Imagine They Delete TikTok and Boom! You’re Not A DJ
TikTok has a massive user base, and as a result, it has turned the music industry upside down. As one of the most influential social media platforms to reshape how music is discovered, consumed, and popularized, the app has influenced how artists make the music their fans consume. While the upcoming ban has sparked concerns about its impact, I think it will be good, especially considering how TikTok has affected DJ culture.
Exploiting DJ art for content creation’s sake has diluted what it means to be a DJ, and TikTok has been the biggest culprit. People’s music listening habits changed drastically by popularizing the consumption of 15-30-second videos from sync DJs who think button pushing is a skill. It’s like TikTok users began appreciating the feng shui of a “DJ’s” room more than getting into the depth and context of the mixes being heard. So, with the app’s ban, I think music goers might return to exploring DJ videos for their substance and pay more attention to creativity rather than aesthetics.
Furthermore, given how TikTok’s algorithm often promoted sex appeal, it usually led DJs not concerned with looking cute to get sidelined. Here’s to a return to organic DJing and quality mixes.
Before I go, I want to be clear on something. When I speak out regarding the state of DJ culture in the real world and the cyber world of social media, I can be a snob or a know-it-all to some. Please keep in mind that this is not my intention. That said, I know what I know as I’ve been studying EVERYTHING I post about on this Brolic Army blog page since 1983, and so, as direct and no-nonsense as I am with my words, it’s all TRUTH. If you know me personally, you’ll know it comes from a genuine love for our craft.
That said, I hope that in 2025, more of you who DJ, whether you use CDJs, Controllers, Turntables, or a Laptop, develop a deeper appreciation for what DJing truly is. I don’t mean to generalize and trust me, I know there are some DJs out there (many of them my students) who get it and do things that make me go, wow, now that was creative, or man, what song or genre of music are they playing? But, overall, DJing has become this musical genre that any Tom, Dick and Harry, Sue, Jill, and Mary can enter an exploit for currency, the real kind and social media kind.
Hopefully, this reflection on my thoughts on where we find ourselves in the DJ industry will inspire y’all to see DJing in a more serious light and to understand creativity should ALWAYS be shared at an optimal level.