Get Lucky
A house-inspired disco, funk, and pop track featuring Nile Rodgers' guitar riffs and Pharrell Williams' vocals.
"Get Lucky" is a song by French electronic music duo Daft Punk featuring American musician Pharrell Williams and American guitarist Nile Rodgers. Released as the lead single from their fourth and final studio album, Random Access Memories, on 19 April 2013, it was first revealed in television advertisements broadcast during Saturday Night Live. The track is a house-inspired disco, funk, and pop song with lyrics about connecting with someone and sexual chemistry. It reached number one in France, where it was certified diamond by the SNEP, and peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks. In the UK, it topped the Singles Chart for four weeks and was the second best-selling single of 2013 with 1,308,007 copies sold. The song won Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.
- Subject Type
- Musical Track
- Affiliation
- Daft Punk / Random Access Memories Era
- Featured Vocalist
- Pharrell Williams
- Guitarist
- Nile Rodgers
- Release Context
- Lead single from the album 'Random Access Memories'
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
The song was completed in approximately 18 months. Before Nile Rodgers joined, the track existed as a rough demo centered on a Wurlitzer electronic piano. Rodgers requested that all elements except the drum track be muted so he could create a suitable guitar part. Once his performance was recorded, bassist Nathan East re-recorded the bass to fit it, and subsequent musicians also re-played their parts to match Rodgers. The final album version includes synthesizers and vocals by Daft Punk, keyboards by Chris Caswell, and additional guitar by Paul Jackson Jr.
In Their Own Story
Daft Punk first met Nile Rodgers at a listening party for their 1997 debut album Homework. Pharrell Williams, who had previously remixed "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" with Daft Punk, expressed interest in collaborating after meeting them at a Madonna-hosted party. During production, Williams recorded several takes of specific phrases due to the duo's perfectionist approach. Upon returning to the US, he claimed to have forgotten everything about the song's composition, attributing it to jet lag or jokingly suggesting memory tampering by Daft Punk. In 2023, a Memory Tapes video series revealed that Williams did not expect his vocals to appear on the finished versions of "Get Lucky" and "Lose Yourself to Dance".
Reader's Guide
Musically, the song is in F♯ minor with a tempo of 116 BPM. Critics noted its chord progression (Bm7–D–F♯m7–E) creates a sense of ambiguity, sometimes sounding like it shifts keys. The lyrics were described by Williams as being about the good fortune of connecting with someone and sexual chemistry, while Nile Rodgers noted the title phrase played off his guitar line. Daft Punk performed "Get Lucky" at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards alongside Rodgers, Williams, and Stevie Wonder.
Did You Know?
- The song peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks, marking Daft Punk's first top-10 hit in the United States.
- Nile Rodgers asked that all musical elements except the drum track be muted so he could create a guitar part that fit the song.
- Pharrell Williams forgot the composition of "Get Lucky" after recording his vocals, jokingly wondering if Daft Punk had tampered with his memory.
- In 2013, the single was the second best-selling in the UK with 1,308,007 copies sold.
- The song won Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who performed on Get Lucky?
The song features Daft Punk alongside Pharrell Williams on vocals and Nile Rodgers on guitar. This collaboration brought together iconic figures from electronic, pop, and disco music history.
When was the track officially released?
It debuted as a lead single on April 19, 2013, following an initial reveal in Saturday Night Live advertisements. This timing coincided with the promotion of their upcoming album Random Access Memories.
What genre does Get Lucky belong to?
Musically, it is a house-inspired track that heavily incorporates disco and funk influences. The sound relies on live instrumentation rather than traditional synthesizer programming.
Which album contains this song?
You can find the track on Random Access Memories, which serves as the duo's fourth and final studio release. It was chosen to introduce listeners to the new direction of their musical catalog.
How did the single perform on charts?
The song achieved diamond status in France and reached the second position on the US Billboard Hot 100. Its widespread success helped revitalize interest in disco-inspired pop music during that era.
More in Lore & History
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