DJ AWARDS ANNOUNCE 2025 NOMINEES AND BRAND NEW CATEGORIES

Voting for the 2025 edition of the DJ Awards is now open

The DJ Awards is the longest-standing celebration of global electronic music culture and it now unveils the 2025 genre-specific, voted for categories and nominees alongside the public voting launch on Thursday 21st August

Founded in 1998, the DJ Awards returned in triumphant fashion to Ibiza in 2024 after a four-year hiatus. It is proud to be an independent and non-pay-to-play platform that recognises and celebrates talent on merit alone. Unlike some popular polls, DJ Awards’ nominations are all presented by a fully independent Grand Jury of industry experts and insiders who come from over 50 leading music brands and businesses. This means they truly dig deep into the various different genres and sub-genres of DJ culture to give a full, authentic and proper representation in the dance music industry.

After last year's successful relaunch, the DJ Awards has quickly been re-established as an important part of the international dance calendar. Last year’s genre specific winners included Black Coffee (Afro), Sam Divine (House), Armin van Buuren (Trance), CamelPhat (Progressive House), Chase & Status (D&B), Fisher (International DJ), WhoMadeWho (Organic House), and Luciano, who received the Ibiza Icon Award.

Now, the 2025 edition builds on that momentum with a wide-ranging selection of categories spanning genres, geographies and industry influence, as well as a new commitment to raise the number of female nominees in each genre category to at least 2. 

Brand-new for this year is the Balearic category which is so key to the sound of Ibiza and will honour DJs who embody the genre-defying, sun-drenched energy synonymous with the White Isle's famous musical spirit, as well as Hard Dance/Bounce, which has had a huge revival in the last 12 months. These additions again highlights the DJ Awards’ commitment to recognising key subcultures across the electronic landscape.

As well as Balearic, the categories this year include Afro, Breakthrough, Drum & Bass, Garage/Bassline, Hard Dance/Bounce, Hard Techno, House, International DJ, Latin/Reggaeton, Live Act, Newcomer, Prog/Melodic, Tech House, Techno and Trance, with full nominees listed below. 

As always, the DJ Awards also feature a number of Industry and Special Recognition Awards, which are proposed by a jury of music professionals before a winner is announced ahead of the award show. These include Track of the Summer, Party of the Summer, Icon Award, Lifetime Achievement, Eye On: MENA, DJ Livestream of the Year, and Play It Back – Social Impact Award.

The venue for this year’s ceremony will be revealed in the coming weeks, with further announcements to follow regarding the Industry Awards and special performances, so keep your eyes peeled.

Voting opens Thursday 21st August at djawards.com

INTERNATIONAL DJ

Calvin Harris

David Guetta

FISHER

Honey Dijon

Keinemusik

Martin Garrix

Peggy Gou

Solomun

AFRO

Black Coffee

DBN Gogo

Francis Mercier

Kitty Amor

Major League DJz

Shimza

Themba

BALEARIC

Andy Baxter

Clara Da Costa

Jason Bye

Jon Sa Trinxa

Mina

Willie Graff

BREAKTHROUGH

Ahmed Spins
ANOTR

Desiree

Dom Dolla

Franky Rizardo

Josh Baker

MAU P

Mestiza

DRUM & BASS

A.M.C

Andy C

BOU

Chase & Status

Dimension

Friction

Mollie Collins

Nia Archives

SHERELLE

GARAGE/BASSLINE

DJ EZ

Eliza Rose

Girls Don't Sync

Interplanetary Criminal

Riordan

Sammy Virji

Silva Bumpa

HARD DANCE/BOUNCE

Adrian Mills

Bad Boombox

Ben Hemsley

Hannah Laing

Kettama

Marlon Hoffstadt

HARD TECHNO

99999999

Amelie Lens

Fantasm

I Hate Models

Klangkuenstler

Nico Moreno

Sara Landry

HOUSE
Dennis Cruz
Gorgon City
James Hype
Kerri Chandler
Sam Divine
Seth Troxler
The Martinex Brothers
TSHA

LATIN HOUSE/REGGAETON

DJ Foxy

DJ Riobamba

Hugel

Juan Magan

Masivo

Tony Touch

LIVE ACT

Ben Böhmer

Bicep

Fred again..

Odesza

Overmono

RÜFÜS DU SOL

SOFI TUKKER

Sofia Kourtesis

The Prodigy

NEWCOMER

Anaïs

Benwal

Deer Jade

Levi

Nala

Olive F

Super Strings

PROGRESSIVE/MELODIC HOUSE

Anyma

ARTBAT

Bedouin

Blond:ish

Franky Wah

Hannah Wants

Miss Monique

WhomadeWho

TECH HOUSE

Carlita

East End Dubs

Jamie Jones

Joseph Capriati

Luciano

Manda Moor

Marco Carola

Michael Bibi

Paco Osuna

PAWSA

TECHNO

Carl Cox

Charlotte de Witte

Deborah De Luca

Enrico Sangiuliano

Indira Paganotto

Marco Faraone

Sven Väth

TRANCE

Aly & Fila

Armin van Buuren

Ferry Corsten

Giorgia Angiuli 

KI/KI

Nora en Pure

Paul van Dyk

SABAI RELEASED HIS NEW TRACK ‘SAME HIGH’ FEATURING TRELLA ON IKIGAI MUSIC

Vancouver-based producer SABAI unveils his latest single “Same High (feat. Trella)”, out August 15, 2025 via his imprint Ikigai Music. Blending emotional depth with cinematic electronic production, the track explores the relentless cycle of chasing validation and the quiet unraveling that happens when the high fades.

Written during a period of burnout and emotional exhaustion, “Same High” captures the internal spiral of never feeling satisfied. With lines like “Feel the rush then it turns to dust / Falling out of my reach,” the lyrics depict the rush of achievement dissolving just as quickly as it arrives. It’s a portrait of someone stuck in a loop; pushing harder, running faster, only to end up right back where they started.

“I thought I outgrew needing validation from others… but here I am again, chasing the same high,” SABAI shares. “It just shows up differently now. Whether it’s hitting new milestones or proving something to myself, it never seems to be enough. That’s what this song is about.”

The track features Nashville-based vocalist and songwriter Trella, whose vulnerable performance brings heartbreaking weight to the story. Known for her work with artists like Dabin, William Black, and Kai Wachi, Trella voices the emotional toll of perfectionism and pressure with unflinching honesty: “What’s the point of this / Sitting alone in a hotel room in Vegas / And I hate it.”

“Same High” is the latest in SABAI’s growing catalog of emotionally resonant electronic music, following his recent release “Fuck It, I’m Alright” with Miles Away and Olivia Ridgely. His music fuses melodic bass, cinematic builds, and unfiltered lyricism to explore themes of identity, burnout, and healing.

Fresh off major performances at Lost In Dreams (LA), Beyond Wonderland (Chicago), and FVDED In The Park (Vancouver), SABAI now enters the next phase of his “Fuck It, I’m Alright” Tour. Upcoming dates include cities across North America, with a milestone debut at Terminal 5 in New York City this fall.

SABAI is a Thailand-born, Vancouver-based producer known for his emotionally driven fusion of future bass, house, and R&B. Since emerging on Monstercat, SABAI has amassed over 145 million Spotify streams and earned widespread acclaim for his emotionally charged blend of future bass, house, and R&B. His breakout tracks like “Million Days” and “Daydream” have struck a chord with fans around the world, leading to sold-out headline shows at iconic venues including Academy LA, Webster Hall in New York, and The Midway in San Francisco, as well as performances at major festivals such as EDC Las Vegas, VAC Festival China, and FVDED in the Park. In 2024, he launched his debut album North Star on his independent label Ikigai Music, cementing his reputation as one of the most compelling voices in melodic electronic music. His live performances, often featuring live guitar and cinematic visuals, have graced stages from EDC Las Vegas to the Hollywood Palladium.

Connect with SABAI

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TERMINAL V HALLOWEEN RETURNS - FIRST PHASE OF LINE-UP ANNOUNCED

Terminal V, Scotland’s biggest Halloween event, will return this 1st November with a one-day, one-arena, 12,000-capacity indoor spectacular at Edinburgh’s Royal Highland Centre. In a move designed to make the experience even more immersive, the event will be a filming and photography-free zone, encouraging fans to be fully present in the moment as they lose themselves in the music and atmosphere.

The announcement comes after a landmark year for the Terminal V team fresh from delivering a highly successful debut Croatia edition, announcing their London debut at the iconic Drumsheds on 14th November, and, through their events company EE Live, producing the sold-out Doof In The Park with Hannah Laing, a 15,000-capacity open-air festival that sold out in record time. EE Live also launched Hopetoun House Sessions just last weekend - an unforgettable debut set against the backdrop of one of Scotland’s most iconic stately homes

Joining the line-up is a hand-picked selection of world-class artists, each bringing their own distinctive sound to the Terminal V arena. One of the most in-demand acts in electronic music today, I Hate Models will deliver his trademark blend of emotion-soaked melodies and uncompromising techno power. VTSS, known for her fierce and boundary-pushing sets, will merge raw techno energy with rave and bass influences. Rising force Cloudy brings an unrelenting, high-octane approach to the decks, while Onlynumbers represents the harder, underground end of the spectrum.

CLTX (A/V Show) will present a cutting-edge audiovisual performance that blends intense industrial techno with striking, synchronised visuals. In a special collaborative set, Franck x AFEM SYKO will combine forward-thinking sound design with hard-hitting, industrial textures. Holy Priest will bring a dark, atmospheric edge to the night, while Kuko x Vendex are set to deliver a theatrical, high-impact techno performance that’s as visually arresting as it is sonically powerful. With more acts are still to be announced in the coming months. 

Alongside the music, Terminal V’s Halloween celebration will also feature a food & drink village, full-scale funfair, and an electric atmosphere unlike any other Halloween party in the country.

Sign up via: https://terminalv.co.uk/halloween/ for the pre-sale this Friday 15th August at 9am, with general sale at 12pm: https://www.skiddle.com/festivals/terminal-v-halloween/.

A-Z

CLOUDY

CLTX (A/V SHOW)

FRANCK x AFEM SYKO

HOLY PRIEST 

I HATE MODELS

KUKO X VENDEX

ONLYNUMBERS

VTSS

+ More TBC

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