5 ways to discover music from DJ mixes

DJ mixes are one of the best ways to discover new music. A good DJ doesn't just play tracks - they create a journey, introducing you to music you'd never find through algorithms alone.

But hearing a track in a mix is just the beginning. Here's how to dig deeper.

1. Convert tracklists to Spotify playlists

The most direct approach. If the mix has a tracklist (and many do), turn it into a playlist you can explore at your own pace.

Community radio stations like NTS, Rinse FM, and Worldwide FM publish tracklists for their shows. DJ mix platforms like Mixcloud often have tracklists in the description. Even YouTube DJ sets frequently have timestamped tracklists in the comments or description.

You can convert these tracklists to Spotify playlists with makelist.co - paste the URL and you'll have a playlist in seconds.

Once you have the playlist, you can:

Listen to each track in full (not just the mixed segment)
Save your favourites to your library
Explore the artists' other releases
See related artists Spotify suggests

2. Follow the DJs who inspire you

When you find a DJ whose taste you trust, follow their trail. Most DJs share more than just mixes.

Radio residencies - Many DJs have regular slots on community radio stations. If you love a DJ's Boiler Room set, check if they have an NTS show where they dig even deeper. Social media - DJs often share tracks they're into on Instagram stories or Twitter. It's a window into what they're playing before it appears in a mix. Record labels - Check which labels they release on or run. Label back catalogues are gold mines for discovery. Other mixes - One DJ usually has mixes across multiple platforms. Boiler Room, Resident Advisor, fabric, Dekmantel - search their name and you'll find more. Bandcamp - Many DJs are also producers. Following them on Bandcamp shows you their own music plus what they're buying.

3. Use Shazam during live streams

When a DJ is playing live on radio, Twitch, or Instagram Live, keep Shazam ready.

Not everything will be identified - unreleased tracks, edits, and obscure releases often don't register. But you'll catch more than you'd expect, especially if the DJ is playing some known quantities alongside the deep cuts.

Shazam also builds a history, so you can go back and explore your identifications later.

For recorded mixes, some apps like SoundHound and Shazam can identify tracks if you play them through speakers (not headphones). Worth trying on particularly stubborn track IDs.

4. Check the comments and track IDs

The track ID community is global and generous. If you hear something you can't identify, someone else has probably asked - or answered.

YouTube comments - For popular DJ sets, scroll through the comments. Listeners often timestamp their identifications. "Track at 32:15 is [Artist] - [Track]". Reddit - Subreddits like r/IdentifyThisTrack, plus genre-specific communities (r/House, r/Techno, r/DnB, etc.) are full of people who know their music. Discord servers - Genre communities often have channels dedicated to track IDs. The collective knowledge is impressive. 1001tracklists.com - For well-known DJ sets, full tracklists are often crowdsourced here. Direct contact - Some DJs respond to track ID requests on social media. Worth asking politely.

5. Dig into the artists you discover

When you find an artist you love through a mix, go deep. Don't stop at the one track.

Full albums - The track in the mix might not even be their best work. Listen to full releases. Collaborations - Check who they've worked with. Collaborators often share similar tastes. Labels - What label released the track? Browse the label's full catalogue. Labels are curated - everything they release tends to share a sonic identity. Their own mixes - Many producers also DJ. Find their mixes and you'll discover what inspires them. Bandcamp followers - On Bandcamp, you can see what an artist has purchased. It's a direct window into their influences. Remix credits - Check what remixes they've done and who has remixed them. Both directions lead to related artists.

The discovery chain

The best music discovery is a chain reaction.

One mix leads to one track leads to one artist leads to one label leads to another mix, and suddenly you've found a whole new corner of music you never knew existed.

The key is to keep pulling threads. Don't just passively listen - actively dig. Save the tracks. Follow the artists. Explore the labels. Convert the tracklists.

Every mix is a map to more music. You just have to follow it.