How DJs Know What To Play Next (7 Tricks For Picking The RIGHT Song)

It's NOT rocket science! Here is what DJs are REALLY thinking when they're deciding what to play next..
⚡ TIMESTAMPS ⚡
0:00 Intro
3:47 Go off instinct
4:13 Similar BPM, genre, or key
5:29 Different BPM, genre, or key
6:31 Play what already works
7:21 Lyrically match the moment
9:39 Play a big hit
12:20 DJ community chat
How DJs Always Know What Song To Play Next (Without Ever Panicking): djtips.co/next
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[@digitaldjtips]

⚡ TIMESTAMPS ⚡ 0:00 Intro 3:47 Go off instinct 4:13 Similar BPM, genre, or key 5:29 Different BPM, genre, or key 6:31 Play what already works 7:21 Lyrically match the moment 9:39 Play a big hit 12:20 DJ community chat

[@pauldavidson317]

I feel like #1 should be Know your collection

[@digitaldjtips]

There are a lot of obvious non-performance tips of which this is indeed one

[@joshuawatson3855]

Global Dj sensation Carl Cox said it best "know your tracks inside out"

[@digitaldjtips]

He's right

[@abijahmaniaco]

Solid advice. I feel like what's so often missing is being mindful of the energy level of each song with respect to the energy envelope of your whole set.

[@digitaldjtips]

Absolutely!

[@winstonsmith9424]

“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler” You Sire are the Einstein of DJ theory, tuition, and lived experience

[@digitaldjtips]

Thanks Winston!

[@EdwinHernandez0001]

# 1 should be have a couple of mixed drinks b4 the gig starts and the music will flow thru ya " 🥃🥂

[@digitaldjtips]

Ha ha there is that!

[@trancevoyagesessions]

Feeling, If you’re not using “the force”, you shouldn’t be a DJ. It’s about knowing your music. If you are playing random tunes, you are just a jukebox. It’s about creating energy and telling a story. Don’t get locked into the Camelot wheel your musical knowledge will eventually do that for you. Great content as always Phil. You always get me commenting!

[@digitaldjtips]

Thanks

[@DJDonkeytron]

LOL telling a story - I used to hear this all the time; however just because one person can't understand the story, doesn't mean everyone else can't!

[@devancraven417]

Very good advice thank you👏👏👏👏

[@digitaldjtips]

You’re welcome 😊

[@KlausEvenEnevoldsen]

Mobile DJ here. When I setup my gear I never know what to play. I sometimes play during dinner, and I start filling up my prepare list while I look at people's feet when I try out different genres. When dinner is about to end, I turn up the volume and play sing-along songs that sets the mood. Usually, the dancefloor will fill up while other people are still finishing dessert, and the staff has to come in and start clearing tables. I never play slow songs - always dance music. I might play a slow song near the end only to fill the dancefloor and then finish off with high energy songs that people can jump and dance to.

[@digitaldjtips]

All sounds like good advice

[@fireflamezdjflamez2966]

You are so right 👍🏿

[@digitaldjtips]

Thanks!

[@DJJDEMI]

One time the bar next to my spot set off the fire alarm from using too much fog and I play disco inferno and fire burning on the dance floor to make the fire alarm going off funny instead of annoying.

[@digitaldjtips]

That's great, love it!

[@eddieseman1117]

Always make a playlist according to the event such as graduation party or pool party or father daughter dances and always have streaming for any requests

[@digitaldjtips]

Top advice!

[@VIDEOMAZTER]

This makes more sense. Aggree.

[@HollyJokerst]

I pretty much try to play the set that i would want to hear if I was the audience and that has worked out most of the time ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@digitaldjtips]

A good tactic!

[@Dainne]

You got it friend

[@DJDonkeytron]

Goddamn i was doing it correctly already haha. Thanks always looking for more tips!

[@digitaldjtips]

you're welcome!

[@frelansedia]

Shout-out from Quezon city metro manila Philippines. Very nice music 🤩🤩✅✅👍

[@digitaldjtips]

Thanks for visiting

[@DjNov]

Know your music is yes. Hello from Nigeria ❤

[@digitaldjtips]

Hello!

[@ranjitbhambhra5165]

Hi Phill I'm a Indian DJ for bhangra music it's a totally the same

[@digitaldjtips]

Oh cool!

[@djkarltontv]

I've just had an email about this Saturdays gig wanting to know my playlist and the order I'm going to play them in. My reply Ref: Music I don't pre-plan at all. It's all on the fly and depends on what's happening in the room. I don't tend to know anything beyond my next track and often change my mind less than 30 seconds before the next track is due to start. It's all done on feelings and based on the reaction of people on the dance floor and in the rest of the room.

[@digitaldjtips]

And so it should be. I'd 1. Speak to them (this thing is not good for emails), and 2. Get to the bottom of WHY they want to know this.

[@robertschnobert9090]

Neat!

[@DjDevothedude]

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@gan9e]

Can you list tracks on the RX3 browse screen by BPM?

[@tumeta]

yes

[@gan9e]

@@tumeta Thanks

[@meinhardkniffki9675]

how about playing some music wishes from the crowd...? my experiences for that is very good

[@digitaldjtips]

Depending on the event, request can indeed be great

[@carlrowlinson2833]

#1 Darude Sandstorm. #2 Darude Sandstorm. #3 Darude Sandstorm

[@digitaldjtips]

HAHAHAHAHA

[@RennieDJ]

The shit folder!! 😂 I hear ya! My first “rewind” was for the ‘Macarena’ 😩😩😩 at least it’ll make a good story in my autobiography 😂😂😂😂

[@digitaldjtips]

Haha yeah!

[@trancevoyagesessions]

Btw who won the competition for the wireless speakers?

[@digitaldjtips]

A lady from the UK. We updated the post and announced it last week.

[@sameeralam69420]

No Panicking ! We don't want Panic! At The Disco. Phil Wrote Puns Not Tragedies 🎼

[@digitaldjtips]

Love it

[@parksteels]

I've never had a crowd not go nuts when Erasure a little respect plays

[@digitaldjtips]

Belter!

[@winstonsmith9424]

oh no! but fair comment!

[@RenatoHarripaul1217]

👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@robwalsh2362]

When it’s gets late everyone always wants Robin S show me love ❤️

[@digitaldjtips]

Ain't that true

[@DjayDavid_931]

If the o-line is as good as the Patriots in 2001 we going all the was to the superbowl. This is a New Danasty and it will be Titan Up

[@DJDonkeytron]

favorite comment here haha

[@DjayDavid_931]

@@DJDonkeytron lol thanks , a happy mistake

[@rockybourg]

You DiscoMonkey, "you can't teach experience" - I'll second that! But truly willing can be taught how to obtain valuable experience with legitimacy, skill and be artful...and without stealing, leeching, selfishness and douchbaggery.

[@digitaldjtips]

All wise words

[@dmgsoultogetherness6667]

group your tracks.....styles tempos etc

[@digitaldjtips]

Good advice

[@stuartmillsom3509]

You say pick double the tracks for the time your playing.. not so easy for mobile djs who rarely know what the audience is going to want. Unless you have a specific playlist . As in a comment before I run (try) with around 1500.

[@digitaldjtips]

Yes that is true with mobile it is slightly different

[@tesaikealiiolanakila]

Well, the truth is, I only have bangers in my quiver so it doesn’t really matter what I choose it’s gonna go😬

[@DJStanSteel]

I creat full of bangers are seriously boring and makes no journey for folks on a dance floor. HONEST!

[@tesaikealiiolanakila]

@@DJStanSteel so, back before you could get virtually anything you wanted, one had to actually make a trip to the record store and look for and if you were lucky listen to records so, you might be able to find some real good music that only a handful of people would have. I still collect music the same way just minus the record store. So while everyone is playing the same thing I’m over here. In that vein @ least for me, I actually developed a sound if you will. Now, when I use the term “bangers” I definitely don’t mean it in n the sense of only the “hits” more in the sense that it all goes together mo matter what I pick because it’s designed that way. That’s before I got into the record pools. 😬 I do however see your point, 🤙🏾 you can do what I did and check the profile LMK if it’s boring or nah… 🤲🏾🙏🏾

[@DJStanSteel]

@@tesaikealiiolanakila Nice feed back. As an old boy I’m fortunate to have the Knowledge! I’m fortunate to get a lot of tunes sent to me from recorded labels to test, I buy a lot and still search creates and buy new vinyl. When I’m mixing I know I’m gonna hit the spots folks want… again back to THE KNOWLEDGE!

[@tesaikealiiolanakila]

@@DJStanSteel then we are in agreement my friend!!! Your quiver is just as bangafied as mine!! See, we like, The Green Arrow, or Hawkeye, hec Batman and his utility belt. But the first ✌🏾especially. We don’t even have to look at which arrow to grab cuz we already know what we need is there 🤲🏾🙏🏾🫵🏾🫡 by the by, even though we have all this stuff to simulate what we used to do by 👂🏾, do you still like, hear the next track in your head or maybe even a couple, like there’s a track you want to play but l, you gotta get there? IDK, I been music for the entire time like Bob say.. we should find out how to jam TOGETHER MAIN!!

[@VeneleaVinylLabyrinth]

I AGREE; I LOVE PLAYING VINYL because 'slowing TEMPO/PITCH'; SOUND IS LIKE A SEDATIVE; HOWEVER; SOMGS (WITH VOCALS); slowing 'without MASTER TEMPO'; 'ARTIST vocals sound DEEPER (MALE to DEMON-LIKE LOW VOICE) VOCAL ARTISTS may COMPLAIN about their VOICE; PIONEER (MASTER TEMPO) doesn't CHANGE 'Hardly Noticeable (BPM/VOICE adjusted); "I STILL ENJOY SLOWING 'PITCH'; including (MASTER TEMPO); it feels like a SEDATIVE (ESPECIALLY VINYL) ❤ *PIONEER does MAGIC with MASTER TEMPO (can hardly notice the MACHINE changing BPM (NOT 'VOICE' Master TEMPO) However; CHOICE IN NEW MUSIC; I, Myself 'Try catching UP (FAVOURITE LABELS/ARTIST) FINDING THAT SONG!!! 'IT MATCHES (SAME STYLE MUSIC IMPRINTED INTO DJ'S MEMORY 🤔 'Mixing the NEW w/OLD; I PLAY/PLAYED VINYL (no GOA PSY TRANCE AVAILABLE) I went INSANE (catching up with GOA PSY/TRANCE); I BUILT 3 (EURORACK SYNTHESIZERS) with others still to BUILD; "I CANNOT PRODUCE A SONG in LIVE RECORDING'; BEST LIVE 'GOA/PSY TRANCE'; EURORACK is BEST for PRODUCING *NOTICED XDJ-RX3 (RECORING DIRECT THROUGH AUX; same as LINE (without EQ & FX) ABLE TO CONNECT SYNTHESIZERS for PRODUCTIONS (once You Find that ULTIMATE SEQUENCE for LOOPS; Or GOA/PSYCHEDELIC TRANCE; JUST "GO NUTS PLAYING/RECORING"; PSY TRANCE IS AMAZING 'LOWER BPM NEEDED 'MASTER TEMPO'

[@TheRegulator81]

Truth is Spotify’s algorithm is terrible, and in my opinion, will never rival an experienced DJ’s instinct. What to play next depends largely on the environment. In an abstract sense, the next song should always propel the set forwards, a constant ascend up a proverbial mountain towards the peak. In many ways, the technical properties of a song - BPM, key, genre - don’t really matter. I’ve played sets where it’s all over the place, but the unpredictability itself becomes the feature of the set.

[@digitaldjtips]

It is not terrible, but it will never rival a DJ, thankfully.

[@KlausEvenEnevoldsen]

@@digitaldjtips yet. The latest version of ChatGPT (4o) can use the camera of your phone and analyse the situation - it will get better.

[@fresco915]

just play more cowbell

[@digitaldjtips]

Can't go wrong with the cowbell

[@larrye.goinesjr.1535]

Rekordbox Sucks, We Want Stand-Alone, Freak!!

[@DJEspressivo]

Just pre record a set and don't give a shit about the audience, easy!

[@digitaldjtips]

constructive?

[@KlausEvenEnevoldsen]

@@digitaldjtips humour?

[@zeenuf00]

They plan it out before.

[@digitaldjtips]

I never do. Do you?

[@zeenuf00]

@@digitaldjtips yes