some what. House mixing, especially when I started mixing, tricks were not wanted, long blends were what they wanted.
Inviato Thu 05 Nov 09 @ 12:46 pm
dizzyrocks2001
You guys are missing the point. I know it's about the love of music, I know comparing house music to hip hop is like apples to oranges, i know it's about two different styles of music. What I'm saying is pound for pound a turntablist is much more skilled overall. I've never watched a video of Tiesto and said to myself "holy s**t, how does he do that?" like I would if I saw DJ Craze spin a set. And I believe any DJ can learn to do long blends and do it decently, but very few can do complicated beat juggle patterns.
I think the "Best DJs In The World" list has to be renamed to the "Most-Popular (Because-The-People-Who-Make-This-List-Have-No-Regard-For-Any-Other-Type-Of-DJ) In The World" list.
Everyone always says "Tiesto is the best DJ in the world" and I respond "No, he's the most popular Trance DJ in the world". By saying a list of the all the best DJs in the world are all house and trance DJs is like saying no other type of music or type of DJ counts for anything. That would be like saying Will Smith is the best actor in the world because his movies are the most popular and he draws the biggest crowds, but an actor like Ben Kingsley wouldn't even appear on the list because despite the fact that he's an excellent actor, his movies don't gross billions of dollars, so based on that criteria he's not even on the list. Do you see what I'm saying?
I think the "Best DJs In The World" list has to be renamed to the "Most-Popular (Because-The-People-Who-Make-This-List-Have-No-Regard-For-Any-Other-Type-Of-DJ) In The World" list.
Everyone always says "Tiesto is the best DJ in the world" and I respond "No, he's the most popular Trance DJ in the world". By saying a list of the all the best DJs in the world are all house and trance DJs is like saying no other type of music or type of DJ counts for anything. That would be like saying Will Smith is the best actor in the world because his movies are the most popular and he draws the biggest crowds, but an actor like Ben Kingsley wouldn't even appear on the list because despite the fact that he's an excellent actor, his movies don't gross billions of dollars, so based on that criteria he's not even on the list. Do you see what I'm saying?
Inviato Thu 05 Nov 09 @ 2:03 pm
SBDJ
It's like you didn't even read my post ;)
Plenty of EDM DJ's can scratch their tits off. Look at the old happy hardcore scene in the UK. It's not the sole preserve of hip-hop DJs.
You have to bear in mind that outside the US, hip-hop just isn't as popular. Lists as to the best DJ in the world are not down to skill at all - that's common knowledge. Best is a subjective term - best DJ's could be those commanding the highest pay for example?
Plenty of EDM DJ's can scratch their tits off. Look at the old happy hardcore scene in the UK. It's not the sole preserve of hip-hop DJs.
You have to bear in mind that outside the US, hip-hop just isn't as popular. Lists as to the best DJ in the world are not down to skill at all - that's common knowledge. Best is a subjective term - best DJ's could be those commanding the highest pay for example?
Inviato Thu 05 Nov 09 @ 2:49 pm
Charlie Wilson
DJ SY, scratch master!
I ofter wonder why Tiesto is voted the best and I have to agree it's not because of his ability but because of his popularity! at the end of the day all these popular DJ's have release commercial tracks that make the top 40 at some point.
Roc Raida for me any day, RIP
I ofter wonder why Tiesto is voted the best and I have to agree it's not because of his ability but because of his popularity! at the end of the day all these popular DJ's have release commercial tracks that make the top 40 at some point.
Roc Raida for me any day, RIP
Inviato Thu 05 Nov 09 @ 3:34 pm
dizzyrocks2001
All I'm saying is I'm willing to recognize that someone like Tiesto is the best in the world for his particular type of music and style of DJ'ing, and there are other DJs who are are the best in their particular scene or niche, but trance fanboys are quick to just say TIESTO IS THE BEST OVERALL with no regard for any other types of DJs, it's too much of a blanket statement.
Inviato Thu 05 Nov 09 @ 4:15 pm
DJJaE
Bad Boy Bill is pretty good, he does both from watching one of his making of dvds I got with the cd awhile back.
Inviato Thu 05 Nov 09 @ 5:10 pm
SBDJ
dizzyrocks2001 wrote :
All I'm saying is I'm willing to recognize that someone like Tiesto is the best in the world for his particular type of music and style of DJ'ing, and there are other DJs who are are the best in their particular scene or niche, but trance fanboys are quick to just say TIESTO IS THE BEST OVERALL with no regard for any other types of DJs, it's too much of a blanket statement.
What if those people have no appreciation for styles other than trance? Does that make their opinion less valid?
Inviato Thu 05 Nov 09 @ 7:52 pm
acw_dj
I must differ,
Neither one or the other... Today is common to think that producer DJs, and club DJs and Scractch or DMC DJs are the same... They're not. You could be an excellent producer (maybe Armin Van Buren) but not such great Club DJ. Same for many DJs that love to make SHOW but don't care the DANCE floor, but himself. So I must wonder... A DJ is the artist that keep people dancing and having a great time or what is then?
Some have amazing skills to "read" the crowd and put just that they need for HOURS, and giving ups and downs to keep the crowd like hypnotize, not just for an hour or even minutes of show. Today the must greatest DJs are also very good producers as well. They do their mixes and it is not just as you feel but all what you learn in music construction and music taste. In this mater is like compare a non study guy that play the guitar and a 3 minutes song and a concert guy that have been study music and practicing to give you a master piece for 2 hours. Who can't really tell who's best?, you can only tell I like this more than this, or even like both.
I like some hip-hop artist, but others simple are so flat, and that applies to all music too. So only the must "popular" those who can connect with the crowd and make them crazy all the time, maybe this are consider the BEST. Skills aren't what give you the Number one, but what you can do with what you got and how you do it and been able to keeping the crowd happy and dancing...
Many hip-hop DJs think that if they learn to scratch and beatjungle it's what they need, almost all forget continuity and the fact that have people willing to dance and move their bodies, and not only see someones show in the scratch. Some are very good DJs and keep in mind the taste in music and what they want to give to the dance floor, and do amazing job.
I can ensure you that DMC winners aren't always the must loved DJs in the dance floor. When you dance the last thing you need is someone changing the BPM so fast in a scratch that you have to stop and wait because it's no possible to continue dancing. Almost all want to keep dancing and also to feel that the sound is not same all the time, so they could not be tired to listen to these DJs. Not all DJs can do this, so again, who is the best? What I think and what I have as a great DJ is this guy that is capable to make the people move with any music at any time. The ability to be good no matter what hardware or music he/she has to play.
Again this is all consideration and each one of us could have it's own too, so it will be endless to say who's best. I can only say, "for ME this one is the best" and you can tell also, "for me is this other one".
Neither one or the other... Today is common to think that producer DJs, and club DJs and Scractch or DMC DJs are the same... They're not. You could be an excellent producer (maybe Armin Van Buren) but not such great Club DJ. Same for many DJs that love to make SHOW but don't care the DANCE floor, but himself. So I must wonder... A DJ is the artist that keep people dancing and having a great time or what is then?
Some have amazing skills to "read" the crowd and put just that they need for HOURS, and giving ups and downs to keep the crowd like hypnotize, not just for an hour or even minutes of show. Today the must greatest DJs are also very good producers as well. They do their mixes and it is not just as you feel but all what you learn in music construction and music taste. In this mater is like compare a non study guy that play the guitar and a 3 minutes song and a concert guy that have been study music and practicing to give you a master piece for 2 hours. Who can't really tell who's best?, you can only tell I like this more than this, or even like both.
I like some hip-hop artist, but others simple are so flat, and that applies to all music too. So only the must "popular" those who can connect with the crowd and make them crazy all the time, maybe this are consider the BEST. Skills aren't what give you the Number one, but what you can do with what you got and how you do it and been able to keeping the crowd happy and dancing...
Many hip-hop DJs think that if they learn to scratch and beatjungle it's what they need, almost all forget continuity and the fact that have people willing to dance and move their bodies, and not only see someones show in the scratch. Some are very good DJs and keep in mind the taste in music and what they want to give to the dance floor, and do amazing job.
I can ensure you that DMC winners aren't always the must loved DJs in the dance floor. When you dance the last thing you need is someone changing the BPM so fast in a scratch that you have to stop and wait because it's no possible to continue dancing. Almost all want to keep dancing and also to feel that the sound is not same all the time, so they could not be tired to listen to these DJs. Not all DJs can do this, so again, who is the best? What I think and what I have as a great DJ is this guy that is capable to make the people move with any music at any time. The ability to be good no matter what hardware or music he/she has to play.
Again this is all consideration and each one of us could have it's own too, so it will be endless to say who's best. I can only say, "for ME this one is the best" and you can tell also, "for me is this other one".
Inviato Thu 05 Nov 09 @ 8:01 pm
A Man and His Music
OK, take a seat and try to keep up. I'm gonna try to keep this simple. The above post hits it right on the head. The majority wins, always. The majority voted and they say Tiesto is the best. Game over. The majority don't care what you or anybody else thinks. The majority of the people in the world want to dance, period. I don't care what country you are from, the majority want to dance. They don't care what type of beat manipulations you can perform. We will watch you for 20 minutes, and say how good you are, but then we want you to take your little turntables home so we can party. End of story. How many beat jugglers you see draw as many people as Teisto? None. The top 20 turntableist in the world, on one stage, can't draw as many people as Teisto. How many beat jugglers do you see doing weddings, corporate affairs, bar mitzvahs? None. That,s because the majority of the people in the world don't care about their skills. Now this is not to say they are not talented, because they are. However, the majority of the people in the world, don't care. Apartheid was a good thing, but the majority of the people in the world didn't think so. The end.
Inviato Thu 05 Nov 09 @ 8:48 pm
Tear Em 'Up
DJJaE wrote :
Bad Boy Bill is pretty good
Yeah, if he shows up on time. When I knew him he was "that fucking kid who is late again Bill" not Bad Boy Bill.
Inviato Thu 05 Nov 09 @ 9:43 pm
leighfromnz
A lot of the online dj rankings are voter based. Maybe house fans have more online time than hiphop fans?
Inviato Thu 05 Nov 09 @ 11:05 pm
GadgetMan
Charlie Wilson wrote :
DJ SY, scratch master!
I ofter wonder why Tiesto is voted the best and I have to agree it's not because of his ability but because of his popularity! at the end of the day all these popular DJ's have release commercial tracks that make the top 40 at some point.
Roc Raida for me any day, RIP
I ofter wonder why Tiesto is voted the best and I have to agree it's not because of his ability but because of his popularity! at the end of the day all these popular DJ's have release commercial tracks that make the top 40 at some point.
Roc Raida for me any day, RIP
Still gotta love Grandmaster Flash ;-)
Roy
Inviato Fri 06 Nov 09 @ 5:46 am
Dazmax
To use a quote. Kieth Moon from The Who once put this very nicely when being criticised about his skills as a player,
"I'm still the best Keith Moon Type drummer in the world"
The point is you can be the most skilled in your field but not be rated as the most popular. Its down to what you think of yourself. If you know your good at what you do, why care.
A turntablist's skills are on show the whole time. House/trance and so on use some of these skills allong with all sorts of other skills which are not on show so I think its difficult to make a comparison. As Dizzy said comparing Hip Hop and house is like apples and oranges, well yes but the same applies for DJing styles.
Daz
"I'm still the best Keith Moon Type drummer in the world"
The point is you can be the most skilled in your field but not be rated as the most popular. Its down to what you think of yourself. If you know your good at what you do, why care.
A turntablist's skills are on show the whole time. House/trance and so on use some of these skills allong with all sorts of other skills which are not on show so I think its difficult to make a comparison. As Dizzy said comparing Hip Hop and house is like apples and oranges, well yes but the same applies for DJing styles.
Daz
Inviato Fri 06 Nov 09 @ 6:02 am
jeffrey tedder
Actually does it really matter who is the "Best"? I am a Club Hip Hop/Turntablist/Mix CD DJ who can perform all the tricks of each trade. But in the club I turn my focus on satisfying the customers. Besides, They are the ones who pay the clubs who intern pay us right? I have never seen anyone get up and dance to a scratch or beat juggle. It may turn a few heads for a quick second. But it does not start the party or keep the party live. Here in Japan, It all comes down to who can rock the club and pull the largest crowds. An empty dancefloor with a scratch DJ is a bad sign if everyone is standing around with their arms crossed waiting for the DJ to simply play something they can dance to. Like someone said earlier, People just want to dance and have fun!!! Give them what they want. Save the DJ Supremacy tricks for another event.
Inviato Fri 06 Nov 09 @ 2:38 pm
johnblaze94
I'll say this first. Im a big fan of Bad Boy Bill's music. That being said, he seems like a d-bag.
For the topic, i agree... sort of.
Tiesto is amazing. He probably is one of the best DJ's out there. But Trance music does seem to get all of the attention. I personally think it is because its the lightest dance music that wont always put you to sleep. (sorry deep house, deep trance and the like).
The "Best DJ" is chosen by popular vote. And Tiesto, Van Buren, Van Dyk, Above and Beyond are the huuuuge names people remember. That why they always win.
In the end you just have to support your own favorite DJ and say f-that to the rankings.
For the topic, i agree... sort of.
Tiesto is amazing. He probably is one of the best DJ's out there. But Trance music does seem to get all of the attention. I personally think it is because its the lightest dance music that wont always put you to sleep. (sorry deep house, deep trance and the like).
The "Best DJ" is chosen by popular vote. And Tiesto, Van Buren, Van Dyk, Above and Beyond are the huuuuge names people remember. That why they always win.
In the end you just have to support your own favorite DJ and say f-that to the rankings.
Inviato Fri 06 Nov 09 @ 5:22 pm
mitchythekid
youve never seen people dance to a beat juggle because youve never seen q-bert. he drummed alot of beats on vinyl for 3-4 mins at a time while another drummed scratched vocals dance floor was packed. he doubled/juggled some beats for quite a while.
noone can be one of the best dj's in the world unless they do everything a dj can do:
#1 be a master of scratching mixing doubling
#2 keep people dancing with a good selection/wide variety of songs aka NOT JUST 1 GENRE! rock,funk,hiphop,electronic stuff that can make most people shake their ass! etc
#3 do those things sounding tight
you could probly throw some producer stuff in there too
i can't think of too many dj's who can pull that off
jazzy jeff is one i can think of he plays everything rock through electronic, doubles like a mofo, scratches like a mofo, sounds tight as hell, and produces. look up jazzy jeff live from nowhere, grandmaster flash stepped up his game huge the last year but isnt as good skills wise but music selection wise amazing. but leaves out the electronic music aspect.
Z-trip is another
As for the comment if you like trance then tiesto is the best in your eyes. Where I come from that is called an opinion............
My favourites are grandmaster flash, bambaataa and roc raida
How can someone be the best dj if theyre only good at mixing and selecting music for people with glowsticks? Thats like saying someone is a great musician if theyre good at blues guitar. A great muisician should be great at creating different types of music using different instruments. A great dj should be great at doing everything a DJ does period!
noone can be one of the best dj's in the world unless they do everything a dj can do:
#1 be a master of scratching mixing doubling
#2 keep people dancing with a good selection/wide variety of songs aka NOT JUST 1 GENRE! rock,funk,hiphop,electronic stuff that can make most people shake their ass! etc
#3 do those things sounding tight
you could probly throw some producer stuff in there too
i can't think of too many dj's who can pull that off
jazzy jeff is one i can think of he plays everything rock through electronic, doubles like a mofo, scratches like a mofo, sounds tight as hell, and produces. look up jazzy jeff live from nowhere, grandmaster flash stepped up his game huge the last year but isnt as good skills wise but music selection wise amazing. but leaves out the electronic music aspect.
Z-trip is another
As for the comment if you like trance then tiesto is the best in your eyes. Where I come from that is called an opinion............
My favourites are grandmaster flash, bambaataa and roc raida
How can someone be the best dj if theyre only good at mixing and selecting music for people with glowsticks? Thats like saying someone is a great musician if theyre good at blues guitar. A great muisician should be great at creating different types of music using different instruments. A great dj should be great at doing everything a DJ does period!
Inviato Sat 07 Nov 09 @ 2:51 am
AuralCandy.Net
Actually...DJ Tiesto and Armin Van Buuren are not House DJs, they play trance.
Anyway, these "World's best DJ" -charts are usually based on producer merits rather than DJ skills. For example, I don't recall there being a single non-producer DJ in the "official" DJ MAG's top 100. It's rather stupid, if you ask me.
Anyway, these "World's best DJ" -charts are usually based on producer merits rather than DJ skills. For example, I don't recall there being a single non-producer DJ in the "official" DJ MAG's top 100. It's rather stupid, if you ask me.
Inviato Sat 07 Nov 09 @ 3:04 am
