When it comes to electronic and dance music, Daft Punk is one of those legendary bands that took it upon themselves to change the rules. Formed in 1993, the acclaimed French duo of Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter became immortalized through their classic retro-futurist aesthetic and countless timeless records.
From humble beginnings producing in their own bedrooms (as in Homework ), Daft Punk have grown to become one of the most well-known, beloved, and in-demand groups of all time, collaborating with the likes of Kanye West to The Weeknd , going through Nile Rodgers , The Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas , and many other music stars.
With such an extensive collection of inspiring hits and unforgettable bangers, choosing the best Daft Punk songs is no easy task, but here are eight that deserve to be on the list.
8. Digital Love
We start this list off with one of Daft Punk‘s most romantic efforts, Digital Love . The track is enhanced by lyrics by DJ Sneak , reinterpreted by Daft Punk in typical vocoder style, and the melody conjures images of love lost romance across a sea of ​​time and space. As if that weren’t enough, the infectious sampling of George Duke ‘s I Love You More hits us with nostalgia, but as the track continues, the beat becomes heavier and more house, with dreamy keyboards and solo synths to produce. a heartfelt and beautiful hymn.
7. And Funk
The second single from their 1995 debut album Homework is what you might call dirty in the best sense possible: Da Funk’s electronic frenzy builds on a G-funk-like groove, sound samples of the city’s nightlife and a hip-hop song inspired by Warren G ‘s 1994 classic Regulate . It’s almost wild today to think that the track didn’t get much attention after its release in May 1995, but when The Chemical Brothers started including it in their live performances, it became a hit. To cement its status as one of the greatest Daft Punk songs of all time, the music video, directed by Spike Jonze, showed an anthropomorphic dog using crutches and carrying a boombox through the streets of New York.
6. Instant Crush
While working on the Tron: Legacy soundtrack , Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel De Homem-Christo (both fans of The Strokes ) met the group’s frontman, Julian Casablancas , in his studio to present him with a demo of a track. Featuring vocals, guitar, and additional production by Casablancas, Instant Crush became one of the standout tracks on Daft Punk’s fourth album, Random Access Memories .With laid-back, melodic verses and chorus that deliver an infectious synth-pop groove, the track offers a master class in simplicity and is an iconic collaboration that deserves to be among the duo’s greatest songs.
5. Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
In fifth place we come to Harder Better Faster Stronger , which is probably Daft Punk ‘s most distinguished song (and certainly one of its best) . Released in 2001, it delivers a stretchy, raw, disco-flavored instrumental, bolstered by synth-funk bass, sleazy cymbals, and notable Edwin Birdsong sampling. For their 2007 album Alive , the duo remixed the track with Human After All ‘s Around The World and Steam Machine for a legendary (and Grammy-nominated) live performance that can still thrill a listener. In addition, it is part of one of the best samples in history after Kanye Westused it in Stronger , which further popularized the already worldwide success of the French duo.
4. Technologic
One of the best singles from Human After All, Technologic is seductive with that robotic hook in the lyrics about our reliance on technology, and it’s been reused and remixed multiple times, notably by Busta Rhymes on the Swizz Beats – produced Touch It , and by Dua Lipa in a performance of Hallucinate that was part of her Studio 2054 concert last year. Additionally, Daft Punk again borrowed Touch It from Rhymes for their live album Alive 2007 , mixing it with Technologicfor a famous performance that included additional samples from Robot Rock and Voyager.
3. Something About Us
In third place on the list we have one of the simplest and R&B-tinged productions that can be heard from Daft Punk , but also one of the most powerful. Something About Us is a romantic track that showcases the soulful songwriting that made Discovery an album for posterity. Incorporating sweet keyboards, slow funk basses and wah-wah melodies, the duo produced a surreal yet intimate throwback sound. Perfect from start to finish.
2. Around The World
Do you want to feel old? It’s been over 20 years since this anthem was released, and we’re pleased to say that it’s still one of those tracks that changed the landscape of electronic and dance music. The duo repeated the song’s title 144 times against a background of synths, beats, and what quickly became one of the most iconic bass lines in ’90s dance music. clubs around the world, and Michel Gondry also took advantage of Daft Punk ‘s expert use of repetition in the track for his official video, which featured four different groups of dancers dancing in circular motion, representing a vinyl record, as well as each one of the instruments of the song.
1. One More Time
And we come to number one, One More Time , which every time we listen to it feels like a religious experience with that invincible beat and Romanthony ‘s infectious lyrics . Few songs have as universal an appeal as this one – it’s instantly recognizable and safely stands as one of the greatest party anthems of all time. The track itself boils down to clever sampling, futuristic effects processing, and self-tuned vocals that translate into a feeling of non-stop euphoria and adrenaline.
