DJ Mag Top 100 Clubs 2023: 700k people vote in record-breaking year for our annual poll of the world's best clubs

As if to reaffirm the strength, resilience and forward momentum of our global electronic music scene, the 2023 Top 100 Clubs results have been announced in the same month as the World Health Organisation has declared Covid-19 is no longer a “global health emergency”. Though the impact of the pandemic, which put an end to clubbing for large chunks of the past three years, is still being felt across clubland.

One country making an impact on the world clubbing circuit this year is the USA, which after reclaiming the title of most ranked clubs in 2022, is up a further three to 19 in total. The increase no doubt reflects the growth and ongoing diversification of the mainstream US scene, with many EDM superstars moving towards tech-house, increased appreciation of the seminal house and techno sounds birthed in ’80s Chicago and Detroit, and an ever-strong bass music contingent. New York mega-venue Avant Gardner & The Brooklyn Mirage breaks into the top 10 this year, and the US is responsible for a third of the 12 new clubs — among them, two from the capital city, and 2023’s Highest New Entry, Texan hotspot The Concourse Project.

That’s all of the new entries from the North American continent, but Canada and Mexico are pulling their weight for the region too, with Montréal’s New City Gas returning to the poll for the first time since 2016, and Hardpop in Juárez rejoining after a 12-year hiatus from the poll's top 100 standings. All this brings North America to a total of 23 clubs, placing it second in the continental rankings after Europe, and ahead of Asia, which holds fast on 20 polling clubs.

South America also remains steady with 10 entries overall, six of which again come from the region’s clubbing capital, Brazil. Green Valley — the Brazilian club which has claimed the No.1 spot five times (second only to the legendary Space Ibiza’s six) — fails to reclaim the title again this year, but won’t budge from third place, an impressive feat considering the club was wiped out by a cyclone in 2020 and had to completely rebuild. Last year’s new entry from the D-EDGE team, Surreal Park, makes the continent’s biggest gain, climbing eight places this year.

Also repping for the southern hemisphere is Australia’s Home The Venue, which ensures all clubbing continents are represented for the second year in a row. Meanwhile, South African venue And joins the poll, and Nairobi’s MUZE is up 12 places, bringing the total African venues to two for the first time since 2014 and reflecting the continent’s ever-increasing presence on the global clubbing stage.

The majority of new entries come from Asia, a region that has often taken that title in the past due to China’s explosion of superclubs. Tight pandemic restrictions have curbed the country’s electronic music expansion, however, and while it’s maintained the biggest share of Asian clubs this year (four), it’s actually the wider region keeping the Asian total up. Indonesia brings two new clubs to the list, and there’s one each from Japan, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates. Singapore icon Zouk is also back in the top 10 after dropping out in 2022, and Hong Kong’s BOOMERANG, which rose 26 places last year, is up a further 20 to claim this year’s Highest Climber gong.

Europe remains top overall, with 44 clubs making the list; however, that’s down five from last year. The UK is also down to nine total after landing 13 in 2022, but does at least claim one new entry by way of Beams, the sister venue of Printworks London, which itself climbs to its highest-ever placement after closing at the beginning of May.

On the continent proper, Italy delivers the final new entry via Venetian club After Caposile, and Amsterdam club De School re-enters the poll after reopening late last year. Hï Ibiza is back in the No.1 spot for the second year in a row, while sister club Ushuaïa is back in the top five; Amnesia holds steady in the top 10 too, though all other Ibizan spots drop places. And while two-thirds of venues in that other Mediterranean clubbing stronghold, Croatia, have also fallen down the poll, the country sees fresh success with Dubrovnik venue Culture Club Revelin finally breaking into the top 20, nine years after first entering the poll.

Three years on from the planet shutting down, and the 2023 Top 100 Clubs poll has seen the most ever votes — nearly 700,000 — and delivered one of the most geographically diverse lists yet. Dance music’s world domination continues.