Moby

USA, 1989–now

Richard Melville Hall — electronic musician and producer who carried rave-era techno into the mainstream. Play (1999) became one of the best-selling electronic albums ever, licensing every track.

MusicRoots documents 7 artists who influenced Moby and 0 artists Moby influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced Moby?

• Silver Apples — Moby is among the electronic artists cited as influenced by Silver Apples' oscillator-driven sound.
• David Bowie — Moby has called Bowie his all-time favourite musician and personal hero; they were neighbours, friends and toured together in 2002, duetting on 'Heroes'.
• Joy Division — Joy Division were the formative band of Moby's teenage years; his cover of 'New Dawn Fades' (Heat soundtrack, 1995) is a documented act of homage.
• New Order — New Order's fusion of post-punk and electronic dance music was the direct template for Moby's path from punk kid to dance producer; he has covered 'Temptation'.
• Kraftwerk — Kraftwerk's electronic pop is the acknowledged foundation of the techno tradition in which Moby's early rave records were made.
• Vera Hall — 'Natural Blues' is built directly on Vera Hall's 'Trouble So Hard' (Lomax field recording, 1937) — her voice carries the song.
• Juan Atkins — Moby's rave-era techno singles built on the Detroit blueprint — a lineage he has acknowledged naming Detroit techno his school.