Download DJ Music

If you’re a new DJ and you’ve just got yourself your first DJ controller or DJ equipment you’ll next need to find out where to download DJ music. There are many places you can download music for DJs. Read this blog to find out what you need to know before downloading music for DJing and also what the the best places. Before you start, you need to know how to make sure the DJ music you are downloading is high enough quality for DJing. 

High Quality Music For DJs

There are many websites where you can download DJ music. However, when you download you need to know that you’re using a legal source and that the music files are high enough quality for DJing. While it might not matter so much if you’re just DJing at home it’s essential for have high quality files for professional DJs to use in clubs, bars and festivals. 

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DJ Music File Types

There are a few different file types of formats to know about when it comes to digital music that you can download. The most popular format is MP3 which is a compressed audio file. It comes as a maximum 320 KBPS. This number represents the quality of the music file. An uncompressed files like WAV or AIFF will have a higher number like 1411. It’s better to get lossless formats like WAV and AIFF if you are a professional DJ aiming for the top.

If you’re a bedroom DJ and just doing small gigs here and there then an MP3 will suffice. MP3 is cheaper and the file size is smaller which makes it great for those with limited space on their computers hard drive.

To summarise, if you want to download DJ music for a hobby, MP3 is great. If you want to be a DJ as a career aim for a lossless format like WAV or AIFF. My personal favourite is AIFF because this format also comes with a range of metadata, like the cover art. WAV is lossless but doesn’t come with metadata so you won’t get the artwork with the download, and lets face it, that sucks! 

Where to Download DJ Music For Free

While there are many illegal ways to download music for free like YouTube convertors (best to avoid if you want high quality files) or file sharing portals like Soulseek it’s almost impossible to download music for free legally. One of the only ways to get music for free legally is on Soundcloud where some producers allow you to download the tracks they have made for free. Sometimes you can also get music for free from some record label mailing lists or promo lists like FATdrop. There are a few other platforms out there like Jamendo but they often don't have the tracks you really want in their free library.

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Many DJs also share music between themselves, this is actually illegal but it’s common. If you see a DJ selling a playlist or collection of tracks which are not their own this is often illegal and also bad for the music industry so best to avoid this. Some DJs who still use CDs might sell their CD collection, this is legal. You can buy the CD collection and then digitise them for use in your DJ sets. 

Where to Download DJ Music Legally 

Unfortunately for many downloading legally means paying. However, this is good for the music industry and the artists so DJs should pay their dues and purchase the music. It also makes your job a lot easier because it will be high quality and have all the meta data you need. So, where can you download DJ music.

Beatport

Beatport is one of the biggest online retailers of digital music aimed at DJs. It has a huge range of dance music genres and offers you the choice of WAV, MP3 or AIFF. The website is easy to use and helps you find hidden gems or see what is popular in the charts. 

DJ City

DJ City is great for DJs who play genres of music not found on Beatport including Hip-Hop, pop and more commercial styles of music. 

Bandcamp

Bandcamp is the most ethical source to download DJ music from. Their shop supports artists financially by allowing artists to upload and sell their own music and merchandise without a middle-man taking a large percentage. It’s also full of hidden gems and far more diverse than Beatport or DJ City. 

iTunes / Apple Music 

Apple Music should be avoided. It was easy to download music on iTunes but since they moved to a streaming model they have made it near impossible for DJs to download the music file itself. Try and avoid buying music from iTunes or Apple Music for DJing. 

Amazon

Amazon actually sells MP3s and you can search for any song on the main Amazon website and download the MP3 version of song. This is super useful for DJs who want to play commercial or pop music. It’s not aimed directly at DJs but it’s still a great source of music. 

Juno

We love Juno because they sell both digital music and also physical mediums like vinyl records. They are also our neighbours in Camden Town, London! They are smaller than the big platforms like beatport.com but they have curated an interesting library of music. 

Traxsource 

Traxsource has been gaining momentum as a main competitor to beatport.com and offer an extensive library of tracks available in different formats. 

Bleep

Another great London-based store is Bleep. You can find some real gems on their website and they also sell records too.

Boomkat

Like Bleep and Juno Boomkat is a great distributor for independent labels and artists and they have a treasure trove of unique music available in both digital and physical formats.

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Streaming Alternatives to Downloading DJ Music

There are now services that allow you to stream DJ music instead of buying the individual files. These are great if you intend to just play at home but if you want to perform at real DJ gigs we recommend that you purchase the music and download the actual file to your computer. This is because most venues do not have reliable internet connections and also it’s easier not to use a laptop when DJing and instead save your playlists to a USB stick. When you stream as a DJ you are making your setup more complex and that means more things can go wrong. We think this technology will improve over the coming years but right now it’s not quite right for professional DJs. 

Conclusion

It's better to download DJ music legally to avoid breaking the law and help you maintain a collection that is high quality and has all the meta data you need. Paying for music is a good thing, it feeds back into the music industry and supports the artists. Not every DJ in the world can afford to pay for music of course and many DJs will search for ways to download music for free. Some places are legal and some are not so make sure you know your sources well! Click here for a blog about where you can download DJ music for free.