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Here’s our full list of the best DJs in the world, each bringing something unique to the turntables.

1. Grandmaster Flash – Hip Hop Pioneer
2. Kerri Chandler – Deep House Innovator
3. Andrew Weatherall – Eclectic Visionary

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The best DJs in the world

1. Grandmaster Flash (1958 – )

Grandmaster Flash doesn’t just play records; he reimagined what turntables could do. In the late ’70s Bronx, he pioneered cutting, scratching, and quick-mix techniques that became the DNA of hip hop. His block parties gave young Black and Latino communities a new culture built from rhythm and rhyme. He’s an inventor and teacher, showing the world that two turntables and a mixer could spark a global movement.

2. Kerri Chandler (1969 – )

Kerri Chandler is one of the true originals of house music, shaping the sound for over three decades. You play vinyl? Kerri Chandler plays reel-to-reel tape. This art is almost extinct in DJing, yet he still makes it part of his live sets. It shows the care and craft he puts into everything he does.

Chandler is also known for playing piano over his mixes, adding warmth and melody in real time. With classics like “Rain”, “Atmosphere”, and “Bar A Thym”, he gave deep house its soul and proved that a DJ could be both musician and selector.

3. Andrew Weatherall (1963 – 2020)

Andrew Weatherall spent years in the shadows of the UK scene, quietly underpinning everything that made our underground so rich. His sets could move from Balearic to dub techno, from post-punk to shoegaze, never predictable and always perfectly judged.

Beyond the booth, his remixes and productions for bands like Primal Scream and My Bloody Valentine cemented his place in UK music history. This entry is sadly posthumous, but his legacy lives on. At Houghton Festival, each year they display works of art to honour him, a lasting tribute to a life completely given to music.

4. Frankie Knuckles (1955 – 2014)

Frankie Knuckles turned Chicago’s Warehouse into a sanctuary where music, freedom, and identity came together.

His sets stitched disco and soul into something deeper, laying down the heartbeat of house music. More than just a DJ, he gave the city’s Black LGBTQ+ community a soundtrack and a space to be themselves. His friend Larry Levan was doing the same in New York, and between them they lit the spark that carried house music across the world.

5. Annie Mac (1978 – )

Annie Mac worked her way up the hard way, building her reputation step by step before landing her long-running BBC Radio 1 residency. She’s one of the UK’s most successful DJs, balancing pop-leaning house selections and raw techy cuts, catering to a wider audience whilst retaining a genuine passion for the underground.

What made her special was the way she used her platform. She invited up-and-coming and obscure DJs onto her shows and gave new scenes a spotlight, bringing fresh sounds to millions who might never have found them otherwise. For countless listeners, Annie was their first doorway into club culture.

6. Fatboy Slim (1963 – )

As you’d expect, the cheekiest chap in British music came from Kent. Norman Cook began in bands before developing a love for synthesisers and electronic sounds, a path that would eventually make him a household name.

With a playful approach behind the decks, he grew into an incredible DJ and the figurehead of British dance music in the late ’90s and early 2000s. From Brighton beach parties to global stages, Fatboy Slim brought big beat to the masses with a grin.

7. Peggy Gou (1991 – )

Peggy Gou is one of the most recognisable DJs of today, known for sets that are playful, stylish, and full of energy. She blends house, techno, and disco with a Korean twist, bringing a distinct identity to dancefloors from Berlin basements to festival main stages.

She’s also a DJ who can cater to all audiences, moving with ease between underground nights and commercial stages. Alongside her performances, she runs her own label, Gudu Records, and has delivered standout tracks like “It Makes You Forget (Itgehane)”. Few DJs manage to be both a global star and a respected selector, but Peggy Gou holds that balance with ease.

8. DJ Jazzy Jeff (1965 – )

DJ Jazzy Jeff was never just the sidekick to the Fresh Prince. Long before TV fame, he was turning heads in Philadelphia with scratch routines that rewrote what could be done on a pair of turntables.

He treated the decks like an instrument, with timing, rhythm, and soul in every cut. That creativity made him a legend among DJs and a mentor for younger artists who still look to him as one of the true greats of hip hop.

9. Jeff Mills (1963 – )

Forged in the fires of Motor City, Jeff Mills is arguably one of the most important figureheads of US techno. Known early on as “The Wizard” during his Detroit radio days, his rapid-fire mixing and daring selections set him apart from the start.

He went on to co-found Underground Resistance, giving techno a political edge and a powerful identity. His style shifts from heavy, darker electro and techno to more upbeat sounds like house or hardgroove. Mills is still known for running three turntables at once with surgical precision, a style that makes his sets as intense as they are visionary.

10. Sonja Moonear (1978 – )

Sonja Moonear is known for her deep, dubby, and slick minimal style, the kind of sets that flow with precision and subtlety. She runs her own label, Ruta5, and has long been connected with Perlon, one of the most respected imprints in electronic music. These associations, and her careful approach to selection, have made her a fixture on the underground circuit.

Her reputation is built on consistency rather than noise, each performance marked by balance and control. Beyond the booth, she has worked across production and sound design, but the club remains her natural home. Originally trained as a pianist in Geneva, she brings that grounding into everything she does, letting the music speak with clarity and poise.

11. Martin Garrix (1996 – )

Martin Garrix might not be known for his impressive DJ skills or cultural contributions to the evolution of electronic music, but it is undeniable that his success is impressive, and his music productions are renowned.

He’s defined less by underground credibility and more by his global reach. Voted the world’s number one DJ multiple times by DJ Mag, he has built a career around large-scale EDM productions and stadium shows that attract massive audiences.

His focus is on accessibility and scale rather than technical DJ craft, and it is this dominance in the numbers game that earns him a place on this list.

FAQs

Can DJs make a living?

DJs can make a living, but it usually takes years of dedication and persistence. Most start by treating it as a hobby or passion before it becomes financially viable, and only a small percentage reach the level where it pays as a full-time career.

Who is the greatest DJ of all time?

There is no single greatest DJ of all time because DJing is subjective and rooted in personal taste. Different DJs have pioneered different styles, and many have shaped the culture in unique ways, which is why it’s more about influence than competition.

What equipment do professional DJs use?

Professional DJs use a mix of controllers, CDJs, mixers, and turntables depending on their style. Industry standards include Pioneer’s CDJ-3000, Technics SL-1210 turntables, and Rane controllers. Many also use laptops with software such as Serato or Traktor.

Final thoughts

There’s no single way to define the best DJs in the world. This list simply reflects a mix of artists who, in different ways, have left their mark on dance culture. Some broke new ground, others reached huge audiences, and many did both.

At the end of the day, it’s about the moments they create and the music they share. These are the DJs who are the standouts in their respective subcultures.