In this guide, we’ll show you how to get unreleased music. This will enable you to set your DJ sets apart as something wholly unique from every other DJs out there.
While playing and having access to fully released music is a normal and expected thing for a DJ, the rules are a bit different when it comes to music that has yet to be released, new music. Yes, as it so happens, some DJs seem to always manage to get a hold of new tracks before them being released to the masses at large.
And if you’re wondering, it’s pretty much as difficult as you’d expect. As a result, DJs that do manage to gain access to these heretofore unreleased tracks are considered somewhat fairly big players, influencers as such, using that as a bit of a flex on other DJs in the community. Unfortunately, the process, while hardly an “easy” one, is certainly doable and surprisingly “simple”.
What Actually is Unreleased Music?
Unreleased music specifically refers to tracks that an artist has recently produced but has not yet released to the public. These song tracks may either be a sort of preview to a later album, songs that didn’t cut their previous album, or just one-offs that the artist hasn’t decided on one way or the other.
As you can imagine, these tracks are almost impossible to come by for average DJs and can be something of a real game-changer on the off chance that they do. This becomes especially difficult if you’re a DJ that’s just starting, as you, at the time, likely won’t even have the reputation required to convince people you’re worth giving a chance.
So, how can a DJ get access to these unreleased tracks, especially if they’re essentially starting from ground zero?
How To Get Unreleased Music? Access Methods
As mentioned earlier, the overall process, while hardly considered “easy” is certainly simple. Saying that, consistency is absolutely key to your approach.
Method #1. Find/Research Your Music Style
The first method requires that you do a bit of internet sleuthing. To do this, you’ll need to research the type and style of music you’re interested in and want access to. From there, go online and find some of the best download internet sites that will let you download songs from that genre.
This method, while relatively simple, is not quite as impressive as some of the following methods mentioned. Here, you’re pretty much just going to get cast-off tracks that, while unreleased, probably aren’t going to be that great. Still, if you’re willing to do the leg work, you can probably find a gem or two.
Method #2. Use Social Media
The next method that you’ll need to do is to take advantage of social media. Places like Instagram, SoundCloud, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Reddit are all ideal spots that you can use to connect with various artists, both big-time and largely unknown.
This method is a bit more involved than the previous but has just as high a chance of giving you some tracks worth playing. You’ll want to foster a good relationship with some smaller artists at first if you want any chance of reliably getting hold of any unreleased tracks.
Method #3. Joining Communities
The third method you can use to get unreleased tracks is by joining a music or DJ community. This is a pretty difficult method since, while smaller communities are easier to get into, they are also much less likely going to have any new music to play with.
On the flip side, the more exclusive DJ community groups are almost guaranteed to have a regular and steady stream of unreleased tracks but are (as the name implies) incredibly exclusive. You’ll need to prove you’re worth letting in before you can get any of the community’s benefits, something very difficult for most people.
Now that we’ve gone over a brief overview of how you can gain unreleased music, let’s now get in-depth on some of these methods so you have some tangible steps to follow.
Pro Advice For Getting Unreleased Music
Tip #1. Talk To Record Labels
The first method is by using social media to research into and interact with your favorite record labels. This is especially great for smaller record labels, as you can grant them additional exposure in exchange for getting some of their unreleased music. In effect, you’re able to gain a ton of tracks that may not be heard by others while simultaneously running a promotion for them.
In addition to Instagram and Twitter, SoundCloud is also a great place you can go to reach out to smaller artists. There, you can foster a relationship with them before getting unreleased content in exchange for helping promote them based on your shared interests.
Tip #2. Join A Music Community
The second must-do thing you need to do, if you’re serious about getting new music, is to join a music community. These communities are known as “record pools”, “record share communities”, or “DJ pool communities”. These communities are filled with DJs and producers that regularly post entire albums, EPs, as well as early-release tracks to promote themselves. Some great record pool options include Promo Only and Beatport Link.
Record pool communities are pretty affordable and, provided they allow you to enter, you may be granted access to a pretty steady stream of unreleased music.
Is Beatport LINK Just Another Library?
Tip #3. Develop A Relationship With DJs and Producers
The third best way to get unreleased music is one of the easiest. This is by establishing a friendship with a DJ or producer and leveraging that relationship to gain tracks that are not currently available for mainstream use.
You may think that making friends with some of these people is difficult when in reality, it’s pretty simple. Yes, you’re going to need to invest some time and energy in them, but once these people know that you’re “on the level” it won’t be too difficult for them to offer you access to some of their tracks.
How To Get Unreleased Music: Takeaway
When it comes to unreleased music, you need to understand that it is out there and it is a legitimate and viable way to make yourself stand out, both to your fellow DJs in the community as well as to your audience. It’s a way of presenting yourself as a unique option that is wholly different from the rest of your peers, especially if you take these tips to heart during the early reputation-forming years of your DJ career.
You’ll also see that most of the methods listed are relationship-based methods. That wasn’t an accident. By growing a community of DJs, artists, and producers in your social circle, you cannot only consistently offer unreleased tracks to your crowd, but you can also help grant these artists much-needed exposure to put them on the map.
Take the time, invest your energy in developing and cultivating a strong relationship, and soon you’ll see that, while all of your fellow DJs are playing from the same pop list of options, you’ll have something wholly different and much more memorable.
