Streaming music has changed the way music is consumed. Music streaming apps are on the rise, giving people all over the world access to unlimited music covering a wide variety of genres. You can create playlists and even share them with others.
We all know that a DJ is nothing without his music. Their music library is everything to them, and building this library requires sources that can allow you to get a vast amount of music covering different genres.
Why Should you use a Streaming Service?
Music keeps changing, and as a DJ, you will have to change along with it. Luckily, there are DJ software apps compatible with streaming services.
With streaming services, DJs can access offline lockers that allow them to virtually store their playlists. With all these features, no wonder many DJs are switching to streaming.
If you are a beginner DJ, using a streaming service is a fantastic way to start growing your music library. You can find beginner DJ controllers with software that allows you to stream music.
Streaming also allows you to explore different genres, opening you up to different styles and enabling you to grow as a DJ. Though you may have a specific genre you enjoy, access to different styles of music will help you master your skill better.
Having a streaming service will help you with an unknown song request from the crowd. Even with an extensive music library, you will still get song requests you don’t know.
Best Streaming Services
Beatport
Beatport is a music download store that also operates as a streaming service. It is specifically for DJs and has been around for a while now. Its focus is electronic music and all its variations, including dance and house. This is the place to find new music of this genre.
Beatport gives you access to their music from your preferred DJ software. DJ software compatible with this streaming service are:
- Serato Dj
- Algoriddim DJay
- DJuiced
- rekodbox
- VirtualDJ
- WeDJ
- DenonDJ
- Traktor
Beatport is based on a subscription model and includes different price plans depending on what you need.
- Essential Plan. This is the basic plan, and it will cost you $9.99 per month. With this plan, you will be able to access full-track playback, high-quality audio streaming, and host party mode sessions. You will also be able to use the web and mobile app and redownload any tracks purchased.
- Advanced Plan. This is the most popular plan. This plan costs $14.99 per month and gives you access to all the Essential Plan services and DJ platform integrations.
- Professional plan. This plan will cost you $29.99 per month. The plan offers access to all the services above and includes an offline locker that can store up to 1000 tracks.
Each of the plans has a 30-day free trial which you can use to test if this is the service you need.
Beatsource
Beatsource is a DJ music store that has collaborated with DJcity-a downloading streaming service. Unlike Beatport, which focuses on independent labels, Beatsource is more mainstream, focusing on trending music. It also has a wider variety of music genres.
This streaming service has two main pricing plans that you can check out using their free 30-day trial.
- Beatsource Plan. This plan costs $9.99 per month. You can access over 7 million tracks, DJ integration, unlimited playlists, a personalized library, and the web app.
- Beatsource Pro+ plan. This plan costs $34.99 per month and includes all the offerings of the Beatsource plan. Its price is higher because you also get access to exclusive DJ edits and offline track storage of 1,000 tracks.
Tidal
Tidal is a HiFi streaming service founded by Jay-Z. With over 90 million songs that you can access ad-free, Tidal offers high-quality tracks in standard, Hi-Fi, and master audio. Tidal allows its users to curate their playlists which can be uploaded on social media.
Tidal has two plans, HiFi and HiFi Plus, which cost $9.99 and $19.99 per month. You can find it on rekordbox, Serato DJ, Traktor, VirtualDJ, Engine DJ, Algoriddim Djay (Mac/ iOS only), and DJuiced.
Deezer
Deezer is one of the most popular streaming services in Europe. It has over 90 million tracks, which you can access for free with ads. If you wish to go ad-free, Deezer offers pricing plans that range from $4.99 to $14.99 per month.
Deezer is compatible with VirtualDJ. However, unlike Beatsource and Beatport, Deezer does not have an offline locker.
Soundcloud Go+
Soundcloud Go+ offers access to over 200 million songs for $10 per month. You can find the same mainstream music you would find on Spotify or Apple music. It also has music from independent creators, making it a viable option for DJs looking for new sounds.
Soundcloud also allows you to download music on Soundcloud for offline syncing. You can also find free music from artists looking to be discovered.
Soundcloud is available in Serato DJ Pro, rekordbox, Virtual DJ, Algoriddim Djay, WeDJ Traktor, and DJuiced.
As you can see above, the best options for DJs are Beatport and Beatsource. As a DJ, you will get more from these two than you would from other streaming services.
In Summary
Choosing a streaming service depends on the software and equipment that you have. It also depends on your preferences. A streaming service is not a requirement for you to be a great DJ, and you can use your music library instead.