The Pros: Why Fill Out A List?

A DJ generally fills out a playlist to avoid repetition and to gauge progress during the course of an evening. The additional advantages include:

1) By writing notes next to a group of songs, a DJ can refine "sets" over the course of several evenings. This allows the DJ to go back to older playlists whenever she or he needs creative inspiration via strong sets from the past;

2) Whenever a DJ has a "rough night," she or he can evaluate the weak sets and/or songs for potential elimination or refinement;

3) After several weeks, a DJ can spot whether she or he is repeating the same songs in the same order every night (helping him or her to avoid becoming "predictable");

4) In some clubs, DJ's are required to make announcements. The playlist is a notepad and can also help the DJ keep track of requests, CD's and/or records that need to be replaced, and equipment notes;

5) New DJ's can get senior DJ's and/or managers to evaluate their playlist (thus assisting in the training process).

The Cons

1) The playlist can become a tedious distraction;

2) Many DJ's fail to keep an accurate account of every song that was played – thus rendering those playlists unreliable for future guidance;

3) A DJ's playlist is like a chef's secret recipe. It's the DJ's "sound." A DJ risks losing his or her "secret recipe" whenever his or her playlist is exposed to a competing DJ. This is why "trainspotting" is a major issue among DJ's.

What Should A Playlist Include?

A playlist should include the date and DJ name at the top, the song title (and if needed, artist name), and the time the song was played. It should also include notes next to successful and unsuccessful sets. For example, if a song clears the dance floor and you notice that your past notes (from previous nights) shows that this has occurred several times, then it's probably time to eliminate that song. The playlist may also have a summary describing the DJ's opinion of the night's level of success. For example, comments such as "good night, but a late crowd," or "this night was affected by the holiday" will help the DJ when looking for guidance from past nights.

Finally, the playlist is more common in corporate clubs. In some of those cases, a DJ is required to have a manager sign his or her playlist at the end of the evening. While this level of corporate control is understandable, it can also stifle the creative process – and take the fun out of being a DJ.  A DJ is an artist, not a secretary. It makes little sense to compel a DJ to fill out a playlist against his or her will (particularly when that DJ – in most cases – is the only person that will ever read it).

Posted by: New England Disc Jockey and Emcee, Danny DeBruin.