Juan Atkins, a central architect of Detroit techno and a major influence on dance music worldwide, has died aged 64. His agency said he was found unresponsive in a Mexico City hotel room before a scheduled performance and was pronounced dead at a hospital. Born in Detroit in 1962, Atkins grew up in Belleville, Michigan, where he met Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson; the three became known as the Belleville Three. While still in high school, he began making electronic music with affordable instruments including a Roland TR-808 drum machine and a Korg synthesizer, drawing on science fiction, Kraftwerk and Jimi Hendrix.
With Richard Davis, Atkins formed Cybotron, whose tracks “Cosmic Cars” and “Clear” combined driving rhythms with psychedelic, futuristic sounds. He later recorded as Model 500, releasing foundational tracks such as “No UFO’s” and “The Chase,” and founded the Metroplex label in 1985. Atkins was the first to apply the name “techno” to the hard electronic style he helped create. His music also carried social commentary, not just dance-floor appeal. He continued developing his sound through projects including Infiniti and Borderland, and reformed Cybotron in 2023. “Clear” reached new audiences when Missy Elliott built her 2005 hit “Lose Control” around it, while Saunderson praised Atkins as a visionary whose work opened doors for others.
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