Who Was the First DJ?

Who Was the First DJ? Uncovering the Origins of Disc Jockeying

When we think about DJs today, the image that often comes to mind is of someone behind a turntable or controller, headphones on, mixing tracks under pulsing lights. DJs are cultural icons, crowd conductors, and often the heart of any music-driven event. But have you ever paused to wonder—who was the very first DJ? Who sparked this incredible journey that turned record spinning into an art form, a career, and a global phenomenon?

This question isn’t just about identifying a name—it’s about understanding how a simple idea transformed into an entire culture. It’s a story of innovation, resilience, and a love for sound that transcends generations. So, let’s rewind the records and take you back to where it all began.

The Word “Disc Jockey”: A Radio Revolution

Before DJs took over clubs, festivals, and massive arenas, the term “disc jockey” originated from the world of radio. The phrase was coined in the 1930s, when radio announcers began playing pre-recorded music on the air. The “disc” referred to phonograph records, and the “jockey” was someone who operated or ‘rode’ the disc—hence, disc jockey.

The man most commonly credited as the first disc jockey is Ray Newby, a young 16-year-old from Stockton, California, who, in 1909, began playing records over the airwaves. Working with Charles Herrold, a radio broadcasting pioneer, Newby used a spark transmitter and a phonograph to bring music to listeners long before commercial radio became widespread.

Ray Newby was far ahead of his time. He wasn’t just broadcasting—he was curating. He chose what others would hear. In a way, that makes him the earliest example of someone using recorded music to create an experience for others. But the story doesn’t end—or even fully begin—there.

The Emergence of the Club DJ

Fast forward to the post-war era, and you’ll find the rise of club DJs—a different breed from the radio personalities. This was where disc jockeying took on new life, outside the constraints of broadcast studios and into the hearts of social gatherings.

In the 1940s, Jimmy Savile, a British entertainer, claimed to be the first person to use twin turntables to keep the music playing continuously for his audiences. He organized dance parties where he played jazz records and encouraged dancing—an idea that sounds simple today but was revolutionary back then. Savile’s approach laid the groundwork for what would eventually become the modern DJ set.

While Savile’s later personal controversies rightfully removed him from the cultural pedestal, his early involvement in turntable experimentation set precedents in musical performance that others built upon.

From Selectors to Sound Systems: Jamaica’s Contribution

The story of DJing cannot be told without highlighting the Jamaican sound system culture of the 1950s and ’60s. This is where the concept of a DJ as we now recognize it truly evolved.

In Jamaica, DJs were known as “selectors.” These were individuals who not only played records at parties but also remixed them live, added spoken commentary (toasting), and manipulated the music’s tempo and energy to suit the crowd. They worked with massive sound systems in street dances, often drawing hundreds of people.

One iconic figure was Count Machuki, considered the first to engage in live toasting—speaking rhythmically over records, which later influenced hip-hop’s birth in the Bronx. His legacy, and that of sound system culture at large, cannot be understated. It showed the power of using records not just as background music, but as a way to communicate, uplift, and unite.

The Bronx Spark: Birth of Hip-Hop and Turntablism

Now, let’s talk about Kool Herc, a Jamaican-American DJ who in the 1970s brought sound system culture to the Bronx, New York. Often called the “Father of Hip-Hop,” Kool Herc innovated by isolating and looping the breaks in funk records—the parts where the beat dropped and dancers came alive.

With two turntables and a mixer, he extended these breaks live, laying the foundation for turntablism—the art of using a turntable as an instrument. It was Herc’s parties that gave birth to not just a new way of DJing, but a whole new culture—hip-hop.

Here, the DJ wasn’t in the background. They were the main act, the creator, the driving force behind a movement that would sweep across the world. Other pioneers like Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa, and Grand Wizard Theodore continued to push the envelope with scratching, beat juggling, and layering.

The Unsung Innovators: Women and Global Pioneers

While history often highlights male figures, it’s crucial to recognize the contributions of female DJs, who helped shape the landscape from the shadows. In the 1950s, Alison Steele, known as “The Nightbird,” became one of the first female radio DJs in New York, blending music with poetry and storytelling. Later, figures like DJ Kemit, DJ Rap, Miss Kittin, and Annie Mac would blaze trails in club culture and beyond.

Around the globe, local pioneers were emerging in their own right—spinning vinyl in underground scenes, radio stations, and community halls. From Berlin to Tokyo, Lagos to São Paulo, disc jockeying became a universal language that connected people across continents.

More Than Music: DJs as Cultural Curators

So, who was the first DJ? The answer depends on how you define DJing.

• If it’s about broadcasting music over the airwaves: Ray Newby deserves the title.
• If it’s about performing live with records: perhaps Jimmy Savile, or Jamaica’s selectors.
• If it’s about technical mastery and artistic expression: Kool Herc and his peers take the crown.

But maybe the more important question is not who was first, but how DJing evolved into something so rich, diverse, and globally loved. Each of these pioneers contributed something essential. They didn’t just play music—they curated emotion, experience, and culture. They challenged the idea that music must be performed live to be meaningful. They opened doors for technology, genre-blending, and the empowerment of voices that might never have been heard otherwise.

The Digital Turn: DJs in the Modern Era

With the rise of digital platforms, the role of the DJ has expanded exponentially. No longer limited to vinyl, DJs now use USBs, laptops, and cloud-based crates. Yet the essence remains the same: connecting with an audience through a carefully curated sound.

Whether it’s Carl Cox at a massive festival, Peggy Gou energizing a Berlin club, or a local DJ spinning house tracks at a backyard party, the spirit of the original DJs lives on. Innovation continues, but it always nods to those early trailblazers who saw potential in the turntable.

Optimism for the Future

What makes the story of the first DJ so inspiring is not just the “firsts”—it’s the proof that creativity finds a way. From makeshift radio setups to global stages, DJing has always been about passion over perfection. It’s an art form rooted in resilience and curiosity.

Today, anyone with a smartphone can learn to mix. Access is greater than ever. And while this democratization may overwhelm some purists, it also offers an incredible opportunity: a world where anyone, anywhere, can pick up the headphones and carry forward a century-old legacy.

The next great DJ could be mixing tracks from a bedroom in Nairobi, a garage in Detroit, or a rooftop in Mumbai. The tools have changed, but the heart remains the same.

Final Thoughts: Everyone Starts Somewhere

The first DJ might not be a single person, but a series of innovators linked by curiosity, rhythm, and an unshakable love for music. From Ray Newby’s early broadcasts to the sound clashes of Kingston, from Bronx block parties to Ibiza dance floors—the story of DJing is a story of humanity’s enduring desire to move, connect, and celebrate through sound.

So next time you hear a great mix or feel the beat drop just right, remember the journey that brought that moment to life. It’s a journey that started over a hundred years ago—and it’s still going strong.

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Inspired?
Then turn up the volume, chase your rhythm, and keep the legacy alive—because the world always needs a new voice behind the decks.