Where Do DJs Get Their Music From?

DJs have tons of different options when it comes to finding new and undiscovered music that has been released to the world.

There are thousands of songs being released daily, so the best DJs are constantly scouring some of the best music resources for songs to add to their sets.

"I'm able to find rare music gems because I listen to tons of music every single day. I usually add to my playlist way before I use them for a gig." - DJ Mills

Are you a DJ looking for some places you could scour for new music? Check out some of the places that your fellow music peers like to go to for high-quality new releases.

Some of the options will offer free downloads, while others may be a subscription-based model that plenty of other DJs find value in. 

Are you an artist trying to make sure you're sending your songs to the places that DJs are hunting for new tunes? Be sure that you have your music available on the platforms that are listed below. 

Youtube

Youtube is always a great place to find underground music artists that you won't find on the top streaming playlists or on the radio.

It's also a place that gets thousands of new uploads every hour, so DJs often sift through some of the popular Youtube music channels for songs rather than individual artist channels. 

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Spotify, Amazon, And Apple 

One of the most obvious places to find new music for DJs and general music consumers is a top streaming service like Spotify, Amazon Music, or Apple Music.

Independent and mainstream artists alike almost always upload their best work onto these platforms, and they have targetted playlists that are tailored to your tastes as a listener. 

Other places like Tidal, Deezer, and Pandora make for excellent paid music streaming services that can link you with the perfect songs to add to your playlists and sets. 

Soundcloud

Soundcloud is a great place to go for many music genres where you want to find unusual and undiscovered talent that is flying under the radar. Here you can find a mix of paid and free music downloads and access to several rare musicians and artists.

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DJ Pools

There are a few DJ pool sites out there that you can choose to subscribe to in order to get some of the best songs out there. These pools also have different versions of tracks, including acapella and instrumental versions of songs for you to play around with. 

Some of the more popular DJ pools are BPM Supreme, Crate Connect, and Digital DJ pool. All of these sites are reserved for DJs only and should not be used by the general public.

Artists and musicians can often submit music to these sites for promotion consideration. 

Local Music Stores

Depending on the genre of music you spin, you don't want to forget about physical distribution stores when it comes to songs you can spin.

For some DJs, going back to deep cuts in the classics will make a perfect choice that can make them stand apart from the competition. 

Free Music Archive

FMA is one of the largest and most high-quality sites that provide users with royalty-free music loops that can be used for almost any musical project.

This is the perfect spot for DJs to browse through to get unique sounds and loops to incorporate into their mix at no additional cost. 

Beatport (And Similar DJ Streaming Sites)

While most music consumers go to sites like Spotify and Apple Music for their song needs, DJs have a variety of streaming sites that are made specifically for that profession.

The most popular site like this is Beatport, which has tons of high-quality tracks available for download.

In comparison to regular streaming sites, these services often offer a variety of download options for the DJ to play around with, as well as different file versions like WAV, MP3, and FLAC. 

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DJ Email Blasts

Although it's not as popular as it was in the early 2010s, there are some DJ blast services out there that will send daily hot new songs for DJs to consider adding to their rotation.

This was most common with genres like Hip Hop and R&B and can also be combined with a DJ pool service. 

Music Blogs

Music blogs were also more popular in the 2010s, but they still make a great source for DJs, in particular, to find new music, while regular music consumers cling more towards playlists on their favorite streaming sites.

With music blogs, DJs can find very targeted song releases with music tastes they agree with from blog contributors.

It's also very easy to set up an email blast system with a music blog where DJs can receive great new music finds and decide whether or not they want to support the artist with a download or a buy. 

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Music Recognition Apps

DJs that are out and about on the go can often come across really good songs when they're in shopping locations like a mall or a restaurant.

Oftentimes, a listener can hear a song playing and use a music recognition app like Shazam to find out what song is playing.

There also may be a song they heard someone else playing, and if they repeat it well enough back to a music recognition app, they can find the song. This makes a great choice for a DJ that's often out at events where good music can be found.

Social Media

Clips found on sites like TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter can make for the perfect additions to a DJ's playlist if the song is hot enough. This works particularly well for those who like to keep a lookout for current trends in the music and entertainment world.

For example, many songs, including "Buss It" by Erica Banks, went viral thanks to the TikTok social media platform. DJs that paid attention to these types of songs that went viral would often have success playing the songs in their live sets. 

Website/Email

I've come across many DJs who have a personal site where they collect unsolicited submissions from artists that are trying to promote their new music.

The DJs that seemed to be the most organized accepted song submissions through the DemoDrop platform, where they could streamline submissions in an easy process. 

Unfortunately, this service was discontinued, but DJs still use services like DropTrack, which provides a similar type of service where bloggers, A&Rs, and similar individuals can accept submissions from artists, musicians, and labels. 

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Bandcamp

Bandcamp has a ton of talented independent artists and musicians that put out great material on their platform. As a DJ, you can get songs from this platform by paying or, on some occasions, with a free download in exchange for your email address. 

As an artist, I would recommend uploading all the content you have on sites like Spotify and Apple Music onto the Bandcamp platform as well, especially if you have a base of dedicated fans who would be willing to pay for your new material. 

Radio 

The internet is forever buzzing about sites like Apple Music and Spotify, but radio is not quite dead yet and will be around for a very long time.

Radio survived the transition from tapes to CDs, from CDs to iPods, and is now still thriving in the streaming area.

While terrestrial radio may be losing some of its steam, another form of radio still provides a quality method for listeners to discover new bands and artists: internet radio.

As it just so happens, internet radio is also the most accepting of unsolicited song submissions. 

Related Post: How To Submit Music To Radio Stations