How to prove DJ support to a label

“It’s getting played by some big DJs” is what every label hears in every pitch. It only helps you if the label can check it in a couple of minutes. This guide covers what labels look for, which evidence carries the most weight, and how to put it all on one page.

What a label wants to know

• Who played it. Names that fit the label’s sound matter more than the biggest names in general.
• Where and when. The venue or festival, the city, the date. A peak-time slot at a known club says something different from a warm-up.
• How they can check it. A link to the post or recording, and the second the track starts.
• Whether it repeats. A DJ playing it three weekends in a row is stronger than three DJs playing it once.
• How early. Support before release shows DJs chose it on the music alone.

Not all evidence is equal

From strongest to weakest:

1. A video or recording where your track is clearly audible, with the DJ, the place and the date. Anyone can press play and hear it.
2. A full set recording or radio show with a timestamp. Long recordings are easy to check if you give the exact minute.
3. A tracklist entry on a tracklist site or the DJ’s own post. Good, but it relies on someone having named the track correctly.
4. A message from the DJ saying they played it. Worth including as a quote, not as proof on its own.
5. Feedback scores and “will support” from a promo campaign. Shows interest, not plays.

Lead with the first two kinds. If most of what you have is from the bottom of the list, keep collecting for a few more weeks before you pitch.

Build a one-page support sheet

A spreadsheet or a simple document with one row per play is enough. Columns that work:

• DJ (with their Instagram handle)
• Event or venue, city, date
• Type of evidence: club clip, set recording, radio show, tracklist
• Link, and the second the track starts
• Who posted it, and the views if shown
• Notes: repeat play, peak time, the DJ’s comment

Sort it by how much each play will mean to this particular label, not by date. Put the three to five strongest at the top, with a one-line summary above the table: “Played by 7 DJs at 11 events in 5 countries since 12 September, before release.” Only write numbers you can back with a link.

Presenting it in a pitch

• Put the summary line in your email, above the private link to the track. The label reads that first.
• Attach or link the sheet, not a folder of videos. Links to the original posts keep it light and checkable.
• Mention the strongest play by name in one sentence: who, where, when.
• Keep it current. If the label replies a month later, send the updated sheet.

Be honest about it

Labels talk to DJs, and A&Rs check. A play you can’t link to, a name inflated from a warm-up to a headline set, or a clip that turns out to be a different track will cost you more than leaving it out. If you are not sure a clip is your track, leave it off the sheet. Our guide on knowing if a DJ played your track has a short checklist for being sure.

Respect the people who filmed it

The clips on your sheet were filmed by DJs, fans, venues and promoters. Linking to their public posts is the fair way to show them. If you want to use a still or a clip in a press kit or a deck, ask the poster first and credit them. Venues and fans are usually happy to say yes when asked.

After you sign

Keep the sheet going. The label can use it in its own promo (“supported by”), your booking agent can use it to pitch you for gigs, and next time you pitch a track you will already have a record of the DJs who play your music. For a repeatable way to collect it, see how to measure who played your promo.