The ‘90s introduced the raving music scene, with DJs who became legendary with their music selections and spinning methods. Over time, some of these names have faded away, while the Superstar DJs remain. Here are the top 11 Superstar DJs from the ‘90s and an update of what they’re doing now.
CARL COX
Carl Cox was one of the first major DJs in the world. He started DJing raves and clubs in the mid-’80s and quickly rose into the spotlight in the early ‘90s. More than 25 years after he started, he is still in the spotlight. To date, he has released four albums,over a dozen singles, more than 20 compilations and is credited with more than 50 remixes. He is currently still playing music and, according to his website, is booked with gigs around the globe through August.
JOHN DIGWEED
John Digweed began DJing when he was 15 and burst into the club scene at 26 when another superstar on this list, Sasha, heard his demo tape. Since then, Digweed made over 25 compilation albums and 13 single tracks. The peak of his career was in 2001 when he was voted the number one DJ in the world. From 1998 until 2008,Digweed was consistently voted in the top 10 DJs in the world. He is currently DJing and his schedule is booked for the next four months.
SUPERSTAR DJ KEOKI
Superstar DJ Keoki is the only DJ on the list who has incorporated “Superstar” into his name. He was one of the most prominent DJs in the New York scene as a resident DJ at Limelight. He is known more for his antics and those of the company he keeps than his legendary sets, remixes or music. Think LiLo of the DJ world. Currently, Keoki is DJing the larger music festivals and select night clubs in the U.S. and resides in Denver, Colorado.
PAUL OAKENFOLD
Paul Oakenfold is probably the most legendary and widely-known DJ. Even though he began his career in the late ‘70s, it wasn’t until the early ‘90s when he had his first global break. As a world class producer and remixer, Oakenfold remixed the U2 track “Even Better Than the Real Thing.” Ironically,Oakenfold’s version shot up the Billboard chart higher and faster than U2’s original version. U2 hired Oakenfold to travel with them and serve as the opening act for the Zoo TV world tour. He earned the reputation as the Stadium DJ, playing to sold out stadiums. He is still DJing and making music, collaborating with artists like Cee Lo Green, Madonna, and Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic.
PAUL VAN DYK
Paul van Dyk was raised in East Berlin, where his love for music began with smuggled tapes. In the early 1990s, his family received permission to leave East Berlin and moved to Hamburg to live with his aunt. Paul van Dyk has won close to 70 awards during his career, including the most consecutive years (13) as a top 10 DJ. As of 2007, he has sold over 4.5 million albums. He still travels as a DJ and has a new album, Evolution, which is set to release in April 2012.
SASHA
Sasha is another U.K. based DJ on an already heavy European list. Sasha started DJing in the late ‘80s and, by his own admission, he was playing gigs when he thought the pitch control on the turntables was the volume. Mixmag magazine featured Sasha on its first cover and posed the question “First DJ Pinup?” Since the late ‘80s, Sasha became one of the biggest names in global dance music. He was nominated as the top DJ in his genre in every year since 2000.Sasha was one of the last DJs to make the transition to CDs for live performance. He currently runs a music studio and lives in New York City.
ROBERT MILES
Robert Miles is better known for his producing and song-writing achievements. It was his mid-‘90s piano-based song, “Children,”which put Robert Miles on the map. The song, which sold over five million copies, remains a classic and Miles can milk the status he received from the song for several more years and maybe decades. His single after “Children” was “Fable” which appeared on the soundtrack for the U.S. movie “Ever After” with Drew Barrymore. He has platinum albums in five different countries and gold in an additional five. Robert is still active as a composer, record producer, musician and DJ.
ARMAND VAN HELDEN
Armand Van Helden is one of the biggest influencers behind the music scene. Besides his DJing skills, Armand remixed for some of the biggest and most popular names in the industry, including the Rolling Stones, Janet Jackson, Daft Punk and Britney Spears. There are over 30 singles accredited to his name and 15 albums. He is still working as a DJ, producer, songwriter, and remixer.
DJ DAN
DJ Dan is the only DJ from the west coast on this list, with a first passion of fashion. He began to DJ after learning from Donald Glaude, a DJ who would be on this list if his popularity was more widespread and timeless. It wasn’t until DJ Dan relocated from Seattle to Los Angeles for fashion school that he began playing in the emerging rave scene. Out of the American DJs on this list, Dan is the best known and has played the most cities and clubs. He has released over 35 singles and remixed over 40 tracks, most recently with Lady Gaga. Currently DJ Dan is still making music and touring the U.S.
ROGER SANCHEZ
Roger Sanchez has been heavily immersed in the music industry since the mid-‘80s, winning a Grammy award for his remix of No Doubt’s “Hella Good.” In 1996, Roger created the philosophical belief that music can bring you liberty, making him one of the few DJs to create a long-lasting brand. In major clubbing cities around the world, his concept is still practiced in the underground scene. Combine the philosophy with a largely successful CD series and his current live podcast with over 15 million listeners and Roger Sanchez will be a superstar for years to come.
ERICK MORILLO
Erick Morillo quite possibly has the longest list of singles and remixes out of any DJ on this list. He has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry and is currently one of the top five paid DJs in the world. His alias, Reel 2 Real, was one of the biggest names in the industry. His song “I Like to Move It” was an international smash, with mainstream radio play and used in numerous commercials, as well as in the 2005 animated film “Madagascar.” He is credited with single-handedly saving New York’s club scene.On Ibiza, he was one of the first DJs to play after the 9/11 tragedy and ended the night by playing Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York,” a move that is considered one of the greatest moments in night club history.
What DJ’s do you think should be on this list and why?
Andy Johnson Djed night clubs and raves for 9 years. At his peak he was a regular performer at “Axis” Mixmaster magazines number 3 club in North America for the year 2000. Currently he is a content creator for a Dish Network reseller.

I got into house music and rave when I went to college in the 90′s. It was something new that I never heard before, the Dj’s were great back then.