After earlier this year announcing that DJs would soon have to share streaming revenue with record labels, Twitch is launching an official DJ category to further facilitate DJs who wish to stream and perform on the platform.

Arriving tomorrow (Thursday, 8 August), the new DJ category will sit beside Twitch’s existing categories including Just Chatting, Fortnite, Counter-Strike, League of Legends and more, per Mashable. The platform already has a Music category, but DJ will sit as a category on its own.

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Twitch DJs are able to use a catalogue of approved music in their livestreams, and also have access to promo and sponsorship opportunities via the Twitch homepage.

In celebration of its landmark DJ category, Twitch is hosting a 24-hour livestream on 8 August from 8AM BST/3AM ET, featuring sets from Zedd, Sofi Tukker, BAYNK, Sam Feldt, Aluna and more.

“Today’s DJ category launch is a major moment for Twitch, the music industry, and our creators,” says Twitch CEO Dan Clancy. “There is something special in the way DJs on Twitch introduce music to their listeners. It’s personal and it’s community-oriented, so we’ve built a stable, long-term home where they can invest in building their brand and community.”

In a blog post announcing its new DJ programme in June, Twitch said the number of DJs streaming on its platform “has more than quadrupled” since 2020 and the pandemic lockdowns.

But until now, DJs have often seen their sets tampered with in some way, with muted sections and takedowns for using copyrighted music. With its DJ programme designed in partnership with major labels UMG, Warner and Sony, Twitch is aiming to ensure both fair compensation for DJs and copyright holders alike, and that streams stay unmuted on the platform.

To learn more about its new DJ category, head to Twitch.

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