Who is the best techno act of all time?

Techno was forged in Detroit and refined in Berlin — a relentless, hypnotic form of electronic music built by visionaries who valued the machine as an instrument of liberation. This ranking spans the genre's founding fathers from the Motor City to Europe's underground club legends. Vote for the act who you believe best embodies the spirit and power of techno.

Derrick May

Detroit techno pioneer, creator of "Strings of Life"

1/15

Juan Atkins

Detroit techno originator, founder of Model 500 and considered a father of techno

2/15

Kevin Saunderson

Detroit techno pioneer and member of Inner City, known for "Big Fun"

3/15

Jeff Mills

Detroit DJ and producer known for his lightning-fast three-deck mixing

4/15

Richie Hawtin

Canadian-British DJ known as Plastikman, pioneer of minimal techno

5/15

Underground Resistance

Detroit techno collective known for militant, political electronic music

6/15

Carl Craig

Detroit producer known for sophisticated, melodic techno and techno-soul

7/15

Orbital

British electronic duo known for their headlamp glasses and festival performances

8/15

Underworld

British electronic group known for "Born Slippy" and techno-influenced sound

9/15

Laurent Garnier

French DJ known as one of Europe's most influential techno DJs

10/15

Robert Hood

Detroit producer known for stripped-down minimal techno

11/15

Ben Klock

Berlin techno DJ known for his dark, hypnotic Berghain sets

12/15

Chris Liebing

German techno DJ known for hard techno and industrial sounds

13/15

Surgeon

British techno DJ from Birmingham known for raw, industrial techno

14/15

Ken Ishii

Japanese techno producer known for bridging Detroit techno and European techno

15/15