The major trends that could influence this year’s Top 100 Clubs results

Top 100 Clubs, our annual nightclub poll in partnership with Miller Genuine Draft, is the definitive guide to the world's best dance floors. Originally launched in 2005 as a list curated by votes from DJs, the poll was opened up to the public for the first time in 2011. Since then, Top 100 Clubs has evolved to become an internationally recognised benchmark for lovers of discotheques. This year's poll received a staggering 600,000 votes from all corners of the globe – a record number that reinforces the strength of the nightclub scene worldwide.

With the voting period now closed, attention turns to the results announcement. Tomorrow (26th March), we'll count down the full ranking, live on our Instagram and Twitter pages, ahead of dropping the full list on djmag.com. Then on 28th March, a dedicated print edition will be released, featuring profiles on each of the 100 venues voted into the poll.

Ahead of the results countdown, we speculate on some of the big stories and trends that could define 2019's ranking...

BATTLE FOR THE TOP

There has perhaps never been such fierce competition – from clubs across the planet – for the elusive position as The World’s No.1 Club. Last year's top five includes clubs from Latin America, Europe, Asia and the United States. The clubs are diverse in character as well as geography. Whether you voted for the epic production of Echostage, the revered crowd of Zouk Singapore, the opulence of Ibiza duo Hï and  Ushuaïa or the all-out scale of Green Valley – the battle for the top has never been stronger.

CULT OF THE NEW

For every established venue in the ranking, there are many more vying for contention – and your votes! From futuristic playgrounds like Chroma in South Korea to modular event spaces like Avalon in Los Angeles, there are numerous fresh faces looking to disrupt the poll’s historical players. Competition is fierce to determine which ones will break through, and which will be crowned as 2019’s Highest New Entry.

CHINA’S FAST-GROWING SCENE

China is one of electronic music's biggest growth markets. In 2016, DJ Mag China launched, triggering an increase in representation of Chinese clubs in the poll. The country is now a major touring stop for the world's biggest artists and the scene’s growth has parallels with the EDM boom in the United States over the last decade. This year, we introduced a new SMS voting system to make it easier for Chinese voters to take part, without requiring a Facebook or Google account. This technical solution has the potential to pave the way for more clubs from the region to make the ranking.

THE STATE OF IBIZA

Ibiza remains at the forefront of the worldwide club scene. Almost a quarter (4) of the current top 20 clubs in the world are located within the island's meagre 571 km². But with incredible concentration comes intense competition. Last season in Ibiza was defining. Pacha had a transformational makeover, Amnesia and Privilege had strong seasons, ahead of running into licensing issues at the end of the summer. While Hï and Ushuaïa increased their dominance of both day and night in Playa den Bossa. Could it be enough to catapult an Ibiza club back to the top of the ranking for the first time since Space Ibiza’s closure?

The results will be announced on DJ Mag’s Instagram and Twitter pages tomorrow (26th March).