Magazine deal opens window on Chinese club scene

A screenshot of DJ Mag's homepage, Dec 13, 2016. Starting in the New Year, the five-year licence deal worth around 1 million pounds will allow East21 Music Group the full Chinese rights to the DJ Magazine brand. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

China is grabbing a slice of the DJ and club scene after one of the biggest Chinese music and club operators sealed a deal with UK's DJ Magazine.

Starting in the New Year, the five-year licence deal worth around 1 million pounds will allow East21 Music Group the full Chinese rights to the DJ Magazine brand and the annual polls for Top 100 DJs and Top 100 Clubs worldwide.

DJ Mag already has 16 other international editions.

Martin Carvell, managing director of the 25-year-old magazine, told China Daily:"Over the next 5 years, we will see Chinese DJs with new sounds breaking into the UK, European and western scenes. With the magazine published in both countries we will be perfectly placed to help nurture and promote this."

He added:"We are looking to grow the DJ Mag brand, and UK and European DJs and brands within China, through events and with the publications in print and online."

Baroness Nosheena Mobarik, a ConservativeBritish peer who promotes the creative industries overseas, described the deal as"an example of the flourishing commercial relationship between the UK and China in the creative sector".

East21 was established in 2005 and the head office is in Shanghai with branches in Beijing and Shenzen.

Carvell said:"China is an ever growing and ever more important market for DJ Magazine. With both the Top 100 DJs and the Top 100 Clubs polls being so highly regarded we have been working to give China a voice in shaping both lists through encouraging Chinese fans to vote."

The magazine's annual poll to identify the most popular DJs attracted more than a million voters this year. It claims credit for having fostered the careers of some of the biggest names in global dance music.

He noted that voting in China has expanded with apps such as Weibo and WeChat.

Carvell hopes the two sides will also run a series of DJ Mag and Top 100 DJs events throughout China to introduce new DJs and genres.

Baroness Nosheena Mobarik, a ConservativeBritish peer who promotes the creative industries overseas, described the deal as"an example of the flourishing commercial relationship between the UK and China in the creative sector".