Daft Punk were a French

electronic music Electronic music broadly is a group of music genres that employ electronic musical instruments, circuitry-based music technology and software, or general-purpose electronics (such as personal computers) in its creation. It includes both music ...

duo formed in 1993 in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

Thomas Bangalter Thomas Bangalter (; born 3 January 1975) is a French musician. He is best known as one half of the former French house music duo Daft Punk, alongside Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. He has recorded and released music as a member of the trio Music S ...

and

Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo Guillaume Emmanuel "Guy-Manuel" de Homem-Christo (; born 8 February 1974) is a French musician. He is known as one half of the former French house music duo Daft Punk, along with Thomas Bangalter. He has produced several works from his now-def ...

. They achieved popularity in the late 1990s as part of the

French house French house (also referred to as French touch, filter house, or tekfunk) is a style of house music devised by French musicians in the 1990s. It is a form of Eurodisco and a popular strand of the late 1990s and 2000s European dance music s ...

movement, combining

house music House is a genre of electronic dance music characterized by a repetitive Four on the floor (music), four-on-the-floor beat and a typical tempo of 115–130 beats per minute. It was created by DJs and music producers from Chicago's underground ...

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 ...

disco Disco is a music genre, genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the late 1960s from the United States' urban nightclub, nightlife, particularly in African Americans, African-American, Italian-Americans, Italian-American, LGBTQ ...

techno Techno is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempos being in the range from 120 to 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central rhythm is typically in common time ( ) and often ...

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

and

synth-pop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a music genre that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s b ...

. They are regarded as one of the most influential acts in

electronic dance music Electronic dance music (EDM), also referred to as dance music or club music, is a broad range of percussive electronic music genres originally made for nightclubs, raves, and List of electronic dance music festivals, festivals. It is generally ...

. Daft Punk formed after their previous group, the

indie rock Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom, United States and New Zealand in the early to mid-1980s. Although the term was originally used to describe rock music released through independent reco ...

band Darlin', disbanded. 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. He was 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 ...

. Their debut album, ''

Homework Homework is a set of tasks assigned to students by their teachers to be completed at home. Common homework assignments may include required reading, a writing or typing project, Exercise (mathematics), math problems to be completed, informatio ...

'', was released by

Virgin Records Virgin Records is a British record label owned by Universal Music Group. They were originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman (musician), ...

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

Da Funk "Da Funk" is an instrumental track by French electronic music duo Daft Punk, initially released as a 12-inch single in May 1995 by Soma and Virgin and later included on their debut album, ''Homework'' (1997). Prior to its inclusion on the albu ...

". From 1999, Daft Punk assumed robot personas for public appearances, with helmets, outfits and gloves to disguise their identities. They made few media appearances. 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), earned acclaim and further success, with the hit singles "

One More Time One More Time may refer to: Film and television * ''One More Time'' (1931 film), a Merrie Melodies cartoon * ''One More Time'' (1970 film), a film by Jerry Lewis * ''One More Time'', a 1974 TV special with Carol Channing, Pearl Bailey, and other ...

", " Digital Love" and "

Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" is a song by French duo Daft Punk, released on 13 October 2001 as the fourth single from their second studio album ''Discovery (Daft Punk album), Discovery''. A live version of "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronge ...

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

Interstella 5555 is a 2003 anime musical science fiction film. The film tells the story of the abduction and rescue of an extraterrestrial pop band and serves as a visual companion to ''Discovery'', Daft Punk's second studio album. The film was produced by Toe ...

,'' supervised by the Japanese artist

Leiji Matsumoto was a Japanese manga artist, and creator of several anime and manga series. His widow Miyako Maki is also a manga artist. Matsumoto was famous for his works such as ''Space Battleship Yamato'' and ''Galaxy Express 999''. His style was chara ...

. Daft Punk's third album, ''

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

'' (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 ...

" were successful in the UK. Daft Punk directed an avant-garde science-fiction film, '' Electroma'', released 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, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...

for Best Electronic/Dance Album; the tour is credited for broadening the appeal of dance music in North America. Daft Punk composed

the score The Score may refer to: Films and television * The Score (1978 film), ''The Score'' (1978 film), a 1978 Swedish film, released in Sweden as ''Lyftet'' * The Score (2001 film), ''The Score'' (2001 film), a 2001 crime drama film starring Robert De Ni ...

for the 2010 film '' Tron: Legacy''. In 2013, Daft Punk left Virgin for

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

and released their fourth and final album, ''

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

'', 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 re ...

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. He is best known for adding Pop music, pop, electronic music, electronic and hip-hop stylings ...

. ''

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

'' ranked them the 12th-greatest musical duo of all time in 2015, and included ''Discovery'' and ''Random Access Memories'' on their list of the

500 Greatest Albums of All Time 5 (five) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number, and cardinal number, following 4 and preceding 6, and is a prime number. Humans, and many other animals, have 5 digits on their limbs. Mathematics 5 is a Fermat pri ...

. Daft Punk 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 secondary and higher education school at 145 Boulevard Malesherbes in the 17th arrondissement, Paris, France. The Lycée Carnot was founded in 1869, first bearing the name of École Monge and then renamed in 1 ...

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

Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their friend Al Jardine. Distinguished by thei ...

song " Darlin", which they covered along with an original composition. Both tracks were released on a multi-artist EP called ''Shimmies in Super 8'' 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 English people, Anglo-French avant-pop band formed in London in 1990. Led by the songwriting team of Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier, the group's sound incorporates repetitive motorik beats with the use of vintage electronic keybo ...

, who invited Darlin' to open for shows in the United Kingdom. Darlin' disbanded after around six months, having played two gigs and produced four songs. Bangalter described the project as "pretty average". Brancowitz formed another band, Phoenix. Bangalter and Homem-Christo formed Daft Punk, using electronic instruments purchased with money Bangalter received for his 18th birthday. Their 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. In January 2001, it was merged into "long-standing rival" (and IPC Media sister publicatio ...

'' 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 (letter), the fifth letter of the Semitic abjads * He (pronoun), a pronoun in Modern English * He (kana), one of the Japanese kana (へ in hiragana and ヘ in katakana) * Ge (Cyrillic), a Cyrillic letter call ...

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, i ...

happened so quickly."

1993–1996: First performances and singles

In September 1993, Daft Punk attended a rave at

EuroDisney Disneyland Paris is an entertainment resort in Marne-la-Vallée, France, located about east of Paris. It encompasses two theme parks, seven Disney-owned hotels, two convention centers, a golf course, an arena, and a shopping, dining and entert ...

organised by the DJ

Nicky Holloway Nicky Holloway (born 12 June 1963) is an English DJ and record producer, who rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s, and has been called "a prototype of the superstar DJ". Biography Nicholas Holloway was born in Isleworth, London. He began pl ...

, 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 ...

, the 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 (not the English techno musician) and Glenn Gibbons. The label ...

.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 They gave him a demo tape, which 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 appeared on Daft Punk's first album. Daft Punk returned to the studio in May 1995 to record "

". After it became their first commercially successful single, they hired a manager,

in September 1996 and made a deal to license tracks through their 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 at various events, without the costumes they later became known for. In 1996, they made their first performance in the United States, at an Even Furthur event in

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

. 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.

1997–1999: ''Homework''

Daft Punk released their debut album, ''

'', on January 20, 1997. That February, 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 publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first Alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, ...

'', the album revived

and departed from the

Eurodance Eurodance (sometimes referred to as Euro-NRG) is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s in Europe. It combines many elements of Hip-hop, rap, techno and Eurodisco. This genre of music is heavily influenced by the use ...

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

''. Retrieved 10 February 2012. The 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 the ...

.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 criti ...

''. 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 i ...

. 2006. . Retrieved 8 May 2012. In 1997, Daft Punk embarked on an international concert tour,

Daftendirektour Daftendirektour was the first concert tour by the French electronic music duo Daft Punk. The tour spanned from February to December 1997. Background For this tour, Daft Punk used their home studio equipment for the live stage. As Thomas Bangalte ...

, 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 ...

festival at

Luton Hoo Luton Hoo is an English country house and estate near Luton in Bedfordshire and Harpenden in Hertfordshire. Most of the estate lies within the civil parish of Hyde, Bedfordshire. The Saxon word Hoo means the spur of a hill, and is more comm ...

, England, with Orbital and

Kraftwerk Kraftwerk (, ) is a Germany, German Electronic music, electronic band formed in Düsseldorf in 1970 by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider. Widely considered innovators and pioneers of electronic music, Kraftwerk was among the first successful a ...

. The most successful single from ''Homework'' was " Around the World". "Da Funk" was also included on '' The Saint'' film soundtrack. Daft Punk produced a series of music videos for ''Homework'' directed by

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

Michel Gondry Michel Gondry (; born 8 May 1963) is a French filmmaker and producer 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 o ...

Roman Coppola Roman François Coppola (born April 22, 1965) is an American filmmaker and music video director. He is the son of Francis Ford and Eleanor Coppola, and is known for his film collaborations with Wes Anderson. Coppola serves as president of fi ...

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 created their own record labels,

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 was ...

, after the release of ''Homework'', and released solo projects by themselves and their friends. 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). He has been described as " French touch's ...

and founded the group Stardust with

Alan Braxe Alain Quême (), known professionally as Alan Braxe (born 9 July 1971), is a French electronic musician. He is most widely known for his collaborative work with the musicians Fred Falke and Kris Menace, and for being part of the musical trio St ...

and Benjamin Diamond. In 1998, Stardust released their only song, the chart hit "

Music Sounds Better With You "Music Sounds Better with You" is the only record by the French house trio Stardust, released on 20 July 1998. Stardust comprised the Daft Punk member Thomas Bangalter, the DJ Alan Braxe, and the vocalist Benjamin Diamond. Stardust formed for ...

1999–2003: ''Discovery''

Daft Punk's second album, ''

'', was released in 2001. They 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, "

", was a hit. 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 A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...

'' and ''

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

''. In 2020, ''

'' included it at number 236 in its list of the "

". 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 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 history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...

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 broadcasts Japanese anime and American action animation. It was created by Sean Akins and Jason DeMarco and currently produced by Williams Street, a subsidiary of W ...

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 de ...

'', 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 ...

" were released as singles. A Daft Punk anthology CD/DVD, ''

Musique Vol. 1 1993–2005 ''Musique Vol. 1 1993–2005'' is an anthology by Daft Punk released in Japan on 29 March 2006, in the United Kingdom on 3 April 2006, and in the United States on 4 April 2006. A special edition includes a bonus DVD with 12 music videos—two of ...

'', 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 200 ...

, '' 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 Hurtea ...

'', at the

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Film Festival (; ), until 2003 called the International Film Festival ('), is the most prestigious film festival in the world. Held in Cannes, France, it previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around ...

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 were held in Paris theaters 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 Guardian usually refers to: * Legal guardian, a person with the authority and duty to care for the interests of another * ''The Guardian'', a British daily newspaper (The) Guardian(s) may also refer to: Places * Guardian, West Virginia, Unit ...

'' journalist Gabriel Szatan likened it to how

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

' 1964 performance on ''

The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American 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 September 1971 by the ''CB ...

'' had brought British rock and roll 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 advertis ...

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

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

.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''

In 2007,

Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...

sampled "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" in his single " Stronger". 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 ceremonie ...

on 10 February 2008, and performed a reworked version of "Stronger" with West at the

Staples Center Crypto.com Arena (originally and colloquially known as Staples Center) is a multi-purpose indoor arena in downtown Los Angeles. Opened on October 17, 1999, as Staples Center, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along F ...

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, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...

''. 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 said later that Daft Punk were working with an unspecified management company in Los Angeles. Daft Punk held their Daft Arts production office at the

Jim Henson Studios The Jim Henson Company, Inc., 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 kn ...

complex in Hollywood. Daft Punk provided new mixes for the 2009 video game ''

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

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

San Diego Comic-Con San Diego Comic-Con is a comic book convention and multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California, at the San Diego Convention Center. Founded in 1970, originally showcasing primarily comic books and science fiction/fant ...

, 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 7 August 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 ...

. 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 (born May 3, 1974) is an American film director. He directed the films ''Tron: Legacy'' (2010), ''Oblivion (2013 film), Oblivion'' (2013), ''Only the Brave (2017 film), Only the Brave'' (2017), ''Top Gun: Maverick'' (2022), ''Sp ...

, 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 (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...

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

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

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

Walt Disney Records Walt Disney Records is an American record label owned by the Disney Music Group. The label releases soundtrack albums from the Walt Disney Company's Walt Disney Studios (division), motion picture studios, television shows, Disney Experiences, them ...

released a remix album, '' Tron: Legacy Reconfigured'', on 5 April 2011. In 2010, Daft Punk were admitted into the , 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 free-to-air public television channel. The flagship channel of France Télévisions, it broadcasts generalist programming including news, entertainment (such as dramas, films, and game shows), factual programmes, and sp ...

'' (24 August 2010). Retrieved 7 November 2010. (French) On October of that year, Daft Punk made a surprise guest appearance during the encore of Phoenix'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 Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh and Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eig ...

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". They also included elements of their tracks "Rock'n Roll", "Human After All", and "

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

. They produced

N.E.R.D. N.E.R.D. (a backronym of No-one Ever Really Dies) was an American rock and hip-hop band, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1994. Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo were signed by Teddy Riley to Virgin. After producing songs for several artists ...

's 2010 song "Hypnotize U".

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. It was included in a 20th-anniversary 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". In 2023, he was inducted in the Blues Hall of Fame. Early life Kimbrough was b ...

for

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

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

'', with musicians including

Julian Casablancas Julian Fernando Casablancas (born August 23, 1978) is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist and primary songwriter of the Rock music, rock band the Strokes, with whom he has released six studio albums since their founding in 1998. Casabl ...

Todd Edwards Todd Edward Imperatrice (born December 9, 1972), known professionally as Todd Edwards, is an American garage house record producer, DJ, and singer. Nicknamed "The God" and known by various aliases throughout his career, he has been credited as ...

Panda Bear The giant panda (''Ailuropoda melanoleuca''), also known as the panda bear or simply panda, is a bear species endemic to China. It is characterised by its white coat with black patches around the eyes, ears, legs and shoulders. Its body is ...

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

Paul Williams Paul Williams may refer to: Authors * Paul Williams (Crawdaddy) (1948–2013), American music and science fiction journalist; founder of ''Crawdaddy'' and the Philip K. Dick Society * Paul Williams (Irish journalist) (born 1964), Irish journalis ...

Pharrell Williams Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973), also known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and fashion designer. He first became known as one half of the music production duo ...

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

frontman

Nile Rodgers Nile Gregory Rodgers Jr. (born September 19, 1952) is an American musician, songwriter, guitarist and record producer. The co-founder of Chic, he has written, produced, and performed on records that have sold more than 750 million albums and 1 ...

and

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

. Daft Punk left Virgin for

Sony Music Entertainment Sony Music Entertainment (SME), commonly known as Sony Music, is an American multinational music company owned by Japanese conglomerate Sony Group Corporation. It is the recording division of Sony Music Group, with the other half being the ...

through the

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

label. ''Random Access Memories'' was released on 17 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 List of companies of Sweden, Swedish Music streaming service, audio streaming and media service provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. , it is one of the largest providers of music streaming services ...

. At the

2013 MTV Video Music Awards The 2013 MTV Video Music Awards were held on August 25, 2013, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Marking the 30th installment of the award show, they were the first to be held in New York City not to use a venue within the borough of ...

, Daft Punk debuted a trailer for their single " Lose Yourself to Dance" 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 featuring American musician Julian Casablancas. It was released as the fourth single from Daft Punk's fourth studio album, ''Random Access Memorie ...

", directed by

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

and featuring Casablancas. 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 co ...

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

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical The Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as th ...

, 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 categ ...

and

. Daft Punk performed at the ceremony with

Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris (; Judkins; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American and Ghanaian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th c ...

, Rodgers, Pharrell, and the ''Random Access Memories'' rhythm players

Nathan East Nathan Harrell East (born December 8, 1955) is an American jazz, R&B, and rock bass guitarist 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 ...

Omar Hakim Omar Hakim (born February 12, 1959) is an American drummer, producer, arranger and composer. His session work covers jazz, jazz fusion, and pop music. He has worked with Weather Report, David Bowie, Foo Fighters, Chic, Sting, Madonna, Dire S ...

Paul Jackson, Jr. Paul may refer to: People * Paul (given name), a given name, including a list of people * Paul (surname), a list of people * Paul the Apostle, an apostle who wrote many of the books of the New Testament * Ray Hildebrand, half of the singing duo ...

and Chris Caswell. That night, Daft Punk hosted a large Grammys afterparty at the Park Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, with many celebrities and no photography allowed. Daft Punk co-produced

's sixth studio album, ''

Yeezus ''Yeezus'' is the sixth studio album by the American rapper 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, includi ...

'' (2013), creating the tracks "

On Sight "On Sight" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his sixth studio album, ''Yeezus'' (2013). It was produced by West and Daft Punk, with additional production by Benji B and Mike Dean. The song includes an electronic sound that was main ...

", "

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 crumbling ...

", " I Am a God" and " Send It Up" with West. They provided additional vocals for Pharrell's 2014 single " Gust of Wind". 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 Rapping, rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named Billboard and Vibe's 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the ...

and contains "The Son of Flynn" from the ''Tron: Legacy'' soundtrack; it was once intended to be a single promoting ''Tron: Legacy'' or to serve as the end credits. The song was never used in the final version of the film. 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.

2016–2020: Final projects and appearances

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

I Feel It Coming "I Feel It Coming" is a song by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd from his third studio album, ''Starboy'' (2016), featuring the French duo Daft Punk. The three wrote and produced the song with Doc McKinney and Cirkut, with additiona ...

" 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 remix of "Drive" by

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 latch onto a fad or scheduled e ...

in Hollywood, California, featuring memorabilia, artwork, and a display of their costumes. They 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. In 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 Parcel may refer to: * Parcel (consignment), an individual consignment of cargo for shipment * Parcel (package), sent through the mail or package delivery * ''Bilu Rakkhosh'' or ''Parcel'', a 2019 Indian Bengali-language film * ''The Parcel'', a ...

released the song "Overnight", produced and co-written by Daft Punk. It was written after Daft Punk saw Parcels perform and invited the members to their studio. This became Daft Punk's final production together. Between 9 April and 11 August 2019, an electronic exhibition based on Daft Punk's song "Technologic" was displayed at the

Philharmonie de Paris The Philharmonie de Paris () () 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 northeastern edge of Paris in the ...

, featuring costumes, guitars and other elements. In early 2024, W. F. Quinn Smith, who played percussion on ''Random Access Memories'', said he had participated in experimental recording sessions for a new Daft Punk album in early 2018, but that the project was in limbo.

2021–present: Disbandment

On 22 February 2021, Daft Punk released a video on their YouTube channel titled "Epilogue". The video features a scene from their 2006 film '' Electroma'', in which one robot explodes and the other walks away into the sunset; a title card created with

reads "1993–2021" while an excerpt of Daft Punk's song "

Touch The somatosensory system, or somatic sensory system is a subset of the sensory nervous system. The main functions of the somatosensory system are the perception of external stimuli, the perception of internal stimuli, and the regulation of bo ...

" plays. Later that day, Daft Punk's longtime publicist, Kathryn Frazier, confirmed that they had split, but did not give a reason. The news led to a surge in Daft Punk sales, with digital album purchases rising by 2,650%. Their friend and collaborator

confirmed that Bangalter and Homem-Christo remained active separately. He later said they were "going in different directions", and that Homem-Christo was more drawn to hip-hop and Bangalter was interested in film. As of 2023, Bangalter and Homem-Christo still shared a studio and equipment. On 22 February 2022, one year after their disbandment, Daft Punk announced a 25th-anniversary edition of ''Homework''. It included a remix album, '' Homework (Remixes)'', which was also released separately. Daft Punk also broadcast a

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 c ...

stream of their performance at the

Mayan Theater The Mayan Theater in Los Angeles, California, is a landmark former movie palace and current nightclub and music venue. History The Mayan Theater opened in August 1927 as a performance arts theater specializing in musical comedy. Leon Hefflin ...

in Los Angeles from their 1997

. The video featured previously unreleased footage of the duo without costumes. Daft Punk released behind-the-scenes "archives" from the ''D.A.F.T.'' DVD and album reissues throughout 2022. On 12 May 2023, Daft Punk released a 10th-anniversary edition of ''Random Access Memories'', with 35 minutes of previously unreleased outtakes and demos. "

Infinity Repeating (2013 Demo) "Infinity Repeating" is a demo written, produced, and performed by French electronic music duo Daft Punk and American musician Julian Casablancas, along with Casablancas' band The Voidz handling additional instrumentation. Included as part of the ...

", featuring Casablancas and

the Voidz The Voidz (formerly Julian Casablancas + The Voidz) are an experimental rock band. They consist of Julian Casablancas (vocals), Jeramy "Beardo" Gritter (guitar), Amir Yaghmai (guitar), Jacob "Jake" Bercovici (bass, synthesizers), Alex Carapeti ...

, was released as a single. It was released alongside a music video and was called Daft Punk's "last song ever" in press releases. On 17 November, Daft Punk released a version of ''Random Access Memories'' with no drums or percussion. In April 2023, Bangalter released a solo work, the orchestral ballet score ''

Mythologies Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...

''. He gave interviews about the project and allowed himself to be photographed without a mask. He cited concerns about the progress of artificial intelligence and other technology as to why Daft Punk split, saying: "As much as I love this character, the last thing I would want to be, in the world we live in, in 2023, is a robot." Bangalter said Daft Punk had wanted to not "spoil the narrative" while they were active, but now felt more comfortable revealing parts of their creative process. Reflecting on the split, Bangalter said he was "relieved and happy to look back and say: 'Okay, we didn't mess it up too much. On 22 February 2024, the third anniversary of their split, Daft Punk announced a Twitch broadcast of '' Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem''. A vinyl repress of the ''Discovery'' single " Something About Us" was released on

Record Store Day Record Store Day is a semi-annual event established in 2008 to "celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store". Held on one Saturday (typically the third) every April and every Black Friday in November, the day brings together f ...

in April 2024. A 4K remaster of ''Interstella 5555'' premiered in June at

Tribeca Festival The Tribeca Festival is an annual film festival organized by Tribeca Enterprises. It takes place each spring in New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of film, episodic, talks, music, games, art, and immersive programming. The festival ...

. The remaster was shown in global theaters for one weekend only in December.

Artistry

Musical style

Daft Punk's musical style has 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 c ...

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

dance Dance is an The arts, art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often Symbol, symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. 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 database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

described it 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 synt ...

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...

hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...

progressive house Progressive house is a subgenre of house music that emerged in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom. It is characterized by its evolving, melodic Musical form, structures, subtle Transition (music), transitions, and layered sound design.Gerard, ...

, and electro. The ''Guardian'' critic

Alexis Petridis Alexis Petridis (born 13 September 1971) is an English journalist. He is the head Rock music, rock and pop music critic for ''The Guardian'', and a regular contributor for ''GQ''. In addition to his music journalism for the paper, he has written ...

described their approach as magpie-like, with extensive sampling. Homem-Christo described it as

bricolage In the arts, ''bricolage'' (French language, French for "DIY" or "do-it-yourself projects"; ) is the construction or creation of a work from a diverse range of things that happen to be available, or a work constructed using mixed media. The t ...

, the art of using found sounds to create new work. Bangalter said in 2008: "I think that sampling is always something that we've completely legitimately done. It's not something we've hidden, it's almost a partisan or ideological way of making music, sampling things and being sampled ... It's always been a way to reinterpret things—sometimes it's using nelement from the past, or sometimes recreating them and fooling the eyes or the ears, which is just a fun thing to do." According to ''Pitchfork'', some fans were disappointed to discover that Daft Punk used samples. In 2007, Rapster released ''Discovered: A Collection of Daft Funk Samples'', a compilation of tracks sampled by Daft Punk. ''Pitchfork'' wrote: "If he compilationproves anything, it isn't that Daft Punk are surreptitious thieves—it's that they're transformative reinterpreters, and in more than a few cases, flat-out miracle workers." Daft Punk also used vintage equipment to recreate sounds by older artists, such as the use of a

Wurlitzer piano The Wurlitzer electronic piano is an electric piano manufactured and marketed by Wurlitzer from 1954 to 1983. Sound is generated by striking a metal reed with a hammer, which induces an electric current in a pickup. It is conceptually similar to ...

to evoke

Supertramp Supertramp were a British rock band formed in London in 1970. Marked by the individual songwriting of founders Roger Hodgson (vocals, keyboards and guitars) and Rick Davies (vocals and keyboards), the group were distinguished for blending p ...

on " Digital Love".Bryan Reesman
Daft Punk interview
''Mix (magazine)''. Retrieved 6 March 2007. They saw their style as retrofuturist, incorporating genres from earlier decades into what the ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' described as "an increasingly grand vision of joyful populism". In the early 1990s, Daft Punk drew inspiration from rock and acid house in the UK. Homem-Christo referred to ''

Screamadelica ''Screamadelica'' is the third studio album by Scottish rock band Primal Scream. It was first released on 23 September 1991 in the United Kingdom by Creation Records and on 8 October 1991 in the United States by Sire Records. The album marked a ...

'' by

Primal Scream Primal Scream are a Scottish rock music, rock band originally formed in 1982 in Glasgow by Bobby Gillespie (vocals) and Jim Beattie (musician), Jim Beattie (guitar). The band's current lineup consists of Gillespie, Andrew Innes (guitar), Simon ...

as the record that "put everything together" in terms of genre.Suzanne Ely, "Return of the Cybermen" ''Mixmag'', July 2006, pp. 94–98. In 2009, Bangalter named

Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (;''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''"Warhol" born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director and producer. A leading figure in the pop art movement, Warhol ...

as one of Daft Punk's early influences. On the ''Homework'' track "Teachers", Daft Punk list musicians who influenced them, including the funk musician George Clinton, the rapper and producer Dr Dre, 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 original house music of DJs and producers from the area, such as Ron Hardy and Phuture History and origins D ...

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 Mi ...

artists including Paul Johnson,

Romanthony Anthony Wayne Moore (September 5, 1967 – May 7, 2013), known professionally as Romanthony, was an American DJ, record producer, and singer. He worked with French duo Daft Punk, providing vocals for " One More Time" and "Too Long" off their se ...

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'' integrates influences from 70s

and 80s

crooner A crooner is a singer who performs with a smooth, intimate style that originated in the 1920s. The crooning style was made possible by better microphones that picked up quieter sounds and a wider range of frequencies, allowing the singer to acce ...

s, and featured collaborations with Romanthony and Edwards. A major inspiration was the 1999

Aphex Twin Richard David James (born 18 August 1971), known professionally as Aphex Twin, is a British musician, composer and DJ active in electronic music since 1988. His idiosyncratic work has drawn on many styles, including techno, ambient music, ambi ...

single "

Windowlicker "Windowlicker" is a track by the British electronic music artist and producer Aphex Twin. It was released on 22 March 1999 through Warp Records. The artwork for the single was created by Chris Cunningham, with additional work by The Designers ...

", which Bangalter said was "neither a purely club track nor a very chilled-out, down-tempo relaxation track"."Daft Punk Embark On A Voyage of Discovery"
MTVe.com. Retrieved 22 February 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 known for electronic music and film scores. Born and raised in Rhode Island, Carlos studied physics and music at Brown University before moving to New Y ...

, 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 ...

'' film, as well as

Max Steiner Maximilian Raoul Steiner (10 May 1888 – 28 December 1971) was an Austrian composer and conductor who emigrated to America and became one of cinema of the United States, Hollywood's greatest musical composers. Steiner was a child prodi ...

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

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

Vangelis Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou (, ; 29 March 1943 – 17 May 2022), known professionally as Vangelis ( ; , ), was a Greek musician, composer, and producer of electronic, progressive, ambient, and classical orchestral music. He composed ...

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. Jarre is best known for his film scores, particularly for his collaborations with film director David Lean composing all of ...

. For ''Random Access Memories,'' Daft Punk sought a " west coast vibe", referencing acts such as

Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac are a British-American Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1967 by the singer and guitarist Peter Green (musician), Peter Green. Green named the band by combining the surnames of the drummer, Mick Fleetwood, and the bassis ...

the Doobie Brothers The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band formed in San Jose, California in 1970. Known for their flexibility in performing across numerous genres and their vocal harmonies, the band has been active for over five decades, with their greate ...

and the

Eagles Eagle is the common name for the golden eagle, bald eagle, and other birds of prey in the family of the Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of Genus, genera, some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise the genus ''Aquila ( ...

, 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, accompan ...

. Many Daft Punk songs feature vocals processed with effects and

vocoders A vocoder (, a portmanteau of ''vo''ice and en''coder'') is a category of speech coding that analyzes and synthesizes the human voice signal for audio data compression, multiplexing, voice encryption or voice transformation. The vocoder was in ...

including Auto-Tune, a Roland VP-330, Roland SVC-350 and the Digitech Vocalist. Bangalter said: "A lot of people complain about musicians using Auto-Tune. It reminds me of the late '70s when musicians in France tried to ban the synthesiser. They said it was taking jobs away from musicians. What they didn't see was that you could use those tools in a new way instead of just for replacing the instruments that came before. People are often afraid of things that sound new."

Image

For most public and media appearances, Daft Punk wore costumes that concealed their faces. 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. He said that the 1974 film ''Phantom of the Paradise'', in which the main character prominently wears a mask, was "the foundation for a lot of what we're about artistically". Daft Punk were also fans of the 1970s band Space (French band), Space, who wore space suits with helmets that hid their appearance. The mystery of Daft Punk's identity and their elaborate disguises added to their popularity. ThomasBangalter028

Daft Punk wore masks during promotional appearances in the 1990s. Although they allowed a camera crew to film them for a French arts program at the time, Daft Punk did not speak on screen. According to Orla Lee-Fisher, the head of marketing at Virgin Records UK, in their early career Daft Punk only consented to photographs without masks while they were DJing. In 1997, Bangalter said they had a rule to not appear in videos. canoe.ca. Retrieved 6 March 2007. In 2001, Daft Punk began wearing robot costumes for promotional appearances and performances for ''Discovery,'' debuted in a special presentation during Cartoon Network's

block.Toonami: Digital Arsenal
toonamiarsenal.com. Retrieved 14 April 2007. 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 (designer), Tony Gardner and Alterian, Inc. They were capable of various light-emitting diode, LED 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. Bangalter said the helmets were hot but that he became used to this.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'' No. 910 (May 2013). The costumes were compared to the makeup of Kiss (band), Kiss and the leather jacket worn by Iggy Pop. Guy-Manuel028

With the release of ''Human After All'', Daft Punk wore simplified helmets and black leather jackets and trousers designed by

. Bangalter said Daft Punk did not want to repeat themselves and were interested in "developing a persona that merges fiction and reality". 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. Daft Punk wore their robot costumes in their performances at the 2008, 2014, and 2017 Grammy Awards. During the 2014 ceremony, they accepted their awards on stage in the outfits, with Pharrell and Paul Williams speaking on their behalf. Daft Punk used the robot outfits to merge the characteristics of humans and machines. Bangalter said that the personas were initially the result of shyness, but that they became exciting for the audience, "the idea of being an average guy with some kind of superpower". He described it as an advanced version of glam rock, glam, "where it's definitely not you". After Daft Punk's split, Bangalter likened the robot personas to a "like a Marina Abramović performance art installation that lasted for 20 years". He denied that the robots represented "an unquestioning embrace of digital culture", and said: "We tried to use these machines to express something extremely moving that a machine cannot feel, but a human can. We were always on the side of humanity and not on the side of technology."

Media appearances

Daft Punk's popularity has been partially attributed to their appearances in mainstream media. They appeared with Juliette Lewis in an advertisement for Gap (clothing retailer), Gap, featuring the single " Digital Love", and were contractually obliged to appear only in Gap clothing. In 2001, Daft Punk appeared in an advertisement on Cartoon Network's Toonami timeslot, promoting the official Toonami website and the 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 as their robot alter-egos. They appeared in a television advertisement wearing their ''Discovery''-era headgear to promote Sony Ericsson's Premini mobile phone. In 2010, Daft Punk appeared in Adidas advertisements promoting a ''Star Wars'' clothing line. Daft Punk made a cameo in ''Tron: Legacy'' as nightclub DJs. In 2011, Coca-Cola distributed limited edition bottles designed by Daft Punk. Daft Punk and Courtney Love were photographed for the "Music Project" of the fashion house Yves Saint Laurent. They appeared in their new sequined suits custom-made by

, holding and playing instruments with bodies made of lucite. In 2013, Bandai released Daft Punk action figures coinciding with the release of ''Random Access Memories'' in Japan. Daft Punk made a rare public appearance at the 2013 Monaco Grand Prix in May on behalf of the Lotus F1 Team, who raced in cars emblazoned with the Daft Punk logo. Footage of Daft Punk's 2006 performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Festival 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 6 August 2013 episode of ''The Colbert Report'' to promote ''Random Access Memories'', but this was canceled because of contractual obligations regarding their appearance at the

. According to Stephen Colbert, Daft Punk were unaware of the 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. Daft Punk also appear in Pharrell Williams's 2024 biographical film ''Piece by Piece (2024 film), Piece by Piece''.

Legacy

Daft Punk are regarded as one of the most influential dance acts. In 2021, the chief ''

'' music critic,

, named them the most influential pop artists of the 21st century. In the same year, ''Pitchfork'' named them one of the most important artists of the preceding 25 years, writing: "It’s impossible to imagine contemporary electronic dance music without Daft Punk ... they helped instil a philosophy of self-reinvention that would resonate with generations of musicians across electronic music, rock, hip-hop, and beyond." The Daft Punk collaborator

said they were responsible for the rise of contemporary EDM (music), EDM, though Bangalter said only that other acts were using "gimmicks that at the time [Daft Punk used them] were not really gimmicks". The ''

'' credited Daft Punk with helping make dance music mainstream. In 2008, Daft Punk were voted the 38th-greatest DJs in a worldwide poll by ''DJ Mag''. In 2015, ''

'' ranked Daft Punk the 12th-greatest musical duo. In "Losing My Edge" (2002), the first single by LCD Soundsystem, the singer, James Murphy (electronic musician), James Murphy, jokingly brags about being the first to "play Daft Punk to the rock kids". Another LCD Soundsystem single, "Daft Punk Is Playing at My House", 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. While accepting her Brit Award for British Dance Act, British Dance Act award at the Brit Awards 2025, Charli XCX named Daft Punk as an influence. The French musician Madeon learnt about music production by reverse-engineering Daft Punk sounds, and cited their creative use of a cheap DOD Electronics, DigiTech pedal on ''Human After All'' as an example of their "genius, creativity and intuition [... ] They made an entire album using that pedal and it’s a cheap $50 pedal that nobody gave the time of day at the time." ''Baicalellia daftpunka'', a species of flatworm, was named after Daft Punk in 2018 for its partial resemblance to a helmet. In February 2024, Madame Tussauds New York unveiled their wax figures of Daft Punk.

Covers and samples

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 the rapper Missy Elliott.

's 2007 track " Stronger" Interpolation (popular music), interpolates the melody and features a vocal sample of "

", and Daft Punk's robotic costumes appeared in the music video. "Daftendirekt" was sampled in 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 2008 song "Dream Big (Jazmine Sullivan song), Dream Big". " 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". The a cappella group Pentatonix performed a medley of Daft Punk songs. As of November 2021, the video had been viewed over 355 million times. The medley won Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement, Best Arrangement, Instrumental or a Cappella at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards. Daft Punk's "Technologic" was also interpolated in Charli XCX's 2024 song "Guess (song), Guess". A remix of "Guess" featuring Billie Eilish won Brit Award for Song of the Year, Song of the Year at the Brit Awards 2025, and was nominated for

at the 67th Annual 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 guests, which included US President Donald Trump.

Discography

;Studio albums * ''

'' (1997) * ''

'' (2001) * ''

'' (2005) * ''

'' (2013)

Concert tours

(1997) * Alive 2006/2007, Alive 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.

References

Notes Bibliography *Tony Gaenic, ''Daft Punk de A à Z'', l'Étudiant, les guides MusicBook, 2002, p. 115, *Pauline Guéna, Anne-Sophie Jahn, ''DAFT'', Éditions Grasset, 2022, p. 216, *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 *Violaine Schütz, ''Daft Punk, l'histoire d'un succès planétaire'', Scali, 2008, *

External links

* * *
Daft Punk
discography at MusicTea * *

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