Records and discs may well be how many DJs cue their tracks, but if they have a Spotify account and the right software, they’ll now be able to spin their hearts out.
One of the best things about music today is knowing that you don’t need to physically go out and buy an album in order to enjoy it.
While buying an album is a great way to support an artist — and you should definitely support artists you love — music streaming services make it possible to enjoy all manner of music without needing to part ways with $30 to $50 each time you want to do it.
For people that love listening to music, that’s handy, but for entertainers working as DJs, the idea means seemingly endless music to listen before buying and mixing.
But there’s potentially good news for the wallets of a DJ right now, provided they have a Spotify Premium account, because Spotify has added support for some of the tools mixers rely on.
From this week in Australia, New Zealand, the US, UK, Canada, Japan, Singapore, and much of Europe, Spotify Premium links up with services and apps such as Djay, Rekordbox, and even Serato, extending the ability to mix tracks to music found on Spotify.
It’s distinct to the Spotify DJ, a talking AI that looks through your music and makes and takes suggestions, and more an addition for musicians and DJs to use Spotify for their mixing needs.
For Serato, that means support for its DJ Lite software, which is compatible with over 100 hardware controllers, while Spotify Premium links up by letting you log in and stream, cue, and mix.
Spotify notes that it follows the launch of another DJ-friendly addition back in August, a way to add your own transitions to playlists, providing control to lists of music beyond simply being “lists”.
The vibe of listening to a dance album and its flow, such as with the old Ministry of Sound CDs from back in the day has essentially been transferred to Spotify for the folks who want to make their own mixes for others to check out.
Anyone with a Spotify Premium account can check this out now, though you’ll likely want to use some DJ gear to make the most. Unfortunately, subscribers to the recently updated free tier miss out on DJ features, potentially giving them a reason to upgrade.
