Random Access Memories
Random Access Memories is the fourth and final studio album by the French electronic duo Daft Punk, released on 17 May 2013 through Columbia Records. It pays tribute to late 1970s and early 1980s American music, particularly from Los Angeles. This theme is reflected in the album's packaging, as well as its promotional campaign, which included billboards, television advertisements and a web series. Recording sessions took place from 2008 to 2012 at Henson, Conway and Capitol Studios in California, Electric Lady Studios in New York City, and Gang Recording Studio in Paris, France.
This article is about the Daft Punk album. For the type of computer memory, see random-access memory.Random Access Memories
17 May 2013
2008–2012
- Gang (Paris)
- Electric Lady (New York City)
- Henson (Los Angeles)
- Conway (Los Angeles)
- Capitol (Hollywood)
74:39
Following the minimal production of their previous album, Human After All (2005),[2] Daft Punk recruited session musicians to perform live instrumentation and limited the use of electronic instruments to drum machines, a custom-built modular synthesizer and vintage vocoders. It combines disco, progressive rock and pop, with collaborations with Giorgio Moroder, Panda Bear, Julian Casablancas, Todd Edwards, DJ Falcon, Chilly Gonzales, Nile Rodgers, Paul Williams, Nathan East and Pharrell Williams.
Random Access Memories is the only Daft Punk album to top the US Billboard 200, and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. It also topped the charts in twenty other countries. Its lead single, "Get Lucky", topped the charts in more than 30 countries and became one of the best-selling digital singles of all time. The album appeared on several year-end lists, and won in several categories at the 2014 Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, Best Dance/Electronica Album, and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical. "Get Lucky" also won the awards for Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. In 2020, Rolling Stone ranked Random Access Memories number 295 on their list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time".[3]
Music[edit]
Theme and influences[edit]
Bangalter described the album's title as encapsulating Daft Punk's interest in the past, referencing both random-access memory technology and the human experience: "We were drawing a parallel between the brain and the hard drive–the random way that memories are stored."[6] Daft Punk felt that while current technology allows for an unlimited capacity to store recorded material, the content produced by contemporary artists had diminished in quality. Their goal was therefore to maximize the potential of infinite storage by recording a sprawling amount of elements. The duo pointed to the process as being further inspiration for the album's title, as they sought to make connections out of the random series of ideas.[28]
Random Access Memories has been noted by music critics as a disco album.[35][36][37] Regarding the style of the album, they sought a "west coast vibe", referencing such acts as Fleetwood Mac, the Doobie Brothers, and the Eagles.[38] Daft Punk also acknowledged that the record pays homage to Michael Jackson, the Cars, and Steely Dan. The recording of live synthesizer parts was done in a progressive rock fashion, with the pop sensibilities of Wizzard and the Move.[22] Daft Punk specifically looked to the albums Rumours by Fleetwood Mac and The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd as models.[7] Bangalter remarked upon several records of the album era, saying that "the most important records in music, whether it's Led Zeppelin [...] or The White Album or Sgt. Pepper's... or Quadrophenia or Tommy, are the ones that take you on a journey for miles and miles."[39][40]
Sales[edit]
Random Access Memories debuted at number one on the French Albums Chart with first-week sales of 195,013 copies (127,361 physical sales and 67,652 digital sales),[121] earning Daft Punk their first number-one album in France.[122] The next week, it sold 49,600 copies to remain at the top spot with a 75% sales decrease.[123] The album secured a third consecutive week atop the French chart, withstanding a 29% sales drop to 35,500 copies.[124]
Random Access Memories debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart with 165,091 copies sold in its first week,[125] becoming the duo's first UK number-one album,[126] as well as the second fastest-selling artist album of 2013 after One Direction's Midnight Memories.[127][128] The album remained at number one on the UK chart the following week, selling 52,801 copies.[129] In its third week, it fell to number three on sales of 28,182 copies.[130]
In the United States, the album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 339,000 copies, the duo's first number one album on the chart.[131] The album maintained the number one spot in its second week, selling 93,000 copies.[132] In the album's third week of release, it sold an additional 62,000 copies, while falling to number two on the Billboard 200.[133] The album's vinyl LP format also proved popular; it was 2013's top-selling LP, with 49,000 US copies shifted.[134] The album had sold 922,000 copies in the US as of January 2014.[135] On 12 May 2023, the album was certified 2× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[136] Following the duo's Album of the Year win at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, Random Access Memories jumped from number 39 to number 10 on the Billboard 200 with a 300% sales increase, selling 30,000 copies that week.[137]
Random Access Memories entered the Canadian Albums Chart at number one with 46,000 copies sold, the biggest one-week sales total in Canada of 2013.[138] The album remained at number one the next week, selling 17,000 copies.[139] In Japan, the album debuted at number three on the Oricon Weekly Albums Chart, selling 25,970 copies.[140]
The album debuted at number one in several countries across continental Europe, including Austria,[141] Belgium,[142] Czech Republic,[143] Denmark (where the album sold 5,392 copies in its first week),[144] Finland,[145] Germany,[146] Ireland,[147] Italy,[148] Norway,[149] Portugal,[150] Spain[151] and Switzerland.[152] In Oceania, Random Access Memories debuted at number one in Australia and New Zealand; it was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and gold by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) in its first week.[153][154] As of 2014, Random Access Memories had sold 3.2 million copies worldwide.[155] The album received the RIAA certification of 2x Multi-Platinum on 12 May 2023.[156]
Sample credits