1. You don’t have to DJ to be a Top 100 DJ
Deadmau5 has decried his rank in the DJ Mag poll year after year, insisting that he’s not a DJ…and Daft Punk haven’t been behind the decks in forever (at least not in front of a paying crowd). Even their live show, as iconic as it is, has been M.I.A. since 2007. But no matter: the fans seem to be rewarding these artists’ musical output rather than their sets. Probably thanks to the zeitgeist-defining success of Random Access Memories, and despite the glaring absence of an album tour, Daft Punk actually went up 22 spots.
2. The 2013 list is full of freshmen
We were looking forward to seeing some the year’s breakout acts make their DJ Magdebut. Hardwell protege Dyro followed in his boss’s footsteps, bounding up the list to number 30. Fellow Revealed Recordings act Dannic also snagged a spot, coming in at number 74. Martin Garrix has also hit the Top 100 for the first — and surely not last — time, rocketing to number 40. At just 17 years of age, Garrix was born in 1996, when the poll was in its infancy (and names like Carl Cox and Sasha & Digweed topped the list).
Also, Krewella snagged a well-deserved place on the list, coming in at number 44. Another pair of important new arrivals to the top 100? Diplo and Dillon Francis, who took the 64th and 73rd places respectively. Lower on the list, trance-meets-electro upstart Ummet Ozcan slipped in at 99, and the controversial DJ Bl3nd arrived at number 90.
While this is not his first entry in the poll, Moldovan trance prodigy Andrew Rayel is the list’s highest climber, moving up 49 spots. Overall, 18 new DJs made their way onto the charts this year – congrats, DJ Mag freshmen.
3. There’s a ‘Tomorrowland effect’ at work
The most surprising entry into the hallowed top 10 this year is, without doubt, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike. The Belgian brothers climbed 32 spots to take sixth place, beating out other Top 10 heavyweights like Afrojack, Skrillex and Nicky Romero. While the duo had a string of Beatport chart-toppers and noteworthy collabs, we attribute their triumphant finish to their roles as Tomorrowland’s resident DJs and hometown heroes.
That the festival had its biggest year, and touched down on U.S. soil as TomorrowWorld, only furthered the buzz behind the brothers. Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike’s rank can also be seen, perhaps, as implicit votes for Tomorrowland and TomorrowWorld as fans’ favorite festival of the year.
4. Hard dance ranks well, techno not so much
If there’s one grumble you can count on to accompany the results each year, it’s the absence of underground heroes. (The answer seems simple: their fans aren’t voting en masse in the DJ Mag poll.) In the 2013 list, there’s only a few techno loyalists, including Carl Cox and Richie Hawtin, both DJs who have had the advantage of hosting stages at major EDM festivals around the world in recent years. Then there’s Eric Prydz at #54, who can techno when the occasion calls for it.
While the list used to be well-stacked with techno names, hard dance is hard to ignore in 2013′s Top 100. While several big names have tumbled down the list, there’s still a whole lot of tell-tale Zs in there, like Headhunterz, Wildstylez, Da Tweakaz, Gunz For Hire and Wasted Penguinz. However, it’s Showtek, who have had to battle embittered fans bemoaning their move towards ‘EDM’, who climbed convincingly to #27.
5. It still pays to be Dutch
One look at the top ten instantly reminds you: The Netherlands turns out more mainstage headliners than any other nation. The likes of Afrojack, Dash Berlin, Nicky Romero and of course Armin van Buuren and Tiesto are hometown heroes, while also managing to crack the U.S. market. Of course, there’ll always be competition from Sweden for the title of dance music’s talent factory, with Avicii sitting in the #3 spot. (Interestingly, Alesso managed to come in ahead of all the Swedish House Mafiosos.) Showman-in-chief Steve Aoki is repping the USA all alone in the top ten, as Skrillex drops back to #11.
6. Nervo’s having a sensational year
In the list’s least-surprising revelation, it’s a dude-fest once again. Moving up 30 spots, though, is the ever-effervescent pair of sisters from Australia, Nervo. From anthemic mainstage sets at festivals like Tomorrowland and TomorrowWorld to the club tours they’re seemingly always on (next up is Mexico, where their following is huge), the #16 spot has been hard-earned.
7. Gareth Emery’s plan worked, kinda
This year, Gareth Emery opted out of the poll after a “bizarre unsolicited phone call” from a publicity company that helps DJs advertise for votes. His appeal to fans not to vote for him almost worked – he fell 37 spots, but still came in at #51. Play your cards right, Emery, and you could be out of there entirely in 2014.