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CultureQuiet 9d · day 11

Juan Atkins, Techno Co-Founder, Dies at 64

The Detroit producer and Belleville Three member who pioneered techno music has died.

newest coverage 8d agosummary written 10d ago56 pieces4.4k likes & upvotes75 comments MastodonNewswiresBlueskyGoogle NewsXRedditHacker News

What to know

  • Juan Atkins, the Detroit producer who co-founded techno music as a member of the Belleville Three and Cybotron, has died at 64.
  • Atkins' 1983 Cybotron single 'Clear' sold 50,000 copies and became a genre-defining hit, famously sampled by Missy Elliott and countless others.
  • He remained an active touring performer until his death, playing at major festivals including Detroit's Movement, Amsterdam's Dekmantel, and England's Houghton in his final two years.

“When you listen to Chicago records, a lot of them sounded like Philly International records. They were always like the Philly International disco sound. Going 'ks-ks-ks-ks…' you know! That's the whole difference.”

Juan Atkins, Detroit producer and techno co-founder · Pitchfork ↗ · Dec 31

Juan Atkins Detroit producer and techno co-founderRichard '3070' Davis Cybotron co-founderDerrick May Belleville Three memberKevin Saunderson Belleville Three member

Juan Atkins, Techno Co-Founder, Dies at 64
pitchfork.com

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts

Peak 25 pieces in 3h at Nov 1, 10 AM; 56 pieces over 11 days (28 articles · 28 posts) Nov 1, 10 AM — 25 pieces · 15 articles · 10 posts — Google News 13, Mastodon 4, Bluesky 4, +3 moreNov 1, 1 PM — 6 pieces · 4 articles · 2 posts — Newswires 2, Mastodon 2, Google News 1, +1 moreNov 1, 4 PM — 3 pieces · 3 posts — Bluesky 2, Mastodon 1Nov 1, 7 PM — quietNov 1, 10 PM — 2 pieces · 2 articles — Google News 1, Newswires 1Nov 2, 1 AM — quietNov 2, 4 AM — 4 pieces · 4 posts — Mastodon 2, Bluesky 1, Reddit 1Nov 2, 7 AM — 2 pieces · 1 article · 1 post — Mastodon 1, Newswires 1Nov 2, 10 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Hacker News 1Nov 2, 1 PM — 3 pieces · 3 articles — Google News 3Nov 2, 4 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Nov 2, 7 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Hacker News 1Nov 2, 10 PM — quietNov 3, 1 AM — quietNov 3, 4 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Nov 3, 7 AM — quietNov 3, 10 AM — quietNov 3, 1 PM — quietNov 3, 4 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Nov 3, 7 PM — quietNov 3, 10 PM — quietNov 4, 1 AM — quietNov 4, 4 AM — quietNov 4, 7 AM — quietNov 4, 10 AM — quietNov 4, 1 PM — quietNov 4, 4 PM — quietNov 4, 7 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Nov 4, 10 PM — quietNov 5, 1 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Nov 5, 4 AM — quietNov 5, 7 AM — quietNov 5, 10 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Nov 5, 1 PM — quietNov 5, 4 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Nov 5, 7 PM — quietNov 5, 10 PM — quietNov 6, 1 AM — quietNov 6, 4 AM — quietNov 6, 7 AM — quietNov 6, 10 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Nov 6, 1 PM — quietNov 6, 4 PM — quietNov 6, 7 PM — quietNov 6, 10 PM — quietNov 7, 1 AM — quietNov 7, 4 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Reddit 1Nov 7, 7 AM — quietNov 7, 10 AM — quietNov 7, 1 PM — quietNov 7, 4 PM — quietNov 7, 7 PM — quietNov 7, 10 PM — quietNov 8, 1 AM — quietNov 8, 4 AM — quietNov 8, 7 AM — quietNov 8, 10 AM — quietNov 8, 1 PM — quietNov 8, 4 PM — quietNov 8, 7 PM — quietNov 8, 10 PM — quietNov 9, 1 AM — quietNov 9, 4 AM — quietNov 9, 7 AM — quietNov 9, 10 AM — quietNov 9, 1 PM — quietNov 9, 4 PM — quietNov 9, 7 PM — quietNov 9, 10 PM — quietNov 10, 1 AM — quietNov 10, 4 AM — quietNov 10, 7 AM — quietNov 10, 10 AM — quietNov 10, 1 PM — quietNov 10, 4 PM — quietNov 10, 7 PM — quietNov 10, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quiet 1
Nov 2Nov 3Nov 4Nov 5Nov 6Nov 7Nov 8Nov 9Nov 10now · 12:11 AM ET
  1. 1

    Death confirmed by management

    Green Smith Artists, Atkins' management company, confirms his death. Pitchfork and other outlets report the loss.

    “My lyrics are supposed to make you think about something other than shaking your booty on the dancefloor and falling in love. I feel like artists have an obligation to say something meaningful.”
    — Juan Atkins, Detroit producer and techno co-founder · source
    1. 20 outlets Juan Atkins, Detroit techno music trailblazer, dies at 64

      first by Detroit Free Press, 10d ago · also DJ Mag, Mixmag, Rolling Stone, The Detroit News, Pitchfork, Resident Advisor +13

      18 more headlines
    • phillewis.bsky.social

      Juan Atkins, a trailblazing Detroit producer who co-founded techno music, has died at 64

      phillewis.bsky.socialBluesky10d ago2.2k▲view on Bluesky ↗
    2 more of the top 3 · 18 posts in this stretch
    • remixtures@tldr.nettime.org

      RIP: "Juan Atkins, the lifelong producer and DJ who co-founded Detroit techno music, has died; Green Smith Artists, Atkins’ management company, confirmed his death. Atkins was slated to perform at Yu Yu Club in Mexico City last night (October 31). He was 64. As a member of the Belleville Three, Cybotron, and Borderland, Atkins’ impact on…

      remixtures@tldr.nettime.orgMastodon9d ago1▲view on Mastodon ↗
    • richardkadrey.bsky.social

      A good reminder that Techno isn't a Euro invention. It came from black kids in Detroit.

      richardkadrey.bsky.socialBluesky10d ago1.3k▲view on Bluesky ↗
    all of them →
  2. background

    Juan Atkins dies at 64 — Juan Atkins, co-founder of Detroit techno music and member of the Belleville Three, dies. He was scheduled to perform at Yu Yu Club in Mexico City on October 31.

What people are saying 15 voices from 2 sites · best of 18 · verbatim