Submit your Mix of the Month DJ Competition entry

After a little bit of a hiatus, we have brought back one of our most loved (and yes, hotly debated) features: the Decoded Magazine Mix of the Month. But this time, we’re doing it differently. We have enlisted our 2016 former Mix of the Month winner, Ben Clifford, to adjudicate, and we are opening up more genres to submit.

We’re here for the DJs who dig deep. No EDM. No chart-toppers. No chasing plays. We want substance, not popularity contests. This isn’t about who can rack up the most streams or drop the latest Beatport Top 10. We’re looking for DJs who push boundaries. Those who explore sound, not trends. Those who understand that DJing is a craft, about storytelling, technical precision, selection, and soul.

As our Editor, Damion Pell, puts it:

“There’s a whole universe of talent that doesn’t get the exposure it deserves. We’re here to spotlight DJs who bring something real, who use their decks to say something unique. This isn’t about peak-time bangers; it’s about digging deeper, telling a story, and showing us who you are through your mix.”

Ben Clifford – Mix Competition Manager:

“I was thrilled to be selected as a winner of the competition and loved how the Decoded team focused on creativity instead of just popularity, which is pretty rare these days! It’s a privilege to be asked to help judge the new era of competition entries, and I’m looking forward to hearing some fresh musical journeys.”

What We’re Looking For

This is your shot to be featured on Decoded Magazine with a full interview and global exposure — if you follow the rules. We’re not messing around. If you ignore the submission steps, you’re instantly disqualified. No exceptions.

Submission Guidelines

1-Hour Mix Only
Please aim for 60 minutes – but we will accept lengths a couple of minutes shorter or longer than that, if this flexibility helps you to achieve your creative vision for the mix.

Title Format
Use this title format:
Decoded Magazine Mix of the Month [Month] Submission – [Your Name]
Example: Decoded Magazine Mix of the Month August Submission – DJ XX

Artwork
Use our Decoded logo as your mix cover. Please don’t edit it, it’s our logo and we kinda like it the way it is.

Upload + Share
1. Upload your mix to Mixcloud or SoundCloud
2. Include a full tracklist (this is mandatory) as part of its description
3. Post the link to your mix in our Facebook group (essential, to ensure we don’t miss it): Decoded Magazine
4. Share it with your social media followers if you want to – but you won’t be judged on popularity. Please tag us on Facebook and/or Instagram if doing so.

Genres Accepted
Drum & Bass
Breaks
House
Techno
Deep House
Ambient
Chill Out
Trip Hip
Electro
Techno
Dub Techno
Minimal
Progressive House
Melodic Techno

No EDM (Trap, Dubstep, Commercial, Big Room, Trance — none of it)

Important Rules

• No live mixes – this must be something you have recorded at home or in the studio (on any turntables / CDJs / DJ console / DAW – the equipment you use doesn’t matter). We want you to take your time and put together a polished work of art, with tight mixing. We don’t want something you’ve just recorded on the fly at a gig.
• Only ONE submission per month.
• Tracklist is essential – we will not accept your submission without it.
• Follow every instruction – if you don’t follow the rules, we will not accept your submission.
• Respect your audience – no spamming or tagging people without their consent.

How We Judge

We don’t care about play counts. Seriously. You could have 50 plays or 50,000, it’s irrelevant to us.

What we do care about:

• Technical skill
• Creativity
• Track selection
• Journey and flow
• Originality

Our team will judge entries from a shortlist based on quality, depth, and artistry. We’re not here for hype; we’re here for talent.

Entries close on the 20th of each month, and the winner will be announced at the end of the month. If you miss the deadline, wait until the following month to submit your mix instead.

Yearly Winner

Each month’s winner will be featured across Decoded Magazine’s platforms, and every 12 months, each Mix finalist will go head-to-head with a public vote to become DJ of the Year, with an extended interview, prizes, merchandise and more to come.

Think you’ve got what it takes? Bring us your best. Show us your sound. But above all,  follow the rules.

Need the Decoded Logo? Grab it here:

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