DJmag top 100: Why to vote for TECHNO...

[Ritzi Lee]

Guys. Please take a moment to think about something i've just got posted from the SPLIT mailing:

Every year DJ magazine compiles a top 100 list of the supposed best dj´s around, yet it rarely features any techno at all. The top 100 may not seem important, you may not like DJ mag and you probably already know who your favourite dj´s are..get to see them often and don´t need to stroke their ego by voting for them. The reason it is important is that the list is seen globally as¨official¨, as the real people/party goeroes´choice. By techno having little or no representation in the top 100 the profile of the trance and pop dj´s that make up most of the list just gets bigger while the techno scene keeps getting smaller, slipping further into obscurity.

We´d like to put techno firmly back on the map - and we can do so with your help. So please take out a couple of minutes of your time and try to get a few more deserving DJ´s in the top 100 this year:

Click www.djmag.com/top100 to open the voting form on the DJ Magazine Website and fill out the fields.

-----------

I think they got a point. On the one side most techno freaks don't even rate a value for the DJMag. On the other side I constantly see a lot out here asking themselves why the **** for instance Ben Sims is not in the top10.

And also we can't forget that the mainstream sees the dj top 100 as the ultimate indicator what's best. 10 years ago there where a lot of techno acts in the top 100. That was also the time that techno record sales where going good, and a lot of work was taken for compiling albums.

And for the people who work at the DJ Mag: They represent what's going on in the whole electronic scene around. So it's important to have the ability to put aside their personal principles and music taste. That's why it went wrong the first time... They all love trance or some other populair pop kinda thing. So all the interviews / reviews in this mag contained everything but techno... How the hell will the big crowd (mainstream) ever discover what's happening if they only get to know about just one side in the electronic music scene??

We need to repair what's beeing damaged already a couple of years ago.

[Miromiric]

come on...

[G-BO]

i see the point

but its hardly that damaging to techno to not be mentioned in some shite trance fan boy mag!

wel probably have umek & carl cox pt 2 if some of the good names at the mo get uber massive and lose the passion for making and playing great underground music.....thats one arguement against though

[TechMouse]

:(

[jeroenliebregts]

do we have to go over this every year?

[ds2]

http://www.blackoutaudio.co.uk/portal/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=54549


techno djs are the worst culprits.

"a vote for me is a vote for techno" :roll:

no it's not, it's a vote for you and your ego...

[Ritzi Lee]

do we have to go over this every year?

Ladies and gentleman... THIS is exactly the kind of additude that is making my point in this topic!

[jeroenliebregts]

Every year DJ magazine compiles a top 100 list of the supposed best dj´s around, yet it rarely features any techno at all. The top 100 may not seem important, you may not like DJ mag and you probably already know who your favourite dj´s are..get to see them often and don´t need to stroke their ego by voting for them. The reason it is important is that the list is seen globally as¨official¨, as the real people/party goeroes´choice. By techno having little or no representation in the top 100 the profile of the trance and pop dj´s that make up most of the list just gets bigger while the techno scene keeps getting smaller, slipping further into obscurity.


it's just that this is the exact same text that was posted here last year. I think by some bookings office....

[eyeswithoutaface]

i dont think ive ever heard or seen anyone asking why the **** ben sims isnt in the dj mag chart... probably because those who realise what a superb dj Ben is anyway dont need a magazing to tell them that he's the 26th best dj in the world. If your a massive ben sims fan, he's going to be your number 1 jock anyway so whats the point?

luckily i blocked everyone who sent me one of these kind of emails last year and havent had a single one yet :)

[Ritzi Lee]

http://www.blackoutaudio.co.uk/portal/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=54549


techno djs are the worst culprits.

"a vote for me is a vote for techno" :roll:

no it's not, it's a vote for you and your ego...

may i say this sounds so stupid?

[crime]

I think the whole thing is very UK angled, and by participating in this pole you are endorsing it, and perpetuating it's importance.. is techno really dying because there are no techno DJs included in the DJ Magazine top 100? I call bullshit on that, that's basically saying that people have to be told by DJ magazine which djs are good and which are not.. anyone who knows anything about music doesn't need to be told by a magazine who or what to like... I can see that it can be important to promotion and sales, but to say it's killing the techno scene because there are no techno djs in the top 100? Come on! The majority of the real cutting edge techno DJs & acts in the world will never be in the top 100 anyhow, if anyone from techno is going to be in there it's going to be the same names as there always was i.e. Mills, Hawtin, Clarke, Cox, even Sims etc, no disrespect to any of them, they are just the best know names out of a very wide style.. as I say, I think it's a very UK angled thing, as I don't see many people on the scene outside the UK really paying much more attention to it, they've probably got Groove magazine or De:Bug polls to be worried about instead..
And surely, techno was never about winning popularity contests was it??

[Ritzi Lee]

i dont think ive ever heard or seen anyone asking why the **** ben sims isnt in the dj mag chart... probably because those who realise what a superb dj Ben is anyway dont need a magazing to tell them that he's the 26th best dj in the world. If your a massive ben sims fan, he's going to be your number 1 jock anyway so whats the point?

luckily i blocked everyone who sent me one of these kind of emails last year and havent had a single one yet :)

The point is that the music industry is brainless.
You unfortunately need to tell it every year,
because it's too stupid to remember..

[jeroenliebregts]

music INDUSTRY is brainless, yes.
music lovers are not.

Do you want people to go to techno parties just because everybody goes there? That's what will happen to popular music...

[ERROR404]

I think the whole thing is very UK angled, and by participating in this pole you are endorsing it, and perpetuating it's importance.. is techno really dying because there are no techno DJs included in the DJ Magazine top 100? I call bullshit on that, that's basically saying that people have to be told by DJ magazine which djs are good and which are not.. anyone who knows anything about music doesn't need to be told by a magazine who or what to like... I can see that it can be important to promotion and sales, but to say it's killing the techno scene because there are no techno djs in the top 100? Come on! The majority of the real cutting edge techno DJs & acts in the world will never be in the top 100 anyhow, if anyone from techno is going to be in there it's going to be the same names as there always was i.e. Mills, Hawtin, Clarke, Cox, even Sims etc, no disrespect to any of them, they are just the best know names out of a very wide style.. as I say, I think it's a very UK angled thing, as I don't see many people on the scene outside the UK really paying much more attention to it, they've probably got Groove magazine or De:Bug polls to be worried about instead..
And surely, techno was never about winning popularity contests was it??

Bang on ;)

[Ritzi Lee]

Difficult question Jeroen.
Same like: Do you want everyone to buy records from your music label,
because everyone is doing so?
I think nothing really will change then. You can still find the real music lovers.

[jeroenliebregts]

Difficult question Jeroen.
Same like: Do you want everyone to buy records from your music label,
because everyone is doing so?
I think nothing really will change then. You can still find the real music lovers.

I think we'll never know :)

[Split-Personality]

I like the fact Techno is small in this country, ok I understand it doesn’t help the Dj’s and producers support the scene which is not a good thing. But as a punter it leads to a more personal, unique and ultimately more satisfying dance genre/community that no matter what happens will never be sucked in by the corporate monster that is the music industry and spat out for the faithful to pick up the pieces once they’ve wrung all of the life out of it!

Its like the difference between a small club (where everyone knows each other & is there for the right reasons not just because it’s a “must do” venue or club night) and the Super-Club which yes ultimately may have a superior sound-system etc etc but is packed full of tourists and piss heads.

Dunno that’s how I see it :roll:

[Sunil]

The point is that the music industry is brainless.
You unfortunately need to tell it every year,
because it's too stupid to remember..

Do you? So the dance music industry has had the DJ Mag Top 100 since the dawn of time?

Sorry, but I think the only decent conversation worth having is how to see that DJ polls like this are eventually put to rest. They're complete and utter bollocks, and I think anyone getting too serious about them is being an idiot. So some techno DJs want more media spotlight, a bigger profile and extra cash in their back pocket... that's all it amounts to here, doesn't it? Making techno more popular? Give me a break.
Good records will make techno better or 'popular' if that's what we're talking about..
Many of the kids voting in these comps still have a few years before they get into the more 'pure' stuff. And as for the others, let them vote for Tiesto and co. That's *their* thing, their world, not ours? Is it?

Really and truly, I'm sometimes surprised by the 'concerns' of people within the techno scene. Ok, so you want to sell more units and get extra gigs, cool... but maybe look at other options or ways to make it happen other than a candy raver popularity poll.

[eyeswithoutaface]

well said Sunil

[jon connor]

****in bollox who`s gunna win ummmmmmmmmmmmmm TIESTO TIESTO TIESTO there ya go job done ;) its all bollox all of it its a waste of time yes i would vote for my fav techno artists but wots the fecking point coz it aint gunna do anything towards the big dudes like tiesto lets get one thing straight

"DJS ARE DJS AND POP STARS ARE POP STARS"

Why do these twats think they are god ?

thats my rant im not replying because i cant be assed we been here before and here comes again 2006 top 1oo dj pole slagging :rambo:

;)

[TechMouse]

This thread makes me a sad panda.

http://phpbb.powerweb.nl/files/sexual_harassment_panda_726.jpg

[jon connor]

it should be split into catogorys anyway best techno best trance and so on then lets see the polls happy days all round and we could eventually vote for our fav techno don. ;)

[TechMouse]

Music shouldn't be about who's best.

It should be about celebrating the amazing diversity human creativity can provide.

[jon connor]

well exactly as i first said its all bollox hahahaha im off to slap sum fish later cheif ;)

[module]

i dont care if Sims & Finke call round the house pleading..

STICK YOUR MIXMAG POLL...

who gives a fyling f*ck what the 'official' ppl think.. techno is declining because its not in the Mixmag poll ? really.. please.. this is almost offensive..

i cant believe SPLIT would lower themselves.. gutted

[module]

I think the whole thing is very UK angled, and by participating in this pole you are endorsing it, and perpetuating it's importance.. is techno really dying because there are no techno DJs included in the DJ Magazine top 100? I call bullshit on that, that's basically saying that people have to be told by DJ magazine which djs are good and which are not.. anyone who knows anything about music doesn't need to be told by a magazine who or what to like... I can see that it can be important to promotion and sales, but to say it's killing the techno scene because there are no techno djs in the top 100? Come on! The majority of the real cutting edge techno DJs & acts in the world will never be in the top 100 anyhow, if anyone from techno is going to be in there it's going to be the same names as there always was i.e. Mills, Hawtin, Clarke, Cox, even Sims etc, no disrespect to any of them, they are just the best know names out of a very wide style.. as I say, I think it's a very UK angled thing, as I don't see many people on the scene outside the UK really paying much more attention to it, they've probably got Groove magazine or De:Bug polls to be worried about instead..
And surely, techno was never about winning popularity contests was it??


:clap:

out-f*ckin-standing crime.. bang on.. my sentiments if only i wasnt... livid with what a stupid idea.. i cant even type here.. jesus :roll:

[fac]

Music shouldn't be about who's bestbut it is. have u never used sentences like "oh, thats the best record he has done so far." or "his recent stuff is lame. his older tracks are much better." or "procucer xy makes the best [insert a style of your choice] records at the moment."?

[Dustin Zahn]

I agree with Hawkins. Also, I hate to tell you guys, but according to their agents and the fees we sometimes fork out...the likes of Ben Sims, Adam Beyer, Richie Hawtin, etc. get paid EXTREMELY well. The prices some of these techno DJs get paid reaffirms there is still strong enough demand for techno. You will see these kind of DJs on the best festival line-ups regardless of DJ mag. I honestly feel getting on these lists is just another reason to charge more money. Seeing these people on the lists won't make record sales better for anybody except for their own. Who cares if all techno DJs take the top 10 spots? All that will happen is the genre will become bastardized into a trend people follow because they're told it's cool, fresh, and exciting. OH wait. That happened, and it was called minimal. The mysterious trend with music that wasn't even that.

While there is nothing wrong with supporting your favorite DJs in this poll, you shouldn't view it as a do-or-die, let's-save-techno ordeal. The only reason you should vote in this poll is because you sincerely feel they're the best DJs all of electronic music has to offer.

[crime]

.the likes of Ben Sims, Adam Beyer, Richie Hawtin, etc. get paid EXTREMELY well. The prices some of these techno DJs get paid reaffirms there is still strong enough demand for techno. You will see these kind of DJs on the best festival line-ups regardless of DJ mag. I honestly feel getting on these lists is just another reason to charge more money.

I think it's fair enough for these DJs to ask for the money they do, after all, you're worth what promotors are willing to pay, and if the promotors were not willing to pay what they do then these people would have to charge less, I mean is anyone on here who had made a success of themselves really going to turn round and say you would play for 1000 Euro when you know full well you could take 3000? Especially when you think of the amount of money that the club (and I'm NOT talking about clubs in the UK) is making? Surely it's only fare that you get your share...
I think the importance of this list to the Split DJs has more to do with the fact that they are running a techno night in London, and it's part of the promotional strategy, fair enough, I just thought it was quite a funny connection to make, that the lack of Techno artists in this list was contributing to the death of techno.. I suppose it got us talking about them here, which is promotion in itself...

[TechMouse]

but it is. have u never used sentences like "oh, thats the best record he has done so far." or "his recent stuff is lame. his older tracks are much better." or "procucer xy makes the best [insert a style of your choice] records at the moment."?
Yes of course I've heard these kind of things, but rarely are two people in complete agreement. You cannot say, objectively speaking, that one tune is superior to another, without breaking it down into a series of technical judgements which would - I feel - essentially be losing sight of the point.

Music is many things to many people, and picking a best is impossible because there are just too many criteria and there's no accounting for taste.

Case in point: What is the best piece of music ever?

If you can answer that question then perhaps you don't really love music as much as you think.

[fac]

What is the best piece of music ever?aphex twin - on :)

[TechMouse]

Certainly a good contender, but I'm sure I can think of a number of situations it wouldn't go down well.

http://www.joerg-hutter.de/images/Punk/restarts2.jpg

http://www.victorianadventures.com/images/Colonial%20tea%20party%20in%20yard.JPG

http://images.apple.com/enews/2004/06/images/11mainimage.jpg

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/hostage-negotiation-3.jpg

[TechMouse]

Nice try though.

[fac]

it would perfectly fit to every single of these situations. mentioning the track (/song) wasnt serious tho...

[fac]

every child knows that reload - peschi is the best

[module]

agencys ? fees ? techno in demise ???


then why did i get a mail from an agency last week proclaiming 'Sims Last Free Satruday of 06' and the prev month has seen the bidding start for NYE dates from likewise artists..

i do 40 hours for a mnmm wage while ppl like DC etc get upwards of a grand for a few hours playing records/cds.. and they need MORE coverage & representation ?

yeah.. go stick your poll..

[fac]

i do 40 hours for a mnmm wage while ppl like DC etc get upwards of a grand for a few hours playing records/cds..hehe, are u communist?

[TechMouse]

In communist Russia, the records play YOU!

[Dustin Zahn]

.the likes of Ben Sims, Adam Beyer, Richie Hawtin, etc. get paid EXTREMELY well. The prices some of these techno DJs get paid reaffirms there is still strong enough demand for techno. You will see these kind of DJs on the best festival line-ups regardless of DJ mag. I honestly feel getting on these lists is just another reason to charge more money.

I think it's fair enough for these DJs to ask for the money they do, after all, you're worth what promotors are willing to pay, and if the promotors were not willing to pay what they do then these people would have to charge less, I mean is anyone on here who had made a success of themselves really going to turn round and say you would play for 1000 Euro when you know full well you could take 3000? Especially when you think of the amount of money that the club (and I'm NOT talking about clubs in the UK) is making? Surely it's only fare that you get your share...
I think the importance of this list to the Split DJs has more to do with the fact that they are running a techno night in London, and it's part of the promotional strategy, fair enough, I just thought it was quite a funny connection to make, that the lack of Techno artists in this list was contributing to the death of techno.. I suppose it got us talking about them here, which is promotion in itself...

I think it's completely fair of them too. I think if a promoter offers up a boat load of money, a performer would be nuts not to take it. But that wasn't really my point. My point was big techno DJs will remain on festival line-ups, and they have no problem getting decent sized fees. If they were struggling that bad, they'd have to lower prices and standards of gigs. Putting these DJs on the top 100 list won't do sh!t for techno.

[crime]

I think it's completely fair of them too. I think if a promoter offers up a boat load of money, a performer would be nuts not to take it. But that wasn't really my point. My point was big techno DJs will remain on festival line-ups, and they have no problem getting decent sized fees. If they were struggling that bad, they'd have to lower prices and standards of gigs. Putting these DJs on the top 100 list won't do sh!t for techno.

well, quite...

[eyeswithoutaface]

someone please lock or delete this before i cry

[retrovert]

i dont care if Sims & Finke call round the house pleading..

STICK YOUR MIXMAG POLL...

who gives a fyling f*ck what the 'official' ppl think.. techno is declining because its not in the Mixmag poll ? really.. please.. this is almost offensive..

i cant believe SPLIT would lower themselves.. gutted

obviously people have alot of different views on this one, the actual point of the split mailout (which i actually wrote myself last year) was to just try and get a few more techno names in the vote, it wasn't supposed to be a vote for sims and finke thing, unfortunately the guy that did the mailout added the names and photo's at the top without even asking, so sorry for that, we certainly aren't begging or going hungry but i still feel that without any magazine recognition, whether it's in a trance/ibiza orientated mag or not, there will be no new generation of people listening to techno, there will be no countries that embrace the music and eventually it'll die out.


most people start out listening to crap dance music anyway and only thru education and exposure can they get into or even hear about other styles. the poll maybe a back patting excercise but if it can bring more people to the scene and help spread the word, then whats wrong with techno being in it??? it can only benefit the music in the long run, no?

[TechMouse]

someone please lock or delete this before i cry
Red Rag / Bull.

[eyeswithoutaface]

haha yeah i just really cant be arsed with this descending into another "Dj's get paid too much and im really gutted im not" kind of thread which it is.

ive been thinking about it and it takes way more energy to get pissed off at people who are aiming at a different target than one's self, so why get upset? who cares how much Dave Clarke is getting? who cares that Sims and Finke want to get into the top 100 djs? i dont, it's not going to stop me doing what i do, it's not going to sour the milk in my fridge or anything is it?

i say chill peeps, anyone who wants to continually annoy everyone else year after year with these kind of pointless mailouts, great, go and do it, those who dont, thats great too, just keep doing the music and people will still be listening regardless

[module]

i jus dont see how a poll is gonna stave of techno 'dying out'

its utter toss.. 99.99% of techno fans i know where MUSIC fans first & foremost & found techno by looking for something new or hearing it via a pal.. NOT by seeing it in a f*cking magazine poll.

ive a huge mammoth respect for Sims as a dj & producer, to Split for their show & gigs & for Finke.. but this ?

this, imo, is NOT the way to help techno move forward. yes, spread the word, and if only Magic Feet was still about.. but its not.

if Split want to spread techno, do it themselves, not via a magazine that barely covers 'techno' outside of Mills, Hawtin, Cox etc.. Split & its parts have massive reputation & scope for spreading techno, so why are they asking for ppl to vote in a poll ????

i dont know ANYONE who has anything good to say about polls & what they stand for.. especially this yearly ego hand job..

[SlavikSvensk]

wait...are you guys suggesting that this poll, conducted unscientifically by a toilet rag of a magazine that named paul van dyk and tiesto the top DJs of 2005, should somehow not be considered the bomb-diggity answer-to-all-techno's-economic-and-creative-problems????

well, i never...

:bonk:

[crime]

obviously people have alot of different views on this one, the actual point of the split mailout (which i actually wrote myself last year) was to just try and get a few more techno names in the vote, it wasn't supposed to be a vote for sims and finke thing, unfortunately the guy that did the mailout added the names and photo's at the top without even asking, so sorry for that, we certainly aren't begging or going hungry but i still feel that without any magazine recognition, whether it's in a trance/ibiza orientated mag or not, there will be no new generation of people listening to techno, there will be no countries that embrace the music and eventually it'll die out.


most people start out listening to crap dance music anyway and only thru education and exposure can they get into or even hear about other styles. the poll maybe a back patting excercise but if it can bring more people to the scene and help spread the word, then whats wrong with techno being in it??? it can only benefit the music in the long run, no?

I can understand the point of bringing in fresh blood etc, but as I said from the start, it's very much a UK thing, and Techno/Electronic music is more of a global thing.. I suppose I just felt it was a bit doomsayer to say "oh if no techno djs are in this poll techno will die out".. techno has died 10 times over in the UK already, but I think there has always been a steady amount of fresh blood coming into the UK scene, and I mean, Vaeth just had a cover CD on mixmag.. Dying out?

[retrovert]

i think the scene in the uk is actually pretty healthy, the problem is more outside the uk where you'd be suprised how people, promoters and punters take the dj mag poll seriously, and even worse many believe the poll to be an acurate representation of the scene here, which it is most definately not.

say china or parts of south america where dance music is relatively new, how are these new scene's going to find out about anything other than trance or cheese if it's not featured in media that travels there?

anyway, to say it again. the split mailout was never meant to be a 'vote for sims and finke' thing, just an attempt to get more techno in the poll. obviously alot of you disagree that it will help the scene, no drama.

rv out.

[Split-Personality]

ive a huge mammoth respect for Sims as a dj & producer

My guess, you were just chattin him.

Its a weird one this topic, I posted the question on the merit of this poll on a European forum and they hardly took a bite :roll: which surprised me!

So yeah I think Techno needs recognition from the dance music community as a whole, but as for the people on the inside (be it punter, Dj or producer) they dont need to be told who's hots and whos not!

p.s. Well looking forward to the 3rd Birthday bash :lol:

[gumpy green]

they all want to live the super star styllee.....big fuk off egos and loads of money......

if your a good dj, real fans will know what up in the club(or on cd etc).

who gives a flying fuk about the top djs poll......

the best djs in the world prob dont even end up close to the top ten.......wonder where mix master mike is.

even i could make the top 10 look weak as fuk.

[DjSolaris]

Being over here and working with clubs in the US (Midwest) i know that the ones i work with are a fickle bunch. they do go off things like the DJmag top 100 to get input on if a guy should be brought or not. If someone is brought to clubs here it spreads influence that might have been missed other wise. we can all like the small scenes, but I love techno more than keeping it to myself. the heads will stay bangin' the people that are new might not be the core but they are helping pay the bills and keeping us going. So is it worth it to techno to do something that trance and everyoen else is doing? we must market ourselves to the masses. we have that going for us. we are semi exclusive...but if no one knows how are we to progress?

[davethedrummer]

vote for me ..........please , i'm hungry and my washing machine's broken , my car needs fixing , i need some cigarettes , and some shoes ...honestly i'm poor , so i must really love music , and i'm genuine.
and if i'm not advertised by dj mag , my entire culture will be wiped out , and no one will ever use the term " techno " to describe a piece of music ever again.
and the kids will be walking the streets.....destitute.....knowing that something is missing from their lives ....but not knowing what , because the evil techno police have erased all mention of techno throughout history.......


good isn't it?
shall i go on?
or can we stop now?

[dan the acid man]

i think we can stop now