Categories and Lists

Two lists effect DJ culture and often determine a DJ's style. The first is each DJ's personal list of music, his master list of every song he could play. The second is a list of music that is popular, which is commonly referred to as "the charts".

A DJ's master list of music is a key aspect in his style. The collection of songs may be listed in many ways, and is often subdivided into smaller categories such as genre, artist, or album. Normally this list is displayed in some sort of music software, or often DJs simply use iTunes. However, DJs do not always rely on a computer, and sometimes their list of music is contained in their collection of CDs or vinyl records. A DJ's list of music is extremely important in doing the job. A good DJ is able to read their audience and play music that their audience would enjoy, but it would be impossible to do this if a DJ could not find music quickly.

Another list that defines DJ culture, are "the charts". Popular music is grouped into the list "Top40", which gives the 40 most popular songs according to the week. However a broad range of charts for different genres exist as well. DJs will often use charts for the genre of music that they play to find new music or see how the music they play compares to what is considered popular. The listing of music into "charts" is a great insight into the relationship between a DJ and an audience. It is like a conversation, with the DJ listening to his audience and responding based on their opinions. Any given chart of music allows DJs to listen to a large amount of people and get a glimpse at the types of music people enjoy.

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