When Did Instant Crush Come Out? Release Date & History

The Story Behind Daft Punk and Julian Casablancas’s Timeless Synth-Pop Masterpiece

When French electronic music pioneers Daft Punk teamed up with The Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas for “Instant Crush,” they created one of the defining sonic collaborations of the 2010s. Blending melancholic alternative rock, soft synth-pop, and unmistakable vocoder-laced vocal styling, the track instantly resonated with listeners worldwide.

If you are wondering when the track officially made its way out into the world, the release timeline spans a couple of key milestones.

The Release Milestones

• May 17, 2013 (Album Release): “Instant Crush” first became available to the public when Daft Punk released their critically acclaimed fourth studio album, Random Access Memories.
• November 22, 2013 (Official Single): The track was officially serviced to radio stations and released as the fourth official single from the album (following massive global hits like “Get Lucky” and “Lose Yourself to Dance”).

How the Collaboration Came Together

The roots of “Instant Crush” stretch back a few years before its release. Daft Punk members Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo first crossed paths with Julian Casablancas around 2010. Mutual admiration led to a studio session where Casablancas listened to an instrumental demo the duo had been working on.

Inspired on the spot, Casablancas began humming melodies and writing lyrics that matched the track’s bittersweet, nostalgic energy. The result was a hauntingly catchy exploration of modern isolation and unrequited love, wrapped in a shimmering 1980s-inspired aesthetic.

The Iconic Music Video

The song’s legacy was further cemented by its cinematic music video, directed by Warren Fu and released in December 2013. Set in a wax museum, the video tells a tragic, romantic story between a wax figure of a military officer (modeled after Casablancas) and a wax figure of a 18th-century French peasant woman. When a fire breaks out in the museum, the two figures melt together into a single pool of wax—a visual metaphor that matched the heartbreakingly sweet tone of the song.

Over a decade later, “Instant Crush” remains a fan favorite, representing a golden intersection where indie rock grit met French touch house music.