How does a DJ (not a producer) get signed to a label?
Ok so I’ve got this friend who’s signed to a pretty decent sized label as a DJ, and I know for a fact he doesn’t produce. How does this happen? Does anyone here know of labels that do sign based on DJ talent only? IF they do, what do they look for?
And no, my friend won’t tell me how 
They look for DJs that have a following.
He is more than likely signed to a DJ agency not a label.
Why would a label sign a DJ?
this^
Maybe he looks cute like Justin Bieber or Mr. Martijn Garritsen and they plan to do the Milli Vanilli trick…
He/she’s your friend, you could ask him/her?
Embarrassed is he? 
must have been a fun audition…
Seriously, though, what label is it?
Ghosts.
There are a couple of DJs I know that are heavily involved with Data Transmission, I’m not certain they’re signed to them, but they get an awful lot of work through them, mainly because thery’re good friends with one of the members of staff.
Isn’t Data Transmission an online dance news site though and not a label?
Ah right, I thought they were a label as well, that would explain it then.
Erm, a DJ that just ‘DJs’, can not be signed to a record label, because record labels sign producers, and producers that DJ too, so if your DJ friend hasn’t produced, he can not be signed to record label…
Logic.
More than likely it’s a misunderstanding and he has hooked up with a DJ agency.
Hmm…I’ve never heard of a DJ getting signed to a label…they probably got signed by an agency or and entertainment company. I know Full Access, Night culture, etc. hire DJs to work for their company specifically as DJs.
Your friend has a booking agent or is used by an event company, like others have said if he is not producing he is not on a label.
A lot of labels do sing DJ acts with a decent following since a lot of producers cant and/or dont dj.
Some outfits do agency, record label, management and events all under one umbrella.
Yeah, thinking back on this I seem to remember that Underground Resistance had a couple of non producing DJs on the books at one time. I think they provided support for the rest of the collective during live shows. It’s not something that seems to happen much these days, I don’t think - or back then either, to be honest.
Still interested in what label it apparently was.
Jam Master Jay, Jazzy Jeff, Spinderella, etc are examples of “non-producer” DJs that were signed. Unless your friend is part of something like that or similar situation, I have doubt he is signed to the label
Defected records have a couple of DJ’s who are strictly DJ’s and are “signed” so to speak, i would assume its the record labels who host big nights which would be more likely to sign DJ’s
Yup, our world is haunted, its a spiritual thing. 