Juan Atkins, the pioneering Detroit techno producer and DJ widely recognised as one of the founding fathers of techno, has died aged 64.
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Greensmith Artists, the agency representing Atkins, confirmed his death on Sunday, November 1, 2026, to Resident Advisor. They also announced the news via an Instagram post.
A representative of the agency said that staff found Atkins unresponsive in his hotel room in Mexico City before his scheduled performance at YuYu Cine Club. Medical personnel took him to the hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.
Atkins had been due to perform at the Mexico City venue on Saturday, October 31.
Juan Atkins Was A Techno Powerhouse
Born in Detroit in 1962, Atkins grew up in nearby Belleville, Michigan, where he met fellow musicians Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson. The trio later became known as the Belleville Three and helped establish Detroit as a global centre for electronic music.
Atkins began his recording career in 1980 when he formed Cybotron with Richard Davis. The duo developed an innovative sound that combined electronic instrumentation, funk influences, and futuristic production.
Their 1981 single, “Alleys of Your Mind”, helped establish their reputation, while their 1983 release “Clear” became one of the defining records of early Detroit electronic music.
In 1985, Atkins launched his solo project Model 500 and founded the Metroplex record label. His track “No UFOs” became a landmark Detroit techno release and helped shape the genre’s distinctive sound.
Atkins also recorded under the name Infiniti and collaborated with German producer Moritz von Oswald as Borderland.
His 1988 track “Techno Music” featured on the influential compilation Techno! The New Dance Sound of Detroit, which helped introduce Detroit’s electronic music movement to international audiences.
Atkins continued recording and performing internationally throughout his career. He appeared at major electronic music events, including Detroit’s Movement Festival, Amsterdam’s Dekmantel Festival and England’s Houghton Festival.
In 2023, he reunited Cybotron with producer Laurens von Oswald. They released Maintain the Golden Ratio, marking the project’s first EP in 28 years.