Daft Punk were a French

electronic music Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroac ...

duo formed in 1993 in Paris by

Thomas Bangalter Thomas Bangalter (; born 3 January 1975) is a French musician, record producer, singer, songwriter, DJ and composer. Son of French music composer and artist Daniel Vangarde. He is best known as one half of the former French house music duo Daft ...

and

Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo Guillaume Emmanuel "Guy-Manuel" de Homem-Christo (; born 8 February 1974) is a French musician, record producer, singer, songwriter, DJ and composer. He is known as one half of the former French house music duo Daft Punk, along with Thomas Bang ...

. Widely regarded as one of the most influential acts in

dance music Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement. In terms of performance, the major categories are live dance music and recorded danc ...

history, they achieved popularity in the late 1990s as part of the

French house French house, also known as French touch, filter house and tekfunk, is a style of house music originally produced by French musicians in the 1990s. It is a form of Euro disco and a popular strand of the late 1990s and 2000s European dance m ...

movement. They garnered critical acclaim and commercial success in the years following, combining elements of

house music House is a music genre characterized by a repetitive Four on the floor (music), four-on-the-floor beat and a typical tempo of 120 beats per minute. It was created by Disc jockey, DJs and music producers from Chicago metropolitan area, Chicago' ...

with

funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...

disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...

indie rock Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...

and pop. After Bangalter and Homem-Christo's

band Darlin' disbanded, they began experimenting with drum machines and synthesisers. Their debut studio album ''

Homework Homework is a set of tasks assigned to students by their teachers to be completed outside the classroom. Common homework assignments may include required reading, a writing or typing project, Exercise (mathematics), mathematical exercises to b ...

'' was released by

Virgin Records Virgin Records is a record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman. It grew to be a worldwid ...

in 1997 to positive reviews, backed by singles " Around the World" and "

Da Funk "Da Funk" is an instrumental track by French electronic music duo Daft Punk, initially released as a single in 1995 and later included on their debut album, ''Homework'' (1997). The song and its accompanying music video directed by Spike Jonze ...

". From 1999, they assumed

robot A robot is a machine—especially one programmable by a computer—capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. A robot can be guided by an external control device, or the control may be embedded within. Robots may be c ...

personas for their public appearances, with helmets, outfits and gloves to disguise their identities; they made few media appearances. They were managed from 1996 to 2008 by

Pedro Winter Pedro Winter (born Pierre Winter; 21 April 1975), also known by the stage name Busy P, is a French record producer, DJ, record label owner, and former artist manager. After being the manager of Daft Punk from 1996 to 2008,Ed Banger Records Ed Banger Records (sometimes referred to as Ed Rec) is a French electronic music record label founded by Pedro Winter in 2003 as a division of Headbangers Entertainment. It focuses on house music, particularly French house, as well as alternati ...

. Daft Punk's second album, ''

Discovery Discovery may refer to: * Discovery (observation), observing or finding something unknown * Discovery (fiction), a character's learning something unknown * Discovery (law), a process in courts of law relating to evidence Discovery, The Discovery ...

'' (2001), had further success, supported by hit singles " One More Time", " Digital Love" and "

Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" is a song by French duo Daft Punk, released in October 2001 as the fourth single from their second studio album ''Discovery''. A live version of "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" was released as a single fro ...

". It became the basis for an animated film, ''

Interstella 5555 is a 2003 animated musical science fiction film. The film serves as a visual companion to ''Discovery'', the second studio album by Daft Punk. ''Interstella 5555'' tells the story of the abduction and rescue of an interstellar pop band. Th ...

,'' supervised by Japanese artist

Leiji Matsumoto is a Japanese mangaka, creator of several anime and manga series. His wife Miyako Maki is also a manga artist. Early life Matsumoto was the middle child of a family of seven brothers, and, in his early childhood, Matsumoto was given a 35m ...

. Daft Punk's third album, ''

Human After All ''Human After All'' is the third studio album by French electronic music duo Daft Punk, first released on 14 March 2005 through Virgin Records. Unlike their previous studio album ''Discovery'' (2001), whose sound was inspired by disco and ga ...

'' (2005), received mixed reviews, though the singles " Robot Rock" and "

Technologic "Technologic" is a song by French duo Daft Punk from their third studio album, ''Human After All'' (2005). It was released as the second single on 14 June 2005. The music video for "Technologic" was directed by Daft Punk. Composition In the son ...

" achieved success in the United Kingdom. The duo directed their first film, ''

Electroma ''Daft Punk's Electroma'' (also known as ''Electroma'') is a 2006 avant-garde science fiction film directed by the French electronic music duo Daft Punk. The story revolves around the quest of two robots (the band members, played by Peter Hurtea ...

'', an avant-garde science fiction film, in 2006. They toured throughout 2006 and 2007 and released the live album ''

Alive 2007 ''Alive 2007'' is the second live album by the French electronic music duo Daft Punk, released on 19 November 2007 by Virgin Records. It features Daft Punk's performance at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy arena in Paris on 14 June 2007 durin ...

'', which won a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

for

Best Electronic/Dance Album The Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards — a ceremony that was established in 1958 — to recording artists for quality albums in the dance music and electronica genres. Honors in several cate ...

; the tour is credited for popularising dance music in North America. Daft Punk composed the score for the 2010 film '' Tron: Legacy''. In 2013, Daft Punk left Virgin for

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...

and released their fourth and final album, ''

Random Access Memories ''Random Access Memories'' is the fourth studio album by the French electronic music, electronic duo Daft Punk, released on 17 May 2013 through Columbia Records. The album pays tribute to late Music history of the United States in the 1970s, 197 ...

'', to acclaim; the lead single, " Get Lucky", reached the top 10 in the charts of 27 countries. ''Random Access Memories'' won five Grammy Awards in 2014, including Album of the Year and

Record of the Year The Grammy Award for Record of the Year is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without reg ...

for "Get Lucky". In 2016, Daft Punk gained their only number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 with " Starboy", a collaboration with

the Weeknd Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (born February 16, 1990), known professionally as the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Known for his sonic versatility and dark lyricism, his music explores escapism, Romance (love), ...

. In 2015, ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'' ranked them the 12th greatest musical duo of all time. They announced their split in 2021.

History

1987–1992: Early career and Darlin'

and

met in 1987 while attending the

Lycée Carnot The Lycée Carnot is a Public school (government funded), public secondary school, secondary and higher education school at 145 Boulevard Malesherbes in the XVIIe arrondissement, 17th arrondissement, Paris, France. The Lycée Carnot was founded in ...

secondary school in Paris. The two became friends and recorded demos with others from the school. In 1992, they formed a guitar group, Darlin', with Bangalter on bass, Homem-Christo on guitar, and guitarist and drummer Laurent Brancowitz. The trio named themselves after the

Beach Boys A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological sources, such as mollusc shell ...

song " Darlin", which they

covered Cover or covers may refer to: Packaging * Another name for a lid * Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package * Album cover, the front of the packaging * Book cover or magazine cover ** Book design ** Back cover copy, part of co ...

along with an original composition. Both tracks were released on a multi-artist EP under

Duophonic Records Duophonic Ultra High Frequency Disks Limited (also known as Duophonic Records or Duophonic Super 45s) is a British independent record label formed by English-French rock band Stereolab in 1991. The label has two imprints: Duophonic Ultra High ...

, a label owned by the London-based band

Stereolab Stereolab are an Anglo- French avant-pop band formed in London in 1990. Led by the songwriting team of Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier, the group's music combines influences from krautrock, lounge and 1960s pop music, often incorporating a repetit ...

, who invited Darlin' to open for shows in the United Kingdom. Darlin' disbanded after around six months, having produced four songs and played two gigs. Bangalter described the project as "pretty average". Brancowitz pursued music with another band,

Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...

. Bangalter and Homem-Christo formed Daft Punk and experimented with drum machines and synthesizers. The name was taken from a negative review of Darlin' in ''

Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. It was founded in 1926, largely as a magazine for dance band musicians, by Leicester-born ...

'' by Dave Jennings, who dubbed their music "a daft punky thrash". The band found the review amusing. Homem-Christo said, "We struggled so long to find

he name He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...

Darlin', and

his name His or HIS may refer to: Computing * Hightech Information System, a Hong Kong graphics card company * Honeywell Information Systems * Hybrid intelligent system * Microsoft Host Integration Server Education * Hangzhou International School, in ...

happened so quickly."

1993–1996: First performances and singles

In September 1993, Daft Punk attended a

rave A rave (from the verb: '' to rave'') is a dance party at a warehouse, club, or other public or private venue, typically featuring performances by DJs playing electronic dance music. The style is most associated with the early 1990s dance mus ...

EuroDisney Disneyland Paris is an entertainment resort in Chessy, France, east of Paris. It encompasses two theme parks, resort hotels, Disney Nature Resorts, a shopping, dining and entertainment complex, and a golf course. Disneyland Park is the origin ...

, where they met Stuart Macmillan of

Slam Slam, SLAM or SLAMS may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional elements * S.L.A.M. (Strategic Long-Range Artillery Machine), a fictional weapon in the ''G.I. Joe'' universe * SLAMS (Space-Land-Air Missile Shield), a fictional anti-ball ...

, co-founder of the Scottish label

Soma Quality Recordings Soma Quality Recordings (or simply Soma Records) is an independent record label based in Glasgow, Scotland. It was co-founded in 1991 by the electronic music duo Slam, Dave Clarke and Glenn Gibbons. The label is known for releasing early works o ...

.Daft Punk in Glasgow: Slam on 'the two quiet wee guys' who used to crash on their sofa
, Jules Boyle, Glasgow Live, 24 February 2021 The demo tape given to Macmillan at the rave formed the basis for Daft Punk's debut single, "The New Wave", a limited release in 1994. The single also contained the final mix of "The New Wave" called "Alive", which was to be featured on Daft Punk's first album. Daft Punk returned to the studio in May 1995 to record "

". It became their first commercially successful single. After the success of "Da Funk", Daft Punk looked to find a manager. The duo settled on

in September 1996 and made a deal to license its tracks to the major label through its production company, Daft Trax. Bangalter said that while they received numerous offers from record labels, they wanted to wait and ensure that they did not lose creative control. He considered the deal with Virgin more akin to a partnership. In the mid-to-late nineties, Daft Punk performed live without costumes at various venues. In 1996, they made their first performance in the United States, at an Even Furthur event in

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

. In addition to live original performances, they performed in clubs using vinyl records from their collection. They were known for incorporating numerous styles of music into their DJ sets at that time.

1997–1999: ''Homework''

Daft Punk released their debut album, ''

'', in 1997. In February that year, the UK dance magazine ''

Muzik ''Muzik'' was a British dance music magazine published by IPC Media from June 1995 to August 2003. ''Muzik'' was created by two former ''Melody Maker'' journalists, Push and Ben Turner. Push was the editor of ''Muzik'' from its launch until he ...

'' published a Daft Punk cover feature and described ''Homework'' as "one of the most hyped debut albums in a long long time". According to ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the crea ...

'', the album revived house music and departed from the

Eurodance Euro-Dance (sometimes referred to as Euro-NRG, Euro-electronica or Euro) is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s in Europe. It combines many elements of hip hop, techno, Hi-NRG, house music, and Euro-Disco. This ...

formula.Woods, Scott (5 October 1999)
"Underground Disco?"
. ''

''. Retrieved 10 February 2012. Critic Alex Rayner wrote that it combined established club styles and the "burgeoning eclecticism" of

big beat Big beat is an electronic music genre that usually uses heavy breakbeats and synthesizer-generated loops and patterns – common to acid house/techno. The term has been used by the British music industry to describe music by artists such as ...

.Rayner, Alex (2006). ''

1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die ''1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die'' is a musical reference book first published in 2005 by Universe Publishing. Part of the ''1001 Before You Die'' series, it compiles writings and information on albums chosen by a panel of music critics ...

''. p. 812. New York, NY:

Universe Publishing Rizzoli Libri, formerly Rizzoli Libri S.p.A. and RCS Libri S.p.A. is an Italian book publisher and a division of Mondadori Libri, a wholly owned subsidiary of Arnoldo Mondadori Editore. RCS Libri was a former subsidiary of RCS MediaGroup, but in ...

. 2006. . Retrieved 8 May 2012. In 1997, Daft Punk embarked on an international concert tour, Daftendirektour, using their home equipment for the live stage. On 25 May, they headlined the

Tribal Gathering Tribal Gathering is the original British electronic dance music festival that between 1993 and 2004 catered for different types of dance music cultures such as techno, house and drum & bass. After 18 years, Tribal Gathering returns in 2023 for a ...

festival at

Luton Hoo Luton Hoo is an English country house and Estate (land), estate near Luton in Bedfordshire and Harpenden in Hertfordshire. Most of the estate lies within the civil parish of Hyde, Bedfordshire. The Old English language, Saxon word wikt:hoo#Etym ...

, England, with Orbital and

Kraftwerk Kraftwerk (, "power station") is a German band formed in Düsseldorf in 1970 by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider. Widely considered innovators and pioneers of electronic music, Kraftwerk were among the first successful acts to popularize the ...

. The most successful single from ''Homework'' was " Around the World". "Da Funk" was also included on ''

The Saint The Saint may refer to: Fiction * Simon Templar, also known as "The Saint", the protagonist of a book series by Leslie Charteris and subsequent adaptations: ** ''The Saint'' (film series) (1938–43), starring Louis Hayward, George Sanders an ...

'' film soundtrack. Daft Punk produced a series of music videos for ''Homework'' directed by

Spike Jonze Adam H. Spiegel (born October 22, 1969), known professionally as Spike Jonze, is an American filmmaker, actor, musician, and photographer. His work includes commercials, film, music videos, skateboard videos and television. Jonze began his ca ...

Michel Gondry Michel Gondry (; born 8 May 1963) is a French filmmaker noted for his inventive visual style and distinctive manipulation of mise en scène. Along with Charlie Kaufman, he won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay as one of the writers ...

Roman Coppola Roman François Coppola (born April 22, 1965) is an American director, screenwriter, producer and the son of Francis Ford Coppola and Eleanor Coppola. For the 2012 film ''Moonrise Kingdom'', he and co-writer Wes Anderson were nominated for the A ...

and Seb Janiak. The videos were collected in 1999 as '' D.A.F.T.: A Story About Dogs, Androids, Firemen and Tomatoes''. Bangalter and Homem-Christo both created record labels after the release of their debut album, releasing solo projects from themselves and their friends on

Roulé Roulé () was a French record label founded in 1995 by former Daft Punk member Thomas Bangalter. Roulé had a side label entitled ''Scratché'' () which released only one record, produced by the Buffalo Bunch (Paul de Homem-Christo and Romain S ...

and

Crydamoure Crydamoure (a variation of the French phrase ''cri d'amour'' or "cry of love" in English) was a French house record label owned by Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, one former half of the duo Daft Punk, and Eric Chedeville. Background The label wa ...

respectively. Homem-Christo released music as a member of Le Knight Club with Eric Chedeville, and Bangalter released music as a member of

Together ''ToGetHer'' (, aka Superstar Express) is a 2009 Taiwanese drama starring Jiro Wang of Fahrenheit, Rainie Yang and George Hu. It was produced by Comic International Productions ( 可米國際影視事業股份有限公司) and directed by Linzi ...

with

DJ Falcon Stéphane Quême (), (born January 2, 1973), known as DJ Falcon, is a French DJ, record producer and photographer. He is the brother of Delphine Quême (Quartet) and a cousin of Alan Braxe (Alain Quême). Career In 1999, Falcon released his firs ...

and founded the group Stardust with

Alan Braxe Alain Quême (), professionally known as Alan Braxe (born 9 July 1971), is a French electronic music artist. Braxe is most widely known for his collaborative work with electronic bassist Fred Falke and Kris Menace, and for being part of the musi ...

and Benjamin Diamond. In 1998, Stardust released their only song, the chart hit " Music Sounds Better With You".

1999–2003: ''Discovery''

Daft Punk's second album, ''

'', was released in 2001. The duo said it was an attempt to reconnect with the playful, open-minded attitude associated with the discovery phase of childhood.Chris Gill
"ROBOPOP"
(May 2001) ''Remix Magazine Online''. Retrieved 6 March 2007. The album reached No. 2 in the UK, and its lead single, " One More Time", was a hit. The song is heavily

autotune Auto-Tune (or autotune) is an audio processor introduced in 1996 by American company Antares Audio Technologies. Auto-Tune uses a proprietary device to measure and alter pitch in vocal and instrumental music recording and performances. Auto-Tu ...

d and compressed. The singles " Digital Love" and "

" were also successful in the UK and on the US Dance Chart, and " Face to Face" hit number one on the US club play charts. ''Discovery'' created a new generation of Daft Punk fans. It also saw Daft Punk debut their distinctive robot costumes; they had previously worn Halloween masks or bags for promotional appearances. ''Discovery'' was later named one of the best albums of the decade by publications including ''Pitchfork'' and ''

Resident Advisor ''Resident Advisor'' (also known as ''RA'') is an online music magazine and community platform dedicated to showcasing electronic music, artists and events across the globe. It was established in 2001. ''RA''s editorial team provides news, musi ...

''. In 2020, ''

'' included it at number 236 in its list of the " 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". In 2021, ''Pitchfork'' cited ''Discovery'' as the centrepiece of Daft Punk's career, "an album that transcended the robots' club roots and rippled through the decades that followed". Daft Punk partnered with the Japanese

manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...

artist

to create ''

'', a feature-length animation set to ''Discovery''. The first four episodes were shown on

Toonami Toonami ( ) is an American late night television programming block that primarily broadcasts Japanese animation and occasionally American action animation. It was created by Sean Akins and Jason DeMarco and produced by Williams Street, a divis ...

in 2001, and the finished film was released on DVD in 2003. That December, Daft Punk released ''

Daft Club ''Daft Club'' is the first remix album by the French electronic music duo Daft Punk, released on 1 December 2003 by Virgin Records. The album features numerous remixes of tracks from their second album, ''Discovery'' (2001), and one from their d ...

'', a compilation of ''Discovery'' remixes. In 2001, Daft Punk released a 45-minute excerpt from a Daftendirektour performance as '' Alive 1997''.

2004–2007: ''Human After All'' and ''Alive 2007''

In March 2005, Daft Punk released their third album, ''

'', the result of six weeks of writing and recording. Reviews were mixed, with criticism for its repetitiveness and darker mood. " Robot Rock", "

", "

" and "

The Prime Time of Your Life "The Prime Time of Your Life" is a song by French electronic music duo Daft Punk from their third studio album, ''Human After All''. It was released as the fourth and final single from the album on 17 June 2006 by record label Virgin. The song is ...

" were released as singles. A Daft Punk anthology CD/DVD, '' Musique Vol. 1 1993–2005'', was released on 4 April 2006. Daft Punk also released a

remix album A remix album is an album consisting of remixes or rerecorded versions of an artist's earlier released material. The first act who employed the format was American singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson (''Aerial Pandemonium Ballet'', 1971). As of 2007 ...

, '' Human After All: Remixes''. On 21 May 2006, Daft Punk premiered a film, ''

Daft Punk's Electroma ''Daft Punk's Electroma'' (also known as ''Electroma'') is a 2006 avant-garde science fiction film directed by the French electronic music duo Daft Punk. The story revolves around the quest of two robots (the band members, played by Peter Hurteau ...

'', at the

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...

sidebar Director's Fortnight.''Daft Punk's Electroma'' review
''Variety''. Retrieved 26 February 2007. The film does not include Daft Punk's music. Midnight screenings of the film were held in Paris theaters starting from March 2007.
allocine.fr. Retrieved 11 April 2007. For 48 dates across 2006 and 2007, Daft Punk performed the Alive 2006/2007 world tour, performing a "megamix" of their music from a large LED-fronted pyramid. The tour was acclaimed and is credited for bringing dance music to a wider audience, especially in North America. ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' journalist Gabriel Szatan likened it to how

the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

' 1964 performance on ''

The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television program, television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in Septembe ...

'' had brought

British rock and roll British rock and roll, or sometimes British rock 'n' roll, is a style of popular music based on American rock and roll, which emerged in the late 1950s and was popular until the arrival of beat music in 1962. It was important in establishing Brit ...

to the American mainstream. Daft Punk's performance in Paris was released as their second live album, ''

'', on 19 November 2007.Exclusive: Daft Punk Unveil Live Album Details; Midlake to Release EP
''Spin''. Retrieved 27 August 2007. The live version of "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" was released as a single,Live Album To Chronicle Daft Punk Tour
''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

''. Retrieved 17 August 2007. with a video directed by Olivier Gondry comprising audience footage of their performance in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

.Daft Punk Announce Live Album
side-line.com. Retrieved 31 August 2007. In 2009, Daft Punk won

s for ''Alive 2007'' and its single "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger".

2008–2011: ''Tron: Legacy''

Daft Punk made a surprise appearance at the

50th Grammy Awards The 50th Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, on February 10, 2008. It honored musical achievement of 2007 in which albums were released between October 1, 2006, through September 30, 2007. The primary ceremonies ...

on 10 February 2008, and appeared with rapper

Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...

to perform a reworked version of " Stronger" on stage at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.Daft Punk Make Surprise Grammy Appearance with Kanye West
''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

''. Retrieved 10 February 2008. It was the first televised Daft Punk live performance. In 2008, Daft Punk returned to Paris to work on new material. Winter also stepped down as their manager to focus attention on his

Ed Banger Records Ed Banger Records (sometimes referred to as Ed Rec) is a French electronic music record label founded by Pedro Winter in 2003 as a division of Headbangers Entertainment. It focuses on house music, particularly French house, as well as alternati ...

label and his work as Busy P.Daft Punk Are Back in the Studio
inthemix.com. Retrieved 28 May 2008. He stated in a later interview that Daft Punk were working with an unspecified management company in Los Angeles. The duo held its Daft Arts production office at the

Jim Henson Studios The Jim Henson Company (formerly known as Muppets, Inc., Henson Associates, Inc., and Jim Henson Productions, Inc.; commonly referred to as Henson) is an American entertainment company located in Los Angeles, California. The company is known for ...

complex in Hollywood. In 2008, Daft Punk placed 38th in a worldwide official poll of ''

DJ Mag ''DJ Magazine'' (also known as ''DJ Mag'') is a British monthly magazine dedicated to electronic dance music and DJs. Founded in 1991, the magazine is adapted for distribution in the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain, France, Italy, Lat ...

'' after debuting at position 71 in the year before. Daft Punk provided new mixes for the video game ''

DJ Hero ''DJ Hero'' is a music video game, developed by FreeStyleGames and published by Activision as a rhythm game spin-off of the ''Guitar Hero'' franchise. It was released on October 27, 2009 in North America and on October 29, 2009 in Europe. The ga ...

,'' and appeared in the game as playable characters. At the 2009

San Diego Comic-Con San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California since 1970. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International: San Diego; but it is co ...

, it was announced that Daft Punk had composed 24 tracks for the film '' Tron: Legacy''. Daft Punk's score was arranged and orchestrated by

Joseph Trapanese Joseph Trapanese (born 1984) is an American composer, arranger, and producer. He works in the production of music for films, television, records, theater, concerts, and interactive media. Early life and education Raised in Jersey City, New Jers ...

. The band collaborated with him for two years on the score, from pre-production to completion. The score features an 85-piece orchestra, recorded at AIR Lyndhurst Studios in London.

Joseph Kosinski Joseph Kosinski is an American film director best known for his computer graphics and computer-generated imagery (CGI) work, and for his work in action films. He made his big-screen directorial debut with the 2010 science fiction film '' Tron: ...

, director of the film, referred to the score as a mixture of orchestral and electronic elements. Daft Punk also make a cameo as disc jockey programs wearing their trademark robot helmets within the film's virtual world. The

soundtrack album A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television show. The first such album to be commercially released was Walt Disney's ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'' ...

was released on 6 December 2010.Official website of Tron Legacy's soundtrack
. Retrieved 27 September 2010. A music video for "Derezzed" premiered on the

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

Networks on the same day the album was released. The video, which features

Olivia Wilde Olivia Jane Cockburn ( ; born March 10, 1984), known professionally as Olivia Wilde, is an American actress and filmmaker. She played Remy "Thirteen" Hadley on the medical-drama television series ''House'' (2007–2012), and has appeared in the ...

as the character Quorra in specially shot footage, along with images of Daft Punk in Flynn's Arcade, was later made available for purchase from the

iTunes Store The iTunes Store is a digital media store operated by Apple Inc. It opened on April 28, 2003, as a result of Steve Jobs' push to open a digital marketplace for music. As of April 2020, iTunes offered 60 million songs, 2.2 million apps, 25,00 ...

and included in the DVD and Blu-ray releases of the film.

Walt Disney Records Walt Disney Records is an American record label of the Disney Music Group. The label releases soundtrack albums from The Walt Disney Company's motion picture studios, television series, theme parks, and traditional studio albums produced by its r ...

released a remix album, '' Tron: Legacy Reconfigured'', on 5 April 2011. In 2010, Daft Punk were admitted into the

Ordre des Arts et des Lettres The ''Ordre des Arts et des Lettres'' (Order of Arts and Letters) is an order of France established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture. Its supplementary status to the was confirmed by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963. Its purpose is ...

, an order of merit of France. Bangalter and Homem-Christo were individually awarded the rank of ''Chevalier'' (knight)."Daft Punk chevaliers des Arts et des Lettres !"
by Laure Narlian, ''

France 2 France 2 () is a French public national television channel. It is part of the state-owned France Télévisions group, along with France 3, France 4 and France 5. France Télévisions also participates in Arte and Euronews. Since 3:20 CET on 7 ...

'' (24 August 2010). Retrieved 7 November 2010. (French) On October of that year, Daft Punk made a surprise guest appearance during the encore of

's show at

Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...

in New York City. They played a medley of "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" and "Around the World" before the song segued into Phoenix's song "1901". The duo also included elements of their tracks "Rock'n Roll", "Human After All", and "

", one of Bangalter's releases as a member of

2011–2015: ''Random Access Memories''

In 2011, Soma Records released a previously unpublished Daft Punk track, "Drive", recorded while they were signed to Soma in the 1990s. The track was included in a twentieth anniversary multi-artist compilation of the Soma label. In October 2012, Daft Punk provided a 15-minute mix of songs by blues musician

Junior Kimbrough David "Junior" Kimbrough (July 28, 1930 – January 17, 1998) was an American blues musician. His best-known works are "Keep Your Hands off Her" and "All Night Long". Early life Kimbrough was born in Hudsonville, Mississippi, and lived in the no ...

for

Hedi Slimane Hedi Slimane (; born July 5, 1968) is a French photographer and grand couturier. From 2000 to 2007, he held the position of creative director for Dior Homme (the menswear line of Christian Dior S.A., Christian Dior). From 2012 to 2016, he was the ...

's Yves Saint Laurent fashion show. Daft Punk recorded their fourth studio album, ''

'', with musicians including

The Strokes The Strokes are an American rock band from New York City. Formed in 1998, the band is composed of lead singer and songwriter Julian Casablancas, guitarists Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr., bassist Nikolai Fraiture, and drummer Fabrizio More ...

frontman

Julian Casablancas Julian Fernando Casablancas (born August 23, 1978) is an American singer, musician and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and primary songwriter of Rock music, rock band The Strokes, with whom he has released six studio albums since the ...

Todd Edwards Todd Edward Imperatrice (born December 9, 1972), known professionally as Todd Edwards, is an American garage house record producer, DJ and singer from Bloomfield, New Jersey. He began producing primarily for New York's Nervous Records in the 19 ...

Animal Collective Animal Collective is an American experimental pop band formed in Baltimore, Maryland. Its members consist of Avey Tare (David Portner), Panda Bear (Noah Lennox), Geologist (Brian Weitz), and Deakin (Josh Dibb). The band's work is characterized ...

member

Panda Bear The giant panda (''Ailuropoda melanoleuca''), also known as the panda bear (or simply the panda), is a bear species endemic to China. It is characterised by its bold black-and-white coat and rotund body. The name "giant panda" is sometimes ...

Chilly Gonzales Jason Charles Beck (born 20 March 1972), professionally known as Chilly Gonzales, is a Canadian musician, songwriter, and producer. Currently based in Cologne, Germany, he previously lived for several years in Paris. Gonzales is a musical polymat ...

, Paul Williams,

Pharrell Williams Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973) is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. Alongside close colleague Chad Hugo, he formed the hip hop and R&B production duo the Neptunes in the early 1990s, with whom he ...

Chic Chic (; ), meaning "stylish" or "smart", is an element of fashion. It was originally a French word. Pronounced Chick. Etymology '' Chic'' is a French word, established in English since at least the 1870s. Early references in English diction ...

frontman

Nile Rodgers Nile Gregory Rodgers Jr. (born September 19, 1952) is an American musician, record producer and composer. The co-founder of Chic, Rodgers has written, produced, and performed on records that have sold more than 500 million albums and 75 million ...

, and

Giorgio Moroder Giovanni Giorgio Moroder (, ; born 26 April 1940) is an Italian composer, songwriter, and record producer. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Father of Disco", Moroder is credited with pioneering euro disco and electronic dance mu ...

. They left Virgin for

Sony Music Entertainment Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainment ...

through the

label.Daft Punk arrive chez Sony
zik-zag.blog.leparisien.fr. Retrieved 26 January 2013. ''Random Access Memories'' was released on 20 May 2013. The lead single, " Get Lucky", became Daft Punk's first UK number-one single and the most-streamed new song in the history of

Spotify Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...

. At the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, Daft Punk debuted a trailer for their single "

Lose Yourself to Dance "Lose Yourself to Dance" is a song by French electronic music duo Daft Punk featuring vocals from American musician Pharrell Williams. Like their previous collaboration with fellow American musician Nile Rodgers, " Get Lucky", the song was writte ...

" and presented the award for "Best Female Video" alongside Rodgers and Pharrell. In December, they revealed a music video for the song "

Instant Crush "Instant Crush" is a song written, produced, and performed by French electronic music duo Daft Punk and American musician Julian Casablancas. It was released as the fourth single from Daft Punk's fourth studio album, ''Random Access Memories'' ...

", directed by

Warren Fu Warren Fu is an American music video director, illustrator and designer. He has directed videos for artists such as Daft Punk, Pharrell Williams, The Strokes, the Killers, Hayley Williams, Mark Ronson, and Julian Casablancas. Fu is signed to ...

and featuring

. At the

56th Annual Grammy Awards The 56th Annual Grammy Awards presentation was held on January 26, 2014, at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The show was broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT and was hosted for the third time by LL Cool J. The show was moved to January to avoid comp ...

, ''Random Access Memories'' won the Grammy for Best Dance/Electronica Album, Album of the Year and

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical The Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical has been awarded since 1959. The award had several minor name changes: * In 1959, the award was known as Best Engineered Record – Non-Classical * In 1960, it was awarded as Best Engineeri ...

, while "Get Lucky" received the Grammy for

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance The Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. According to the 63rd Grammy Awards category rules, "this category ...

and

. Daft Punk performed at the ceremony with

Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, Pop musi ...

, Rodgers, and Pharrell, as well as ''Random Access Memories'' rhythm section players

Nathan East Nathan Harrell East (born December 8, 1955) is an American jazz, R&B, and rock bass player and vocalist. With more than 2,000 recordings, East is one of the most recorded bass players in the history of music. East holds a Bachelor of Arts degr ...

Omar Hakim Omar Hakim (born February 12, 1959) is an American jazz, jazz fusion and pop music drummer, producer, arranger and composer. He has worked with Weather Report, David Bowie, Foo Fighters, Sting, Madonna, Dire Straits, Bryan Ferry, Journey, Kate ...

Paul Jackson, Jr. Paul Milton Jackson Jr. (born December 30, 1959) is an American fusion/urban jazz composer, arranger, producer and guitarist. He was born and raised in Los Angeles. Jackson knew by the age of fifteen that he wanted to become a professional musi ...

and Chris Caswell. Daft Punk co-produced

's sixth studio album, ''

Yeezus ''Yeezus'' is the sixth studio album by American rapper and producer Kanye West. It was released on June 18, 2013, through Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records. West gathered a number of artists and close collaborators for the production, ...

'' (2013), creating the tracks "

On Sight __NOTOC__ This glossary of climbing terms is a list of definitions of terms and jargon related to rock climbing and mountaineering. The specific terms used can vary considerably between different English-speaking countries; many of the phrases d ...

", "

Black Skinhead "Black Skinhead" (also stylized as "BLKKK SKKKN HEAD") is a song by American rapper Kanye West, from his sixth studio album '' Yeezus'' (2013). It was produced by West and Daft Punk. The song's lyrics center on racial tensions and the crumbli ...

", " I Am a God" and " Send It Up" with West. They provided additional vocals for Pharrell's 2014 single "

Gust of Wind "Gust of Wind" is a song written, produced, and performed by American musician Pharrell Williams. Written alongside Daft Punk (who also provided vocals), it was released on October 24, 2014 by Columbia Records as the fourth single from Williams' ...

". On 10 March 2014, an unreleased Daft Punk song, "Computerized", leaked online. It features

Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...

and contains "The Son of Flynn" from the ''Tron: Legacy'' soundtrack; it was once intended to be a single promoting ''Tron: Legacy''. In April 2015, Daft Punk appeared in a short tribute to Rodgers as part of a documentary on his life, ''Nile Rodgers: From Disco to Daft Punk''. In June, a documentary, '' Daft Punk Unchained'', was released.

2016–2022: Final projects and disbandment

Daft Punk appeared on the 2016 singles " Starboy" and "

I Feel It Coming "I Feel It Coming" is a song by Canadian singer the Weeknd featuring French electronic duo Daft Punk, from his third studio album, '' Starboy'' (2016). It was written by the trio alongside Doc McKinney, Cirkut and Eric Chedeville, being produc ...

" by Canadian R&B singer

; "Starboy" topped the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, becoming Daft Punk's only US number-one song, and "I Feel It Coming" reached number four. In 2017, Soma Records released a previously unreleased remix of the Daft Punk track "Drive", as part of a compilation featuring various artists. In February 2017, Daft Punk launched a

pop-up shop Pop-up retail, also known as pop-up store (pop-up shop in the UK, Australia and Ireland) or flash retailing, is a trend of opening short-term sales spaces that last for days to weeks before closing down, often to catch onto a fad or scheduled e ...

in Hollywood, California, featuring memorabilia, artwork, and a display of the various costumes the duo has worn over the years. The duo also performed with the Weeknd at the

59th Annual Grammy Awards The 59th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on February 12, 2017. The CBS network broadcast the show live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The ceremony recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, ...

on 12 February 2017.The Weeknd, Daft Punk Sing 'I Feel It Coming' at 2017 Grammys
. ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

''. Retrieved 12 February 2017. Throughout the years following the ''Starboy'' collaborations, Bangalter and Homem-Christo worked solo as producers appearing on several projects. On 21 June 2017, the Australian band Parcels released the song "Overnight", produced and co-written by Daft Punk. The song was written after Daft Punk saw Parcels perform at a live show and invited the band members to the duo's studio. The song would be the duo's final released production. In February 2019, it was announced that Daft Punk would launch an electronic art exhibition at the

Philharmonie de Paris The Philharmonie de Paris () ( en, Paris Philharmonic) is a complex of concert halls in Paris, France. The buildings also house exhibition spaces and rehearsal rooms. The main buildings are all located in the Parc de la Villette at the northeaste ...

featuring various costumes, guitars, and other fixtures based on the theme of the duo's song "Technologic"; the exhibition ran from April 9 up until August 11 of that year. On 22 February 2021, Daft Punk released a video on their YouTube channel titled "Epilogue". The video features a scene from their 2006 film ''

'', in which one robot explodes and the other walks away; a title card created with

reads "1993–2021" while an excerpt of Daft Punk's song "Touch" plays. Later that day, Daft Punk's longtime publicist Kathryn Frazier confirmed that the duo had split, but did not give a reason for their disbandment. The news led to a surge in Daft Punk sales, with digital album purchases rising by 2,650 percent. Their friend and collaborator

clarified that Bangalter and Homem-Christo remain active separately. On 22 February 2022, one year after their disbandment, Daft Punk announced the digital release of a 25th anniversary edition of ''Homework'', featuring a newly collected remix album of ''Homework'' and uploads of behind the scenes "archives" from the ''D.A.F.T.'' DVD''.'' The remix album was later released on physical formats. The same day as the anniversary announcement, the band held a one-time

Twitch Twitch may refer to: Biology * Muscle contraction ** Convulsion, rapid and repeated muscle contraction and relaxation ** Fasciculation, a small, local, involuntary muscle contraction ** Myoclonic twitch, a jerk usually caused by sudden muscle co ...

stream of their performance at the Mayan Theater in Los Angeles from their 1997 Daftendirektour. The video featured previously unreleased footage of the duo without costumes. Vinyl reissues of the band's albums continued regularly throughout 2022.

Artistry

Musical style

Daft Punk's musical style has mainly been described as

house A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...

electronic Electronic may refer to: *Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductor * ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal *Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device *Electronic co ...

dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

, and

. Sean Cooper of

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

describes their musical style as a blend of

acid house Acid house (also simply known as just "acid") is a subgenre of house music developed around the mid-1980s by DJs from Chicago. The style is defined primarily by the squelching sounds and basslines of the Roland TB-303 electronic bass synthesiz ...

techno Techno is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempo often varying between 120 and 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central rhythm is typically in common time (4/4) and often ch ...

, pop,

, hip hop,

progressive house Progressive house is a subgenre of house music. The progressive house style emerged in the early 1990s. It initially developed in the United Kingdom as a natural progression of American and European house music of the late 1980s.Gerard, Morgan; ...

, and electro. They incorporated extensive sampling; ''Guardian'' chief critic Alex Petridis described their approach to music and art as "magpie"-like. In the early 1990s, Daft Punk drew inspiration from rock and

in the UK. Homem-Christo referred to '' Screamadelica'' by

Primal Scream Primal Scream are a Scottish rock band originally formed in 1982 in Glasgow by Bobby Gillespie (vocals) and Jim Beattie. The band's current lineup consists of Gillespie, Andrew Innes (guitar), Simone Butler (bass), and Darrin Mooney (drums) ...

as the record that "put everything together" in terms of genre. In 2009, Bangalter named

Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore the relationsh ...

as one of Daft Punk's early influences. On the ''Homework'' track "Teachers", Daft Punk list musicians who influenced them, including funk musician George Clinton, rapper and producer

Dr Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and w ...

, and

Chicago house Chicago house refers to house music produced during the mid to late 1980s within Chicago. The term is generally used to refer to the first ever house music productions, which were by Chicago-based artists in the 1980s. History and origins Disco ...

and

Detroit techno Detroit techno is a type of techno music that generally includes the first techno productions by Detroit-based artists during the 1980s and early 1990s. Prominent Detroit techno artists include Juan Atkins, Eddie Fowlkes, Derrick May, Jeff Mil ...

artists including Paul Johnson,

Romanthony Romanthony (born Anthony Wayne Moore; September 5, 1967 – May 7, 2013) was an American disc jockey, producer and singer.Bush, John " Romanthony Biography, Allmusic, retrieved 2010-11-02 He is perhaps best known for his work with French duo Daft ...

and

. Homem-Christo said: "Their music had a big effect on us. The sound of their productions—the compression, the sound of the kick drum and Romanthony's voice, the emotion and soul—is part of how we sound today." ''Discovery'' saw Daft Punk integrating influences from 70s

and 80s

crooner Crooner is a term used to describe primarily male singers who performed using a smooth style made possible by better microphones which picked up quieter sounds and a wider range of frequencies, allowing the singer to access a more dynamic range ...

s, and featured collaborations with Romanthony and Edwards. A major inspiration was the

Aphex Twin Richard David James (born 18 August 1971), best known as Aphex Twin, is an Irish-born British musician, composer and DJ. He is known for his idiosyncratic work in electronic music, electronic styles such as techno, ambient music, ambient, and jun ...

single "

Windowlicker "Windowlicker" is a song by British electronic musician Aphex Twin, released on 22 March 1999 as a single by Warp Records. The artwork for the single was created by Chris Cunningham, with additional work by The Designers Republic. Cunningham al ...

", which was "neither a purely club track nor a very chilled-out, down-tempo relaxation track", according to Bangalter."Daft Punk Embark On A Voyage of Discovery"
MTVe.com. Retrieved 22 February 2007. The duo used vintage equipment to recreate sounds from older artists, such as the use of a Wurlitzer piano to evoke

Supertramp Supertramp were an English rock band that formed in London in 1969. Marked by the individual songwriting of founders Roger Hodgson (vocals, keyboards, and guitars) and Rick Davies (vocals and keyboards), they are distinguished for blending pro ...

on " Digital Love".Bryan Reesman
Daft Punk interview
''Mix (magazine)''. Retrieved 6 March 2007. For the '' Tron: Legacy'' soundtrack, Daft Punk drew inspiration from

Wendy Carlos Wendy Carlos (born Walter Carlos, November 14, 1939) is an American musician and composer best known for her electronic music and film scores. Born and raised in Rhode Island, Carlos studied physics and music at Brown University before moving ...

, the composer of the original ''

Tron ''Tron'' (stylized as ''TRON'') is a 1982 American science fiction action-adventure film written and directed by Steven Lisberger from a story by Lisberger and Bonnie MacBird. The film stars Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn, a computer programmer a ...

'' film, as well as

Max Steiner Maximilian Raoul Steiner (May 10, 1888 – December 28, 1971) was an Austrian composer and conductor who emigrated to America and went on to become one of Hollywood's greatest musical composers. Steiner was a child prodigy who conducted ...

Bernard Herrmann Bernard Herrmann (born Maximillian Herman; June 29, 1911December 24, 1975) was an American composer and conductor best known for his work in composing for films. As a conductor, he championed the music of lesser-known composers. He is widely re ...

John Carpenter John Howard Carpenter (born January 16, 1948) is an American filmmaker, actor, and composer. Although he worked in various film genres, he is most commonly associated with horror, action, and science fiction films of the 1970s and 1980s. He ...

Vangelis Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou ( el, Ευάγγελος Οδυσσέας Παπαθανασίου ; 29 March 1943 – 17 May 2022), known professionally as Vangelis ( ; el, Βαγγέλης, links=no ), was a Greek composer and arranger of ...

Philip Glass Philip Glass (born January 31, 1937) is an American composer and pianist. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century. Glass's work has been associated with minimal music, minimalism, being built up fr ...

and

Maurice Jarre Maurice-Alexis Jarre (; 13 September 1924 – 28 March 2009)allmusic Biography/ref> was a French composer and conductor. Although he composed several concert works, Jarre is best known for his film scores, particularly for his collaborations with ...

. For ''Random Access Memories,'' Daft Punk sought a "

west coast West Coast or west coast may refer to: Geography Australia * Western Australia *Regions of South Australia#Weather forecasting, West Coast of South Australia * West Coast, Tasmania **West Coast Range, mountain range in the region Canada * Britis ...

vibe", referencing acts such as

Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac are a British-American rock band, formed in London in 1967. Fleetwood Mac were founded by guitarist Peter Green, drummer Mick Fleetwood and guitarist Jeremy Spencer, before bassist John McVie joined the line-up for their epony ...

the Doobie Brothers The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band formed in 1970 in San Jose, California, known for their flexibility in performing across numerous genres and their vocal harmonies. Active for five decades, with their greatest success in the 1970s, ...

and the

Eagles Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...

, and the French electronic musician

Jean Michel Jarre Jean-Michel André Jarre (; born 24 August 1948) is a French composer, performer and record producer. He is a pioneer in the electronic, ambient and new-age genres, and is known for organising outdoor spectacles featuring his music, accompanie ...

Image

During promotional appearances in the 1990s, Daft Punk wore black bags on their heads or Halloween masks. In one early magazine appearance, Homem-Christo said: "We don't want to be photographed. ..We don't especially want to be in magazines. We have a responsibility." Although they allowed a camera crew to film them for a French arts program at the time, Daft Punk did not wish to speak on screen "because it is dangerous".'' Jockey Slut'' Vol. 2, No. 1 (April/May 1996). page 55. According to Orla Lee-Fisher, head of marketing at Virgin Records UK, in the early days of their career Daft Punk would consent to photographs without masks while they were DJing; otherwise, they would use disguises. In 1997, Bangalter said they had a "general rule about not appearing in videos".CANOE – JAM! Music – Artists – Daft Punk: Who are those masked men?
canoe.ca. Retrieved 6 March 2007. In 2001, for ''Discovery'', Daft Punk began wearing robot-like helmets and gloves for promotional appearances and performances. The helmets were produced by Paul Hahn of Daft Arts and the French directors Alex and Martin.Diehl, Matt
''Human After All'', Indeed: The Best Daft Punk Interview You Never Read
. thedailyswarm.com. Retrieved 6 January 2014. With engineering by

Tony Gardner Tony Gardner (born 10 January 1964) is an English actor and doctor. He sits on the national governing body of the actors' trade union Equity. Career Gardner qualified as a physician at Guy's Hospital in 1987, then as a general practitioner in ...

and

Alterian, Inc. Alterian, Inc is a makeup and special effects company owned by makeup and special effects designer Tony Gardner Tony Gardner (born 10 January 1964) is an English actor and doctor. He sits on the national governing body of the actors' trade u ...

, they are capable of various

LED A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor Electronics, device that Light#Light sources, emits light when Electric current, current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy i ...

effects.Liner notes of the ''Discovery'' album—"Bionics Engineering by Tony Gardner & Alterian" Wigs were originally attached to both helmets, but Daft Punk removed them moments before unveiling them. According to Bangalter, "The mask gets very hot, but after wearing it as long as I have, I am used to it."Daft Punk and the Rise of the Parisian Nightlife
''Paper Magazine''. Retrieved 4 November 2007. Later helmets were fitted with ventilators to prevent overheating.''

Les Inrockuptibles ''Les Inrockuptibles'' () is a French cultural magazine. Started as a monthly magazine in 1986, it became weekly in 1995. Now it is a monthly again, since 2021. In the beginning, rock music was the magazine's primary focus, though every issue in ...

'' No. 910 (May 2013). Guy-Manuel028

Daft Punk introduced the costumes during a special presentation of ''Discovery'' videos during

Cartoon Network Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, Car ...

block.Toonami: Digital Arsenal
toonamiarsenal.com. Retrieved 14 April 2007. Bangalter said of their transformation: "We did not choose to become robots. There was an accident in our studio. We were working on our sampler, and at exactly 9:09 am on September 9, 1999, it exploded. When we regained consciousness, we discovered that we had become robots." Daft Punk made few media appearances. Bangalter said they wanted the focus to be on their music, and that masks allowed them to control their image while retaining their anonymity and protecting their personal lives. They used the robot outfits to merge the characteristics of humans and machines. Bangalter said that the costumes were initially the result of shyness: "But then it became exciting from the audience's point of view. It's the idea of being an average guy with some kind of superpower."Suzanne Ely, "Return of the Cybermen" ''Mixmag'', July 2006, pp. 94–98. He described it as an advanced version of glam, "where it's definitely not you". With the release of ''Human After All'', Daft Punk wore simplified helmets and black leather jackets and trousers. The attire was designed by

. Bangalter said: "We never like to do the same thing twice. It's more fun and entertaining for us to do something different, whether it's wearing masks or developing a persona that merges fiction and reality. We're happy to give back to the masses." On the set of ''Electroma'', Daft Punk were interviewed with their backs turned, and in 2006 they wore cloth bags over their heads during a televised interview. They said the use of cloth bags had been a spontaneous decision, reflecting their willingness to experiment with their image in the media. The mystery surrounding Daft Punk's identity and their elaborate disguises have added to their popularity. Their costumes have been compared to the makeup of

Kiss A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...

and the leather jacket worn by

Iggy Pop James Newell Osterberg Jr. (born April 21, 1947), known professionally as Iggy Pop, is an American singer, musician, songwriter and actor. Called the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Godfather of Punk", he was the vocalist and lyricist of ...

. Daft Punk wore the robot costumes in their performances at the 2008, 2014 and 2017 Grammy Awards. During the 2014 ceremony, they also accepted their awards on stage in the outfits, with Pharrell and Paul Williams speaking on the duo's behalf. In both their appearance at the 2017 Grammy Awards and in the Weeknd's "I Feel It Coming" music video, the duo wore long black capes and chrome-plated gloves along with their helmets. Bangalter said that the 1974 film ''

Phantom of the Paradise ''Phantom of the Paradise'' is a 1974 American rock musical comedy horror film written and directed by Brian De Palma and scored by and starring Paul Williams. In the film, a naïve young singer-songwriter (played by William Finley) is tricked ...

'', in which the title character prominently wears a mask, was "the foundation for a lot of what we're about artistically". The duo would later collaborate with Paul Williams, who scored and starred in the film. Daft Punk were also fans of the 1970s band

Space Space is the boundless three-dimensional extent in which objects and events have relative position and direction. In classical physics, physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions, although modern physicists usually consider ...

, known for wearing space suits with helmets that hid their appearance.

Appearances in media

Daft Punk's popularity has been partially attributed to their appearances in mainstream media. The duo appeared with

Juliette Lewis Juliette Lake Lewis (born June 21, 1973) is an American actress and alternative rock singer. She is known for her portrayals of offbeat characters, often in films with dark themes. Lewis became an "it girl" of American cinema in the early 1990s, ...

in an advertisement for Gap, featuring the single " Digital Love", and were contractually obliged to appear only in Gap clothing. In the summer of 2001, Daft Punk appeared in an advertisement on Cartoon Network's Toonami timeslot, promoting the official Toonami website and the duo's animated music videos for their album ''

''. The music videos later appeared as scenes in the feature-length film '' Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem'', in which Daft Punk make a

cameo appearance A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly eit ...

as their robot alter-egos. The duo later appeared in a television advertisement wearing their ''Discovery''-era headgear to promote

Sony Ericsson Sony Mobile Communications Inc. ( ja, ソニーモバイルコミュニケーションズ株式会社) was a multinational telecommunications company founded on October 1, 2001, as a joint venture between Sony Group Corporation and Ericsson. I ...

's Premini mobile phone. In 2010, Daft Punk appeared in

Adidas Adidas AG (; stylized as adidas since 1949) is a German multinational corporation, founded and headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, that designs and manufactures shoes, clothing and accessories. It is the largest sportswear manufactur ...

advertisements promoting a ''

Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...

''-themed clothing line. Daft Punk have also produced music for other artists. They produced the

Teriyaki Boyz Teriyaki Boyz are a Japanese hip hop group from Yokohama, Japan. History The group consists of Keisuke Ogihara, Ilmari and Ryo-Z from Rip Slyme, Verbal (rapper), Verbal from M-Flo, rapper Wise (rapper), Wise and Nigo, the DJ and founder of the ...

's debut single "

HeartBreaker Heartbreaker(s) or The Heart Breaker(s) may refer to: Film and television *''The Heart Breakers'', a 1916 film starring Andrew Arbuckle *''The Heart Breaker'', a 1925 film directed by Benjamin Stoloff * ''Heartbreaker'' (1983 film), an American f ...

" on the album '' Beef or Chicken?''. The song contains a sample of "Human After All". Daft Punk later produced

N.E.R.D. N.E.R.D. (stylized as N⋆E⋆R⋆D and N.E.R.D, a backronym of No-one Ever Really Dies) is an American hip hop and rock band, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1999. Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo were signed by Teddy Riley to Virgin Reco ...

's song "Hypnotize U". Daft Punk made a cameo in ''Tron: Legacy'' as nightclub DJs. In 2011,

Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. Originally marketed as a temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pemberton in Atlanta ...

distributed limited edition bottles designed by Daft Punk, called Daft Coke. They were only sold in France. A newer version of these themed bottles now exist as collectors items, some parts of the bottles such as the cap and Coke logo being plated in gold. Daft Punk, along with

Courtney Love Courtney Michelle Love (née Harrison; born July 9, 1964) is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, and actress. A figure in the alternative and grunge scenes of the 1990s, her career has spanned four decades. She rose to prominence as t ...

were photographed for the "Music Project" of fashion house Yves Saint Laurent. The duo appear in their new sequined suits custom made by

, holding and playing their new instruments with bodies made of

lucite Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) belongs to a group of materials called engineering plastics. It is a transparent thermoplastic. PMMA is also known as acrylic, acrylic glass, as well as by the trade names and brands Crylux, Plexiglas, Acrylite ...

. In 2013, Bandai Tamashii released a S.H. Figuarts (SHF) action figure for Daft Punk coinciding with the release of ''Random Access Memories'' in Japan. Following a series a teaser trailers, Daft Punk made a rare public appearance at the 2013 Monaco Grand Prix in May on behalf of the

Lotus F1 Team Lotus F1 Team was a British Formula One racing team. The team competed under the Lotus name from until , following the renaming of the former Renault team based at Enstone in Oxfordshire. The Lotus F1 Team was majority owned by Genii Capital. ...

, who supported the duo by racing in specially-branded cars emblazoned with the band's logo. Footage of Daft Punk's 2006 performance at the

Coachella Festival The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (commonly called the Coachella Festival or simply Coachella) is an annual music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Coachella Valley in the Colorado Desert. I ...

was featured in the documentary film ''Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert'', released on YouTube in April 2020. Daft Punk were scheduled to appear on the August 6, 2013 episode of ''

The Colbert Report ''The Colbert Report'' ( ) is an American late-night talk and news satire television program hosted by Stephen Colbert that aired four days a week on Comedy Central from October 17, 2005, to December 18, 2014, for 1,447 episodes. The show focuse ...

'' to promote ''Random Access Memories''. They were unable to do so because of contractual obligations regarding their later appearance at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards. According to Stephen Colbert, Daft Punk were unaware of any exclusivity agreement and were halted by MTV executives the morning prior to the taping. In 2015, Daft Punk appeared alongside several other musicians to announce their co-ownership of the music service Tidal (service), Tidal at its relaunch. ''Eden (2014 French film), Eden'', a 2014 French drama film, has as its protagonist a techno fan-turned-DJ-turned recovering addict. It features Daft Punk (portrayed by actors) during different stages of their careers. An hour-long documentary, '' Daft Punk Unchained,'' was televised on 24 June 2015 in France and on 9 February 2016 in the UK. Helmets very closely resembling those worn by Daft Punk appear in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, which can be worn by the player.

Legacy

Daft Punk are regarded as one of the most influential dance acts in history. In 2015, ''

'' ranked them the 12th greatest musical duo of all time. The chief ''The Guardian, Guardian'' music critic Alexis Petridis named Daft Punk the most influential pop artists of the 21st century. Their collaborator

said they were responsible for the rise of contemporary EDM (music), EDM, though Bangalter was noncommittal about this, saying only that other acts were using "gimmicks that at the time [Daft Punk used them] were not really gimmicks". In "Losing My Edge", the first single by LCD Soundsystem, singer James Murphy (electronic musician), James Murphy jokingly bragged about being the first to "play Daft Punk to the rock kids". LCD Soundsystem also recorded the song "Daft Punk Is Playing at My House", which reached No. 29 in the UK and was nominated for Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording, Best Dance Recording at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards, 2006 Grammy Awards. The Soulwax remix of the song also contains samples of many Daft Punk tracks as well as tracks by Thomas Bangalter. Daft Punk tracks have been sampled or covered by other artists. "

" was sampled by Swizz Beatz for the Busta Rhymes song "Touch It (Busta Rhymes song), Touch It". In a later remix of "Touch It" the line "touch it, bring it, pay it, watch it, turn it, leave it, start, format it" from "Technologic" was sung by R&B and rap artist Missy Elliott.

's 2007 song " Stronger" from the album ''Graduation (album), Graduation'' borrows the melody and features a vocal sample of Daft Punk's "

". Daft Punk's robotic costumes make an appearance in the music video for "Stronger". The track "Daftendirekt" from Daft Punk's album ''

'' was sampled for the Janet Jackson song "So Much Betta" from her 2008 album ''Discipline (Janet Jackson album), Discipline''.Janet Jackson Samples Daft Punk
Stereogum. Retrieved 7 March 2008. The track "Aerodynamic (instrumental), Aerodynamic" was sampled for Wiley (rapper), Wiley's 2008 single "Summertime". "Veridis Quo" from ''Discovery'' was sampled for the Jazmine Sullivan song "Dream Big (Jazmine Sullivan song), Dream Big" from her 2008 album ''Fearless (Jazmine Sullivan album), Fearless''. Daft Punk's " Around the World" was sampled for JoJo (singer), JoJo's 2009 song "You Take Me (Around the World)". The song "Cowboy George" by The Fall (band), the Fall contains a clip of "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger". A cappella group Pentatonix performed a medley of Daft Punk songs, released as a YouTube video. As of November 2021, the video had been viewed over 355 million times. The medley won for Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement, Best Arrangement, Instrumental or a Cappella of the 57th Grammy Awards. A Daft Punk Medley (music), medley was played at the 2017 Bastille Day military parade, Bastille Day parade by a French military band, in front of French President Emmanuel Macron and his many guests, who included a bemused US President Donald Trump. ''Baicalellia daftpunka'', a species of flatworm, was named after Daft Punk in 2018 because part of the organism resembles a helmet.

Discography

;Studio albums * ''

'' (1997) * ''

'' (2001) * ''

'' (2005) * ''

'' (2013)

Concert tours

* Daftendirektour (1997) * Alive 2007, Alive 2006/2007 (2006–07)

Awards and nominations

In October 2011, Daft Punk placed 28th in a "top-100 DJs of 2011" list by ''DJ Magazine'' after placing in the 44th position the year before. On 19 January 2012, Daft Punk ranked No. 2 on Mixmag's Greatest Dance Acts of All Time, with The Prodigy at No. 1 by just a few points.

Bibliography

*Tony Gaenic, ''Daft Punk de A à Z'', l'Étudiant, les guides MusicBook, 2002, p. 115, *Violaine Schütz, ''Daft Punk, l'histoire d'un succès planétaire'', Scali, 2008, *Stéphane Jourdain, ''French Touch'', le Castor Astral, Castormusic, 2005, p. 189, *Philippe Poirrier, ''Daft Punk, la Toile et le disco. Revival culturel à l’heure du numérique'', French Cultural Studies, 2015, p. 381 *Peter Shapiro, ''Modulations, une histoire de la musique électronique'', éditions Allia, 2004, p. 340, *Pauline Guéna, Anne-Sophie Jahn, ''DAFT'', Éditions Grasset, 2022, p. 216,

References

External links

* * *
Daft Punk
discography at MusicTea * *

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