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Edinburgh Only UK City Where Bands Outnumber DJs

31 May 2023

According to new data from Pirate, DJs outnumber live musicians in most UK cities, including London, Manchester and Birmingham.

New data from Pirate finds that DJs outnumber live artists in most UK cities aside from Edinburgh.
For the study, Pirate compared the number of people using their DJ studios and the number of people using their rehearsal studios across 17 cities in the UK and Ireland.
Pirate is a global studio used by over 350,000 live artists and DJs in the UK and Ireland.

Pirate, the world's largest global studio for music artists, reveals new data showcasing the growing interest in electronic music and DJ culture across the UK. Comparing the usage of DJ studios to band rehearsal studios in 17 major cities in the UK and Ireland, Pirate found that DJs outnumber live artists in most cities, including UK music capitals like London, Manchester, and Birmingham. The exception is Edinburgh, where bands outnumber DJs.

Dublin, the only non-UK city in the study, also had more live artists than DJs, albeit by a smaller margin than Edinburgh.

Pirate’s report also sheds light on the most popular genres among entries to their Pirate Residency scheme, which invites emerging artists to apply for paid gigs and radio play. Rock and indie music emerged as the most popular genres in Scotland, Ireland and Wales, while drum and bass took the lead in the South West and East of England. House and techno dominated most regions, including Yorkshire and the Humber, the West Midlands, the South East, the North West, the East Midlands and London.

The findings highlight the rise of electronic music and DJ culture in various urban centres across the UK. However, Edinburgh's thriving live music scene sets it apart as a city where traditional bands and musicians flourish. Ross Gordon, Pirate’s Edinburgh Site Manager reflects on the talent coming from Pirate’s Edinburgh site:

It’s a privilege to support the growth of so many amazing musicians and DJs coming through Pirate Edinburgh. We're proud to be part of a music scene that excels in so many diverse genres and styles.

Ross Gordon, Edinburgh Site Manager, PIRATE.COM

In their research into the dynamics of the UK music industry, Pirate also explores the density of artists living in various cities in the UK and Ireland, and offers insight into the UK's most popular music genres by region. Discover more by reading the full feature on the most musical cities in the UK.

This study was conducted by PIRATE.COM, a network of 24-hour Recording, Rehearsal, DJ, Podcast and Dance studios spread across New York, London, Berlin, Los Angeles and beyond. It examines the number of artists using their DJ studios in comparison to the number of live artists using their rehearsal studios in 17 cities across the UK and Ireland: Bristol, Norwich, Brighton and Hove, Nottingham, Liverpool, Leicester, Cardiff, Leeds, Glasgow, Dublin, Birmingham, London, Plymouth, Edinburgh, Sheffield, Manchester and Bradford.

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