The DJ Awards returned to Ibiza for the first time since 2020, with this year’s theme being ‘Unity,’ which the organizers described as a call to bring people together, celebrating diversity and fostering connections across the global music scene. Founded in 1998 by José Pascual and Lenny Krarup, the DJ Awards have long been a significant force in the dance music world. This year, the awards were presented in 10 categories, reflecting the hottest sounds globally, with Defected Croatia 2024 winning the award for Best Global Festival.
Dubbed ‘The Oscars of Dance Music,’ the event took place at Club Chinois in Ibiza and was hosted by BBC Radio 1’s tastemaker Jaguar and Katie Knight. The ceremony recognized winners across several key categories and included special Industry Awards honoring legends in the scene. Among the honorees, producer Luciano received the Ibiza Icon award, Adam Port and Stryv’s track “Move Feat. Malachiii” won Ibiza Track of the Summer, Gospel Club NYC was awarded the Eye on USA, David Guetta’s F**K Me I’m Famous / Futurerave events won Best Ibiza Party, German trio Keinemusik received the What’s Hot Global award, Café Mambo’s Javier Anadon took home the Lifetime Achievement Award, Michael Bibi’s One Life campaign for cancer awareness won the Play It Back award, and Defected Croatia was named Best Global Festival. These industry awards were decided by a panel of industry professionals.
This is a major recognition for Defected Croatia 2024, which took place this August in Tisno. It marked the festival’s ninth edition, hosting numerous renowned DJs from around the world on the Croatian coast. The tenth edition has already been announced, scheduled from August 4th to August 8th, with over 80 performers across three stages.
This first DJ Awards edition after a four-year break was an exciting night that crowned the 2024 winners. After the main ceremony, the celebration continued with an afterparty featuring performances by Luciano, Cristoph, Mathew Jonson, Ben Sterling, and Manu Gonzalez.
Additionally, Sven Väth, who took home the award for Best Techno DJ, will soon bring his acclaimed sound to Zagreb at the Future Scope event, with a performance scheduled for November 16th, offering fans another chance to experience his legendary sets live.
