The All-U.S./All-World Lineup

No. 1 Roger Sanchez

Though born in New York, Sanchez found greater appreciation abroad. His most recent work, “First Contact,” achieved hit status in Europe before being released stateside, but his blistering house sets and production work make him one of the stalwarts.

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No. 2 Juan Atkins

The Detroit native was instrumental in jump-starting the Detroit scene that essentially gave birth to techno in the U.S. His work in techno and house, two of the music’s major subgenres, is still influencing acts.

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No. 3 Deep Dish

The Washington, D.C.-based duo is known more for its remixes, but its live DJ sets are as good as any on the scene. The importance of its work with ‘N Sync, Madonna and Dido can’t be underestimated in terms of bringing mainstream attention to dance music.

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No. 4 Carl Cox

The legendary British DJ may be the best live technician in the world. His impressive dexterity and boisterous personality make his sets seem so easy, but the skill behind them is remarkable.

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No. 5 Sasha

Like Cox, this Brit shines in the live setting. In fact, he may be Cox’s closest competitor. And his use of world-flavored beats and huge, rising synthesizers has been instrumental in making the live DJ set more accessible to large audiences.