For decades, DJs have been there to keep us moving and grooving to fun party tracks, new remixes that have seamlessly been thrown together, and new favorite songs to add to our playlists.
As a result, it should be no surprise that many songwriters have talked about DJs in their songs! Whether they’re paying homage to DJs or just telling them to turn the music up louder, songwriters have long discussed DJs in music.
In this article, you’ll find 20 songs about DJs to add to your playlist — and to get the party started.
1. “Pon de Replay” by Rihanna
Up first, we have Rihanna’s hit song “Pon de Replay”, first released in 2005. This song opens with the lyrics, “Come, Mr. DJ, song pon de replay / Come, Mr. DJ, won’t you turn the music up?”
The rest of the song pretty much follows suit. Here, Rihanna encourages everybody to get up and dance — and encourages the DJ to continue to hit replay on her song! As one of the biggest hits of the 2000s, this song is always a welcome addition to any party playlist. As a result, it’s also one of the best songs with DJ in the lyrics!
2. “Panic” by The Smiths
“Panic” by The Smiths also talks about DJs! Unlike many of the songs on this list, “Panic” isn’t about partying or enjoying what a DJ is doing. Instead, the song is pretty negative about DJs, as a whole.
The Smiths wrote “Panic” around the time that the Chernobyl incident occurred. According to the band, they heard about the news of Chernobyl — and then a DJ played a song right after telling everyone about this tragedy.
As a result, the band wrote this song. They sing, “Burn down the disco / Hang the blessed DJ / Because the music that they constantly play / It says nothing to me about my life.”
3. “Something For the DJs” by Pitbull
Pitbull released his song “Something For the DJs” on his 2011 album Planet Pit. This song is all about going out, dancing, appreciating the DJ, and having fun! Throughout this song, Pitbull encourages this happiness. As a result, this is one of the best songs with the word DJ in the title!
4. “Hey, Mr. DJ (Keep Playin’ This Song)” by Backstreet Boys
“Hey, Mr. DJ (Keep Playin’ This Song)” by Backstreet Boys, first released in 1997, follows the boy band as they go out to a bar or club. Once there, they find a woman that they instantly want to know more about. So, as a result, they encourage the DJ to continue to play songs.
The band sings, “Hey Mr. DJ keep playin’ this song for me / Out on the floor in my arms, she’s gotta be.”
5. “Play” by Jennifer Lopez
2001’s “Play” by Jennifer Lopez also talks about DJs! This hit song follows Lopez as she sings about how she feels when she hears the DJ play her song. She goes out on the town just to have this experience!
She sings in the chorus, “Play, come on play that song / Play it all night long / Just turn it up and turn it on / Play, come on, DJ, play that song.”
6. “DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love” by Usher
“DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love” by Usher, which appears on his 2010 EP Versus, is all about letting loose at the club after a long week. Usher sings about how he’s ready to have fun and relax. However, he also meets a girl and feels as if he’s seen her before — which leads him to state that the DJ has him falling in love.
He sings, “So dance, dance like it’s the last, last night / Of your life, life, gon’ get you right / ‘Cause baby, tonight / The DJ got us falling in love again.”
7. “DJ” by David Bowie
David Bowie’s 1979 song “DJ” satirizes DJ culture in the 1970s. According to Bowie, he wrote this song because he thought the DJ scene was terrible in how it treated DJs. If you got one song wrong or put one track wrong at the wrong time, your career was ruined. This is shown throughout the song, as Bowie sings about a DJ’s attributes and worries.
He sings the lyrics, “I am a D.J., I am what I play / I’ve got believers / Believing in me.”
8. “God Is a DJ” by P!nk
P!nk’s 2003 song “God Is a DJ”, which appears on her album Try This, discusses P!nk’s past, as well as her outlook for the future. She explains what she’s done, who she’s been, as well as who she wants to be — and then she compares this to a club setting with a DJ.
She sings, “If God is a DJ, life is a dance floor / Love is the rhythm / You are the music.”
9. “I Am the DJ” by Neon Trees
“I Am the DJ” by Neon Trees, first released in 2012, talks about the end of a romantic relationship. The singer says that this relationship has ended. However, he still misses this person and wants to be with them again.
As he can’t, he instead just replays their memories together in his head. He sings, “I am the DJ / And you are the record that I play”
10. “Can You Hear Me” by Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias’ hit 2008 song “Can You Hear Me” also discusses DJs! This song discusses a romantic relationship that has ended. Iglesias is clearly still torn up about this relationship. So, as a result, he heads to a club and wants the DJ to just continue to play music! In this way, he tries to heal from his heartbreak.
11. “Don’t Blame The World, It’s the DJ’s Fault” by Cobra Starship
“Don’t Blame the World, It’s the DJ’s Fault” by Cobra Starship discusses what one can do if one feels sad about anything in one’s life. The band’s answer to these problems? Go out and listen to the music a DJ plays!
When you’re dancing to this music, it can be easy to let loose and forget everything else in the world, especially the things that may be stressing you out. The band sings, “Don’t blame the world, it’s the DJ’s fault / I’ll save your soul, get on the floor, baby.”
12. “All Night Long” by Alexandra Burke and Pitbull
“All Night Long” by Alexandra Burke, featuring Pitbull, follows the singer as she discusses falling for someone while out dancing at a club. When she’s with this person, she doesn’t have any other worries and can just exist in the moment, in the music, and in their dancing.
She sings the lyrics, “You got me all night long / So tell the DJ play it / All night long.”
13. “Last Night a DJ Saved My Life” by Indeep
Indeep’s 1982 song “Last Night a DJ Saved My Life” follows the group as they explain why they have a broken heart. Their romantic relationship is struggling, which has left them feeling sad. However, when they go out to a club, they realize that the DJ — and the music the DJ plays — helps them forget all their heartbreak and worries.
As a result, they sing, “Last night a DJ saved my life with a song.”
14. “Tik Tok” by Kesha
Kesha’s hit 2009 song “Tik Tok”, which appeared on her debut album Animal, was one of the biggest party songs of the late 2000s. The song follows Kesha as she wakes up and gets ready — to go out again. A party song through and through, it’s no wonder Kesha shouts out DJs!
She sings the lyrics, “Don’t stop, make it pop, DJ, blow my speakers up / Tonight, I’ma fight ’til we see the sunlight.”
15. “All I See” by Kylie Minogue
“All I See” by Kylie Minogue also talks about DJs. The song opens with Minogue singing about how she can’t make plans with all her friends. Instead, she has to get ready for the weekend with her man.
By the time we hit the chorus, Minogue informs us that she and her partner have gone out to a club or bar. As a result, they dance together — and nothing could be better. She explains, “Right now they’re playing our song, dance floor is ours / All I see is you / The DJ’s got me feeling like I did when I first met you / And there’s nothing that can break us apart in two.”
16. “DJ Play a Love Song” by Jamie Foxx
Jamie Foxx’s 2006 song “DJ Play a Love Song” followers the singer as he’s at a club. He sees a woman and is interested in her. However, she’s there with her boyfriend. But that doesn’t stop her from looking at him, too!
He sings, “DJ, won’t you play this girl a love song / She really needs to hear this freaking love song / She’s looking at me kinda hard, I can tell that things / Ain’t right on the home front.”
17. “Mr. DJ” by Missy Elliott
Missy Elliott’s 1999 song ‘Mr. DJ” is another great 90s party song about telling a DJ to keep playing your favorite song! Missy Elliott opens the song by explaining that she’s gone out to dance. When she hears a song the DJ plays, she can’t help but enjoy herself and dance the night away — all as she encourages the DJ to continue to play these songs!
18. “Rock the House” by Gorillaz
“Rock the House” by Gorillaz, which was first released in 2001, is, much like many of the other songs on this list, all about partying, dancing, and listening to the great music the DJ is putting on. As a result of this theme, it’s no wonder the band sings, “And when the MC rhyme and the DJ spin / I want y’all to just get down.”
19. “Music” by Madonna
Madonna’s hit 2000 song “Music”, which appears on her album of the same name, opens with the memorable phrase, “Hey Mr. DJ, put a record on / I wanna dance with my baby.”
The rest of the song explains how music makes people come together. Madonna sings how music can unite us all, regardless of where we’re from or what we believe, at least for a moment!
20. “Don’t Stop the Music” by Rihanna
Finally, the last song on our list is Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop the Music”! First released in 2007, in this song Rihanna sings about leaving the stress of daily life behind when you go out to dance. She also sings about finding somebody to dance with and how she doesn’t want the music to stop!
In the chorus, she sings the lyrics, “I wanna take you away / Let’s escape into the music, DJ, let it play / I just can’t refuse it, like the way you do this, keep on rockin’ to it / Please don’t stop the, please don’t stop the music.”