What you need to know about the leading DJ polls

Over the years, polls have come to play a huge role in the electronic music industry. Although a subject for much debate among fans and industry professionals alike, something that cannot be denied is the influence polls have on the shape of the industry as a whole. From dictating artist fees to providing exposure for those at the top, the polls have a variety of perks to offer artists, even though many artists have spoken out against the ranking systems. Whether you are a believer in the poll system or not, being ranked in any of the most popular polls can prove highly beneficial to your career. Annually, the International Music Summit (IMS) shares a business report highlighting the data behind different aspects of the music industry. Revealing a variety of statistics, including the value of leading corporations, the business report provides a comprehensive insight into the electronic music industry as a whole. This year’s report included stats on three of the leading polls, DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs poll, Resident Advisor’s Top DJs poll, and Billboard’s Dance 100.

While all three polls provide a ranking comparing the world’s most successful DJs, each is drastically different in its methods, voters and results. Many would argue that music is subjective and unable to be ranked, and the drastic difference in the results of each poll demonstrates the different results determined by the different voting population. Interestingly, none of the artists listed in the top 5 of any one poll made the top 5 for any of the others. Even making the top 5 of one major poll can have a massive impact on an artist’s career, so it is important to have a strategy to implement during the voting period.

DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs

A poll that has remained firmly at the centre of the electronic music industry for many years is DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs poll. Inviting fans to select their five favorite DJs and rank them in order of preference, the poll completely relies on the opinion of the general public. The poll has come under fire over the years for lack of control around the tactics used by high profile artists in order to increase their votes. That being said, it still remains the most popular poll in the industry, collecting a huge 1 million votes for its 2017 edition. Some would argue that it is the controversy of the poll that enables it to draw so much focus, while others would disagree, stating that the opinions of the listeners are the most important in selecting which artists are the true top DJs in the world. As the most popular poll in the industry, it also attracts a more mainstream favoring selection of voters. As a result, achieving success in the mainstream chart has a huge impact on an artist’s ability to rank well in the poll. For the last two years, 22-year-old Dutch star Martin Garrix has been ranked as the world’s number one DJ. Also featured in the top five last year were Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Armin van Buuren, Hardwell and Tiësto, illustrating the more mainstream artist focus. Although it is difficult to break into the top five without being a world-famous DJ, ranking in the poll at all can have a huge impact on an artist’s career. The additional acclaim can allow artists to charge a higher performance fee, be more likely to achieve features on high profile publications and online blogs, and be much more likely to be booked by major festivals. Many leading festivals and clubs pay a great deal of attention to the poll’s results, and will use it as a measure of an artist’s popularity. If they believe an artist is popular, they are far more likely to want to book that artist.

Resident Advisor’s RA Top DJs

Resident Advisor’s RA Top DJs poll also had a huge impact on the music industry. Sadly, the poll was ceased last year, but was a highly valuable ranking for those in the underground scene. Like DJ Mag, the RA poll relied on the opinion of voting fans to determine its ranking. In contrast, the voters propelled top underground artists to the top of the ranking, highlighting the subjective nature of music and the differing results depending on the fans casting votes. Topping the poll every year since 2013, German DJ Dixon continuously proved that he was a force to be reckoned with. Many would argue that the RA poll had less of an impact on an artist’s career overall than DJ Mag’s poll, due to the nature of the underground scene. Listeners who avoid the mainstream are arguably far less likely to let a poll result dictate their opinion on the leading artists. Even so, ranking on the RA poll was always a key opportunity for publicity, and allowed artists to reach a high volume of listeners.

Billboard’s Dance 100

Introduced just this year, Billboard’s Dance 100 chart quickly caused a stir in the industry. Unlike DJ Mag and Resident Advisor’s polls, Billboard’s poll creates a ranking based on a mixture of factors. Combining the public vote with chart stats and touring data, the poll aims to achieve a more accurate ranking by not relying solely on public opinion. The result is a ranking that greatly favors artists who achieve success in the mainstream chart. The Chainsmokers were given the top spot this year, followed by Calvin Harris, Kygo, Marshmello and Major Lazer. It is important to note that while the poll ranks DJs, the artists are largely compared by their production capabilities rather than their live performances. Charting in the Billboard Dance 100 requires a track record of high-performing releases as well as having sold a large volume of tickets to a high volume of shows. That being said, a huge aspect of the end result still relies on votes from fans. In order to really give yourself the best chance of charting, utilize your social media to encourage your fans to vote for you.

While each poll in the electronic music industry varies massively from the others, each of the polls has a large impact on the careers of the artists involved. Even for those not reaching the top 50, simply being featured on any of the polls grants a huge amount of exposure, and is a great source of publicity. While polls like Billboard’s Dance 100 don’t solely rely on public votes, it is vital to use your social media to encourage as many of your listeners as possible to vote for you. Always ensure to make the leading polls an aspect of your campaign planning, and endeavor to gain as many votes as possible. Although the legitimacy of polls will always be debated, appearing as one of the top artists can only have positive results for your career.