# What does a DJ do? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 23, 2018, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-dj-do/812971 "2018-04-23T11:51:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2018, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-dj-do/812971/1 "2018-04-23T11:51:52Z")
When I was a kid, a disc jockey (DJ) was someone on the local radio station (or at a wedding reception dance) who introduced each song before it played, and maybe offered a bit of commentary in between. Some had better on-air personalities than others, but generally none was famous outside of his/her local broadcast area. This weekend it was all over the news that [Avicii,](https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/20/entertainment/avicii-dj-dead/index.html) a “DJ” from Sweden, had died unexpectedly at a young age. What was so special about his work that made him internationally famous? Does a DJ these days do something besides introducing the next song? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2018, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-dj-do/812971/2 "2018-04-23T12:18:43Z")
Yes. Very different use of the term. It emerged from the DJ you’re familiar with. From there, it became the DJ/jam master of a rap group. They would spin parts of records - the good parts with no vocals that could be repeated for a long time - and blend. From there you end up with EDM, electronic dance music where the DJ creates dance tracks with complex beats, simple vocal schemes and lots of use of dramatic moves like breakdowns, where all the music drops out except the beat and then builds back up. EDM DJ’s are supposed to take snippets of beats and assemble them live by triggering them in artful ways. (Some others claim they are faking it and just pressing Play on a fully constructed track). Top EDM DJ’s like Avicii can make $200,000 a show a posh party spots like Ibiza and some Vegas clubs. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2018, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-dj-do/812971/3 "2018-04-23T13:22:18Z")
In any case, Avicii is not really primarily famous as a DJ. He’s famous as a songwriter and producer. How many people would have been to an Avicii-DJ’d event, compared to the number who’ve listened to “Wake me up” or “Hey brother”? ---
**Author:** ![Kelevra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/97f17d/32.png) [@Kelevra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kelevra)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2018, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-dj-do/812971/4 "2018-04-23T14:58:36Z")
As WordMAn said. I was at a dance club last weekend. They had a couple of house DJs followed up by the headliner DJ Juicy M. She was significantly better than the house DJs. You can find her on instagram where she has about 650K followers. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2018, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-dj-do/812971/5 "2018-04-23T23:06:11Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > EDM DJ’s are supposed to take snippets of beats and assemble them live by triggering them in artful ways. (Some others claim they are faking it and just pressing Play on a fully constructed track). Of course, “some others” includes Deadmau5, Well-known EDM DJ and author of the famous “We all press play” essay. Note he doesn’t say they do nothing, just that their real work is done in the studio and the live show is the payoff. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2018, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-dj-do/812971/6 "2018-04-23T23:51:56Z")
in my experience, turns any bar or restaurant into an excruciating, ear-splittingly-loud nightmare. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2018, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-dj-do/812971/7 "2018-04-24T00:20:06Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > in my experience, turns any bar or restaurant into an excruciating, ear-splittingly-loud nightmare. I have to agree. I’m at a bar to sit and drink. If I wanted loud music, I’d go to a dance club…and drink…and then maybe I pop a pill or two…and then maybe my night turns into a 12 hr haze of hot and sweaty fun! But yeah, at my local bar, just let me drink in peace. Or maybe with a not-too-loud jukebox. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2018, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-dj-do/812971/8 "2018-04-24T00:50:52Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > Of course, “some others” includes Deadmau5, Well-known EDM DJ and author of the famous “We all press play” essay. > > Note he doesn’t say they do nothing, just that their real work is done in the studio and the live show is the payoff. Yup, don’t know why I didn’t say his name. I think he’s got a point, but I’m a guy who plays an instrument.