Juan Atkins Essentials

In his own music and as a floor-rocking DJ, Juan Atkins' brilliance is blending dance rhythms with ear-bending melodies. In '81, inspired by Kraftwerk, Parliament, and Detroit radio DJ The Electrifyin' Mojo, Atkins formed seminal electro group Cybotron and, later, Model 500 and the alias Infiniti. He released now-classic singles on his Metroplex label, pairing futuristic tones with Detroit grit—the blueprints for techno, and by the '90s, he was an in-demand producer and an international attraction. The '00s saw new Atkins productions, and a 2015 world tour celebrating his 35 years of music.