Great DJ

"Great DJ" is the debut single by English indie pop band The Ting Tings. The song was originally released as a double A-side with "That's Not My Name" by independent record label Switchflicker Records on 28 May 2007.

"Great DJ"
Re-release picture sleeve
Single by the Ting Tings
from the album We Started Nothing
Released	3 March 2008 (2008-03-03) (re-release)
Genre	Dance-punk new wave
Length	3:23
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Jules De Martino Katie White
Producer(s)	Jules De Martino
The Ting Tings UK singles chronology
"Fruit Machine" (2007) "Great DJ" (2008) "That's Not My Name" (2008)
The Ting Tings US singles chronology
"Great DJ" (2008) "Shut Up and Let Me Go" (2008)
Alternative cover
Download cover

Composition

Vocalist Katie White states that the song was written by "playing a D chord on the guitar for hours, because that's all I could play. And then I put my finger on the wrong string, and got what I discovered was an augmented chord. And that was the riff!"^[1] The single was originally released as a double A-side along with "That's Not My Name".

Re-release

When "Great DJ" was re-released on 3 March 2008, it did not enter the UK Singles Chart until one week after the individual re-release of single "That's Not My Name" went to number one.

The cover sleeves for the single were recycled: Katie White and Jules De Martino gathered old 7-inch records from numerous car boot sales and charity shops in and around Manchester, turned the sleeves inside out and customised them to create new sleeves for this single.

iTunes free single

"Great DJ" was featured on iTunes' free single of the week in Canada where it received an average of 3½ stars.^{[citation needed]}

Track listings

7-inch vinyl (2007, Switchflicker Records)

1. "That's Not My Name" – 3:43
2. "Great DJ" – 3:23

One-sided 7-inch vinyl (2008, Columbia)

1. "Great DJ" – 3:23

CD 1 (2008, Columbia)

1. "Great DJ" – 3:23
2. "Great DJ" (Calvin Harris remix edit) – 6:37
3. "Great DJ" (7th Heaven radio edit) – 3:31

CD 2 (2008, Columbia)

1. "Great DJ" (Calvin Harris remix) – 7:05
2. "Great DJ" (7th Heaven remix) – 6:38
3. "Great DJ" (7th Heaven dub) – 6:53

Digital EP^[2]

1. "Great DJ" (Calvin Harris remix) – 7:05
2. "Great DJ" (7th Heaven remix) – 6:38
3. "Great DJ" (Demo version) – 3:23

Charts

Chart performance for "Great DJ"

Chart (2008)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)[3]	52
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[4]	47
Ireland (IRMA)[5]	35
UK Singles (OCC)[6]	33
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[7]	3

Certifications and sales

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[8]	Gold	100,000*
* Sales figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Label(s)	Ref.
United Kingdom	3 March 2008	Columbia	[9]
United States	22 September 2008		[10]

References

1. The Guardian: 1000 Songs Everyone Must Hear - Party Songs, Writing Party Songs, pg. 7
2. "Great DJ - EP, The Ting Tings". 29 February 2008. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
3. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 282.
4. "The Ting Tings – Great DJ" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
5. "Irish-charts.com – Discography The Ting Tings". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
6. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
7. "The Ting Tings Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
8. "Japanese digital single certifications – ザ・ティン・ティンズ – グレイトDJ" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 31 July 2021. Select 2014年1月 on the drop-down menu
9. "Music Upfront: March 3". Music Week. 1 March 2008. p. 13.
10. Praxis Media. "Radio1 Rodos Greece ::: USA Forthcoming Singles ::: Charts, DJ Promos, Dance, Lyrics, Free Mp3 Samples Downloads". Radio1.gr. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 19 February 2012.