Juan Atkins, the Detroit producer widely credited with helping name and define techno, has died at 64, his talent agency said Sunday. His death was announced after decades of work that helped establish Detroit as a central force in electronic music.
Atkins was a member of the Belleville Three, the influential group of Detroit-area musicians formed with Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May. The three former schoolmates are credited with developing the sound that became techno, combining electronic instruments, synthesizers and programmed rhythms into music that reached audiences around the world.
Atkins was found unresponsive in a hotel room in Mexico City on Friday before a scheduled performance at the Yu Yu Cine Club, according to accounts cited by Resident Advisor. He was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
“He never complained, he never mentioned how sick he was, for years, he just went out and did his job the best way he could.” — Derrick May, in an Instagram post
A career rooted in Detroit
Atkins’ influence extended beyond his work with May and Saunderson. Under the name Cybotron, he and Richard Davis released “Clear” in 1983, a track whose electronic foundation later appeared in Missy Elliott’s 2005 song “Lose Control.” Atkins also released music as a solo artist and through projects including Borderland.
His 1985 recording “No UFO’s,” released on his own Metroplex Records, was later included at No. 94 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 200 greatest dance songs of all time. The track became one of the defining releases associated with the early Detroit techno movement.
- 1983: Cybotron released “Clear.”
- 1985: Atkins issued “No UFO’s” through Metroplex Records.
- 2000: Detroit’s electronic music festival that preceded Movement began.
Atkins performed for years at Detroit’s Movement festival, the annual electronic music event held at Hart Plaza, as well as its predecessor, the Detroit Electronic Music Festival. Jason Huvaere, head of production company Paxahau, which produces Movement, described Atkins as a central figure in the electronic music revolution.
May and Saunderson also paid tribute to Atkins on social media. The Detroit Pistons honored the three musicians earlier this year through a merchandise collaboration, recognizing their connection to the city’s music history. Atkins was born in Detroit in 1962 and raised in Belleville, Michigan.
