By Ethan Bloomfield, Staff Writer
[Photo Courtesy of Daft Punk on YouTube]

Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, better known as the legendary robot musicians Daft Punk, have called it quits after almost three decades of classic records and infectious dance beats. 

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According to Pitchfork, “their longtime publicist Katheryn Frazier confirmed the news … but gave no reason for the breakup”. With such landmark records as Homework, Discovery and their biggest mainstream hit Random Access Memories under their belt and many, many awards on top of endless goodwill in the industry, this news comes as a shock to fans. 

Daft Punk formed in 1993 in France and subsequently defined the genre with their debut album, Homework. This snowballed by the time the robot outfits became a staple of the duo’s aesthetic with 2001’s Discovery, and they became instantly recognizable music icons. With the legendary Coachella performance expanding what electronic live shows can accomplish and subsequent albums and collaborations with stars like The Weeknd and Pharrell Williams, Daft Punk cemented themselves as royalty in the industry. 

The group’s long and illustrious career was capped off by a single, eight-minute-long video titled “Epilogue”. The robots chose to go out with a bang, with Bangalter literally exploding as Homem-Christo walks into the sunset. A title card reading “1993-2021” fades in to signal the career sunset of one of the most respected, innovative and beloved electronic acts ever to grace the genre. Daft Punk will go down in history as all-time greats, leaving behind a discography that will certainly be played in dance halls and headphones everywhere for many years to come. 

Watch “Epilogue”: