Daft Punk, the Parisian duo responsible for some of the most popular dance and pop songs ever made, has split up. They broke the news with an 8-minute video entitled “Epilogue”, taken from their 2006 film Electroma. Asked if Daft Punk no longer existed, his longtime publicist Kathryn Frazier confirmed the news to Pitchfork, but gave no reason for the breakup.
Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo formed Daft Punk in Paris in 1993, helping to define the French touch style of house music. His debut album was in 1997 Homework, was a benchmark in dance music, with the classic singles “Around the World” and “Da Funk”. With the publication of his follow-up, Discovery, in 2001, the duo had been making public appearances in robot costumes that became their trademark. The singles “One More Time” and “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” established them as world superstars. His imprint on the popular imagination continued to deepen in later years, with albums including the third album. Human after all, Live LP Alive 2007, and the Throne: legacy soundtrack album.
Twenty years after his career, Daft Punk exploded once again with “Get Lucky”, the lead single from his 2013 album Random access memories. The ubiquitous single sold millions of copies worldwide and won two Grammys for the duo and guests Nile Rodgers and Pharrell Williams; The follow-up single “Lose Yourself to Dance,” which also featured Pharrell, garnered a handful of more awards. Random access memories, which is his last album to date, resulted in a spectacular set of Coachella titles that encapsulated his magic and mythology. “When you know how to do a magic trick, that’s how it is tan depressing, “Bangalter told Pitchfork in a 2013 cover story.” We focus on the illusion that giving away as it is done instantly closes the feeling of emotion and innocence. “
The album won Daft Punk three more Grammys, including the album of the year. In the year of its release, they were also credited with co-producing several Kanye West tracks Jesus, including the formidable opening trio of “On Sight,” “Black Skinhead” and “I Am a God.” They would continue collaborating with Weeknd on the 2016 single “Starboy”, Daft Punk’s first Billboard chart, as well as “I Feel It Coming”.