Remember back in the day when schools actually took polls before high school graduation? Everybody was allowed to vote within the senior class, with each winner of a specific section grabbing a spot with their name and picture “Biggie Sized” for all to see. Most people wanted “most likely to become successful” while others fought hard through the years for “class clown” or “most likely to become an Olympic champion.” Even if you truly deserved an award you wouldn’t get it unless you begged, groveled, and bribed your way to the top. Afterwards, you had this nice little area in the yearbook that glorified your oh-so-awesome achievement forever and ever. So what’s my point? Well, in my opinion, DJ Mag’s Top 100 is a glorified ego booster for the power hungry DJs and Producers, not unlike those yearbook polls of old.
Where is the validity in this entire contest? How does begging for votes and having thousands of people take a poll determine the Top DJ? Hell, half of the best DJs in the world are unknown or underground, making them irrelevant according to the contest. I see this as a tool to determine the most popular…but when has popularity ever determined true talent?
What baffles me the most is the formula and overall concept DJ Mag has going on. Their entire site is nothing but overrated mainstream DJs with no true worthwhile content. So now DJ Mag is basically this big sellout that pushes these big DJs in your face to garner ad revenue. Secondly, the contest has producers running in it, instantly making it a contradiction. Deadmau5 is not a DJ, so why the hell is he running? Why are his votes even counted if he takes offense to such a word? I’ll never understand.
But the straw that really breaks the camel’s back in this contest is money and cheating. Yes folks, you can definitely cheat on this poll! All you need is money or a yacht-load of people who can handle a computer very well in order to “play about” with IP Addresses. It’s disgusting. In 2007 DJ Mag even came out point blank and told the world cheating was going down. They supposedly fixed the problem, but to me that tosses all credibility out of the window. However, that’s fine because a ton of cash can blind EDM consumers with flashy ads and finally talking to them on Twitter and Facebook will definitely nab you some votes. Hey! Let’s even offer them prizes and gifts since we really want our egos stroked. Excuse me while I go shake my head in exasperated fashion.
So basically the whole thing is lame and I don’t see why they push it as hard as they do. No offense to the consumers, but the average EDM listener does not know what true DJ talent is. A great DJ can blend tracks so smooth and fluidly, you think it’s just one huge amazing track. Equipment and fame don’t matter. But all consumers know are the big names they see every day because the larger labels have the budget to promote day and night.
Mainstream will always fall downhill when people have a “sheep mentality” so I wouldn’t be surprised if Barney the purple Dinosaur becomes a DJ and hits the Top Spot next year. Ha! Just kidding. We all know Armin is the gate master. None shall pass! Pretty creepy…
