Crates Makes Beatport Digging Faster
A Browser Built Around How DJs Dig
Not every useful DJ software story is a major app update. Sometimes the most interesting tools sit around the main performance apps, solving the messy work of discovery before tracks ever reach rekordbox, Serato, Traktor, Engine DJ, VirtualDJ, or djay.
Crates.co is one of those tools. It presents itself as an electronic music browser made by DJs for DJs, with features such as a re-release filter, full-track YouTube search, preview memory, custom crates, “Dig Deeper” discovery, and My Beatport access that syncs changes back to Beatport.
The Re-Release Problem Is Real
Electronic music stores are full of reissues, edits, remasters, compilation appearances, and catalog re-pushes. That is not automatically bad — reissues can be valuable — but it can slow down discovery when you are trying to find genuinely fresh records for a weekend set.
Crates addresses this directly with a re-release filter designed to help users focus on what is fresh and filter out re-released tracks. For DJs who scan large genre feeds, label catalogs, or Beatport charts, that small workflow feature can save a surprising amount of time.
Discovery Without Losing Flow
The other smart idea is “Dig Deeper,” which lets users explore related tracks without breaking the listening session. That matters because crate digging is a flow state. The more often you have to open new tabs, copy artist names, search labels manually, or rebuild your place in a chart, the more likely you are to lose the thread.
Preview memory is another DJ-native touch. Remembering what you have already auditioned is not glamorous, but it prevents repeated listening and helps serious diggers make faster yes/no decisions across long sessions.
The DJ.Software Take
Crates is not trying to replace DJ software. It sits before the DJ app, where taste is formed and shortlists are built. That is exactly why it matters. As streaming catalogs expand and release volume rises, DJs need better filters — not just more tracks. Tools like this point toward a future where crate digging software becomes as important as performance software.