During a Revealed Recordings party as part of Amsterdam Dance Event last night, former #1 DJ Hardwell went off on an epic rant against the publication that once afforded him that title. DJ Mag is no stranger to controversy when it comes to their infamous Top 100 DJs list, an annual ranking of dance music’s biggest stars that is a frequent point of contention among fans and industry members alike. With this year’s edition of the top 100 having just been released, it’s no surprise to see a big league producer taking shots at the poll, though we wouldn’t have guessed it would be Hardwell.
During the rant, Hardwell stated that one of the artists on his Revealed Recordings roster would never “get the chance to play the big festivals” because they aren’t on the list, touching on the notion that the Top 100 DJs poll has a negative effect for some musicians.
The artist in question is Atmozfears, with Hardwell stating that he believes the Hardstyle producer is more talented than himself. He also expresses disappointment that his other signees, Dannic and Dyro, merely charted towards the bottom of the list at 70 and 93.
It’s a bit unexpected to hear Hardwell‘s criticisms of DJ Mag considering his continually high rankings on the Top 100 list, but it’s good to see him use his influence to try and help up and coming artists.
Tell us, what are your thoughts on the DJ Mag Top 100 list? Sound off below and let us know!