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The Subculture of Social Media (for DJs Who Hate Social Media)

Dance music is born from subculture. Underground. Alternative. Marginal. Expressive. These words are stitched into the DNA of the scene — they aren’t add-ons, they’re its source code.

But here’s the paradox: DJs — the very people shaping and soundtracking this world — often recoil at the idea of expressing themselves on social media. The idea of being “alternative” in a digital context feels cringeworthy to many. The need for attention? Even worse.

I’ve lost count of how many DJs I’ve met — friends, collaborators, serious artists — who say they hate social media. Not just dislike, but disdain it. And I get it. I get it deeply. Social platforms often feel loud, fake, and bloated. They’re full of noise — and not the kind we love.

There’s a quote I read recently that nails it: “On Instagram, people don’t communicate — they perform.”

Which is ironic, because DJs are performers. But that quote hits a nerve because performing online feels hollow to many of us. Performance with no feedback loop. Vibes with no dancefloor. Attention with no connection.

Here’s the thing though — not all social media is a stage. Just like in dance music, there’s an underground. A subculture within the platforms themselves. Beneath the Reels and Stories and flashy TikToks, there are quieter, more intimate tools — comms channels that actually build connection rather than just chase reach.

I’m talking about:

• DMs in Instagram
• Messages and comments in SoundCloud
• Posts and feedback loops on Mixcloud

These are the subsystems. The tunnels beneath the main roads. They might not trend, but they resonate.

Here’s why they matter:

1. They let you have real conversations — 1-to-1, not 1-to-all.
2. They help you build actual relationships — not just rack up stats.
3. They give you control of your message — your way, your vibe.

Instead of obsessing over the thousands who aren’t following you, why not focus on the people who already are? Communicate. Announce. Ask. Thank. Invite. Experiment. Be human.

That’s “version social” — the alternative route. No pressure to perform. No fake urgency. No audience approval addiction.

Just signal over noise.

That is the subculture.