Daft Punk

Daft Punk wordmark

Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter met in 1987 while attending the Lycée Carnot secondary school in Paris.[2][3] The two became friends and recorded demos with others from the school.[4][5] In 1992, they formed a band, Darlin', with Bangalter on bass, Homem-Christo on guitar,[4][5] and Laurent Brancowitz on guitar and drums.[6] The trio named themselves after the Beach Boys song "Darlin'", which they covered along with an original composition.[6] Both tracks were released on a multi-artist EP under Duophonic Records, a label owned by the London-based band Stereolab, who invited Darlin' to open for shows in the United Kingdom.[6]

Darlin' disbanded after around six months, having played two gigs and produced four songs. Bangalter described the project as "pretty average".[7] Brancowitz formed another band, Phoenix.[7] 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 by Dave Jennings,[8] who dubbed their music "a daft punky thrash".[9] The band found the review amusing.[3] Homem-Christo said, "We struggled so long to find [the name] Darlin', and [this name] happened so quickly."[10]

Mixmag cover feature in August 1997

In September 1993, Daft Punk attended a rave at EuroDisney, where they met Stuart Macmillan of Slam, the co-founder of the Scottish label Soma Quality Recordings.[3][11] They gave him a demo tape, which formed the basis for Daft Punk's debut single, "The New Wave", a limited release in 1994.[7] The single also contained the final mix of "The New Wave" called "Alive", which appeared on Daft Punk's first album.[12]

Daft Punk returned to the studio in May 1995 to record "Da Funk". After it became their first commercially successful single, they hired a manager, Pedro Winter, who regularly promoted them and other artists at his Hype nightclubs.[5] They signed with Virgin Records in September 1996 and made a deal to license tracks through their production company, Daft Trax.[2][5] 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.[13]

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.[14] 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.[15]

Daft Punk released their debut album, Homework, in 1997.[11] That February, the UK dance magazine Muzik published a Daft Punk cover feature and described Homework as "one of the most hyped debut albums in a long long time".[16] According to The Village Voice, the album revived house music and departed from the Eurodance formula.[17] The critic Alex Rayner wrote that it combined established club styles and the "burgeoning eclecticism" of big beat.[18] In 1997, Daft Punk embarked on an international concert tour, Daftendirektour, using their home equipment for the live stage.[7] On 25 May, they headlined the Tribal Gathering festival at Luton Hoo, England, with Orbital and Kraftwerk.[19]

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, Michel Gondry, Roman Coppola 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 and Crydamoure, 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 with DJ Falcon and founded the group Stardust with Alan Braxe and Benjamin Diamond. In 1998, Stardust released their only song, the chart hit "Music Sounds Better With You".[20]

Daft Punk's second album, Discovery, 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.[6] The album reached No. 2 in the UK, and its lead single, "One More Time", was a hit. The song is heavily autotuned and compressed.[6] The singles "Digital Love" and "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" 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.[21] Discovery was later named one of the best albums of the decade by publications including Pitchfork[22] and Resident Advisor.[23] In 2020, Rolling Stone included it at number 236 in its list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time".[24] 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".[25]

Daft Punk partnered with the Japanese manga artist Leiji Matsumoto to create Interstella 5555, a feature-length animation set to Discovery. The first four episodes were shown on Toonami in 2001, and the finished film was released on DVD in 2003.[26] That December, Daft Punk released Daft Club, a compilation of Discovery remixes.[27] In 2001, Daft Punk released a 45-minute excerpt from a Daftendirektour performance as Alive 1997.[28]

Daft Punk performing on the Alive 2006/2007 tour in July 2007

In March 2005, Daft Punk released their third album, Human After All, the result of six weeks of writing and recording.[29] Reviews were mixed, with criticism for its repetitiveness and darker mood.[30] "Robot Rock", "Technologic", "Human After All" and "The Prime Time of Your Life" 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, Human After All: Remixes.[31]

On 21 May 2006, Daft Punk premiered a film, Daft Punk's Electroma, at the Cannes Film Festival sidebar Director's Fortnight.[32] The film does not include Daft Punk's music. Midnight screenings of the film were held in Paris theaters starting from March 2007.[33]

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[34] and is credited for bringing dance music to a wider audience, especially in North America.[35][36] The Guardian journalist Gabriel Szatan likened it to how the Beatles' 1964 performance on The Ed Sullivan Show had brought British rock and roll to the American mainstream.[35]

Daft Punk's performance in Paris was released as their second live album, Alive 2007, on 19 November 2007.[37] The live version of "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" was released as a single,[38] with a video directed by Olivier Gondry comprising audience footage of their performance in Brooklyn.[39] In 2009, Daft Punk won Grammy Awards for Alive 2007 and its single "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger".[40]

Daft Punk in DJ Hero

Daft Punk made a surprise appearance at the 50th Grammy Awards on 10 February 2008, and appeared with rapper Kanye West to perform a reworked version of "Stronger" on stage at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.[41] It was the first televised Daft Punk live performance.[41]

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 label and his work as Busy P.[42] 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 complex in Hollywood.[43] In 2008, Daft Punk placed 38th in a worldwide official poll of DJ Mag after debuting at position 71 in the year before.[44] Daft Punk provided new mixes for the video game DJ Hero, and appeared in the game as playable characters.[45]

At the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con, it was announced that Daft Punk had composed 24 tracks for the film Tron: Legacy.[46] Daft Punk's score was arranged and orchestrated by Joseph Trapanese.[47] 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.[48] Joseph Kosinski, director of the film, referred to the score as a mixture of orchestral and electronic elements.[49] Daft Punk also make a cameo as disc jockey programs wearing their trademark robot helmets within the film's virtual world.[50] The soundtrack album was released on 6 December 2010.[51] A music video for "Derezzed" premiered on the MTV Networks on the same day the album was released.[52] The video, which features Olivia Wilde 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 released a remix album, Tron: Legacy Reconfigured, on 5 April 2011.[53]

In 2010, Daft Punk were admitted into the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, an order of merit of France. Bangalter and Homem-Christo were individually awarded the rank of Chevalier (knight).[54] On October of that year, Daft Punk made a surprise guest appearance during the encore of Phoenix's show at Madison Square Garden 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 "Together", one of Bangalter's releases as a member of Together.[55] They produced N.E.R.D.'s 2010 song "Hypnotize U".[56]

Billboard in New York City promoting Random Access Memories in March 2013

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.[57][58] In October 2012, Daft Punk provided a 15-minute mix of songs by blues musician Junior Kimbrough for Hedi Slimane's Yves Saint Laurent fashion show.[59] Daft Punk recorded their fourth studio album, Random Access Memories, with musicians including Julian Casablancas, Todd Edwards, DJ Falcon, Panda Bear, Chilly Gonzales, Paul Williams, Pharrell Williams, Chic frontman Nile Rodgers and Giorgio Moroder.[60][61][62][63][64][65] Daft Punk left Virgin for Sony Music Entertainment through the Columbia Records label.[66]

Random Access Memories was released on 17 May 2013.[67] The lead single, "Get Lucky", became Daft Punk's first UK number-one single[68] and the most-streamed new song in the history of Spotify.[69] At the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, Daft Punk debuted a trailer for their single "Lose Yourself to Dance" and presented the award for "Best Female Video" alongside Rodgers and Pharrell.[70] In December, they revealed a music video for the song "Instant Crush", directed by Warren Fu and featuring Julian Casablancas.[71]

At the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, Random Access Memories won the Grammy for Best Dance/Electronica Album, Album of the Year and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, while "Get Lucky" received the Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Record of the Year. Daft Punk performed at the ceremony with Stevie Wonder, Rodgers, and Pharrell, as well as Random Access Memories rhythm section players Nathan East, Omar Hakim, Paul Jackson, Jr. and Chris Caswell.[72]

Daft Punk co-produced Kanye West's sixth studio album, Yeezus (2013),[73] creating the tracks "On Sight", "Black Skinhead", "I Am a God" and "Send It Up" with West.[74] They provided additional vocals for Pharrell's 2014 single "Gust of Wind".[75] On 10 March 2014, an unreleased Daft Punk song, "Computerized", leaked online. It features Jay-Z and contains "The Son of Flynn" from the Tron: Legacy soundtrack;[76] it was once intended to be a single promoting Tron: Legacy.[77] 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.[78] In June, a documentary, Daft Punk Unchained, was released.[79]

Light-up outfits worn at the encore of the Alive 2007 tour performances

Daft Punk appeared on the 2016 singles "Starboy" and "I Feel It Coming" by Canadian R&B singer the Weeknd;[80][81] "Starboy" topped the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Daft Punk's only US number-one song, and "I Feel It Coming" reached number four.[82][83] In 2017, Soma Records released a previously unreleased remix of the Daft Punk track "Drive", as part of a compilation featuring various artists.[84][85]

In February 2017, Daft Punk launched a pop-up shop in Hollywood, California, featuring memorabilia, artwork, and a display of the various costumes the duo has worn over the years.[86] The duo also performed with the Weeknd at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards on 12 February 2017.[87]

In the years following the Starboy collaborations, Bangalter and Homem-Christo worked solo as producers appearing on several projects.[88][89][90][91] On 21 June 2017, the Australian band Parcels released the song "Overnight", produced and co-written by Daft Punk.[92] It was written after Daft Punk saw Parcels perform and invited the members to their studio. This became Daft Punk's final production as a duo.[93] Between April 9 and August 11, 2019, an electronic exhibition based on Daft Punk's song "Technologic" was displayed at the Philharmonie de Paris, featuring costumes, guitars and other elements.[94]

On 22 February 2021, Daft Punk released a video on their YouTube channel titled "Epilogue".[95] The video features a scene from their 2006 film Electroma, in which one robot explodes and the other walks away; a title card created with Warren Fu reads "1993–2021" while an excerpt of Daft Punk's song "Touch" plays.[95][96] Later that day, Daft Punk's longtime publicist Kathryn Frazier confirmed that they had split, but did not give a reason.[96] The news led to a surge in Daft Punk sales, with digital album purchases rising by 2,650 per cent.[97] Their friend and collaborator Todd Edwards confirmed that Bangalter and Homem-Christo remained active separately.[98] He later said that the duo were "going in different directions", and that Homem-Christo was more drawn to hip-hop and Bangalter was interested in film.[99]

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 later released in physical formats. The same day as the anniversary announcement, Daft Punk broadcast a Twitch 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. Daft Punk released behind-the-scenes "archives" from the D.A.F.T. DVD and vinyl album reissues throughout 2022.[100] On 22 February 2023, Daft Punk announced a 10th-anniversary reissue of Random Access Memories. The reissue was released on 12 May 2023 and contained 35 minutes of previously unreleased outtakes and demos. "Infinity Repeating (2013 Demo)", featuring Julian Casablancas and the Voidz, was released as a single.[101][102] Later that year, the duo also announced a "Drumless Edition" of the album due for release on 17 November 2023, removing all drums and percussive elements from the original album's 13 tracks.[103]

In April 2023, Bangalter released a solo work, the orchestral ballet score Mythologies. 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.[104][105] 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.'"[106] He and Homem-Christo still share a studio and equipment.[105]

Daft Punk's musical style has mainly been described as house,[107][108] French house,[108] electronic,[21] dance,[108][109] and disco.[108][21] Sean Cooper of AllMusic describes their musical style as a blend of acid house, techno, pop, indie rock, hip hop, progressive house, funk, and electro.[108] The Guardian critic Alexis Petridis described their approach to music and art as "magpie"-like, with extensive sampling.[35] Daft Punk saw their style as "retrofuturist", incorporating genres from earlier decades into what the New York Times described as "an increasingly grand vision of joyful populism".[105]

In the early 1990s, Daft Punk drew inspiration from rock and acid house in the UK. Homem-Christo referred to Screamadelica by Primal Scream as the record that "put everything together" in terms of genre.[110] In 2009, Bangalter named Andy Warhol as one of Daft Punk's early influences.[111] 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 and Detroit techno artists including Paul Johnson,[35] Romanthony and Todd Edwards.[6] 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."[6]

Discovery saw Daft Punk integrating influences from 70s disco and 80s crooners, and featured collaborations with Romanthony and Edwards. A major inspiration was the 1999 Aphex Twin single "Windowlicker", which Bangalter said was "neither a purely club track nor a very chilled-out, down-tempo relaxation track".[112] The duo used vintage equipment to recreate sounds from older artists, such as the use of a Wurlitzer piano to evoke Supertramp on "Digital Love".[113]

For the Tron: Legacy soundtrack, Daft Punk drew inspiration from Wendy Carlos, the composer of the original Tron film, as well as Max Steiner, Bernard Herrmann, John Carpenter, Vangelis, Philip Glass and Maurice Jarre.[114][115] For Random Access Memories, Daft Punk sought a "west coast vibe", referencing acts such as Fleetwood Mac, the Doobie Brothers and the Eagles,[116] and the French electronic musician Jean Michel Jarre.[117]

For most public and media appearances, Daft Punk wore costumes that concealed their faces.[118] Bangalter said they wanted the focus to be on their music,[119] and that masks allowed them to control their image while retaining their anonymity and protecting their personal lives.[7] He said that the 1974 film Phantom of the Paradise, in which the title character prominently wears a mask, was "the foundation for a lot of what we're about artistically".[120][121] Daft Punk were also fans of the 1970s band Space, known for wearing space suits with helmets that hid their appearance.[122] The mystery of Daft Punk's identity and their elaborate disguises added to their popularity.[110] The costumes have been compared to the makeup of Kiss and the leather jacket worn by Iggy Pop.[123]

Bangalter performing in 2006

During promotional appearances in the 1990s, Daft Punk would conceal their faces with an assortment of masks.[21] 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.[124] According to Orla Lee-Fisher, the head of marketing at Virgin Records UK, in their early career Daft Punk would only consent to photographs without masks while they were DJing.[125] In 1997, Bangalter said they had a "general rule about not appearing in videos".[119]

In 2001, Daft Punk began wearing robot costumes for promotional appearances and performances for Discovery, debuted in a special presentation during Cartoon Network's Toonami block.[126] The helmets were produced by Paul Hahn of Daft Arts and the French directors Alex and Martin,[127] with engineering by Tony Gardner and Alterian, Inc. They were capable of various LED effects.[128] Wigs were originally attached to both helmets, but Daft Punk removed them moments before unveiling them.[21] Bangalter said the helmets were hot but that he became used to this.[123] Later helmets were fitted with ventilators to prevent overheating.[129]

Homem-Christo performing in 2007

With the release of Human After All, Daft Punk wore simplified helmets and black leather jackets and trousers designed by Hedi Slimane.[110] Bangalter said Daft Punk did not want to repeat themselves and were interested in "developing a persona that merges fiction and reality".[6] 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.[130] They said the use of cloth bags had been a spontaneous decision, reflecting their willingness to experiment with their image.[131] Daft Punk wore the 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.[132][87]

Daft Punk used the robot outfits to merge the characteristics of humans and machines.[133] 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".[110] He described it as an advanced version of glam, "where it's definitely not you".[110] After Daft Punk's split, Bangalter likened the robot personas to a "like a Marina Abramović performance art installation that lasted for 20 years".[104] 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."[104]

Daft Punk's cameo in Interstella 5555

Daft Punk's popularity has been partially attributed to their appearances in mainstream media.[110] The duo appeared with Juliette Lewis in an advertisement for 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 duo's animated music videos for their album Discovery.[126] 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. The duo later 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-themed clothing line. Daft Punk made a cameo in Tron: Legacy as nightclub DJs.[50]

Daft Punk being interviewed on the Icelandic television show Kastljós on Sjónvarpið

In 2011, Coca-Cola distributed limited edition bottles designed by Daft Punk.[134] Daft Punk and Courtney Love were photographed for the "Music Project" of fashion house Yves Saint Laurent. The duo appeared in their new sequined suits custom-made by Hedi Slimane, holding and playing instruments with bodies made of lucite.[135] In 2013, Bandai Tamashii released an S.H. Figuarts (SHF) action figure for Daft Punk coinciding with the release of Random Access Memories in Japan.[136] Following a series of teaser trailers, Daft Punk made a rare public appearance at the 2013 Monaco Grand Prix in May on behalf of the Lotus F1 Team, who supported the duo by racing in specially-branded cars emblazoned with the band's logo.[137][138]

Footage of Daft Punk's 2006 performance at the Coachella Festival was featured in the documentary film Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert, released on YouTube in April 2020.[139] Daft Punk were scheduled to appear on the August 6, 2013 episode of The Colbert Report 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.[140] In 2015, Daft Punk appeared alongside several other musicians to announce their co-ownership of the music service Tidal at its relaunch.[141]

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.[142] Daft Punk's helmets can be worn by the player in the 2022 video games Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.[143]