House music all life long: 25 Years Of Defected

What is the secret to Defected’s success?

THE SHAPESHIFTERS: “Great A&R from day one has been key. A passionate office populated with real music and club culture fans, a true love for the dancefloor, and not allowing popularity contests to dictate its contribution to house music.”

DJ PAULETTE: “The music. The people. Quality control and evolving with an ever changing public, but without sacrificing its core values.”

TODD TERRY: “Defected is always mixing the old with the new, it keeps them aware of every angle. That’s the key to success — to never not know what’s going on, being on top of that is not that easy. Keep rocking.”

OLIVE F: “I truly believe the reason behind Defected’s success is their ability to be so inclusive and diverse.”

ALEX MILLS: “In my opinion, the secret to Defected’s continued success is its commitment to quality and preserving the sanctity of house music. They understand that it’s more than just a genre, it’s a culture. One that needs protecting while being allowed and encouraged to grow roots in new fertile ground.”

GROOVE ARMADA: “The secret to Defected’s success is community. Of party-goers, artists, music lovers… of house! All brought together by an amazing behind the scenes team, itself a tribute to the power of community.”

KITTY AMOR: “Defected has displayed the authenticity of the brand through the music it has put out over the last 25 years. The label has been fundamental to the root of understanding house music. This shows through the ‘House Masters’ series, where pioneering names showcase the evolution of house music in all its sub-genres. Defected has always stayed ahead of the rest through the advanced ability to nurture upcoming talent and treat those artists no differently to the more established names. The personable marketing approach of Defected releases has always helped the music connect to consumers. Defected is clever to have a consumer appetite with an innovator/supplier strategy. Defected is a fan of Defected — that’s what I define as its success.”

RIO TASHAN: “Defected is synonymous with great house music, the label has always stuck to what it believes in rather than being trend-focused. Instead of just jumping on what is hot in the moment, Defected has always made nurturing talent a priority, on both the production and DJ fronts. By being there from the very start of artists’ careers and at the roots of someone’s journey, they see that genuine potential is what has led to long-lasting and meaningful careers. The evidence can be seen by the level artists have reached with Defected backing their early careers.”

SAM DIVINE: “I would argue that it isn’t so much of a secret and more about Defected’s long-standing ability to A&R records that stand the test of time over decades, and not just weeks or months. I have been lucky enough to be a part of the Defected family for over 10 years and there are records that are over two decades old that still tear up a dancefloor in my sets today. Add to that, a burgeoning global event series that has been in the making for the last 20 years and beyond, and it’s a recipe to become the biggest and most respected house music brand on the planet.”

RIMARKABLE: “The secret to Defected’s enduring success in house music is having the best staff in the world. Defected employs some of the most generous, relentlessly hardworking, committed, and creative visionaries in the game. Any company would be hard pressed to find a better crew.”