How To Become A House Music DJ In Your 40s, 50s And Beyond

18.03.2024 - 17:07 / forbes.com

The world of electronic dance music (EDM) is exploding. The market for this music—and the experiences associated with it—is on a serious growth trajectory. And it’s not limited to any single demographic, age group, generation or geographic region. The trend is global and just about universal.

To be clear, EDM is nothing new. It’s had its ups and downs since house music was pioneered in Chicago in the early ‘80s on the heels of the disco revolution. The pandemic played a role in the current resurgence, as many dabbled with DJing and music production while sheltering in place, but there was plenty of momentum leading into the Covid-19 crisis.

In 2023, at the age of 51, I decided to become a house DJ. This may seem old but consider that some of the biggest DJs today are in this age range: Deadmau5 is 43, Kaskade, who became the first DJ to play the Super Bowl this year, is 52 and Tiësto is 55. Then there are newcomers Shaq aka DJ Diesel (51) and Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon aka DJ D-Sol, who is 62 and now semi-retired from DJing. It’s fair to say that this art form is open to anyone.

Personally, I enjoyed the music enough to want to understand the craft of DJing and eventually perform. It’s not unlike being a fan of Formula One and wanting to drive a race car on a track to appreciate the sport and skill it requires. That’s a big part of what my DJ journey has been about. If you’re attending music festivals or going to nightclubs, having DJ skills enhances those experiences, as you can better appreciate the performances and what goes into them. Plus, it’s a great skill to have for hosting parties—whether at your home, on a boat or at a family function.

“Since DJing has become more mainstream, many music lovers find the barrier for entry much easier than a conventional musical instrument such as guitar or piano,” says Matt Pekmezian, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for AlphaTheta Music Americas (parent company to Pioneer DJ). “Folks between 40-60 feel that DJing would yield quicker musical results than, say, learning the guitar or piano later in life.”

Indeed, the following is the story of this journey as well as a guide to becoming a DJ at any age—but specifically at an age when many might assume it’s too old to get started.

This should go without saying, but you should enjoy the music you play. If you’re young and wanting to pursue a career as a DJ, you might make sacrifices in this area. For example, you might be passionate about house music, but you also have to take wedding gigs to pay the bills. This requires open-format DJ skills, where you play hip-hop, Top 40, classic rock and pretty much whatever the customer wants. In this case, you’re playing for the audience as opposed to playing to the