Like many music scenes, DJ culture is one in flux, always evolving in time with technology, trends, styles and rapidly shifting consumer habits.
One constant among these ongoing changes is the growth of the electronic music world.
The latest statistics from the IMS Business Report 2025 showed how the global electronic music industry is currently valued at $12.9bn (£10.2bn), a six percent year-on-year increase from the previous year.
As this research illustrates, it’s clearly a burgeoning sector, meaning it’s a great time for DJs looking to make their mark and study ICMP’s one-year Cert HE DJ course.
Appetites for sound are always changing
Music never stands still and DJ culture certainly marches to the beat of its own drum. Particular sounds and genres often come and go in terms of finding favour with listeners, DJs and clubbers.
According to SoundCloud’s first Music Intelligence Report, released earlier in 2025 to showcase what is regularly uploaded to the platform, UK garage and bassline have seen a 31 percent increase in plays, with a projected 20 percent growth rate for the coming year.
Minimal and tech-house have consistently risen in popularity, remaining two of the UK’s top genres too.
Trance’s upload growth on SoundCloud has risen overall by 29 percent which showcases a major shift in the genre’s popularity and indicates a current appetite for more fast-paced musical styles.
No phones in the dance
Social media has of course impacted every area of our lives in recent years and dance music is no different.
However, many clubs are reacting to the rise of phones on the dancefloor by banning or restricting their use in a bid to encourage more focus on the music, social interaction and the moment instead of recording something to post online after an event has taken place.
Clubs such as Berlin’s Berghain, FOLD in London alongside And in Johannesburg have long had this rule in place (it’s the latter’s no phones policy pictured above) – but many other promoters and venues are adopting this too, from Hï Ibiza to Ambers, one of Manchester’s freshest and newest club spaces.
Audiophile events and listening spaces
High-end audio is an increasing concern for dance music lovers of all kinds. Club audio innovators like Funktion-One have long flown the flag for quality sound in nightlife spaces for many years. Open Ground in Wuppertal is the latest venture and billed as one of the most beautiful sounding systems in the world.
Dedicated listening bars have been part of Japanese culture and their influence has increasingly seeped into electronic music within the UK, with album playback and listening sessions now growing in popularity.
In London, spaces like Spiritland, Brilliant Corners, and their Giant Steps project have paired brilliant DJs with bespoke and customised audio experiences. DJ Floating Points and his Sunflower Soundsystem have been one of dance music’s hottest tickets this summer, appearing at events including Glastonbury and Dekmantel in Amsterdam.