Daft Punk

Birth Name(s): Thomas Bangalter, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo
Founded: 1993–present
Hometown, Country: Paris, France
Labels: Soma, Virgin, Walt Disney, Columbia

The name Daft Punk is easily one of the most widely recognized in electronic music. Even if you are not a fan of EDM, chances are you have heard of Daft Punk. With their characteristic droid costumes, it is impossible to confuse them with anyone else. The duo consists of Guy Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter. De Homem-Christo and Bangalter met in 1987, while studying in Paris. Before the birth of Daft Punk, the two men were in an indie band. It wasn’t until 1992 that they were exposed to dance music and found their true calling. Throughout the early ‘90s, the duo released multiple club hit singles and gradually built a name for themselves. After an incredibly publicized bidding war, Daft Punk signed with Virgin Records, and in 1997 put out their first full dance album, which immediately went gold in America. The duo spent the rest of the early 2000s touring and making albums. While the music they made at this time can easily be called techno, Daft Punk drew inspiration for their tracks from R&B, rock, house, and some classical music, to create a unique sound. In 2013, they made a huge comeback to pop music, with “Get Lucky,” a collaboration with Pharrell Williams. This single made it to top charts around the world and eventually earned the duo a Grammy. Daft Punk continued to release singles and tour in 2014.