Claude VonStroke named ‘America’s Best DJ’
In a surprising turn of events, Claude VonStroke has been named America’s Best DJ in Pioneer DJ and DJ Times’ annual poll. The rankings, which are based upon fan votes, both online and in-person, favored the beloved Dirtybird ringleader over such global powerhouses as Kaskade, The Chainsmokers, and Bassnectar.
It’s a fitting acknowledgement for VonStroke and crew, who have spent tireless years building Dirtybird into a formidable label and events curator. Beyond that, it’s a surefire sign of the changing tastes of dance fans in America. Last year’s winner, for instance, was Steve Aoki — that alone should speak volumes about how far we’ve come in just a year.
Of course, it’s also worth admitting that DJ rankings are inherently flawed and never truly paint the full picture. For one, the definition of a “DJ” has been so far obscured over time that it’s no longer clear what criteria these polls actually take into consideration. Secondly, with the prevalence of voting scandals — and sheer lack of nationwide participation — these rankings should always be taken with a grain of salt.
With that said, we’re quite delighted to see Claude VonStroke take home this honor. Here’s what he had to say about the award:
“My fans are so kind hearted and amazing and I love them so much for creating such an awesome community where people feel safe and can have fun together. They voted for me to win over artists with huge radio hits and business machines which is so inspiring and surprising, for that I am truly humbled.” – Claude VonStroke
View the full rankings for America’s Best DJ below:
1st Place • Claude VonStroke
2nd Place • Kaskade
3rd Place • The Chainsmokers
4th Place • Bassnectar
5th Place • Skrillex
6th Place • Dillon Francis
7th Place • Diplo
8th Place • Markus Schulz
9th Place • JAUZ
10th Place • Porter Robinson
11. A-Trak
12. Seven Lions
13. Krewella
14. DJ Dan
15. Dubfire
16. Carnage
17. Jazzy Jeff
18. NGHTMRE
19. 3lau
20. GRiZ
21. RL Grime
22. Kill The Noise
23. Green Velvet
24. Tritonal
25. Justin Martin
26. Borgeous
27. Armand Van Helden
28. DJ Mustard
29. TJR
30. Skribble
31. Cash Cash
32. Flosstradamus
33. Kevin Saunderson
34. Maceo Plex
35. MK
36. Pretty Lights
37. Qbert
38.Soul Clap
39. 12th Planet
40. Danny Tenaglia
41. Mija
42. Victor Calderone
43. Lee Foss
44. AC Slater
45. BT
46. J.Phlip
47. Destructo
48. DJ Craze
49. DJ Shadow
50. Lauren Lane
Categories: News