A striking survey presented at this year’s International Music Summit in Ibiza indicated that 61% of emerging DJs believe social media numbers carry more weight than actual musical skill when it comes to career success.
The data comes from a 15,000-person survey conducted by the Pete Tong DJ Academy, per Mixmag. It illuminates growing concerns of a music industry so saturated and insular that breaking through often depends less on artistry and more on whether or not you can strike fool’s gold with gimmicky viral moments.
62% of respondents feel the music industry operates like a “closed club,” according to the report, leaving little room for those without established connections or marketing muscle. Many pointed to a growing reliance on metrics like follower counts and engagement rates as gatekeeping tools for bookings, label signings and playlist placements.
While 35% of respondents remain hopeful that persistence pays off, the numbers paint a picture of an ecosystem increasingly shaped by optics over originality, leading hopeful producers to believe that long-term sustainability hinges as much on algorithms as it does on the decks.
Elsewhere in the survey, over half reported experiencing burnout or anxiety. “Every post feels like a test,” one 24-year-old French DJ lamented. “If it flops, I feel like a failure.”
