8 Tracks with the Roland TR-808

On 808 Day, we remember eight iconic tracks featuring the drum machine.
For years now, August 8 has been remembered as one of the most respected and influential products in the history of music, the famous Roland TR-808 drum machine. Celebrating the emergence of such an important piece of technology, we revisit some of the songs that put the 808 at the forefront of an entire scene.

Cybotron - "Clear"

Released in 1983, "Clear" is one of the most important tracks by the duo formed by Richard Davis and Juan Atkins, considered one of the godfathers of techno. "My whole career is based on that machine," he said in an interview.

Kraftwerk - "Music Non Stop".

The story goes that the Germans had a prototype of the 808 even before it went on sale in 1980. However, it is clear that they took their time since the track was released in 1986, two years after the original rhythm machine was discontinued.

Afrika Bambaataa - "Planet Rock".

This is one of the most influential songs in electronic music and the beat relies on the 808. It came out in 1982 and, since then, has been sampled in over 300 songs. There's a reason, isn't there?

Warp 9 - "Light Years Away".

This was the second single by hip hop group Warp 9, released in 1983 on the album "It's a Beat Wave". They sounded truly innovative for the time, incorporating female rappers, percussion with live Latin origins and, of course, the beats of the Roland 808.

Egyptian Lover - "The 808"
Greg Broussard, the man behind the alias Egyptian Lover, was a devoted lover of the Roland 808, an element used throughout his discography. This is, without a doubt, his greatest ode to the classic Japanese brand's equipment.

Aphex Twin - "Xtal".

This track opens one of the iconic albums of Richard D James' most famous alias, "Selected Ambient Works 85-92". Textures and melodies that marked a whole generation.

A Guy Called Gerald - "Voodoo Ray".

A Guy Called Gerald is the alias used by Gerald Simpson, one third of the famous 808 State act, to pursue his solo directions. The name of the group says it all, doesn't it? The song transcended and it seems that it could be played in some current warm up...

Plastikman - "Spastik"

This Richie Hawtin alias was responsible for bringing 808 sounds back to the scene in the 1990s. Any Plastikman track could be here, but, without a doubt, "Spastik" was one of the most successful.