Welcome to DJs Quotes, a curated collection of inspiring, thought-provoking, and memorable quotes from the world of disc jockeys. Whether you’re an aspiring DJ seeking motivation or a music enthusiast looking for insights into the art of mixing beats and creating unforgettable experiences, this compilation is sure to resonate with you.
DJs are more than just individuals who play music; they are maestros of atmosphere, orchestrating the energy of a room with each track they select. Their ability to seamlessly blend genres, read crowds, and evoke emotions through sound is unparalleled. From legendary icons who have shaped the history of electronic music to emerging talents pushing the boundaries of creativity, the wisdom and passion of DJs shine through in their words.
In this collection, you’ll find quotes that capture the essence of DJ culture, the power of music to unite, and the dedication it takes to master the craft. Whether you’re looking for words of encouragement, reflections on the artistry of DJing, or simply some inspiration to fuel your next set, dive into the quotes below and discover the magic of DJing expressed in words.
Where I grew up in the middle of Georgia, hip-hop is king, and on Friday and Saturday nights, local DJs do mixes. It’s a great mix of local stuff and then some of the bigger hits and remixes of the hits, and it just has this nice flow with a dirty-South sound to everything. Washed Out
I’d much rather go out and have music randomly presented to me by different DJs than stay home and discover it on my own. Moby
Club DJs don’t talk to the crowd. Rhys Ifans
I DJ and I’m a harsh critic of DJs. Russell Peters
There are not necessarily a lot of DJs are coming to Israel, so the moment an EDM DJ is coming to Israel, you can tell that people are way more excited and are looking forward… to the show. Hardwell
People like me, DJs and producers, have a bigger say and a bigger voice than we’ve ever had before. Diplo
I had a few DJs in my neighbourhood that would play music in the streets. There was no hip-hop yet; there were just DJs that were playing disco, funk, and pop music, and we would gather round, go to the parks, and dance and enjoy ourselves. Gza
I go to clubs and if I notice the DJs are playing the records faster, then I’ll push the beats a little on the next record I make. A lot of people don’t know how to watch out for things like that. Jermaine Dupri
I can read a crowd pretty well. I know what to play and know how to keep it interesting for them and for myself as well. Most of the other DJs are more like producers so they become famous because they make hits and then they start DJ-ing. But I’m more from the other way around. Tiesto
You ever see a bar with 200 beautiful women go broke? But I’ve seen a lot of bars with great DJs go broke. Jon Taffer
There is a scene in the movie with DJ Cutkiller, one of the biggest European DJs from France, and he was scratching like crazy. When I saw that, I was 14, and I was like, ‘Yo that’s what I want to do. That’s crazy.’ DJ Snake
I started DJ-ing in the ’90s. DJ-ing is in every record I do. When I make records I make them for DJs. Lil Jon
A lot of DJs don’t realize they’re here today and gone tomorrow. They’re literally taking jets to every show. It’s crazy how much money they’re spending. Diplo
Philly DJs sort of always won battles and always won awards and stuff like that and were always super sharp. Black Thought
A lot of people felt I was getting work because I was Boy George. My response at the time was that there’s a lot of DJs making records, they’re not all making good records, but they have the right to do that. Boy George
I never aimed for the radio, you know? I’m a DJ – I want my records to be played by all the other DJs in the clubs. Hardwell
DJs play a big responsibility of what hip-hop is doing… At the end of the day, it’s up to us to control and to own hip-hop. DJs need to challenge us rappers. They got so much power, they need to challenge us. Nas
I had a little radio, and I listened to music in my bedroom when I was supposed to be sleeping. I was probably 6 or 7 years old, and I loved the DJs who would come on and talk about the artists and the songs they were singing, and they gave away prizes. I was like, ‘This is a cool job!’ Elvis Duran
Music is how I unwind. I love going to see bands or DJs at a festival or a dive bar. My taste is pretty diverse. Daniel Ricciardo
Dance music has evolved very much. From DJs playing at the Olympics, to playing at the Super Bowl, working with Cirque Du Soleil and even getting recognized at the Grammys with awards, dance music is growing in a big way. Little Louie Vega
I love technology. We can be our own DJs wherever we go. Ludacris
I didn’t have any friends when I was at Radio 1. I didn’t hang out with anyone and I didn’t hang around after work. The other DJs hated me because first I was given the ‘Breakfast Show,’ and then I got on television. Noel Edmonds
I did a music festival in France. I’m not going to name names, but there were bigger bands and DJs on before me, and throughout their set, all I could hear them chanting was ‘Hodor!’ And I was, like, ‘Oh, please stop! It’s so disrespectful to the other acts!’ In a way, obviously, I loved it, but it was kind of embarrassing at the same time. Kristian Nairn
I was sort of a loner as a kid, so radio was where I turned for companionship. I loved the music and how the DJs talked about the artists and used words to paint pictures to evoke emotion. Elvis Duran
I’ve made my records and I’ve done all the interviews. I’ve done lots of long tours. I’ve made stupid videos. I’ve done all that stuff and learned all the lingo and gone to radio stations and shmoozed with DJs on the air and met retail people. Frank Black
I have not told anyone about deejaying. I developed a liking for it when I saw some girls becoming DJs. Mahima Chaudhry
From the age of 14 to about 20, I bombarded record companies and DJs with my demos. I was desperate to get it out there. Most of the time, I got nothing back. Calvin Harris
I don’t see anyone avoiding the Stones because DJs make jokes about them being a part of the Geritol set. All it does is make the DJs look stupid. Joe Perry
It’s a really diverse time in music, with all these different DJs and all these different categories, and we are all taking footnotes from everyone else. There are no real genre boundaries anymore; you can take a trance idea and put it into a trap record – it’s not that uncommon. Steve Aoki
Too many DJs today want to be the headline act without ever knowing what it takes to be the local DJ who’s busting his or her gut to perfect their craft. Hardwell
I don’t believe any artist who says, ‘I had to do that because DJs will tell me I can’t play that music. I will lose my job.’ Well, lose the job and create a new job. If your label won’t let you have the cover you want or sing the songs you want, then leave! Patti Smith
I started seeing a lot of girl DJs spinning at the fashion events I always attend, and I thought it looked super fun, so one day I just decided to learn! Brandi Cyrus
I really like Caravan Palace’s electro swing stuff. They incorporate the electronic, but when you see them live, they’re all on stage playing live music. They’re all playing their instruments. They drop these beats with the DJs that are so incredible. Drake Bell
I basically taught myself how to DJ, but I’ve been inspired by DJs throughout my whole career. I have some good friends that would hook us up with music. You learn some little things here and there from each DJ and you just take it and put your own style into to it. Pauly D
I’ll work with DJs and they’ll ask me to just use a line or two that I’ve written, to keep it simple. That can be as effective as telling a whole story, if you can create an emotional connection. Matthew Koma
There’s a lot of creativity in the industry, but I don’t necessarily think that the most creative DJs or producers are always the biggest ones. I think it would be nice to see more of an open culture to different music. I think that’s happening. With Spotify, I think people are discovering a lot of artists they might not discover otherwise. Flume
I must confess that over my career, I’ve actually downplayed the importance of DJs. It’s such a different art form. Then all of a sudden you try it, and you think, ‘Good God, these guys do work.’ I used to be very cynical and very blase about it. I can only apologize. Peter Hook
The DJs with a lot of hype are not necessarily the best DJs at creating a vibe. Erick Morillo
DJs used to mickey-take, have a real poke at Shakin’ Stevens. Shakin’ Stevens
I do loads of pitch writing as well, where you write a pop song and then pitch it to DJs who can then work with the song, and sometimes they keep your vocal on it. It’s just good to be involved in different things. Nina Nesbitt
DJs and people in the street know what they like. Roy Ayers
The producers and writers of dance music are becoming the stars, not so much the DJs. Kaskade
DJs are the new rock stars. Tiesto
I’ve been DJing mostly, and most DJs end up producing. That’s just me. Idris Elba
I always tell up-and-coming DJs you have to really love what you do and find that interest to drive you. It requires so much attention to detail, and it takes up a lot of your time. You hear a song, and there are so many little pieces that make that song work. It requires a lot of patience, diligence and resilience. Steve Aoki
Now, the DJ becomes a star in itself because of the way he programs the songs with lows and then highs and then slowing it down. The big DJs, like Tiesto and Deadmau5 and all those guys, they are very, very creative. Giorgio Moroder
There are some nights where I don’t get enough sleep, or we’re traveling a lot. And then I’ll go do a radio show, and the DJs are usually so energetic. And they’re like, ‘Why aren’t you excited?’ I say, ‘I am excited. I’m just Swedish. This is my excited. I can’t get to an American excitement level.’ Tove Lo
Disco music has had its opportunity earlier and now the young people have taken it to another level. DJs are using our music and creating innovative remixes out of it. This is the way party is today. You can say, it’s a new type of disco now. Liz Mitchell
I wouldn’t call myself ‘into the DJ scene.’ I have friends who are DJs, like James Murphy. I was really into the DJ scene at his wedding. But generally, I’m not at the clubs. I’ve never been to a rave. Greta Gerwig
When I was growing up, radio DJs were celebrities, not just the people singing the songs. Ashley McBryde
For me, I have the highest amount of respect for DJs. There’s a real skill set and ability to hold a crowd’s attention for four to five hours, especially with an R&B/hip-hop and open-format music. Craig David
I’m one of the few artists who started from the ground up for real. Not taking no records to the radio station begging no DJ to play it. When DJs started playing my records they called me for them. I ain’t pull up and ask nobody for nothing, I ain’t pay nobody nothing. Yo Gotti
DJs are the new rock stars. Jonas Blue
The weird thing is that ‘Maestro’ has somehow improved my DJing. When you’ve been in this music as long as I’ve been, you can sometimes become jaded. And when I got back from ‘Maestro,’ I realised the music is being kept in time for me – all I have to do is to wrap as much dynamic around it as I can. DJs don’t realise how lucky we are. Goldie
I used to do this one club called New York Sound Factory where I played house, hip-hop, and dancehall. I was one of the first DJs in the South to play everything. Lil Jon
The DJ still has the relationship with the people, I believe. I don’t know to call the DJ ‘the ambassadors’ or what, but we still are connecting the dots, getting the good stuff and passing it on to the people. DJs still have relevance, even with the technology that elevates the DJ beyond being a selector. Ali Shaheed Muhammad
You never know: the next DJ Snake, the next Skrillex, the next big DJs might wait outside of the club. You gotta give back and listen to the next generation and show some love. DJ Snake
Holland is a really small country, but with a very strong club and festival scene. Dance music has been huge in Holland since the late eighties. So there were a lot of opportunities for producers and DJs to release records and play live. Afrojack
I just think a lot of people don’t give credit to EDM producers or DJs. People think they’re just button pushers and just get on stage and don’t really perform. Ansel Elgort
I was really ambitious, so I was innovative. I was one of the first DJs to do live calls, ’cause I found this phone device that would pick up other people’s voices. Idris Elba
Instead of the wacky morning show that sounds canned, my team is sitting over there, waiting for me to say something or ask something. And sometimes the reaction is awesome, and sometimes it’s terrible. But they’re reacting as humans instead of as DJs. Bobby Bones
But then I quite enjoy when something goes wrong, because when I watch DJs that take it very seriously, it’s nice when you make a mistake and laugh about it. Peter Hook
A lot of DJs who started the same time as me, they are not to be seen anymore. And I get so much love and respect from the young DJs, and some of them look up to me or ask me for advice. I am almost like the mentor. Tiesto
Some of these DJs have screens, 3D blocks, flames, gas and even a trapeze. It’s like looking at a really stupid customised car. Keith Flint
It’s so cool to hear these DJs and younger artists that are coming around be like, ‘Wow, we love your music.’ Howie Dorough
And I know how many DJ pools have grown and I know how DJing has grown in the overall, but that was the technical side of it to me. DJs were rolling around, looking for stuff to buy and looking to see what was in the store when they get there. Jam Master Jay
Basically, I’m one of the greatest producers ever. And I’m also one of the greatest DJs ever. And I’m also one of the best executives ever. DJ Khaled
He was an original, an innovator, and his influence will forever live on in our culture. Whether they know it or not, all DJs have been influenced by him. Thank you, DJ AM. Clinton Sparks
Dance music is so interchangeable. There’s not a lot of face to it. It’s a bunch of Dutch DJs with the same haircut. Diplo
I go out pretty much every night, and when you spend time in those clubs, watching how the DJs make their mash-ups to heat up the room, you want to create that sound yourself. apl.de.ap
I’ve watched and learnt from DJs and remixers and paid way more attention to how I want my voice to sound. Before, as long as it was loud and in tune it was fine. I’ve discovered the difference made by various microphones and effects, so each track has a different vocal sound, my voice is woven into everything and it’s above everything. Ellie Goulding
New Banger’ is a statement, but it is more about giving the DJs something for the clubs. I think it should have a lot of club longevity as a tune. Kano
I think not having come from the DJ world was an asset to me at first because I didn’t have some of the habits other DJs had, and I think in a way that set me apart. Porter Robinson
There’s a lot of creativity in the industry, but I don’t necessarily think that the most creative DJs or producers are always the biggest ones. Flume
Upload Radio is a new venture offering content creators and bedroom DJs the chance to get their own programmes on the air by buying time. David Hepworth
The modern stuff, I can take it or leave it. I like its danceability, but the DJs talk a lot of nonsense. Linton Kwesi Johnson
That’s one of the most powerful things in dance music – the DJs are so connected and help each other. Hardwell
People don’t realize enough how important and influentical John Carpenter has been in electronic music. He did his soundtracks by himself, using mostly electronic and analog synthesizers. He’s a cult figure with DJs these days for good reasons. Jean-Michel Jarre
Fewer and fewer bars are doing live music. Instead it’s more DJs and dance parties. Sturgill Simpson
Oddly, I think that a lot of the haters of EDM and DJs are actually within the world of electronic music. Max Joseph
A lot of people always see the EDM DJs as button pushers, especially when deadmau5 came up with that term. Well actually I started out as a hip-hop DJ and I won several awards in Holland for my skills. Hardwell
Guys like Chuckie, Laidback Luke, Ferry Corsten, Armin van Buuren and many other Dutch DJs were all influential for me growing up. Hardwell
I like myself still kind of being… because DJs used to be the background guy – the guy who was just doing the music – I see myself more as that guy than being on the stage. Martin Garrix
India is such a great host to not just me, but so many other DJs. Hardwell
DJs are in incredible competition, musically. And they are the most musically creative and sensitive people in all the music charts. I am amazed how they are. Yoko Ono
It’s always shocking to people, because sometimes when I go on the road and I DJ, they think I’m just gonna perform, so to see me really DJing and playing their favorite song and really rockin’, it’s a shock to people, and definitely to DJs. Lil Jon
We’ve now got a whole generation of jazz musicians who have been brought up with hip-hop. We’ve grown up alongside rappers and DJs; we’ve heard this music all our life. We are as fluent in J Dilla and Dr Dre as we are in Mingus and Coltrane. Kamasi Washington
I was like 4 years old when I started playing piano, and I was like 10 years old when I saw a documentary on the Dutch MTV about Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren, and all of the Dutch DJs, and it really inspired me. Hardwell