• Record Label: Columbia
  • Release Date: May 21, 2013
User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 1206 Ratings

User score distribution:
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  1. May 21, 2013
    6
    With this album, the highs are extremely high and the lows are quite low. Tracks like "Instant Crush" are far too poppy for my liking, but then tracks like "Give Life Back to Music" and "Within" are exquisite. Too hit-and-miss as an overall project, unfortunately.
  2. May 31, 2013
    6
    This is the case of the hype much, deliver tush. This album may be different but it doesn't mean it's ground-breaking or amazing. In these days of generic pop tracks, everyone jumps at sounds by famous musicians which do not sound generic but are not necessarily good, and exaggerate their qualities. Don't get me wrong, the melodies are not bad or anything, they just aren't something peopleThis is the case of the hype much, deliver tush. This album may be different but it doesn't mean it's ground-breaking or amazing. In these days of generic pop tracks, everyone jumps at sounds by famous musicians which do not sound generic but are not necessarily good, and exaggerate their qualities. Don't get me wrong, the melodies are not bad or anything, they just aren't something people would 'lose themselves to dance' to. The tracks are too dull to be dance records and not bright enough to be pop. Too fast to be r&b/soul and too tame to be rock. This album just stands in-between and reaches for nothing. I honestly believe that Daft Punk of all people could have found some better ground to build an album after more than 8 years. I knew from the start that critics would hype and acclaim this album just because it is not your usual Rihanna or Pitbull album, but at the same time we gotta ask ourselves: Is different necessarily good? What makes RAM a good album? Is it because it does not sound the same as what's on the radio or because it actually gets you moving irresistibly just like 'One More Time' did? If the answer to the latter is 'no' then this album can be considered mediocre. Expand
  3. Nov 15, 2013
    5
    OMG how I tried to like this album, although, after at least ten listens, I am afraid that I can only give it a 5. I LOVE "Get Lucky" an I so appreciate a band making a daring, successful attempt at a disco beat in this day and age, and because of that, I wanted to try to like them, since I feel they are so courageous. However, the rest of the album's electronic, robotic, and generallyOMG how I tried to like this album, although, after at least ten listens, I am afraid that I can only give it a 5. I LOVE "Get Lucky" an I so appreciate a band making a daring, successful attempt at a disco beat in this day and age, and because of that, I wanted to try to like them, since I feel they are so courageous. However, the rest of the album's electronic, robotic, and generally lackluster and incoherent feel left me disappointed. Expand
  4. Duu
    May 28, 2013
    5
    This album sounds like a past-prime Daft Punk fading into the sunset. I think the album is competently done, although it sounds generally uninspired. RAM is nice lounge music and will be a shoe-in for some commercials. I can't be mad at Daft Punk because all good things must come to an end and when they were good, they were great, but this should be their last album.
  5. Jun 7, 2014
    5
    Nile Rogers and Pharrel Williams collaboration featuring Daft Punk. There is little here of what made Daft Punk great. The boundary pushing, the experimentation, the beats and the bleeps are sacrificed to be replaced by the soft disco funk that lived and died after a brief albeit enjoyable existence in the late 70's. Gone are the excellent yet unknown vocalists of Discovery to make roomNile Rogers and Pharrel Williams collaboration featuring Daft Punk. There is little here of what made Daft Punk great. The boundary pushing, the experimentation, the beats and the bleeps are sacrificed to be replaced by the soft disco funk that lived and died after a brief albeit enjoyable existence in the late 70's. Gone are the excellent yet unknown vocalists of Discovery to make room for big names, as if Daft Punk need to resort to adding featuring 'flavor of the month' artist to every other song. Nothing will date the albums of recent years more than the soon to be forgotten guest vocalists that must be added to the track name, seems that being hidden in the sleeve notes isn't good enough anymore. The exception is Julian Cassablancas on Instant Crush, one of the best songs on show and he is not afraid to have his vocal digitized till near unrecognizable. By removing all the Pharrell songs from your mp3 player you can have a much more enjoyable experience;you'd be forgiven for thinking you'd bought a new Nile Rogers album though. Expand
  6. Jan 4, 2017
    6
    While this is not a bad album at all, it's far from being the masterpiece people usually say it is.
    Here we are, a few years after its release and its legacy it's nothing - besides being headachingly overplayed over 2013 and 2014.
    An album recorded without passion, it has nice soft funky songs that lack something more, a more original edge to deliver the delightful experience a
    While this is not a bad album at all, it's far from being the masterpiece people usually say it is.
    Here we are, a few years after its release and its legacy it's nothing - besides being headachingly overplayed over 2013 and 2014.

    An album recorded without passion, it has nice soft funky songs that lack something more, a more original edge to deliver the delightful experience a high-scoring album should.

    Daft Punk gathered some great composers of our time in order to create obvious songs that are perfect for some loungy-bar where people won't even notice it's Daft Punk playing.

    After all, not releasing any new album for 8 years and recording an obvious album seems a good marketing strategy. The one that Justice should follow after failing to achieve the same buzz they did with Cross.
    A ver.
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  7. Jul 21, 2013
    5
    Elevator muzak for cubicle dwellers, RAM mashes the sounds of a half-remembered past into golden, sticky goo that sounds good coming out of your laptop speakers. But check the list of ingredients and it says only this: corn syrup, food coloring, artificial flavors.
  8. Jun 12, 2013
    6
    Some of the tracks sound like covers of tunes by the New Zealand comedy duo, Flight of the Conchords (especially Get Lucky it's a spoofed spoof! (trademark is mine ;o). And as much as I enjoy the Conchords I don't need a Daft Punk version.... There are a few tracks I enjoy (Contact, Motherboard, Within, Giorgio by Moroder, The Game of Love) but far too much of the album reminds me ofSome of the tracks sound like covers of tunes by the New Zealand comedy duo, Flight of the Conchords (especially Get Lucky it's a spoofed spoof! (trademark is mine ;o). And as much as I enjoy the Conchords I don't need a Daft Punk version.... There are a few tracks I enjoy (Contact, Motherboard, Within, Giorgio by Moroder, The Game of Love) but far too much of the album reminds me of the disco I hated when it was fresh! Where is LCD Soundsystem when you really need 'em..... Expand
  9. May 22, 2013
    4
    I am quite the Daft Punk fan so I ran out and bought this soon after getting it. However, this is not your usual Daft Punk album. It has a much more jazzy feel, which I didn't expect. Sure the robot sound comes out at times, however this is definitely a highly jazz-influenced album. Whilst I like this new direction I miss the old Daft Punk, and ultimately the tracks blur into each other aI am quite the Daft Punk fan so I ran out and bought this soon after getting it. However, this is not your usual Daft Punk album. It has a much more jazzy feel, which I didn't expect. Sure the robot sound comes out at times, however this is definitely a highly jazz-influenced album. Whilst I like this new direction I miss the old Daft Punk, and ultimately the tracks blur into each other a bit too much for my liking. Ultimately, a new and interesting direction on paper, but Memories is rather unmemorable. Expand
  10. May 22, 2013
    4
    Random is the correct word. The marketing deserves a 10, but unfortunately not the album which is a bit all over the place. "Beyond" seems to be built on a Michael McDonald baseline, "Fragments of Time" sounds more like Hall and Oates then Daft Punk, and "Touch" sounds like a 90s Disney musical number.
    I think there are going to be a lot of people saying this album is great because they
    Random is the correct word. The marketing deserves a 10, but unfortunately not the album which is a bit all over the place. "Beyond" seems to be built on a Michael McDonald baseline, "Fragments of Time" sounds more like Hall and Oates then Daft Punk, and "Touch" sounds like a 90s Disney musical number.
    I think there are going to be a lot of people saying this album is great because they want it to be great, and have been told for weeks now that it's great but listen to it, and decide for yourself.
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  11. May 21, 2013
    5
    By no means a bad album. It's just one that settles for having little ambition. The album has a much different sound compared to any of Daft Punks earlier work, which depending on whether you like or disliked their past albums could be a good or bad thing. RAM is a solid album for what it is trying to be, which is a throwback album to the 70's-80's. Many of the songs sound as if they hadBy no means a bad album. It's just one that settles for having little ambition. The album has a much different sound compared to any of Daft Punks earlier work, which depending on whether you like or disliked their past albums could be a good or bad thing. RAM is a solid album for what it is trying to be, which is a throwback album to the 70's-80's. Many of the songs sound as if they had been recorded in that era, which shows the respect the duo clearly have for the genre. Unfortunately, this is also a con. I found myself getting songs confused, as they sounded so similar to one another. And with this being a Daft Punk album, I was hoping for a fresh, almost revolutionary sound, similar with what they did to orchestrated soundtracks with Tron Legacy. But they didn't alter the sound they were trying to recreate, which was probably their choice. Song highlights of the album would probably be Doin' It Right and Get Lucky. So to recap, if you are a huge Daft Punk fan or enjoy what genre they went into with this album, you will love it. But for those expecting something revolutionary with a older fashioned Daft Punk sound, you will probably be disappointed, especially if you saw the incredibly high critic reviews, which I admit had me excited. Either way, a decent album by a great duo. Expand
  12. May 27, 2013
    6
    Vanilla. Not a bad album by any means but RAM really lacks a lot of the little auditory surprises I enjoy so much in their older work, especially Discovery. I don't know if that's BECAUSE they purged out sampling in this album, or it just happens to be the case on an album that has next to no samples, but the whole thing feels disappointingly safe and pedestrian. I'm used to DP makingVanilla. Not a bad album by any means but RAM really lacks a lot of the little auditory surprises I enjoy so much in their older work, especially Discovery. I don't know if that's BECAUSE they purged out sampling in this album, or it just happens to be the case on an album that has next to no samples, but the whole thing feels disappointingly safe and pedestrian. I'm used to DP making clever little aural twists by mashing up 80s disco; this is... just 80s disco.

    I can definitely see these tracks as being baseline material for some great remixes, but on their own I feel little urge to listen to them more than once.
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  13. Jun 12, 2013
    5
    Quite boring compared to their previous efforts. Fast songs are ok, slow songs are all a bit meh. Due to all the hype I was expecting a classic listening experience but it's actually really dull, and if it didn't have "Daft Punk" on the cover I think a lot more people would think the same way.

    Overrated.
  14. May 26, 2013
    4
    The album is too boring and repetitive for their style, just "Get Life Back to Music" are fun and maybe, not enough. For me it's the kind of music you would hear to relax or to chill out at some bar, but if you want to party, don't use this album for that. They can do it better :S
  15. May 25, 2013
    5
    I was super excited about this coming out but after listening to it if feels bland and flat it defiantly does not sound like daft punk. Why are so many disco songs included? i can see one or two but the whole album is disco. Discovery and human after all are the two albums that got me into electronica because they were so different and it seemed like they were pushing in a entirely newI was super excited about this coming out but after listening to it if feels bland and flat it defiantly does not sound like daft punk. Why are so many disco songs included? i can see one or two but the whole album is disco. Discovery and human after all are the two albums that got me into electronica because they were so different and it seemed like they were pushing in a entirely new direction for music. Now ten year later it seems like they want to go 30 years into the past, disco is dead for a reason. leave it that way. Expand
  16. May 21, 2013
    6
    Good album, but, by the expectations, nothing really original. nothing like discovery or human after all. Some of the songs reminds to Tron album, and the best songs are very similar: similar base and rhythm.
    Despite the non-originality fact, Random access memories still an enjoyable album, well done and with a good potential. that's the 4th albume relased by the most famous electro music
    Good album, but, by the expectations, nothing really original. nothing like discovery or human after all. Some of the songs reminds to Tron album, and the best songs are very similar: similar base and rhythm.
    Despite the non-originality fact, Random access memories still an enjoyable album, well done and with a good potential. that's the 4th albume relased by the most famous electro music artist in the world. If the next album will be like this, the wave of criticism will be higher, so be careful, daft punk!
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  17. May 21, 2013
    6
    This is a very good album. It's just not the album I expected (or really wanted) from Daft Punk.

    Daft Punk has become known for their electronic stylings and for virtually inventing the French House electronic music genre. None of that is in evidence here. Furthermore, the 1:45 interview in a crowded restaurant with Giovanni Giorgio is interesting the first time and ridiculous every
    This is a very good album. It's just not the album I expected (or really wanted) from Daft Punk.

    Daft Punk has become known for their electronic stylings and for virtually inventing the French House electronic music genre. None of that is in evidence here. Furthermore, the 1:45 interview in a crowded restaurant with Giovanni Giorgio is interesting the first time and ridiculous every time after that.

    That being said, if you love jazzy electric guitar riffs that were in vogue 30-40 years ago, this album is for you.
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  18. May 21, 2013
    5
    I'm amazed by all the high reviews for RAM. I can only think that people are so willing to accept the message of this album, in a time of whats been called the "soulless dubstep era" that they're completely blinded to its faults. I'm a die hard Daft Punk fan. I'll be listening to their previous albums for the rest of my life. Even Human After All is one of my favorites. I never understoodI'm amazed by all the high reviews for RAM. I can only think that people are so willing to accept the message of this album, in a time of whats been called the "soulless dubstep era" that they're completely blinded to its faults. I'm a die hard Daft Punk fan. I'll be listening to their previous albums for the rest of my life. Even Human After All is one of my favorites. I never understood the dislike for HAA, because those same fans will turn around and go nuts whenever they hear Technologic or Robot Rock. That said, I'll be lucky to get through RAM more then a handful of times. While listening to the album I tried my best to imagine myself dancing to the beat at a live performance and I couldn't do it. The further I got into RAM I was slapped in the face with the realization that Daft Punk had no intention of making an EDM album. I would have known this beforehand by doing some research, but I wanted to embrace RAM with no expectation of what it would be like. Unfortunately, I'm sorely disappointed. It seriously pains me to rate a Daft Punk album anything lower then a 10. But it seems that for the first time, Daft Punk didn't make an album for us. They made the album that they wanted us to hear. To the point where its glaringly preachy. To me this is a serious problem because thats not what Daft Punk has ever been about. They wear those masks because they didn't want to be rock stars. They didnt need to show themselves or speak on behalf of their music. Their intent was always clear in their work. They wanted to make good dance music. It was never about sending a message or trying outright to be meaningful. And now they're trying so desperately to get the message of "real music" across to us, that wearing masks has become absolutely pointless. People seem to not realize (daft punk included at this point) that music doesn't need to send a message to be meaningful. Their old albums made me and millions of fans want to get up and dance. Dancing is the purest form of expression, so what could be more meaningful then that? Just one play through of RAM is enough to tell you that they've obviously become so upset with the EDM scene, that they wanted to completely remove themselves from the equation. There are some good tracks like Giorgio and the soaringly brilliant Contact, but for the most part, its a slow trudge that actually made me feel a bit depressed while listening to it. I still have hope that Daft Punk will release an EDM masterpiece One More Time, but it seems that they would rather give up on the genre they popularized, instead of trying to reshape it. Expand
  19. May 23, 2013
    5
    I'm not a huge Daft Punk fan anyway, though of course I loved Discovery and enjoyed them whenever anyone would play anything else of theirs. But this is just dull and samey, there is plenty better music than this from the original eras. That said, of course it's good music. And to all the people raving, I say this: Emperor's New Clothes.
  20. May 27, 2013
    5
    heard it all, not like at all. Monotonous, way too deep. 2 musics that really worth listening. the music with the crazy italian guy it´s nice, other ones it´s boring, kind like lounge music.
  21. Jun 3, 2013
    6
    Nice music but sorry to say that, no one would have notice this album without the "Daft Punk" label on the cover. Neat and sweet but I was expecting better from this band, 8 years after Human After all.
  22. Jun 4, 2013
    6
    Random Access Memories is a return to form for Daft Punk, however the focus on having cameos and guests on many of the tracks ruins many of the songs. There's almost a uncanny, cheesy feel to most of the album as it features Microsoft Sam singing many of the backing vocals. Nevertheless, there are half a dozen songs here that I truly enjoyed, which is more than I can say for most of DaftRandom Access Memories is a return to form for Daft Punk, however the focus on having cameos and guests on many of the tracks ruins many of the songs. There's almost a uncanny, cheesy feel to most of the album as it features Microsoft Sam singing many of the backing vocals. Nevertheless, there are half a dozen songs here that I truly enjoyed, which is more than I can say for most of Daft Punk's albums. Expand
  23. Jun 27, 2013
    5
    Am I the only one who found this album to be simply boring? That's something I've never even said about music of any genre, however, I felt each track (with the exception of Touch) could've easily been 1min shorter and had more of an impact. Daft Punk pioneers in my book, RAM seems to be content with reDiscovery.
  24. Jan 21, 2014
    4
    Completely disappointed with this album. I love Daft Punk and own all their albums. This is the worse of them all. It's just plain boring, with only 2 songs that are actually great. The rest is just forgettable, with an all time low at number 7 called 'Touch', what happened with that song?!
    I just really don't get the fuss around this cd. I threw it out and put 'Alive 2007' back in the
    Completely disappointed with this album. I love Daft Punk and own all their albums. This is the worse of them all. It's just plain boring, with only 2 songs that are actually great. The rest is just forgettable, with an all time low at number 7 called 'Touch', what happened with that song?!
    I just really don't get the fuss around this cd. I threw it out and put 'Alive 2007' back in the cd-player. Make an album like that again guys...
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Metascore
87

Universal acclaim - based on 47 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 42 out of 47
  2. Negative: 0 out of 47
  1. Jul 12, 2013
    60
    As a record standing almost entirely on nostalgia, sure, it gives schmaltzy ’70s dance music a fine, not-sacrilegious update and sets it to a pleasant neon glow, but it’s a trip through history that’s almost more educational than immersive.
  2. Jul 3, 2013
    89
    RAM has the immediate appeal of disco, but never overstuffs with candied hooks, even when we want it to.
  3. Jun 26, 2013
    75
    They've wisely chosen to not compete with the younger generation of DJs, and shown the upstarts the roots of dance music. They've also proven that they are not one-trick ponies who can only build beats on samples. They do just as well with a completely different sonic pallette.