• The Resurgence of Dance Music

• Latin Wedding Hackathon Tonight

• Where Does Serato (and others) keep your metadata

• TikTok's First AI Generated Hit

• Hack Your Crates, Not Your Sanity

Dance Music Is Evolving — Even If Nobody’s Dancing

Let’s be honest: we previously called it — club crowds aren’t dancing like they used to. Yet somehow, dance music is hotter than ever.

According to a new report by We Rave You, we’re not just in a musical moment — we’re witnessing a full-blown cultural reset. Here’s what DJs and creators need to know:

Dance Music Is Growing… Without the Dance Floor

• Despite fewer bodies on the floor, streaming numbers, festival bookings, and genre popularity are up across the board.

• This signals that dance music is no longer just for clubs — it’s ambient, cinematic, and lifestyle-integrated.

• Spotify’s AI-driven playlists and TikTok dance edits are helping EDM seep into daily life (gym, driving, studying, crying over your ex… you name it).

The Rise of DIY & Inclusive Raving

• Gen Z isn’t chasing velvet ropes — they want intimate, authentic, and inclusive spaces.

• New “anti-club” venues like Signal in Brooklyn and Jean’s in NYC are about sound quality, community, and vibes over VIP.

• The big-room, bottle-service model is giving way to pop-up raves, warehouse parties, and hybrid spaces where your outfit matters less than your energy

Enter: The Clubstaurant Era

• Think dinner party meets DJ set — venues like COQODAQ are blurring the lines between fine dining and nightlife.

• These aren’t rowdy nightclubs; they’re curated cultural experiences — where you sip soju while listening to downtempo house and pretending you don’t have to be up at 7am.

Algorithm A&Rs Are Changing the Game

• Platforms like TikTok, SoundCloud, and Instagram are now A&R machines, pushing underground producers to the top.

• Labels aren’t the gatekeepers anymore — viral moments + niche communities = global fanbases overnight.

• DJs need to stay tapped in, not just to Beatport charts, but to micro-trends and local sounds circulating online.

What This Means for DJs & Creators

• Adapt your sets to match the room — you might not be playing peak-hour bangers in these new hybrid spaces.

• Diversify your crates — ambient house, indie dance, amapiano, lo-fi techno… they’re all fair game.

• Curation is king — Gen Z wants a journey, not just a drop. Think: storytelling with sound.

📖 Read the full cultural deep-dive from We Rave You here:

Dance Music Is Undergoing a Cultural Revolution

💡 This is your sign to stop chasing “mainstage energy” and start curating real moments.

Are Your Latin Crates Getting Stale?

Landing a multicultural wedding gig and not sure what to play (besides the same 3 songs everyone expects)? DJ Nate Acosta is here to upgrade your Latin/Multicultural game. With years of experience rocking diverse dance floors, he’s breaking down his exact formula — from reading the room to blending Latin bangers that unite generations.

🕗 Live Training + DJ Set | Tuesday at 8PM ET

🔥 Perfect for DJs who want to crush bilingual weddings without second-guessing the crate.

👉 Don’t miss the Multicultural/Latin Crate Hackathon — because you’re better than another “Suavemente” set.

RSVP HERE

Where Your DJ Software Really Stores Your Data

Let’s face it — prepping for a gig is hard enough without worrying if your cue points, loops, and playlists will actually be there when it’s time to hit play. And yet, most DJs have no idea where their software keeps this sacred info. Are your crates living safely in the cloud? In some ancient XML scroll? Etched into your MP3s with hope and prayers? The good folks of Digital DJ Tips recently did a comparison and we wanted to break it down here software by software — because how your data is stored could determine whether your next gig is fire… or a full-on gear meltdown.

Rekordbox (AlphaTheta)

• Data Lives: In a centralized database.

• Translation: All your hot cues, beatgrids, loops, and playlists are tucked away neatly in a single library file, notembedded in your tracks.

• Risk Factor: Move your music files without syncing or exporting properly and… poof. Say goodbye to your crate curation masterpiece.

• Pro Tip: Use “Export Collection” like your career depends on it. Because it kinda does.

Serato DJ Pro

• Data Lives: Inside your actual music files, even WAVs (yes, Serato’s a little sneaky like that).

• Translation: Your settings follow the file. Drop that MP3 on another Serato system, and boom — same cue points.

• Why It’s Cool: Makes transferring between laptops and back-up drives super easy.

• Gotcha: Playlists and crate structure? That still lives in your Serato folder — back that baby up like it’s your retirement account.

Traktor Pro (Native Instruments)

• Data Lives: In a central database and partially within the files.

• Translation: It’s like Traktor couldn’t decide, so it said “why not both?”

• Pro: If your database corrupts, there’s a small chance your files still know what’s up.

• Con: If you’re bad at organizing, welcome to cue-point chaos. Traktor expects you to keep things clean, unlike your laundry pile.

VirtualDJ

• Data Lives: XML files by folder or drive, plus support for embedded tags.

• Translation: The Swiss Army knife of DJ metadata. It can read Serato tags, manage by folder, and probably fix your broken marriage.

• Complexity Level: High. But in return, you get flexibility and decent redundancy.

• Warning: Just don’t rename folders without telling VDJ — it gets touchy.

djay Pro (Algoriddim)

• Data Lives: In app containers (macOS/iOS), sometimes iCloud.

• Translation: If you’re in the Apple ecosystem, it’s smooth sailing. Otherwise… good luck.

• Vibe: DJay is like the Tesla of DJ software: pretty, efficient, and kind of a walled garden.

• Issue: Metadata doesn’t travel well — syncing across devices without iCloud is like trying to AirDrop to a potato.

Engine DJ (Denon DJ)

• Data Lives: Engine’s own internal database.

• Translation: You prep in Engine DJ, export to USB/SD, and Denon gear reads it like gospel.

• Fast Load Times: Those waveforms? Pre-rendered. Boom.

• Danger Zone: If your USB isn’t backed up or you overwrite the database… you’re starting from scratch.

• Bonus: Integrates with streaming and Dropbox, which is surprisingly baller.

Why Should You Care?

Because losing your crates is emotional damage.

Also:

•  Portability: Know if your metadata travels or is chained to one laptop.

• Backups: Knowing where the real data lives means you can actually protect it.

• Cross-Platform Flexibility: Great if you’re juggling multiple systems or collaborating with other DJs.

Moral of the story? Learn where your digital brain is stored before it suffers a memory loss. And please — for the love of all that is BPM-synced — back up your stuff.

💾 Stay organized. Stay ready. Stay on beat.

In our last poll we asked Could AI Shape The Future of DJying. 43% responded: “Yes – AI tools will be my co-producer soon”

AI-Generated Song “Million Colors” Climbs TikTok Charts

In a groundbreaking development, the AI-generated song “Million Colors” by Vinih Pray has surged in popularity on TikTok, demonstrating the growing influence of artificial intelligence in music creation. This track, crafted with the assistance of AI tool Suno, has captivated users on the platform, leading to widespread sharing and engagement.

AI Meets Viral Trends

• Creation: “Million Colors” was developed using advanced AI music generation tool Suno.ai, allowing for rapid composition and production.

• TikTok Success: The song’s catchy melody and relatable lyrics have resonated with TikTok users, resulting in a surge of videos featuring the track.

• Chart Performance: Its popularity on TikTok has translated into chart success, highlighting the platform’s power in influencing music trends.

Implications for the Music Industry

• Democratization of Music Production: AI tools are lowering barriers to entry, enabling more creators to produce high-quality music without traditional resources.

• Changing Role of Artists: The success of AI-generated music prompts discussions about the evolving role of human artists in the creative process.

• Legal and Ethical Considerations: As AI-generated content becomes more prevalent, questions arise regarding copyright, ownership, and authenticity.

The rise of “Million Colors” signifies a shift in how music is created and consumed. As AI continues to integrate into the music industry, artists and producers may need to adapt to new tools and methodologies. The success of AI-generated tracks on platforms like TikTok could pave the way for a new era of music innovation.

Stay tuned as we continue to explore the intersection of technology and creativity in the evolving music landscape.

How Crate Hackers is Saving DJs HOURS Every Week

Tired of last-minute set prep chaos? Enter Crate Hackers — the tool that scans your entire library, builds expert-curated crates by BPM & key, syncs with your DJ Event Planner, and even imports Spotify playlists like magic.

From TikTok trends to wedding bangers, it filters only the heat. Bonus: new tools like algRTHM let you blend playlists, remove duplicates, and fine-tune energy levels for seamless sets.

🎧 Works with Serato, Rekordbox, Virtual DJ, AND streams via Spotify, Beatsource, Tidal, & more.

Click. Sort. Rock the party. 

BONUS: We’ve got a special 7-day free trial of Crate Hackers so you can take your crate digging to the next level. Grab it here: https://www.cratehackers.com/7daytrial