National DJ Day may honour the contributions of our favourite disc jockeys, but its origins can be traced to Alan Freed, also known as “Moondog.” This DJ from the 1950s, who coined the term “rock and roll,” is the reason why DJs are celebrated on January 20. On this day, we celebrate the talents of all disc jockeys, from those who have played “Chicken Dance” at a wedding a million times to those who help you get to work in the morning.
DJs perform recorded music in front of an audience. The process typically involves aligning the beats of the set of songs so that their tempos and rhythms synchronise when played simultaneously. This allows for a seamless transition between pieces of music.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL DJ DAY
National DJ Day occurs annually on January 20. This day honours amateur and professional DJs who spin records and play the most groovy music at the right time. The music is typically performed in front of a live audience, but televised and recorded performances are also available. Club DJs, radio DJs, party DJs, and turntablists, who scratch and manipulate sounds by playing records on turntables, are the most common types of DJs.
Music has existed for as long as we can remember and has evolved over the years with the assistance of composers, songwriters, and our favourite party guests, the D.J.s. The majority of DJs in the past had an extensive collection of vinyl records and a fully equipped setup in a specific venue when they spun records. Over time, however, as a result of the constantly evolving software, the term ‘DJing’ has come to mean different things to different people.
However, the first disc jockey session was a live radio experiment conducted on airwaves in 1909 by a 16-year-old named Ray Newby. He was an Engineering and Wireless student at Herrold College who was supervised by Charles Herrold. These experiments, which began in the Garden City Bank Building, sparked a musical movement that spread across the globe from California. But it wasn’t until 25 years later that American radio commentator Walter Winchel coined the term “disc jockey” to describe radio announcer Martin Block, who was the first to gain notoriety for playing the most popular music of the time on the air.
A few years later, in 1943, DJ Jimmy Savile organised the first DJ dance party by playing a series of jazz records in Otley, England. In 1947, Whiskey a Go Go Nightclub was considered the world’s first discothèque with its own DJ. Subsequently, more people began to learn how to turn tables and mix, and at the turn of the century, technological advancements enabled the creation of new sounds and styles.
The origin and creator of National Disk Hockey Day are unknown. However, each year we honour these artists and encourage everyone to celebrate.
On January 20, DJing and influential DJs are celebrated, but the day also marks the anniversary of the passing of Alan Freed, aka ‘Moondog,’ one of the world’s most influential DJs. He was renowned for popularising rock ‘n’ roll music and DJing.
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Five facts about popular disc jockeys
Armin Van Buuren is a trance legend with a Master’s in Business Law from the University of Leiden in the Netherlands.
Has anyone heard of Tim Bergling?
The Swedish D.J. chose his stage name from the Buddhism act, which refers to the lowest level of hell, after struggling to determine what it should be.
From conventional to electronic
Numerous individuals are unaware that D.J. Zedd was classically trained and began playing the piano at the age of four. He is best known for his massive house anthems.
The pair of masked leaders
Since 2006, the duo known as Daft Punk have not permitted anyone to take photographs of their faces, which is quite astonishing.
The famous D.J. Thomas Pentz, better known as Diplo, was named after his favourite dinosaur, the Diplodocus (the plant-eater with a long neck).
NATIONAL DJ DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | January 20 | Friday |
| 2024 | January 20 | Saturday |
| 2025 | January 20 | Monday |
| 2026 | January 20 | Tuesday |
| 2027 | January 20 | Wednesday |
