Today is a particularly somber day in the music world. Daft Punk, the influential electronic group, has announced they are splitting up after 28 years together. The duo announced their retirement in a theatrical YouTube video, titled “Epilogue.”

Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter originally met in Paris in 1987 and formed an indie rock band, Darling. Soon after, they became fascinated with the French house movement, leading to a shift in focus towards creating a new sound. Soon after, in 1993, Daft Punk was born and quickly gained popularity in the U.S.

Their singles “Da Funk” and “Around the World” from their debut album, Homework, secured them their first two grammy nominations. Daft Punk resurged through their 2014 album, Random Access Memories, which was admired by critics and fans, and included the 6x platinum record “Get Lucky,” which featured singer and producer, Pharrell Williams. The project later scored the duo the Grammy award for album of the year, making them the first electronic act to win the honorable accolade. In total, the group obtained 12 nominations and six wins for projects across their entire catalogue. Daft Punk is often considered one of the most influential groups in electronic music history, as they paved the way for many electronic acts to follow. It’s still unclear if either Guy-Manuel or Thomas will be continuing with solo-acts, but we sure can hope for a return some day.

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