Culture
RIP Daft Punk. Let's celebrate the iconic duo's legacy with some bangers.
The legendary electronic music duo announced their split this morning in a characteristically quiet fashion.
After more than 28 years of music-making, electronic dance music duo Daft Punk has split up. Kathryn Frazier, the group’s longtime publicist, confirmed the news to Pitchfork this morning. No reason was given for the breakup.
The loss of Daft Punk’s presence on the scene will be felt immensely. The duo has had an immeasurable impact on the music industry far beyond the scope of electronic music. For nearly three decades the group has created music that spans genres and mediums, signature robot helmets donned, always, with casual coolness.
The duo has made its exit with that same understated cool. This morning they released a video entitled “Epilogue” on their YouTube channel; it’s actually a clip from their 2006 film Electroma. In the video, the duo meanders through the desert. One sets a countdown on the other’s suit and, after the 60 seconds has passed, one half of Daft Punk explodes in a mass of metal and smoke. The other walks off into the sunset.
There’s only one way to celebrate Daft Punk: by listening to their hardest hits, of which there are many.
Up all night — Newer fans of the duo’s music will perhaps best remember them for “Get Lucky,” the 2013 smash hit that brought Daft Punk into a renaissance of sorts.
Daft Punk made a lasting mark with its first album. This video alone is iconic in every sense of the word.
The group’s second album, Discovery, is when the chart-topping hits really started rolling in.
And when it comes to Daft Punk’s last studio album Random Access Memories, “Get Lucky” is really just the tip of the iceberg.
We’d also be remiss not to mention “One More Time” — which we will be listening to many, many more times and which will likely outlast humanity’s lifespan on Earth.