Martin Garrix sat down for an interview recently with Dutch newspaper Het Parool. Opening up on his hometown Amstelveen, how he spends rare moments with his family, ADE shows and his thoughts on gender in the dance music industry. He was also questioned on the annual DJ Mag Top 100 DJ chart, to which he was not so supportive of.
The fan-voted chart is set to reveal its 2019 results during the Amsterdam Dance Event conference this week. It has been run with charity partner Unicef and the winner will perform a short set during AMF. Garrix has claimed the title three years in a row now.
In the interview, he discusses that he’s not concerned with his number as it has no change on what he’s doing, or why he’s doing it. He then gives a nod to his long-time Idol and mentor Tiësto, who he suggests shouldn’t be lower than him on any list.
“I really don’t care, the so-called world ranking. I don’t need a list to do what I like. I am at 1, yes. And Tiësto is very many places below me. That doesn’t make sense, does it? I started playing music through him. I am not a better DJ than him, maybe now I just have a bit more hype around me. “
He further brings up the voting process and how the list often includes many unknown acts. His point does beg the question of how do artists that have nowhere near the following beat out well-known, and constantly touring DJ’s with decades of experience?.
“By the way, there are also people in that list from whom I have never heard of, so I have my doubts about the creation.”
Garrix goes on to discuss the importance of placement on the DJ Mag list for artists who want to tour Asia. China likely a key focus for many, where traditional social media numbers, streaming platforms and followers don’t have as much of an impact. The DJ Mag brand has built a solid reputation in the club world and it’s possibly a measure to many event-goers of credibility.
“In any case, I have never made a call to vote for me and I will never do so. Whether that list should be abolished? I can try, but it will continue. Particularly in Asia, great importance is attached to it. But the only thing that really matters is how many tickets you sell and whether you make people happy.
While some are eagerly waiting to see artists get higher recognition, others including artists, will be relieved it marks the end of campaigning, Instagram ads, screenshot reposts and forced video messages pushing their fans to vote.
The alternative industry chart from 1001 Tracklists, which focuses on producers is also making it’s 2019 reveal during the ADE week. Don Diablo was crowned last year, and it contrasts the social-based Top 100 with its results being based on the data of when songs are played at music festivals, nightclubs, live streams and radio shows.
Martin Garrix’s quotes are a Dutch to English translation, some sentences could be inaccurate. To read the full interview which discusses his upcoming ADE performance, his family time and how he is spending the holidays you can read more in the full interview here.
