Techno music in its current form has only existed for a few decades. Still, there are a lot of top-notch techno DJs out there. Restricting yourself to a few and creating a leaderboard is not easy. Nevertheless, we try to present you the top 15 of the best DJs here, and occasionally take a look at related genres. The order is arbitrary - these musicians all belong on the first place!
Carl Cox
This sympathetic gentleman starts the list. Originally from the UK, Carl Cox now lives in Australia and tours the world every year playing sets at the best techno festivals. He has been at home behind the turntables since the 80s and is considered a pioneer not only in the British but also in the global techno scene. His sets sparkle with joie de vivre and make you want to move!
Richie Hawtin
Richie Hawtin is considered a techno DJ with an exceptionally pronounced talent, to whom colleagues regularly bow in appreciation. His style can be attributed to minimal techno. He is considered a pioneer who decisively shaped this techno genre. Richie Hawtin was born in Ontario, Canada, and began his career in Detroit in the 1990s. Today Richie Hawtin is at home in the clubs of the world, he has been on tour almost every year for the last 20 years.
Amelie Lens
While many lists of top techno DJs are headed by men, there are plenty of female DJs that deserve attention. Belgian Amelie Lens is a rising star on the techno scene. Within a few years, Amelie was able to develop a reputation as a top-class underground DJ. In 2020 she entered DJ Mag 's top 100 DJs list for the first time and immediately landed at number 59. Her sets are known for a hard mixture of acid and minimal.
Solomun
Okay, this gentleman is not one of the classic techno DJs. But Solomun definitely deserves a mention on this list! Born in Bosnia, he has been considered one of the most important German underground DJs for about ten years. His style is attributed to deep house. His live sets are iconic and have won multiple awards. Even those who normally listen to hard techno should listen to Solomun, because you can lose yourself in the best sense of the word in his sets.
Nina Kraviz
Hard, driving acid techno sets that make everyone dance - that's what Nina Kraviz is known for. The petite Russian has established herself behind the turntables within a decade. She originally wanted to be a dentist, but then switched to electronic music while studying in Moscow. At first she played propaganda in the local club , but now Nina Kraviz plays major techno festivals all over the world.
Tiesto
Tiësto sets can be really big. Whole orchestras have gathered behind the Dutch techno DJ, lending that certain something to his driving basses. His style is more mainstream and mixes various influences from pop and classical music in well-crafted techno. Tiësto has been very successful with this since 2000: He is one of the 100 most listened to Spotify artists ever. He discovered his love for electronic music as a child and has been DJing since his youth.
Armin van Buuren
Every big fan of international techno music should know Armin van Buuren. The Dutchman is widely recognized as one of the most important techno DJs in the world. Although his career began almost 30 years ago, he is still in the top five of the most important DJs according to DJMag . He is considered a representative of trance, his sets are big, bombastic and loud.
Boris Brejkha
A live set by Boris Brejcha is a special experience. The DJ, who was born in Rhineland-Palatinate, describes his style as "high-tech minimal" and boasts that it is "the intelligent music of tomorrow". Driving basses alternate with melodic interludes and lots of experimentation. It's not surprising that Boris Brejcha has been featured at many major techno festivals over the past few years. Trademark is a Venetian mask, which he wears at the beginning of his sets.
David Guetta
This place is definitely polarizing, and David Guetta is more pop than techno. On the other hand, you can't really ignore the Frenchman, who leads the DJMag Top 100 in 2020. Originally a nightclub owner, he decided to give his old love DJing a try in the early 2000s. It was definitely a success - David Guetta is one of the 15 most listened to Spotify artists of all time. You have to decide for yourself whether you like him or not, but you should definitely mention him.
Peggy Gou
Peggy Gou is a versatile woman, and so are her sets, which alternate between dreamy and hard. Her unmistakable style has made the South Korean, who also works as a fashion designer, a major player in the techno world within just a few years. In 2019 she played about 200 live sets worldwide, after which she decided to take a step back. DJMag ranked her ninth on the alternative DJ leaderboard for 2020, and we're sure to be hearing a lot more from her in the years to come.
Charlotte de Witte
"Techno at its best" - that's how you could describe Charlotte de Witte's sets. The young Belgian has been stirring up the international techno scene for five years. Within those few years she was able to play many important festivals and this year she got the first place in DJMag 's Alternative Top 100 DJs . This makes her the first musician ever to push Carl Cox from this seat. You should definitely keep an eye on her, because she will certainly play an important role in the future.
Sven Väth
You might not necessarily find Sven Väth in the top ten lists of DJ magazines these days. However, his career began in Germany in the early 80s, when techno still received little attention in this country. Therefore, Sven Väth is considered by many to be the “father” of the German techno scene. His name is closely linked to the legendary Cocoon Club in Frankfurt am Main, founded by Sven Väth. The readership of Groove magazine voted Sven Väth the best techno DJ for several years in a row. And for his legacy at least, he's legendary.
Deborah deLuca
In Italy, Deborah de Luca is considered the "Queen of Techno" in her hometown of Naples. Her style seems a bit darker, she says she doesn't follow a specific style. She feels her music with her heart, but her sets also stand out because of her craftsmanship on the controls. Deborah de Luca may currently still be considered an insider tip, but with a new entry in 2020 in both the regular and the alternative DJMag Top 100 , she should soon no longer be one.
Adam Beyer
The name Adam Beyer stands for classic techno that doesn't tend to experiment, but always hits the mark. The Swede also deserves a place in such a list for a completely different reason: in 1996 he founded the Drumcode label together with techno producer Cari Lekebusch. This is now considered one of the most important in the techno field, including its own radio show and a drum code festival. In addition, Adam Beyer still has time to play live every year.
Paul Kalkbrenner
You don't always find his name on international top DJ lists, but Paul Kalkbrenner is one of the best-known and most legendary DJs in Germany. He DJs regularly in his home port of Berlin, as well as countless live sets at European festivals. In this country, even people who don't listen to techno know the name of Paul Kalkbrenner. This may also be due to the fact that Paul Kalkbrenner played a techno DJ as an actor in the film Berlin Calling .
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