3 Songs Influenced by Daft Punk in Distinctly Different Ways – American Songwriter

June 15, 2024




Upon releasing their 1997 debut album Homework, Daft Punk began to change the sound of dance music. Soon they would be widely known as one of the most popular and influential musical acts of the 21st century across a variety of genres. When they called it quits in 2021, the French duo of Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo would leave a legacy of beloved dance hits like “Da Funk” and “Get Lucky,” and a stylish futuristic aesthetic (linked inextricably with their robot costumes).
Daft Punk’s legacy also includes their influence on countless musical acts. The three artists featured here went to the lengths of writing songs that were inspired by Daft Punk, though the inspiration came in different forms. Here’s how Daft Punk jump-started a popular song for each of these three artists.
Warpaint’s most commercially successful track grew out of an unusual songwriting exercise the quartet undertook as they worked on their Heads Up (2016) album. Each member was tasked with writing a song after listening to a song of their choosing. Bassist Jenny Lee Lindberg picked Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” as her warm-up for writing a song. The resulting “New Song” blends Warpaint’s atmospheric vibe with the danceability of a Daft Punk tune.
Lindberg was specifically inspired by Nile Rodgers’ signature guitar riff from “Get Lucky.” She explained to Songfacts, “That song made me really happy, so I was like, ‘OK, well, I’m going to try and put a little Nile Rodgers feel to it.’ His part is like a rhythm guitar, but I’m playing it on bass.” Once you’re aware of the inspiration, it’s impossible to unhear Rodgers’ influence on Lindberg’s bass line from the verses, and Stella Mozgawa’s disco beat adds another layer of funk.
“New Song” is Warpaint’s only song to reach a Billboard chart. It peaked at No. 14 on the Adult Alternative Airplay chart and No. 32 on the Alternative Airplay chart.
Lewis is another artist with a Rodgers connection. On Lewis’ 2021 debut album Times, Rodgers co-wrote, co-produced, and played guitar on the track “One More.” When Lewis wrote “Something About Your Love” for AudioLust & HigherLove (2023), he already had just one degree of separation from Daft Punk, but he took that association a little further. The English musician and producer told EDM.com that “Something About Your Love” is “the closest thing I’ve ever made to a tribute to them.”
Continued Lewis, “I was listening to Discovery a lot, and there’s a specific technique to it. I chopped up the sample of these ‘70s keys and drums.” “Something About Your Love” does bear some resemblance to the Discovery track “Digital Love,” especially given that both songs prominently feature a Wurlitzer piano.
“Something About Your Love” was released as a single, and it has been streamed more than 13 million streams on Spotify. The single did not chart in the U.S., but AudioLust & HigherLove reached No. 13 on Billboard’s Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart.
When James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem says Daft Punk is playing in my house, he’s not just talking about the French duo’s music. He’s talking about actual Daft Punk playing in his basement. Murphy got the idea for the song’s premise by imagining what a fan of dance music might think if they wanted to add a rock element to the work of a dance music artist. He explained to the website I Really Love Music, “I had spent so long obsessing on what was missing from indie rock that was present in dance music that I forgot what was present in indie music that was missing from house music. I just had this idea that someone might have gone through the same epiphany with dance music and then ended up saving up to have Daft Punk to play in their basement.”
Unlike Warpaint or Lewis, Murphy was inspired by the idea of Daft Punk, as opposed to specific elements of their music. Musically, Murphy certainly has much in common with the duo. While “Daft Punk Is Playing in My House” won’t get mistaken for a Daft Punk song, it features a blend of dance and rock elements that is typical of both LCD Soundsystem and the dance music icons.
“Daft Punk Is Playing in My House” was nominated for Best Dance Recording at the 2006 Grammy Awards, and the song topped the UK Dance Singles Chart. With more than 62 million streams on Spotify, it is the most popular track from LCD Soundsystem’s self-titled debut album on the platform.
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Photo by Michael Kovac/WireImage
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Š 2024 American Songwriter

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