# 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.

*By YPB Team · Published April 13, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/who-is-the-best-techno-act-of-all-time*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Derrick May**
   Detroit techno pioneer, creator of "Strings of Life"
2. **Juan Atkins**
   Detroit techno originator, founder of Model 500 and considered a father of techno
3. **Kevin Saunderson**
   Detroit techno pioneer and member of Inner City, known for "Big Fun"
4. **Jeff Mills**
   Detroit DJ and producer known for his lightning-fast three-deck mixing
5. **Richie Hawtin**
   Canadian-British DJ known as Plastikman, pioneer of minimal techno
6. **Underground Resistance**
   Detroit techno collective known for militant, political electronic music
7. **Carl Craig**
   Detroit producer known for sophisticated, melodic techno and techno-soul
8. **Orbital**
   British electronic duo known for their headlamp glasses and festival performances
9. **Underworld**
   British electronic group known for "Born Slippy" and techno-influenced sound
10. **Laurent Garnier**
   French DJ known as one of Europe's most influential techno DJs
11. **Robert Hood**
   Detroit producer known for stripped-down minimal techno
12. **Ben Klock**
   Berlin techno DJ known for his dark, hypnotic Berghain sets
13. **Chris Liebing**
   German techno DJ known for hard techno and industrial sounds
14. **Surgeon**
   British techno DJ from Birmingham known for raw, industrial techno
15. **Ken Ishii**
   Japanese techno producer known for bridging Detroit techno and European techno

Tags: music, electronic, techno