The Most Successful DJs in the UK

Almost five years on, the world is still recovering from the pandemic, with the music scene still struggling from the financial impact. Throw in a cost of living crisis and it’s become harder than ever for artists, venues, and DJs to find success during these gruelling times. 

Recent figures from the International Music Summit (IMS) Business Report 2024 show that 41% of DJs are finding it harder to get gigs than before the pandemic while 40% say gigs are generally paying less. 

With these eye-opening stats in mind, it’s safe to say that nurturing and establishing a successful career as a DJ is a monumental feat during such tumultuous times. 

To celebrate the UK’s most successful DJs, we’ve analysed the number of monthly Spotify listeners, number-one hit singles, and award wins for 32 of the most famous DJs in the UK. 

The UK’s Most Successful DJs

With 626 million users, including 246 million subscribers in more than 180 markets, Spotify is the world’s most popular music streaming service. As such, Spotify offers an in-depth glimpse into DJ popularity, revealing the hottest beats and top trendsetters in the industry. 

When looking at Spotify figures, Calvin Harris reigns victorious with 72.8 million monthly listeners, followed by Disclosure with 23.6 million monthly listeners, and Fred Again.. with 16.7 million listeners.

Chart Champions

Turning to the charts, Calvin Harris remains at the top of the ranks with 11 number-one hit singles including Dance Wiv Me ft. Dizzee Rascal and We Found Love ft. Rihanna. 

Dancing King Duke Dumont and dynamic duo The Chemical Brothers steal joint second place with two number-one hits. Geordie Shore star Joel Corry, Big Beat legend Fatboy Slim, and renowned disc jockey Pete Tong come in third place with one number-one hit singles. 

Award Winners

Calvin Harris remains in the lead with 31 award wins, including three BRIT awards, one Grammy, and one Billboard Music award. The legendary Carl Cox comes in second place with 26 award wins, followed by Fatboy Slim with 19 award wins, and The Chemical Brothers with 17 award wins. 

DJ King Calvin

Consistently dominating the rankings, Calvin Harris reigns supreme as the UK’s most successful DJ with 11 number-one hit singles in the UK charts, 72.8 million monthly listeners on Spotify, and 31 award wins. 

The Gender Gap

It’s not all glowing news, however. The research also found that just 6.25% of the UK’s most successful DJs are female, with Irish DJ legend, Annie Mac, and the Queen of house, Hannah Wants, gracing the list. 

As previously reported, female DJs performed nearly twice as many gigs as their male counterparts in 2023, with male DJs averaging 13 gigs compared to an impressive 23 for female DJs. So despite working twice as hard, female DJs are still not gaining the recognition or success that they deserve. 

To make matters worse, IMS reports that one-third (33%) of female DJs are passed over for key opportunities compared to 20% of male DJs. The report also shows that 30% of female DJs have had their career experience questioned compared to just 13% of male DJs. 

Despite female DJs working harder than their male counterparts, they are not given the same opportunities and are even more likely to have their abilities questioned. This needs to change. With the music industry still grappling with the aftermath of the pandemic, it’s become increasingly difficult for young talent to cut through the noise, especially female DJs.