Young DJs Believe Social Media Matters More Than Talent

New study sheds light on the pressures of breaking into a world where visibility is king.

According to EDM.com:

A striking survey presented at this year’s International Music Summit in Ibiza indicated that 61% of emerging DJs believe social media numbers carry more weight than actual musical skill when it comes to career success.

The data comes from a 15,000-person survey conducted by the Pete Tong DJ Academy, per Mixmag. It illuminates growing concerns of a music industry so saturated and insular that breaking through often depends less on artistry and more on whether or not you can strike fool’s gold with gimmicky viral moments.

There was a time when being a DJ meant spending years refining your taste, practicing until sunrise, digging for records no one else had, and building a sound that made people stop what they were doing and feel something.

Now? It means going viral.

According to a recent IMS Ibiza report, 61% of young DJs believe that social media numbers matter more than actual talent.

Let that sink in.

This isn’t just a stat. It’s a warning sign. A mirror being held up to a scene that’s slowly forgetting what made it beautiful in the first place. And if we’re not careful, we risk watching electronic music, the most human, soul-tapping genre of all, get reduced to nothing more than content.

This is a wake-up call. Let’s be clear: we’re not anti-technology. Electronic music was built on technology like synths, samplers, drum machines, CDJs. It has always evolved with the times.

But what we’re seeing now is different.

Social media has turned DJing into a visual sport. It’s no longer about what you play — it’s about how good you look while pretending to twist a filter knob. The metrics aren’t BPM, energy, or emotion… they’re likes, loops, and follows. We’ve entered an era of what we call the “TikTok DJ Industrial Complex”, a system where attention outweighs ability, and virality outranks value.

🤖 The Rise of the Algorithm DJ

Let’s paint the picture: A kid downloads a beatpack, copies a trending edit format, films themselves pressing play in front of a fake crowd, and suddenly they’re “next up.” Within weeks they’re getting booked — not because they’ve mastered their craft, but because their numbers say they’ll sell tickets or boost reach.

You know the type. And the truth is: the crowd knows too.

They might jump for a TikTok drop. But they remember the sets that made their soul vibrate. And it’s those sets — not the surface-level moments — that keep people coming back year after year, tour after tour.

🎛️ What We’re Losing

Here’s the cost of prioritizing hype over substance:

1. The Sound Is Suffering

Everything is beginning to sound the same. The same kick, the same riser, the same generic “track ID” vocal. Why? Because artists are no longer rewarded for experimentation — they’re punished for it. The algorithm loves what’s familiar. But the culture was built on the unfamiliar.

Dance music used to be about discovery. Now it’s about staying inside the template that performs best in 15 seconds.

2. Artists Are Burning Out

DJs used to take time between albums, perfecting their craft. Now they feel forced to churn out weekly edits just to stay “relevant.” They’re pressured to be marketers, content creators, influencers, and entertainers — all while touring and producing. It’s unsustainable. And it’s robbing us of depth.

3. The Crowd Is Changing, Too

Audiences are being trained to expect viral moments — not journeys. Instead of surrendering to the music, people are watching the show through their phone screen, waiting for that one drop they saw on IG. The dancefloor is becoming a photo opp instead of a place of presence.

❤️ The Essence We Forgot

Electronic music was never about perfect posture or camera angles. It was about energy. About losing yourself in the moment. About connecting with something beyond words.

The best DJs weren’t influencers. They were shamans.

• Jeff Mills didn’t care if the camera was rolling.
• Laurent Garnier wasn’t chasing comments.
• Even the early EDM icons — Avicii, Calvin, Zedd — built followings because of the music, not as a vehicle for it.

We’re not saying DJs shouldn’t be on social media.

We’re saying that social media should support the art, not replace it.

🧭 How We Bring It Back

So, what do we do now? How do we revive the real spirit of the scene without ignoring the new reality?

We’re not here to complain. We’re here to revive. Here’s how:

1. Start Rewarding Skill Again

Book artists because of what they do behind the decks, not how many followers they have. Talent is still out there. It just needs platforms. And we’re here to be one of them.

2. Re-educate the Scene

Promoters, fans, and media outlets (yes, us included) need to start highlighting the stories, struggles, and soul behind the music. Let’s remind people that DJing is an art form, not a gimmick.

3. Give Artists Breathing Room

We need to normalize slower creative cycles. Stop expecting every DJ to post daily clips and weekly remixes. Let them build, reflect, and evolve — or else we’ll burn them all out before they make their best work.

4. Bring Back the Dancefloor Ethos

At our events, we want phones down, hearts open. We want music that builds, dips, surprises, not just hits. We want connection, not choreography.

🚨 This Is What EDM Revival Stands For

This platform isn’t just here to report on music. It’s here to defend it.

We’re building a space for artists who care more about energy than engagement.

For fans who crave goosebumps more than views.

For communities who want to feel again.

Yes, the scene has changed. Yes, the industry is evolving.

But at the core of it all — the reason we’re here — is the feeling.

The reason you cried during a drop. The reason you stayed till sunrise. The reason one song can still bring you back to a night you’ll never forget.

That’s what we’re protecting.

That’s what we’re reviving.

This is EDM Revival.

For the music. For the moments. For the ones who still believe.

Want to help us bring it back?

👉 Subscribe to the movement. Join the waitlist. Be part of the Revival.