Best way to build a music collection

I'm new to the DJ business, haven't really started yet, just a couple small things for friends. I'm trying to put a good music collection together.
I just bought a huge Latin music collection on around 400 CDs and now I'd like to have a respectable selection/variety of popular music from the 40's to today. Big Band, Motown, Classic Rock, Country, Jazz, Pop, Hip Hop etc.

So my question is this, what's the best way to assemble a collection good enough to get started with? Once I'm doing some gigs and some money is coming in I'll continue adding to the collection.

I can't appeal to everyone and I don't want to. I'm really not interested in head banging/heavy metal or fringe music of any kind. I'm looking for music that will appeal to the majority of people, a broad range of tastes.

I want to DJ in bars/clubs, do weddings, corporate events, private parties etc.

I don't scratch or do anything fancy, I just want to play great music and give people what they need to have a good time. As time goes on I know I'll probably narrow my focus some and target only weddings, corporate, private parties etc.

I have quality equipment, I'm good at making announcements, won't have any problem MCing, I sing, I have a tuxedo and I look good. All I really need at this point is to finish building my music collection and get some lights.

Try Napster or Limewire..

Just kidding.. The best way to build up a nice collection is to join a music service like Promo Only or Jones TM.. Also grab a listing of the mobile top 200 and download them using itunes. It will take a bunch of time and money to build up a nice library. But the end result is priceless.

Also Don at Rotations has a great and large selection of music spanning back to 50's to todays stuff. www.rotations.com

For some of the oldies "pop" music, the older Time Life series are a good way to beef up the 50's - 80's. You might have to search used sources for many of them though.

Entertainment Weekly also had some comps by year, but again you may have to search a bit for them.

Watch for sales at the big box stores (Amazon has been having some awesome prices lately on older music) on "greatest hits" compilations.

Keep a list of all requests that you don't have and that will help you determine where you are lacking in your traveling library.

For earlier or genre-specific hit music I'd suggest the Time-Life collections. Unlike some comp sets out there, Time-Life doesn't load their discs with filler crap. It's all hit music with a radio and sale pedigree. We have a 6-disc set of '80s music from Time-Life and use it quite often.

As to individual artists and bands, shop around at Amazon.com for greatest hits collections. You can get 'em used for much less than full retail price.

If you haven't done so already, subscribe to a promotional music service like Jones/TM Century or Promo Only. These services can get back-order discs to you via special order. Rotations is a good one, too.

Try Napster or Limewire..

Just a note on this:

Napster is now a legal service that essentially "rents" music to you for $10 per month, or $15 per month if you wish to be able to use the music on a mobile device, as well as the opportunity to purchase the music you have discovered for .99 cents per track, similar to most of what is available on itunes.

Limewire isn't.

I have Primecuts and after trying pretty much all the subs even local I am finally happy. Jim Weiz A member here knows all the details as he is one of the folks involved in making Jones/TM Century Primecuts etc happen.
Thanks Jim for helping it happen in Canada finally.

What I really would like to do is buy a whole collection.

What if I was a talented young guy(I'm 50, it's just a scenario) and didn't have any CDs-starting from scratch-and decided to start DJing? How would I go about putting an entire collection together without taking months and years?

The latin collection I just bought is AMAZING and only cost me a couple hundred for over 400 CDs(I know, I got a great deal!). What I need now is a mainstream collection so I can get started and be out making money/having fun as soon as possible?

Is there a list somewhere of the top 100 or 200 must have CDs?
Or a must have list of 500-1000 songs for DJing?
I would prefer to get CDs rather than download individual songs. That way if I do put them on my PC I still have the originals. Does anyone know a good place to get whole collections of used-good condition CDs?
By the way thanks for the suggestions and advice and if someone has a bunch of CDs they want to get rid of. . .

I just looked at the Rotations website and I'm looking to get a music collection for less than what they are charging. Their prices are reasonable, but still more than what I can/want to spend right now.

Just took a look at Primcuts/JonesTM and it looks really good except I didn't see pricing information. I got the feeling it's priced very competitively and may have everything I need. Looks like I need to do some more research.

Prime Cuts is a very good way to go. I use their "weekly" service and have been very pleased.

Jim Weisz is a member here and he will be glad to give you more info.. Send him a PM http://www.ourdjtalk.com/member.php?u=503

I think it's already been mentioned but take a good look at www.rotations.com you can get back dated TM Centure/ aka TM Jones they usually have past sets priced nicely and you can buy current ones 4 cds at a time basically a months worth of subscription discs at about $40 a pop.... you have to prove to them that you are a DJ working professionally just like you do with TM Jones... rotations.com is also a good source for oldies and remix sets.

Promo Only is another good source and you can get back dated discs from them as well.

Also check out wal-marts decade sets... just watch out that you are getting original artist recordings and not something from the Countdown Singers or some other cover band.

Also check out iTunes and Amazon.com both are great for buying one by one songs...

Also do a search on this board I believe thatmusicguy has a listing of the top 100 for the 70s 80s 90s and 00s... he might send you a copy of those lists if you can't find it PM me and I'll dig em out for ya.

I myself don't have a huge collection and basically bought the top 200 for 2006 and a lot of compilation sets for the decades along with the TM Jones stuff... and have been padding my collection with special requests that I get from iTunes... plus I check the Billboards once or twice a month and download what I don't have already.

To say that there is 1 source for collecting music is impossible if we were talking karaoke I'd tell you to checkout www.tricerasoft.com and www.acekaraoke.com those are both great sources for karaoke...

Hope this helps, keep pluggin away I'm in the same boat with ya.

As far as cost from the promotional services goes, you'll find that they are competetive. Roughly, around $15.00 per disc. They'll keep you up to date with the latest releases. It's a tax writeoff anyhow. :)

Only other thing I could suggest would be to contact the supplier you got the Latin set from and see if they also offer a similar mainstream music comp set.

The Latin music collection came from ebay. I took a big chance because I really didn't know what I was going to get when I bid on it. I've been going through the collection and I feel like I died and went to heaven. I liked Latin music before, now I love it. I've only gone through about 75 discs and almost every disc is muy terrifico. Merengue, Salsa, Cumbia, Bachata and y mas. I'm picking up some Spanish as I listen too. I may hire a Spanish speaking DJ and go after the Latin market in my area.

I guess I need to watch ebay and see if I can find a collection from a DJ going out of business or something like that. I really don't want to spend $10-$15 per disk.

some of us who have went through more than a CD round can feel your pain as we actually bought disc after disc on vinyl and then to regroup and start fresh with CD. Actually Im surprised 15 dollars seems out of reach. Subscription Discs have multiple genres and have the hits atleast thats the case I have found on Primecuts. Its a small price to continue to remain current through the yrs as well as the old collections. Proper music collections are a must and whatever it costs to make it happen is the only way. I actually rarely buy an album now as I have the back stock and my subs keep me up to date. Just like gear if you have the funds to get in the game great but there really isnt an easy way in.

LOL, Jon....now let's tell the whole truth for some of us...:sqwink:

45's, 33 1/3, 8-tracks (still buying vinyl), cassettes (still buying vinyl), cds (still buying vinyl), cds (buying downloads and vinyl!)...No wonder we're broke...:sqwink::sqwink:

Haha Kirby,
Hey though I owned 8 tracks yes I admit it and yes cassettes I didnt DJ with them and actually my first music on album was a 33 1/3 and not 78 like you Kirby LOL. Most recent album form was CD. Sorry was in no way attempting to lie about Buying Methuselahs first recording.

To tell the absolute truth, :sqwink: here's a pic of my first sound sytem....:sqwink::sqrolleyes:

The Latin music collection came from ebay. I took a big chance because I really didn't know what I was going to get when I bid on it. I've been going through the collection and I feel like I died and went to heaven. I liked Latin music before, now I love it. I've only gone through about 75 discs and almost every disc is muy terrifico. Merengue, Salsa, Cumbia, Bachata and y mas. I'm picking up some Spanish as I listen too. I may hire a Spanish speaking DJ and go after the Latin market in my area.

I guess I need to watch ebay and see if I can find a collection from a DJ going out of business or something like that. I really don't want to spend $10-$15 per disk.

Ebay!!! How could I forget.. I built a nice 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's collection from ebay.. You must of lucked out with that latin collection.. I am trying to build up my Salsa, Merengue and Bachata collection slowly.