We are all familiar with modern DJs blasting out our favorite hits as we go wild on the dance floor, or helping us cope with a long commute to work over the radio. But did you know that the profession is actually more than a century old? At Pop! Events Group, we provide great DJs for corporate events, and nothing works better at getting some energy going at a work function than some fun music blaring out of the speakers. Let’s take a look at the history of this unique art.
An art form is born
Disc jockeying is intimately tied to the production of records, so the first DJs started to spring up once records started to come into full swing. Around the turn of the century, a young college student named Ray Newby started broadcasting hit records over the radio – and an art form was born. This concept later gave way to “juke joints” where people would go to drink and dance in the 1920s. The term disc jockey was coined in the 1930s to describe a person who played records on the air for people.
Middle of the century
Things really began to pick up with the opening of the Whiskey a Go-Go in Paris. This is considered to be the world’s first nightclub/discotheque (a word coined from the fact that the music came from discs and not a live band). More DJs began playing on twin turntables there, and the popularity of discos skyrocketed across Europe and the US. After the war, more and more radio stations began to have personalities, and these DJs were responsible not only for keeping people entertained but also for exposing new artists to the public. Even Elvis was exposed to the masses by a DJ.
Modern times
While the popularity of DJs exploded, waned, and came back again, their influence on modern culture can’t be denied. During the latter part of the 20th century, new equipment was released and new forms of dancing and disc jockeying were becoming popular. New turntables allowed seamless transition, and when hip-hop culture began to emerge from New York, DJs became more popular than ever. They are now not only a staple in modern music and dance clubs, but they are also incredibly popular at parties and corporate galas.
DJs might seem like they are just the people spinning records on songs or playing music off of your favorite radio station, but in reality it is a storied profession that goes back over a hundred years. We offer them for your corporate galas because they are so popular for creating the perfect atmosphere. Don’t throw your next event without one!