Daft Punk, the Parisian duo responsible for some of the most popular dance and pop songs ever, broke up. They broke the news with an 8-minute video entitled “Epilogue”, taken from their 2006 film ELECTROMAT. Asked if Daft Punk no longer exists, their longtime publicist Kathryn Frazier confirmed Pitchfork’s news, 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 style of house music. Their debut album, from 1997 Homework, was a landmark for dance music, with classic singles “Around the World” and “Da Funk”. By launching its pursuit, Discovery, in 2001, the duo undertook to make public appearances in robot outfits that became their trademark. The only “One More Time” and “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” consolidated them as global superstars. Their imprint in the popular imagination continued to deepen in the following years, with records, including the third album Human after all, LP live Live 2007, and Throne: Inheritance soundtrack album.
At the age of twenty, Daft Punk exploded once again with “Get Lucky”, the main single from their 2013 album Memories with random access. The ubiquitous single has sold millions of copies worldwide and won two Grammy Awards for duo and guests Nile Rodgers and Pharrell Williams; the follow-up single “Lose Yourself to Dance” with Pharrell also received several awards. Memories with random access, which is their latest album to date, led to a spectacular Coachella title that encapsulated their magic and mythology. “When you know how to do a magic trick, it is so depressing, ”Bangalter told Pitchfork on a 2013 cover.
The album earned Daft Punk three more Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year. In the year of their release, they were also credited with the co-production on several songs from Kanye West Jesus, including the formidable opening trio “On Sight”, “Black Skinhead” and “I Am a God”. They will continue to collaborate with Weeknd on the single “Starboy” from 2016 – the first Billboard topboard from Daft Punk – as well as on “I Feel It Coming”.