Juan Atkins, Detroit techno founder and Belleville Three member, died at 64 on Oct. 31, 2026, after being found unresponsive in a Mexico City hotel room.
The originator of Detroit techno, Atkins was a founding member of the pioneering electronic music duo Cybotron and released the influential "No UFO's" under his Model 500 moniker
US artist known as Model 500 and as one half of the duo Cybotron had huge influence on dance music worldwide Juan Atkins, one of the pioneers of Detroit techno and a huge influence on dance music more widely, has died aged 64.
Juan Atkins, whose work with Cybotron and Model 500 helped establish Detroit techno, has died at 64 in Mexico City, his agency confirmed. An official cause of death was not disclosed.
The Detroit techno pioneer, who has died aged 64 , blended funk and electronics with information-age philosophy to create music of huge power and influence Juan Atkins, the originator of techno who died on 31 October, spent his lifetime translating a fascination with the future into sound.
Identical headlines usually mean shared wire copy. They are counted as separate articles but are not independent confirmation.
Juan Atkins, co-creator of the techno music genre, has died | Since Then
