#5 Pete Tong
What can be said about Pete Tong’s career that hasn’t already been said? Frankly, we find it obvious Ibiza and Pete seemingly coincide. Not just a successful DJ, with his “Pure Pacha,” “Wonderland” and “Its All Gone Pete Tong” series, but a true ambassador of the scene. Acting as the founder of the International Music Summit, Tong brings the annual music conference to Ibiza in May, discussing issues related to the scene, as well as dubbing the latest “legend of Ibiza” (past recipients have included Carl Cox, Fatboy Slim, and Nile Rogers).
#4 Danny Rampling
Perhaps it is a touch unfair “ranking” Danny Rampling lower than Paul Oakenfold on the list, as they were part of the same entourage traversing Ibiza back in 1987, but none the less, what’s done is done and Danny Rampling has surely made his mark. Upon his return to England that summer, an era was born after attempting to recreate the Ibiza experience promoting, what is regarded as, the UK’s first Balearic rave club, Shoom, it became the launching point of acid house culture.
#3 Paul Oakenfold
When Paul Oakenfold and company set foot on the golden Ibizan soil in 1987, the dance music world was about to change forever. Having already been a proponent of “Acid House,” Oakenfold found his native UK to not yet fully embrace that particular emerging nightlife sound. Instead, it was Ibiza which embraced it wholeheartedly. By hanging out at Café del Mar, and discovering the new party drug “ecstasy,” Oakenfold would find himself frequenting the legendary Amnesia for marathon DJ Alfredo sets, and history was made.
#2 DJ Alfredo
The original resident, DJ Alfredo began his Ibizan journey in 1983, coming over from Argentina and eventually holding court at the original Amnesia (then considered to be the most underground venue on the island). Without DJ Alfredo and Amnesia, perhaps the next couple of names on this list would never have been influenced to champion the sound of the island back home, and who knows what would have become of the scene we all know now. Now, with over thirty years behind him, DJ Alfredo still can rock summertime beach parties and the best clubs in the world, while holding true legend status.
#1 Jose Padilla
Moving to Ibiza from Barcelona in 1975, the White Isle simply would not be the destination it is today with out Jose Padilla. Widely considered to have popularised the ambient, chill out side of electronic music, Padilla’s Café del Mar residency, mix series, and label have become eponymous with the Ibiza experience. Having recently hung up the headphones, Jose Padilla represents the seminal Ibiza DJ.