70 per cent of DJs have had to retrain during the coronavirus pandemic

A new survey has found that the vast majority of DJs in the UK have been forced to retrain due to the coronavirus pandemic.

70 per cent of DJs responding to a survey by Pirate.com said that they have retrained over the last year, 29 per cent of whom have shifted into music production.

“I trained as a barber and also learned how to make beats,” one anonymous respondent told the site.

26 per cent of respondents said that the pandemic has made them less likely to pursue a career in music at all, with 20 per cent unsure.

54 per cent of DJs reported a loss in revenue due to Covid-19, one of whom said their losses totalled over £55,000. 21 per cent applied for government or organisational support, 13.5 per cent of whom were successful.

“I was running club nights in Glasgow. After cancellation clauses in contracts and flight companies going bankrupt, we’ve lost everything we’d invested in the brand,” another anonymous respondent said.

The range of people surveyed is described as DJs “at every stage of their careers,” and include club DJs, wedding DJs and DJ/promoters.

The survey also focussed on the positives of the last year. Pirate.com said that some respondents referred to 2020 as a ‘cultural reset’, while others said they had noticed more of ‘a community feel’ in the electronic music scene.

The survey noted that many have also used the last year as an opportunity to brush up on or expand their DJing skills. 61 per cent of those surveyed said they would be happy to perform an indoor gig despite the pandemic, while 22 per cent said maybe.

Under the UK’s current ‘road map’ exit strategy from the coronavirus lockdown, gigs and nightclubs could return without the majority of social distancing restrictions from June 21.