34.HEADLINER DJ

👍 or 👎 ?

Harsh Sound

Feb 25, 2024

®️

You ever wonder about how the use of "headliner DJ" got into "underground" music?

Who was the first one to use and promote this concept?

It's highly unlikely that we'll ever know that for sure. However, this "high status" has been there from the early days.

The more significant and interesting thing to analyze in this case would be:

How much has the meaning of the word itself gain in popularity?

Are there differences in the way of treating DJs (with this given status) over time? How big are those differences?

I'm sure many of you are curious about the requirements to become the main clown in the Circus. - 🄾🄽🄻🅈 🅂🄴🅁🄸🄾🅄🅂 🄰🄽🄳 🄸🄼🄿🄾🅁🅃🄰🄽🅃 🄸🄽🄵🄾 🄻🄸🅂🅃🄴🄳 🄾🄽 🄷🄰🅁🅂🄷 🄰🅂 🅄🅂🅄🄰🄻

What makes a headline DJ?

1. USP (Unique Selling Point)

2. A Large Following

3. Fame/Celebrity

4. Chart-Topping Music -‍They produce chart-topping music (Bought music & paid place on charts)

5. Stage Presence

6. They Have a Live Show

7. They Have a Memorable Look & Brand (The most up-to-date version of this - Instagram profile + TikTok profile)

8. They are Interviewed by Music Magazines

Bullshit aside, why would you give somebody that much importance? Wouldn't it be nice if we all = the whole party were equally important?

There are no DJs without the dancers, there are no DJs with the dancers without the organizers. There are no organizers without their helpers or workers.
There are no organizers with their helpers or workers without the dancers and DJs.

Let's put it into "DJ /artist /performance” perspective.

There is no headliner without the supporting acts.

More and more, it appears that the "headliner" status is used as a strategic business and marketing tool for well-established DJ careers, for their further expansion or to keep their position on the top 10 chart.

You can also see it as a tool for keeping the crowd interested in the specific event. In general, there's a "who's headlining?" speech. Big use of the word headliner all over.

Good to notice, that the constant buzz and popularization of the DJ lifestyle haven't had a negative impact on the masses. Barely that you come across DJs who are in it for status or fame. Just one big love for the music and the scene all over.

Honestly, it is sad to hear the following perspectives of up-and-coming DJs as well as those with more experience. How they want to use their opportunities to play somewhere (where there's an opportunity given) by treating it as their "Boiler Room debut" – a one-hour concert where they aim to match the intensity of their favorite DJ sets from large, commercialized events.
one such point of view
Situations like that always made me wonder:
Have individuals with such perspectives ever attended parties just like dancers?
Has that lovely feeling of a united community at the parties vanished? Or what about "the DJ is just one of us"?

Harsh Sound

34.HEADLINER DJ

👍 or 👎 ?

You ever wonder about how the use of "headliner DJ" got into "underground" music?

Who was the first one to use and promote this concept?

It's highly unlikely that we'll ever know that for sure. However, this "high status" has been there from the early days.

The more significant and interesting thing to analyze in this case would be:

How much has the meaning of the word itself gain in popularity?

Are there differences in the way of treating DJs (with this given status) over time? How big are those differences?

I'm sure many of you are curious about the requirements to become the main clown in the Circus. - 🄾🄽🄻🅈 🅂🄴🅁🄸🄾🅄🅂 🄰🄽🄳 🄸🄼🄿🄾🅁🅃🄰🄽🅃 🄸🄽🄵🄾 🄻🄸🅂🅃🄴🄳 🄾🄽 🄷🄰🅁🅂🄷 🄰🅂 🅄🅂🅄🄰🄻

What makes a headline DJ?

1. USP (Unique Selling Point)

2. A Large Following

3. Fame/Celebrity

4. Chart-Topping Music -‍They produce chart-topping music (Bought music & paid place on charts)

5. Stage Presence

6. They Have a Live Show

7. They Have a Memorable Look & Brand (The most up-to-date version of this - Instagram profile + TikTok profile)

8. They are Interviewed by Music Magazines

Bullshit aside, why would you give somebody that much importance? Wouldn't it be nice if we all = the whole party were equally important?

Let's put it into "DJ /artist /performance” perspective.

More and more, it appears that the "headliner" status is used as a strategic business and marketing tool for well-established DJ careers, for their further expansion or to keep their position on the top 10 chart.

You can also see it as a tool for keeping the crowd interested in the specific event. In general, there's a "who's headlining?" speech. Big use of the word headliner all over.

Good to notice, that the constant buzz and popularization of the DJ lifestyle haven't had a negative impact on the masses. Barely that you come across DJs who are in it for status or fame. Just one big love for the music and the scene all over.

Situations like that always made me wonder:

Have individuals with such perspectives ever attended parties just like dancers?

Has that lovely feeling of a united community at the parties vanished? Or what about "the DJ is just one of us"?

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