IMS Ibiza 2025: 61% of Emerging DJs Say Social Media Trumps Talent

When Numbers Outshine Talent: The New Reality for Emerging DJs at IMS Ibiza

Ibiza’s Global Summit Exposes a Changing Industry

At the electrifying International Music Summit in Ibiza, one statistic echoed like a warning: 61% of emerging DJs now believe “social media numbers matter more than musical skills.” This figure, revealed by the Pete Tong DJ Academy before an audience of industry insiders, artists, and electronic music fans, crystallizes one of the hottest debates shaping today’s scene.
The survey, conducted among 15,000 DJs and producers from the Pete Tong DJ Academy community, highlights a generational divide and a profound shift in what defines success. For many, landing gigs and club slots is now about digital influence, with musical talent sometimes taking a back seat. This reality, far from unanimous, raises sharp questions about the future of creativity and fairness in the industry.

The Rising Weight of Social Media: Opportunity and Pressure

In a world where every click counts, presence on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube is now non-negotiable.

“Every [social media] post feels like a test. If it flops I feel like a failure.”

confided a 24-year-old DJ-producer from France, whose testimony was shared at the summit. This constant pressure, felt by a majority of young artists, is shaping new rules: it’s no longer enough to ignite a dancefloor-you must also captivate a global digital audience and turn every moment into viral content.
This shift is partly driven by the democratization of music production and distribution tools. Today, anyone can become a DJ or producer, but standing out from the crowd requires extraordinary visibility. For promoters and clubs, social media numbers are now a guarantee of profitability, sometimes at the expense of artistic risk.

“No matter how good you are, you’re not going to get the big bucks and the big gigs until you’ve got a social media following and online presence big enough to draw in fans and justify your cost.”

An Industry Perceived as a “Closed Club”

A sense of exclusion is palpable: 62% of surveyed emerging DJs feel the electronic music industry operates as a “closed club.” Access to major stages, festivals, or labels seems tied to the ability to generate buzz and build an online following. This reality fuels a fiercely competitive climate, where notoriety often trumps artistic individuality.
For some, this evolution reflects a hard economic logic: in a globalized, saturated market, the ability to attract and retain an audience is central. For others, it threatens the diversity and vibrancy of the electronic scene, discouraging talents who struggle to break through the algorithmic jungle.

Resilience, Mental Health, and Disillusionment

In the face of these new challenges, resilience is essential. 35% of artists surveyed believe that “if you keep at it, it eventually happens.” Yet the reality is more nuanced: 52% report having felt anxiety or burnout, and 31% have considered quitting music in the past year. The ever-present demand for content, the pressure to stand out, and the struggle to manage one’s image weigh heavily on young DJs’ mental health.
This constant stress is not without consequences. Some artists describe losing the joy of mixing or producing, suffering from chronic fatigue, and feeling like failures when engagement drops.

“It’s more than a little unfair. If, for example, you were a stunningly talented guitarist, mind-blowingly innovative new drummer, or the voice of a new generation you could comfortably expect to find a way to get noticed through amateur gigs and being part of a local music scene. But in the great level playing field of the DJ, it looks like every DJ booth has an immediate barrier to entry.”

A Booming Sector-But at What Cost?

Paradoxically, the electronic music industry has never been more prosperous. According to the IMS Business Report 2025, the sector generated $12.9 billion last year, a 6% increase over 2023. Festivals and clubs make up the bulk of this revenue, fueled by record attendance and the explosion of electronic music content on TikTok and other platforms. In 2024, videos tagged #ElectronicMusic surpassed those of indie and rap genres for the first time.
Yet this growth is largely built on soaring ticket prices and a concentration of profits among the biggest players. Emerging artists, meanwhile, struggle to turn digital notoriety into real bookings or paychecks. The promise of an open, accessible scene clashes with the reality of a market where visibility outpaces innovation.

Towards a New Balance?

This shift toward a numbers-driven industry raises questions about the place of talent, creativity, and risk-taking. While social media offers unprecedented opportunities to build a following, it also imposes codes and constraints that don’t fit every artist. The question remains: how can the electronic scene preserve authenticity and diversity in the face of the algorithm’s rule?
For electronic music fans, these changes are a call to rethink how we discover and support new talent. The future of the scene will likely depend on artists’ ability to balance digital influence with artistic integrity-and on the willingness of fans to champion music as an experience, not just a number on a screen.