Building Up a Music Collection

Whether you choose to use more conventional Vinyl or CD as a media for your mobile disco or choose to become one of the growing number of digital dj's then if you are about to start a mobile disco, you are going to need a very comprehensive music collection.

Running a mobile disco, will mean that you will be catering to family functions with upto 3 generations of age groups in attendance, and this will require you to have all manner of songs. The mobile dj will need enough music to undertake a varied and mixed playlist consisting of  rock'n'roll, 60's, motown, Northern Soul, 70's, Disco, Ska, Punk, Party, 80's, 90's, Old Skool, Rock, and the latest chart tracks too. Of course, if you end up doing a lot of wedding receptions, then usually the keyword here is CHEESE!.

Playing to such a wide age range at the average mobile disco function, will often mean playing music which you are not familiar with, or that you wouldn't opt to listen to your own time. However something which appeals to everybody in the audience at some time during the course of the evening is what being a mobile dj is about, and will result in more bookings for your mobile disco. Unless, you set out just to specialise in one type of music, and also clearly advertise the fact, then playing solely what you, as an individual choose to listen to, may not appeal to those at the functions which you do, and this of course will leave you open to negative feedback!.

So what do you play?. Well there are 1000's of tracks from every era which made it into the charts so how do you know what will work and what won't?. Well, that is impossible to say until you actually meet your audience, and attempt to keep the dancefloor busy!. However there are some 'must have' tracks which tend to be paid week in week out by most mobile dj's and we list a few of these here, so you get an idea of what music is required, and on what to spend your money!.

There are two downloadable files, listed to the right, and both are in word format. One contains a lost of popular tracks which are requested on a regular basis. The list has been compiled by several working mobile dj's on the DJ's United forums.

The second file contains a DJ playlist, and this was based on a typical running order of music, at a Wedding Reception.

Where to buy your music?

Not surprisingly, if you are on a budget then the second hand market tends to be the best place to look for compilations containing music from different eras. Ebay is also a very popular place to look, and a simple search for terms like "Now Album" can bring up 100's of auctions, some containing sellers with a huge amount of back catalogue material and Ex-Juke Box CD compilations being sold for a few £'s

One of the quickest ways of building up a CD Collection is to invest in some of the "DJ Only" Cd Compilations, offered by companies like Mastermix or DMC. However this isn't always the cheapest option, as DJ Only material does seem to come at a price with 12 - 15 track compilations costing from £15. With a little effort you can find the same music on multi-disc compilations available on Box Sets from high street and mail order retailers, and TV Advertised companies such as Time Life this can be a more affordable way of getting the same music!.

Savings can also be made, by buying music online from Non UK Mail Order Companies such as CD-WOW and CDJungle. Often you can find brand new albums far cheaper than on the high street.

Legal Downloads are also becoming more common amongst mobile discos and the general consumer alike. Prices per download start from as little as 79p per track and compilations from £6.00. The positive thing about downloading music is that you can choose each track individually rather than buying a compilation cd for a couple of tracks, and having several others that you will never need!.

Music Buying Links

Here we list links to the above mentioned websites, and others which may be of interest to anybody purchasing music, or building a CD Collection!.

The DJ's United Forums - Mobile Disco Discussion / Advisory Community

7 Digital Downloads - Legal Downloads From 79p!

CD WOW! - New Compilation CD's at Lower than High Street Prices

CDJungle.com - Another cheap CD Mail Order Company

Pasimo Ebay Store - Wide Range of Back Catalogue "Now...." Music  CD Collections

Time Life Music - Competitively priced Box Sets from the 60's - 90's

Mastermix - DJ Only Material, Specialising in Mix CD's and DJ Box Sets / Compilations

DMC World - Similar to Mastermix above, DMC Provide CD Box Sets and Music for DJ's