Robot rock

In the past two decades, few musical groups have reached the elite status among their peers and fans as Daft Punk.

The group is as equally entrancing for their mystery as for their music. Daft Punk is known by many as just two French guys in robot suits who make great dance music, but they’ve been so much more than that.
 
What’s in a name?

In 1992, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter formed an indie rock group called Darlin’, named after the Beach Boys song of the same name, along with Laurent Brancowitz. The three got an opening gig for Stereolab, where they received their first negative review.

But that review helped them discover their band name. Melody Maker magazine said the band’s music was nothing more than a “bunch of daft punk,” which the members of the band found amusing enough to name themselves after. In 1994 and 1995, the band released the singles “New Wave” (Later known as “Alive”) and “Da Funk,” which stirred the music scene, and Virgin Records came calling.

A stellar debut

Finally, in 1997, Daft Punk released their revolutionary debut Homework, which mixed elements of house, funk, hip-hop, electro, techno and rock to make an incredibly groundbreaking release in the dance music world.

“Around the World” became a huge rave-scene hit, stemming from its undeniably catchy repeated hook. “Teachers” intrigued many, as the song saw the act giving a rundown of their influences, including Brian Wilson, Dr. Dre and Chicago house DJ Romanthony.

Homework began fans’ fixation on the increasing mystery surrounding the group.
 At shows, the band wore masks to disguise themselves or replaced themselves with animation on stage and, surprisingly, people loved it. In an era where people are obsessed with finding out every little detail about acts, Daft Punk have been embraced for keeping themselves in the dark.

Better. Faster. Stronger.

In 2001 those masks changed to robot suits with the release of their second and most successful album, Discovery. It took the formula used on Homework and added a more synth-pop sound, drawing from pop music of the ’70s and ’80s.

“One More Time” became perhaps the most popular house music hit of all time, and “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger,” “Face to Face” and “Digital Love” were also hits. By then, almost everyone enjoyed at least one Daft Punk song, even if they didn’t know it.

Then the duo added spiced up their already interesting live show. On April 29, 2006, they debuted “The Pyramid” at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. A spectacular display of light and sound, Daft Punk’s Pyramid is a mothership full of moogs, synthesizers, drum machines and supercomputers. It’s easily one of the coolest live environments ever concocted.

A legacy defined

Although it’s arguable that several other groups blur the lines between rock and techno, for our generation, no one has provided a better gateway drug to techno than Daft Punk.

Daft Punk has truly done a lot to put house music on the map while they’ve escalated to new levels of popularity and pop culture superiority. After their mainstream break, there were several other house acts that emerged in France, such as Air and Cassius.

The duo has been a huge influence on a lot of rising names in the dance world such as Justice, Digitalism and dance-punk rock act LCD Soundsystem (who have name dropped them in two of their songs – “Losing My Edge” and “Daft Punk is Playing at My House”).

They have also been discovered by the hip-hop world after being sampled in two mega hits, Busta Rhymes’ “Touch It” and Kanye West’s “Stronger.” Their surprise Grammy performance with West extended their mainstream love even more.

Moreover, Daft Punk’s music has led to a fair share of internet sensations. Popular videos like “Daft Hands” and “Daft Bodies” featuring people using various body parts to spell out the words to “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” have millions of hits on YouTube and have spawned all types of knock-offs.

Their combination of mystery, music and influence is what makes Daft Punk one of a kind.