deckades charts the evolution of the CDJ and its impact on DJ culture across the past three decades, with 42 exclusive pages of photos, interviews and commentary.
In the high-speed world of digital technology, 1994 sort of feels like the ancient past. When Pioneer DJ launched the CDJ-500, its revolutionary first CD deck, the average clubgoer might have consulted a paper map to find the venue, listened to an FM radio to get them in the mood, and arrived to find a DJ playing vinyl records to an audience that couldn’t have even conceived of a smartphone.
deckades tells the story of how the CDJ went from a strange new alternative to vinyl to becoming the quintessential tool of modern DJing. The limited-edition zine, which we’re now making available digitally, shows how the CDJ dovetailed with the major advancements in music technology—from CDs and MP3s, to USB and touchscreens, and the more recent developments of AI and VR. It features interviews with DJs Fatboy Slim, Fabio, Anna Tur, Kikelomo and TSHA, and includes an overview of all 23 models of the CDJ alongside plenty of nostalgic imagery.
We’re offering a few different ways to explore deckades: there’s the full digital magazine version, a pdf copy if you’d prefer a download, and we’re also doing a special edition limited run of 1000 paper copies, which will be delivered on a first-come, first-served basis—just fill out this this form as quick as you can, as once they’re gone, they’re gone.
