Breaking Down The 2020 DJ Mag Top 100

It has been a very strange year for the music industry. With COVID-19 being declared a global pandemic in March, the live event industry was decimated, with hardly any shows for the past 8 months. With the exception of drive-in shows, live streams, and some more recent shows in states like Florida where things have opened up (for better or worse), this has been a very sedentary year for our live performers.

Such a chaotic global event surely had an effect on this year’s DJ Mag Top 100 rankings, with huge movements all across the board. Plenty of DJs rose, many fell, and there were many, many new entries on the list. Biggest of all, Tiësto fell out of the Top 10 for the first time since 2004 and David Guetta reclaimed his #1 spot for the first time since 2011.

But further down the list, there’s still plenty to be talked about.

Women rule

Last year, eight out of the 100 producers were women. This was an improvement over 2018, but still not good enough. (Four women made it on the DJ Mag Top 100 in 2017. That number rose to six in 2018.) This year, that number grew to 12 with the additions of ANNA, Deborah De Luca, Nora En Pure, and Rezz. Best of all, a woman was the highest climber this year, as it was Alison Wonderland last year. Charlotte de Witte moved up 42 spots to land at #32.

New entries galore

With so many DJs unable to play shows this year, many, many new entries on the Top 100 were able to make their way in. In the 100-81 bracket alone, there are 13 new names. Overall, there are 18 new names on the Top 100 this year, eclipsing last year’s comparatively meager 12 new entries, with Rezz coming in as the highest new entry, securing the #57 spot.

Names like Jamie Jones, Green Velvet, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, and Nora En Pure, among others, also finally make their deserved debut on the list.

Significant movement in the Top 10

For the first time since 2004, Tiësto is out of the top 10 in what is likely the biggest shake up of the year on the list. He’s now placed at #16, a far cry from #8 last year.

Two new names grace the top 10, with Timmy Trumpet coming in at #10 and Alok finally breaking through as Brazil’s biggest DJ, making it all the way to #5. Don Diablo secures his #6 spot, but Oliver Heldens is moved down a peg as Steve Aoki moves up 1, Afrojack moves up 2, and Armin van Buuren stays at #4.

Martin Garrix moves all the way down to #3 after losing the top spot last year, following his record breaking 3-year run, to Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike who manage to stay in the second spot just behind this year’s newly crowned top DJ, David Guetta.

View the complete DJ Mag Top 100 DJs list below.

100. Marco Carolla [Down 14]
99. Robin Schulz [Down 17]
98. 22Bullets [New Entry]
97. Blastoyz [New Entry]
96. Dimitri Vangelis & Wyman [New Entry]
95. ANNA [New Entry]
94. Mike Perry [New Entry]
93. Deborah De Luca [New Entry]
92. Tungevaag [New Entry]
91. Black Coffee [Down 1]
90. Mike Williams [Down 36]
89. Burak Yeter [New Entry]
88. Aryue [New Entry]
87. Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano [New Entry]
86. Green Velvet [New Entry]
85. Plastik Funk [New Entry]
84. Swedish House Mafia [Down 42]
83. D.o.D. [Up 13]
82. Pink Panda [New Entry]
81. Rave Republic [Up 13]
80. Radical Redemption [Re-Entry]
79. Mr. Pig [New Entry]
78. Brennan Heart [Re-Entry]
77. Tom & Collins [Up 7]
76. Fisher [Down 13]
75. Florian Picasso [Up 23]
74. Kura [Down 34]
73. Nora En Pure [New Entry]
72. Deniz Koyu [Up 9]
71. Julian Jordan [Up 22]
70. Blasterjaxx [Down 34]
69. Peggy Gou [Up 11]
68. Jamie Jones [New Entry]
67. YELLOW CLAW [Up 10]
66. Nina Kraviz [Down 6]
65. Ummet Ozcan [Down 33]
64. deadmau5 [Up 7]
63. Breathe Carolina [Down 1]
62. 3 Are Legend [Up 8]
61. Carta [Up 11]
60. Boris Brejcha [Up 25]
59. Amelie Lens [New Entry]
58. Will Sparks [Down 1]
57. Rezz [Highest New Entry]
56. ATB [Down 17]
55. DVBBS [Down 32]
54. Miss K8 [Up 15]
53. Ferry Corsten [Up 6]
52. Cat Dealers [Down 6]
51. Diego Miranda [Up 4]
50. Paul van Dyk [Up 37]
49. Wolfpack [Down 11]
48. Adam Beyer [No Movement]
47. Alison Wonderland [Down 3]
46. Headhunterz [Down 17]
45. Alesso [Up 16]
44. Mariana Bo [Up 5]
43. Illenium [Up 21]
42. MATTN [Up 9]
41. Claptone [Up 12] [Highest House DJ]
40. Tujamo [Up 3]
39. VINAI [Down 11]
38. Danny Avila [Up 3]
37. Diplo [Up 30]
36. Angerfist [Down 2] [Highest Hard DJ]
35. Zedd [Up 15]
34. Carl Cox [Up 1]
33. Quintino [Down 8]
32. Charlotte De Witte [Up 42] [Highest Climber] [Highest Techno]
31. Nicky Romero [Up 6]
30. Vintage Culture [Up 17]
29. Bassjackers [Up 5]
28. Kygo [Up 24]
27. The Chainsmokers [Down 1]
26. Alan Walker [Up 1]
25. DJ Snake [Down 9]
24. Vini Vici [Up 7]
23. Fedde Le Grand [Up 7]
22. Eric Prydz [Down 5]
21. Lost Frequencies [Down 1]

DJ Mag Top 20

20. Nervo [Up 4]
19. Above & Beyond [Up 3]
18. Calvin Harris [Up 1]
17. Hardwell [Down 5]
16. Tiësto [Down 8]
15. Skrillex [Up 6]
14. W&W [Up 4]
13. R3HAB [Up 1]
12. KSHMR [Up 3]
11. Marshmello [Down 6]

DJ Mag Top 10

10. Timmy Trumpet [Up 3]
9. Steve Aoki [Up 1]
8. Oliver Heldens [Down 1]
7. Afrojack [Up 2]
6. Don Diablo [Non-Mover] [Highest Future House]
5. Alok [Up 6]
4. Armin Van Buuren [Non-Mover]

3. Martin Garrix

2. Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike

1. David Guetta

 

Photo via Rukes.com