It seems as though this year really is the year for new blood in Australian dance music. Not only was ITM’s annual DJ poll, the inthemix50, given a larger-scale overhaul into the inthemix awards with new categories to boot, but the top 50 DJ poll still at the heart of the inthemix awards has experienced a radicial shake up in 2011, all starting with the #1 spot.
It was in 2010 that the inthemix50 #1 DJ crown went to a duo for the first time in the poll’s history with Canberra’s favourite sons The Aston Shuffle taking the honours. This year another duo reigns supreme in the top spot and that is Queensland double act The Stafford Brothers.
The ascension to the #1 spot marks another big win for The Stafford Brothers who have clearly mobilised their booming profile and fanbase on the back of their eponymous reality TV show to storm up the ranks as Australia’s most popular DJs. Congrats to the Bros.
The change at the top of the inthemix awards DJ poll is just the start of a whole slew of wider shifts throughout the top 50 DJs list with a whole crop of fresh faces altering the look of the countdown. As well as big leaps forwards for the likes of Matt Nukewood, Toneshifterz and Hook N Sling there’s a feast of acts breaching the list for the first time like Minx, Bombs Away, Mind Electric and Smokin Joe Mekhael.
Speaking of new this year’s awards also brings with it the debut of the ‘Live Act’ category which was scooped comprehensively by Pendulum, a testament to their summer festival headline status, no doubt!
There’s plenty more stats and results to dig into including changing of the guards in the International DJ category, the country’s favourite festivals and also track of the year and this year’s Lifetime Achievement award which was taken out by Stereosonic big boss and veteran of the local scene Richie McNeil. Suss out all those results along with the gongs for best clubs in each state and the state top five DJ honours at our 2011 inthemix awards results page.