The most famous poll in dance music has a new record. David Guetta is The World's No. 1 DJ for 2026, DJ Mag announced on October 7. It is his sixth win, and no one else has won that many. He moves ahead of Martin Garrix and Armin van Buuren, who have five titles each.
Guetta first took the title in 2011, 15 years before this one. He won again in 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2025, per DJ Mag. Two wins in a row now put the Frenchman alone at the top of the poll's history.
A year with a foot in two worlds
DJ Mag's announcement reads like a list of everything a superstar DJ can do in twelve months. Guetta reunited with Afrojack and Sia on "Awake Tonight". He launched a new project, Men Machine, with Marten Hørger. He kept building his Future Rave sound with MORTEN, and he remixed Gotye and Kimbra's "Somebody That I Used to Know" with ARTBAT.
The biggest stage of all was football. Guetta joined Andrea Bocelli, Megan Thee Stallion and EJAE on "DNA (More Than a Game)", the official anthem of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to DJ Mag.
He also told the magazine why he keeps working with younger artists. "The worst thing that can happen to a producer is to think you know it all," he said.
The summer without a pop hit
Here is the twist. Guetta told DJ Mag that 2026 was "the first time I didn't have a summer pop hit, but it was still the biggest summer I've ever had."
The proof was on the White Isle. His two Ibiza residencies, Galactic Circus at UNVRS and F**K ME I'M FAMOUS! at Ushuaïa, sold out faster than ever, he said. He also has a line for the age of AI: "everything can be faked, but the one thing you cannot fake is selling tickets."
Galactic Circus entered its second year at UNVRS, where he has leaned into a more club-focused sound. This season brought his first-ever back-to-back set with Carl Cox. It also brought the debut of "Caught Up", a forthcoming collaboration with Marlon Hoffstadt.
Stadiums, Red Rocks and the O2
The live numbers are just as loud. Guetta played three sold-out shows at the Stade de France in 2026 and sold more than 240,000 tickets across the three nights in Paris, DJ Mag reports. Guests included Armin van Buuren, Afrojack, Black Coffee, Jennifer Lopez, Akon, Bebe Rexha and the Black Eyed Peas.
He has since taken his Monolith show to Red Rocks, Coachella and arenas and stadiums across Europe. Next summer he brings it to London's O2 as the venue marks its 20th anniversary.
His reason for going bigger is a human one. "Social media was supposed to connect people, but I think it is making people very lonely," he told DJ Mag. "And I think the value of real human connection is gonna be higher than ever."
"Everything can be faked, but the one thing you cannot fake is selling tickets." David Guetta, to DJ Mag
The night in Ibiza
For the second year in a row, DJ Mag revealed the winner live at UNVRS in Ibiza. The night featured sets from Lost Frequencies, Charlotte de Witte, GORDO b2b Vintage Culture, ANASTAZJA and Korolova. Guetta closed with a two-hour headline set and took the crown during the ceremony.
The poll also raises money. DJ Mag has teamed up again with Bridges for Music, which asks every artist in the Top 100 to sponsor the education of at least one young person at its academy in Langa, South Africa. Last year, 42 artists gave a combined £170,832, the largest single campaign in the charity's history, per DJ Mag.
Where to catch him next
You will not have to wait for the O2. Guetta headlines Friday, November 6, at EDC Orlando, alongside Afrojack and Mau P, according to the festival's lineup page. Our EDC Orlando 2026 guide has the full weekend, day by day.
The full Top 100 DJs 2026 results are on DJ Mag.
