• It's Real!

• Spotify Hikes It Up Again

• Apple's Creator Bundle

• AI Will Roast Your DJ Set

• Veo Levels Up

RANE System One Is Official — The “Leak” Wasn’t Lying After All

A few weeks ago, grainy photos of mysterious boxes labeled RANE System One started floating around the internet. We covered the rumors, joked about the “accidental” Guitar Center leak, and collectively agreed this felt way too polished to be a mistake.

Today, RANE made it official: System One is real, it’s standalone, and it’s RANE reminding everyone they still know how to shake a DJ booth.

What’s New

RANE System One is a fully standalone DJ system designed for performance-first DJs who want pro hardware without being glued to a laptop. It combines RANE’s signature build quality with a modern, all-in-one workflow that’s clearly aimed at clubs, touring DJs, and serious home setups.

Key highlights:

• Standalone operation (no laptop required)

• Large touchscreen interface built for fast navigation

• Pro-grade RANE sound (the part nobody debates)

• Performance-focused layout with pads, effects, and real controls — not menu diving

• Built to feel like hardware, not software wearing a metal costume

This isn’t a “controller-plus.” It’s a system.

Why It Matters for DJs

RANE System One isn’t about adding more features — it’s about reducing friction. Fewer cables, fewer points of failure, fewer moments where you’re staring at a spinning wheel while the dance floor stares back. For working DJs, especially in clubs, festivals, and high-pressure gigs, standalone reliability isn’t a luxury anymore — it’s survival.

System One also signals a shift toward confidence-first DJing. You prep at home, show up, plug in, and play. No OS updates. No background apps. No praying your laptop battery holds out through the encore. Just a focused environment designed to keep you in the mix and out of troubleshooting mode.

In short: this isn’t about doing more — it’s about doing your job better, with less anxiety. And that’s a feature DJs actually care about.

In last weeks poll we asked “Now that the CDJ-3000X supports Apple Music, would you trust streaming at your next gig?” 47% responded “Yep — if the Wi-Fi’s strong, I’m in.”

Happy National DJ Day! Come get your gift from Aaron tonight on Twitch

Aaron Traylor is doing something DJs almost never do. He’s giving away his entire playlist library and set history. Every crate. Every track that made it into rotation. Plus the notes and metadata that explain why it worked. Yep, he’s gone mad. You can only get this live tonight, there will be no replay.
🎥 Live on Twitch + cratehackathon.com

🗓️ Tuesday, 8PM ET / 5PM PT

Spotify Prices Are Going Up (Again) — Here’s Exactly What’s Changing

Spotify is once again adjusting its pricing in the US, with increases expected next month, and this time the details matter. This isn’t a vague “sometime soon” hike — it’s a targeted move that reflects how aggressively Spotify is reshaping its platform around video, AI, and social features.

And yes, DJs should care more than they think.

What’s New (The Actual Numbers)

According to recent reports, Spotify is preparing another US price increase, following hikes that already landed in 2023 and 2024.

Expected changes:

• Individual plan: increasing from $10.99 → $11.99/month

• Family plan: expected to rise again (likely $19.99 → $21.99/month)

• Student and Duo plans may also see adjustments, though details are still being finalized

This would mark Spotify’s second US price increase in under two years, something that used to be almost unthinkable for the platform.

Why It Matters for DJs & Creators

Spotify isn’t raising prices because it’s struggling — it’s raising prices because it’s investing heavily in features that keep people inside the app longer.

For DJs, that means:

• Spotify is doubling down as a music discovery engine, not just playback

• Listeners paying more expect more engagement, not just playlists

• Discovery pressure increases — fewer passive listeners, more intentional ones

When users pay more, they:

• Skip less

• Engage more

• Expect smarter recommendations

That makes Spotify’s algorithmic decisions — and how DJs interact with them — even more influential.

The Bigger Picture

This price hike lines up perfectly with Spotify’s recent expansion:

• Music videos rolling out inside the app

• Real-time social listening features

• AI-prompted playlists

• Deeper ties to DJ software and prep workflows

Spotify isn’t trying to win on price anymore.

It’s trying to justify being the center of music culture, not just the background app playing in your car.

Things DJs Should Keep in Mind

• Some casual listeners may churn — core fans won’t

• Expect Spotify to push new features hard to justify the increase

• Discovery tools will matter more than raw follower counts

• DJs who understand Spotify’s data signals gain leverage

This isn’t about an extra dollar a month.

It’s about Spotify officially saying: “We’re not the cheap option anymore — we’re the main one.”

Apple Launches Creator Studio Bundle — All the Power Tools, Half the Excuses

Because nothing says “I’m a serious creator” like Final Cut, Logic Pro… and a monthly Apple bill.

What’s New:

Apple just announced Creator Studio, a $12.99/month subscription that bundles six of its flagship creative apps for Mac and iPad — including Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage. Also included: premium templates and content in Keynote, Pages, and Numbers, with more features (like Freeform access) coming soon.

This isn’t just bundling for bundling’s sake. Apple is also dropping smart AI tools across the suite — think Transcript Search and Montage Maker in Final Cut, and Chord ID + natural language search in Logic. Basically, it’s your entire content and music workflow on one subscription — optimized, synced, and pretty as hell.

Why It Matters for DJs & Creators:

If you’re making DJ edits, livestream intros, YouTube reels, or wedding videos, you’ve probably touched at least one of these apps already. Now, you can get all of them in one place without spending $299+ per app. Final Cut and Logic alone make this bundle worth it — especially for creators who bounce between audio, video, and design.

MainStage even turns your Mac into a live performance rig for keyboards, synths, or voice FX — so if you’ve ever wanted to build a DJ set with a bit more Ableton-esque drama, here’s your shot.

Bonus: Students and educators can snag the bundle for just $2.99/month. That’s almost criminal.

Other Things to Know:

• Launches January 28, with a 1-month free trial

• Existing one-time purchases still available

• Pixelmator Pro is now on iPad with full Apple Pencil support

• Beta tools in Keynote now include slide-generating AI and layout cleanup (your future DJ pitch decks just got a glow-up)

Bottom Line:

This bundle is Apple’s version of saying: Why are you still bouncing between 10 apps, two devices, and three subscriptions to post one video? For under $13/month, Creator Studio turns your Mac into a full-on content command center — perfect for DJs who are creators by night, and editors by morning.

Let me know if you want a poll to pair with this or a social caption to tease it in your newsletter.

Ever listen back to a set and think, “Yeah… that might’ve been illegal”? In this video, Aaron puts a new free tool to the test that does what your friends won’t: it tells you exactly where your set worked, where it dipped, and what to fix next.

Did My Set Suck isn’t another boring spreadsheet analyzer — it’s a context-aware AI coach that reads real DJ exports from Rekordbox, Serato, Traktor, VirtualDJ, Djay Pro, or even Spotify playlists. Upload a set list, get roasted (politely), and walk away with actionable fixes: energy flow, momentum drops, track positioning, and what to change next time. Brutally honest, surprisingly helpful, and actually fun to read.

Free tool. Real feedback. No motivational poster nonsense.

Google Levels Up Veo — AI Video Gets Smarter, Faster, and Harder to Ignore

Google just rolled out a major upgrade to Veo, its AI video generation tool, and yes — this is Google once again reminding everyone that it plans to be very involved in how video content gets made in 2026. If AI video felt clunky, generic, or unusable a year ago, this update is Google saying, “Cool… now try this.”

What’s New

Google’s latest Veo updates focus on control, quality, and consistency, three things creators have been loudly complaining about.

Key improvements include:

• Longer, more coherent video outputs (fewer “what am I watching?” moments)

• Better prompt understanding, including camera movement, style, and pacing

• Improved character and scene consistency across shots

• Higher-quality motion and transitions, making clips feel less slideshow-y

• Tighter integration with Google’s broader AI ecosystem

In short: Veo is moving from “AI demo” toward something creators could actually use.

Why It Matters for DJs & Creators

Video is already non-optional for DJs — promos, teasers, socials, recap clips, ads. What Veo brings to the table is speed without sacrificing polish.

This means:

• Faster promo videos without filming everything yourself

• Visuals for tracks, edits, or events before you even step into the booth

• More consistent branding across short-form content

No, this won’t replace real crowd footage or POV DJ clips — and honestly, nothing should. But for support content(intros, transitions, explainers, teasers), AI video is becoming dangerously useful.

The Bigger Picture

Google isn’t chasing TikTok — it’s chasing infrastructure. Veo fits neatly alongside:

• YouTube Shorts

• Google Ads

• AI-assisted creative workflows

The goal isn’t just making videos — it’s making more video, faster, inside Google’s ecosystem. And if you think DJs won’t be nudged toward using it for promos, ads, or branding… yeah, that nudge is coming.

Things to Know

• Veo still requires good prompts (garbage in, garbage out)

• AI video works best as a layer, not a replacement

• Expect AI-generated visuals to flood social feeds in 2026

• Authentic footage will matter more, not less, as AI content increases

AI video isn’t here to replace your craft — it’s here to replace your excuses for not posting.

Use wisely.