Cybotron had a number of singles now considered classics and style-defining works of the electro genre,[1] particularly "Clear" and the group's debut, "Alleys of Your Mind", as well as "Cosmic Cars" and "R-9".
The group was inspired by midwestern funk, especially the music of electro funk pioneer George Clinton, along with German synthesizer band Kraftwerk, Japanese technopop pioneers Yellow Magic Orchestra, American electro music, English synthpop, Italo disco, and futurist literary influences such as Alvin Toffler's books Future Shock and The Third Wave.
In place of the members Richard Davis and John Housely, Juan Atkins was joined by Laurens von Oswald, and by fellow Detroiter Tameko Williams aka DJ Maaco.
[6] Virgil Abloh reassembled Cybotron in 2020, to soundtrack Louis Vuitton Men's Fall-Winter Runway show with a medley of classics from the group.
Their next two singles, "Cosmic Cars" and "Clear" had even more success, which led to them being signed by Fantasy, a label located in Berkeley, California.