The 27 best DJs of the '90s

You’ve read our thoughts on the best '90s bands, but how could we leave out the ravers? Whether it’s house, techno, big beat, trance, drum and bass or UK garage, the '90s were a melting pot of different styles, with scenes happening across the world. 

If you hated bubblegum pop, didn’t fancy the laddish swagger of Oasis, or couldn’t stomach Nirvana for more than 5 minutes, you could pour yourself into the many styles of dance music, head to a club and lose yourself in kick drums, snares and synth sounds, standing next to a soundsystem likely bigger than your head and pumping out low end frequencies that rewired your brain.

From Pete Tong and DJ Harvey to Jeff Mills and DJ Fonti, here are the best '90s DJs of all time. 

 

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house

Pete Tong 

 

We’d hate to think about dance music without Pete Tong. His Essential Mix show on Radio 1 showcased top DJs throughout the '90s, with the likes of Carl Cox, Photek, Massive Attack and Dreem Teem just a few of the names contributing mixes. Just look at that list. You’ve got trance, drum & bass, trip-hop and UK Garage, and if you were to look at contributions from the past 30 years, you’d find all shades of electronic music spoken for. As for his own DJ sets? Well, they’re not bad either. Tong has held down residencies at Pacha and Eden, and he helped bring Radio 1 to the White Isle. Pete, we salute you as one of the best ‘90s DJs.  

 

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DJ Harvey

 

The phrase ‘DJ’s DJ’ is a little cliché, but for DJ Harvey, it makes sense. Cutting a striking figure with long, flowing locks and a strong tache, he was one of the first residents at Ministry of Sound. Alongside that residency, Harvey helmed the club night ‘Moist’ and spun tunes in Ibiza for years. While we’ve placed DJ Harvey in the house category, genres don’t really mean much to him. He’s played house, balearic, disco and acid house over the years, all with a focus on the essence of people gathering under one roof and having a good, old knees-up. 

 

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DJ Paulette

 

The Hacienda was full of trailblazing selectors, and DJ Paulette was right up there with the best of them. She cut her teeth as a resident at the cult LGBTQ night Flesh, before taking her sound – a heady mix of soulful house, banging techno and deep disco – to clubs like Heaven and Ministry of Sound, where she also held residencies. Paulette is one of the best '90s house DJs, thanks to her ability to keep the groove going from start to finish. She didn’t just hold her own; she led the charge and broke down barriers in the process. 

 

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Masters at Work

 

With Masters At Work, the clue’s in the name. True, the studio was their domain in the '90s – producing tons of influential tracks and remixes – but behind the decks? They were no slouches, either. 'Little' Louis Vega and Kenny 'Dope' Gonzales helped to shape the sound of New York house in the '90s with residencies at The Sound Factory Bar in Manhattan, blending Latin rhythms, jazz flourishes and soulful vocals into sets that felt as rich as their productions. Their 1997 Essential Mix is proof: two hours of pure groove where sax riffs, vocal anthems and deep rollers all lock together like magic. No list of '90s house DJs would be complete without them.

 

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Laurent Garnier

 

There aren’t enough superlatives for Laurent Garnier. Truly one of the best '90s rave DJs, his exposure to the Manchester scene in the 80s sparked a career that’s spanned over 30 years. He went on to play at the Hacienda, taking his love of house, techno and disco back to his native country of France, resuming his DJ career in the '90s after mandatory military service. From there, it was go time. He dazzled Paris crowds, helping to put the city on the map as an electronic music hotspot. Like DJ Harvey, we’ve placed Laurent in the house section, but his style is borderless. Jazz, funk, soul and drum & bass have popped up in his sets over the years, and it’s that ear that’s brought fans front left whenever he’s behind the decks.

 

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techno

Carl Cox

 

When you think of the golden era of dance music, you think of huge moments, euphoric tracks and a DJ that can tie it all together. For many, that DJ is Carl Cox. One of the first true global superstars, Cox cut across hardcore, house, trance and techno, bringing the underground to the masses without ever losing the rave spirit. His F.A.C.T and F.A.C.T 2 mix albums helped push techno into the spotlight, while his pioneering three-deck wizardry set a new standard for DJs everywhere. A powerhouse behind the decks and a world-class '90s rave DJ.

 

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Miss Djax

 

While techno originated in Chicago and Detroit, the sound eventually migrated to Europe. Saskia Slegers — aka Miss Djax — was a pivotal part of this migration. Her label, Djax-Up-Beats, released a flurry of records from techno artists, which helped to establish the sound across Europe. Her 1998 set at Berlin’s Love Parade, a techno knees up which began in the summer before the fall of the Berlin Wall, is deemed as legendary by fans of the sound across the world. Here, ravenous techno heads move and shake to Miss Djax’s blend of roughneck, acidic techno sound. It’s a real sight to behold.

 

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Jeff Mills

 

In the comments of Jeff Mills’ 1998 Essential Mix, one commenter states ‘If techno was the star wars jeff is master yoda’. Now, if you aren’t familiar with Star Wars, Yoda is the wise old sage who’s practiced the force for hundreds of years. It’s funny, but it’s not wrong. The opening of said Essential Mix sounds like a lunar rover, the rhythms turning like mechanical wheels and the synths whirring like the electronics in the engine. The energy builds and builds until the sound gets more intense, each hit of the drumline affecting the whole body. Only wise sages have this level of mastery over their equipment, and Jeff Mills has it in abundance. 

 

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Richie Hawtin

 

Although he was born in the UK and raised in Canada, Richie Hawtin is seen by many as a pioneer of the second wave of Detroit techno. A mix CD recorded under his Plastikman alias in 1995 is a deep exploration of the genre, blending raw, metallic and funky tracks with softer, spacier sounds. It all sounds cohesive, though. Later in his career, Hawtin would become known for pioneering the more minimalist strand of techno, cementing his place as one of the best DJs of the ‘90s. 

 

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Sven Väth

 

Talk to anyone well acquainted with the White Isle, and they’ll tell you about Sven Väth. A techno icon, his Cocoon parties in Ibiza first began in 1996, with Papa Sven – as his fans call him – reviving the name in 1999 as a booking agency, label and party series. In the ‘90s, Väth’s sets were fierce, equal parts trancey euphoria and hard, driving techno. The reputation he built in the '90s gave him the platform to go on to bigger things, including a 30-hour set. We’ll leave you to track that one down. 

 

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trance

Paul van Dyk

 

Paul van Dyk, what an icon. In the '90s, he was synonymous with the euphoric, uplifting sound of trance, both on the production and DJ side. His 1999 Essential Mix, recorded at Cafe Mambo, showed him at the peak of his powers. Here, PvD keeps the energy high, treating ravers to an exhilarating collection of tunes that, even 26 years later, sitting in rainy old England, still makes you want to jump out of your seat and have it large. When he drops his 1998 smash ‘For An Angel’, you can feel the energy bursting from speakers, even if you’re listening on laptop speakers.

 

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Sasha & John Digweed

 

On their own, Sasha and John Digweed are great. But together? They’re absolutely unreal. In the '90s, they defined progressive house and trance, taking ravers on marathon sets that spanned warm-up grooves to full-blown, under-the-sun euphoria. They fine-tuned that progressive house sound at Mansfield’s Residence, eventually going on to release a mix CD titled ‘Renaissance: The Mix Collection’, which, get this: was apparently the first ever gold-selling mix CD in the UK. Later residencies at clubs like Twilo in New York only served to further their reputation. A list of the best DJs of the '90s wouldn’t be complete without Sasha & John Digweed.

 

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Armin van Buuren

 

Before the sold-out festivals, cover appearances and fame, Armin Van Buuren cut his teeth with a water-tight mixing style and an ability to craft sets with a healthy dose of uplifting trance and underground grit. Appearances in clubs like Club Nexus, which often lasted for 6 hours or more, laid the foundations for Van Buuren to eventually become a five-time number one DJ in the DJ Mag Top 100. A true trance legend. 

 

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Tiësto

 

Soundtracking the Athens Olympic Games was a high point for Tiësto, but before that, he was one of the ‘90s most revered trance DJs. With mix CDs like Forbidden Paradise and Magick, he packed his sets with euphoric builds and soaring melodies, pulling ravers skywards with every drop. Those mixes were bursting with the emotional energy that the best trance brings, and by the end of the decade, Tiësto became a bona fide star of the electronic music world. 

 

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Judge Jules

 

In the '90s, Judge Jules’ Radio 1 show was appointment listening for a whole generation of ravers, dishing out trance and hard house heaters while getting listeners hype for the weekend. Behind the decks, he was just as essential. As a regular at Gatecrasher, Cream and Ministry of Sound, he became the poster boy for superclub culture, with fast, fierce sets that made punters want to wave glowsticks from beginning to end. This dedication makes Judge Jules one of the best '90s rave DJs.

 

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big beat

Fatboy Slim

 

If there’s one man who turned big beat into a household sound, it’s Norman Cook. Better known as Fatboy Slim, he was throwing a party every time he got behind the decks, and his sets were pure fun – his On The Floor At The Boutique set shows it. Funky, rowdy and impossible not to shake a leg to. Thanks to his entertaining style, Fatboy Slim proved DJs could be rockstars, and in the '90s, he was untouchable. 

 

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Andrew Weatherall

 

Ahh, Andrew Weatherall. What an absolute legend. We’ve placed him in the big beat category thanks to his legendary work on Primal Scream’s ‘Loaded’, but to be honest, he could slot into many categories. With one of the best record collections and ear for a tune the UK has ever produced, he spun acid house, house, disco, techno and pretty much everything under the sun – even rockabilly. That always-on, always open-minded approach makes him one of the best DJs of the '90s by far.  

 

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The Chemical Brothers 

 

The Chemical Brothers practically invented their own lane with seismic DJ sets, packed with their own bangers, slabs of techno and breaks that rattled venues to their core. It didn’t matter if you liked electronic music, rock or hip-hop, as the duo smashed it all together and created something massive. They developed that sound at their Heavenly Social residency in London, before going on to release their debut album Exit Planet Dust and changing the face of electronic music as we know it in the UK. 

 

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drum and bass

Goldie

 

Music, film, graffiti and TV — Goldie has done it all. But those in the know will recognise him for his contributions to the jungle and drum and bass scenes. He co-founded Metalheadz, also pioneering the use of time-stretching and sampling soul cuts on his debut album Timeless. Side note: what a flex to call your first album timeless and it actually be timeless. Behind the decks, he was a machine. His 1996 Essential Mix is an unrelenting two hours of hardline breaks, airy synths and roughneck bass, perfectly synthesising the sound he helped to pioneer. 

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Andy C

 

Andy C’s nickname is The Executioner. No, he’s not mixing axe-throwing and drum & bass at his events; it’s due to his penchant for steaming headfirst into his sets and playing the hard-edged stuff straight off the bat. But that’s not all he’s known for. ‘Valley of The Shadows’ and ‘Body Rock’ are just a few of the tunes in his arsenal. He started the now legendary RAM Records and stuck with the genre even in its lean years. One of the best '90s DJs, for sure. 

 

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Shy FX

 

 

With 1994’s Original Nuttah, Shy FX gave jungle one of its biggest anthems, and his DJ sets carried that same fire. Fast, furious and rooted in sound system culture, Shy’s '90s appearances cemented him as one of the most exciting DJs around. On sets at Jungle Fever and Telapathy, you can hear Shy laying down ferocious jungle cuts for MCs like Skibadee, Shabba and Stevie Hyper D to chat lyrics over and get the crowd moving. A true legend in the game. 

 

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Fabio & Grooverider

 

 

The godfathers. Fabio & Grooverider’s residency at Rage, a clubnight held at Heaven, planted the seeds for jungle & drum and bass. DJs like Kemistry and Storm – who’ll appear later on this list – were in attendance for those legendary Thursday nights with Goldie, taking the inspiration heard at the club into their own tunes and DJ sets. Hip-hop, house and techno were all mashed into one, creating the mutant, breakbeat-led sound we know and love today. 

 

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Kemistry & Storm

 

As we mentioned earlier, Kemistry & Storm’s experiences at Rage led them to the decks, eventually going on to co-found Metalheadz alongside Goldie. The duo, best friends, were trailblazers in a largely male-dominated jungle & drum and bass scene, and they cut through with top-tier mixing, selection and a relentless work ethic. Their 1999 DJ-Kicks mix is Kemistry & Storm at the peak of their powers, an hour of foundation-shaking rhythms and industrial synths. 

 

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DJ Randall

 

 

If you love the DJs in the drum and bass section, then you have to check out DJ Randall. Randall pretty much inspired them all, sitting alongside Fabio & Grooverider as one of the pioneers of jungle & drum and bass. Randall’s sets made heavy use of the double drop technique, sending ravers into a frenzy whenever he utilised it. His sets at AWOL have gone down as the stuff of legend, with Randall being the DJ to debut Goldie’s ‘Terminator’. You can imagine just how wild the crowd went…

 

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uk garage

DJ EZ

 

 

The Nike cap, the sorcery on the decks, the selections… DJ EZ is one of the key figures of UK Garage. Cutting his teeth on pirate stations like Freek FM, he developed a technical mixing style and a reputation for cutting the hottest dubs. As the genre took off, he moved to Kiss FM, mixed the Pure Garage compilation series and played nights like Exposure, Twice As Nice and Sidewinder. For a taste of that '90s UKG flavour, check out EZ’s set with MC Kie at United Dance 1999. It’s a masterclass in garage. 

 

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Tuff Jam

 

 

Whether it’s their Essential Mix or Underground Frequencies mix series, Tuff Jam always brought the heat. Comprised of Karl ‘Tuff Enuff’ Brown and Matt ‘Jam’ Lamont, the duo were key players in the '90s UKG scene. With a tight mixing style, healthy dose of soulful vocals, tumbling bass and danceable rhythms, their sets are a must listen if you love the genre. Away from the wheels of steel, they were esteemed producers and remixers, supplying the scene with bangers and presenting on Kiss FM.

 

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DJ Fonti

 

 

While the mainstream UKG was all about champagne and Moschino, by the late '90s, things were getting darker on the underground. As selector for the influential Heartless Crew, DJ Fonti was at the forefront of this shift. Fonti supplied the heat and MCs Bushkin and Mighty Moe spat the dirt on the mic. They spread this sound via raves, tape packs, studio sets and abroad in resorts like Aiya Napa, laying the foundation for what we now know as grime music.

 

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And there we have it — the best 90s DJs who defined a decade of dancefloors. Fancy taking the nostalgia one step further? From throwback club nights to full-on rave reunions, Skiddle’s got plenty of ’90s events to keep the vibe alive. Round up your crew, dust off the old Moschino or bucket hat, and relive the era when the 90s DJs ruled the world — one euphoric drop at a time.

 

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