A DJ, short for disc jockey, is someone who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. The term originated when music came on vinyl discs, and the person playing them was “jockeying” the records: handling them skillfully, switching between tracks, and keeping the music flowing.

Today, DJs work in many settings. A radio DJ hosts a show, introducing songs and chatting with listeners between tracks. A club DJ plays music at parties and dance venues, reading the crowd's energy and choosing what to play next to keep people moving. Some DJs go further, becoming musicians themselves: they mix tracks together, add effects, scratch records back and forth to create rhythmic sounds, and even produce entirely new songs by layering and manipulating recordings.

The role requires both technical skill and musical taste. A great DJ knows how to build energy, when to surprise the crowd, and how to create a seamless experience from one song to the next.