Music Legend Found Unresponsive in Hotel Before Performance, Declared Dead at Hospital: Juan Atkins Was 64

Techno music legend Juan Atkins has passed away at 64.

According to Resident Advisor, the agency that represented Atkins, Greensmith Artists, confirmed he was discovered unresponsive in his hotel room in Mexico City just before his planned performance at the YuYu Cine Club on Oct. 31. Although he was transported to a nearby hospital, Atkins was pronounced dead shortly after.

Further details about Atkins’ death, including the cause, have not been revealed.

Born in 1962, Atkins, who is known as Model 500 and Infiniti, has been dubbed the “original pioneer of Detroit techno” and the “founding father” of techno music. He entered the music world in 1980 as a member of the group Cybotron with Richard Davis. The duo released their studio album, Enter, in 1983.

After parting ways with Davis, Akrons founded the record label Metroplex and began making solo recordings as Model 500. He released three albums as Model 500.

Atkins teamed up with Moritz von Oswald to form the group Borderland. They released two albums, Borderlands (2013) and Digital Solutions (2015). He was also part of the trio The Belleville Three with Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson.

In a 2024 interview with The Guardian, Atkins reflected on his music career and his influence on the techno world.

“I know I’m the first one to apply the word techno to electronic music,” he shared. “I can’t claim to be the inventor or originator of electronic music, but I can definitely say that I got that.”

German DJ Sven Väth paid tribute to Atkins, saying the late music legend was ahead of his time. “His unique fusion of futuristic sounds, soul, funk, and electronic machines opened doors to an entirely new musical universe.”