Roland Corporation celebrates the iconic TR-808 Rhythm Composer for another installment of 808 Day. Since its debut in 1980, the TR-808, commonly known as “the 808,” has provided the sonic backbone of modern music, from hip-hop and techno to trap and beyond.
To celebrate this 808 Day, Roland is partnering with global radio platform NTS and bringing back its award-winning The Rhythm Creators series, continuing a worldwide celebration of the 808’s enduring legacy and cultural impact.
NTS Radio Series “The Future Is Still 808”
For 808 Day 2026, Roland teams up with NTS, the London radio institution with 15 years producing the gold standard of global music exploration and discovery. Broadcast by a worldwide network of artists and DJs to more than 6 million listeners across 80+ countries every month, NTS drops a three-part radio series tracing the TR-808’s resonant bass frequencies as they travel across generations and cultures.
Hosted by NTS stalwart and musical artist Shy One and produced by award-winning documentarian Nick Dwyer, the series satisfies discerning fans of music, artists, and technology alike. Listeners can tune in nts.live on August 8th, 11th, and 22nd for the live broadcast, or stream once all three episodes have aired.
“The Future Is Still 808” revisits then moves beyond the machine’s best-known chapters, following the 808 from its origins in Japan to the dancefloors, studios, and bedrooms where it was picked apart and reinvented again and again — shaping the birth of house music in Chicago, the rise of techno in Detroit, and entirely new sounds and scenes across Asia, Europe, South America and beyond. One drum machine, it turns out, could speak in as many musical languages as the people who got their hands on it.
Each episode also pulls the machine apart sound by sound in a recurring “Happy Accidents” segment, unpacking the true stories behind the 808’s most iconic sounds, including its cowbell and bass drum, neither of which sounds anything like the instruments they were built to imitate.
The series’ third and final episode turns the story forward. Once the 808’s sounds journeyed beyond the machine itself, they took on lives of their own, sampled, chopped, pitched, and reimagined into the DNA of entirely new genres. The ripples are still spreading, with episode three tracing how those sounds keep resurfacing in new music and new generations, carrying the 808 from its analog origins into the sound of what’s next.
Music fans can dive deeper into the broadcast with this companion piece on Roland Articles.
Award-Winning Animated Series Reprise + New Episode Featuring Mannie Fresh
Following Silver and Bronze Telly® Award wins, Roland reprises The Rhythm Creators animated series for a new installment featuring New Orleans 808 legend Mannie Fresh. Each episode blends humor, reverence, and nostalgia, and features stylized animation by Detroit artist Vaughn Taormina and narration from the artists themselves.
Premiering today, this 808 Day episode features hip-hop and bounce music pioneer Mannie Fresh, best known as one-half of Cash Money Records’ in-house production team behind hits like “Back That Azz Up” and “Get Your Roll On.” Check others in The Rhythm Creators series here:
808 Day Flash Sale: Roland TR-808 Software Rhythm Composer
Roland Cloud is joining the celebration with a limited-time offer: the TR-808 Software Rhythm Composer is available for $49 USD, 66% off its regular $149 USD price, through August 31st, 2026.
The plug-in faithfully recreates the legendary original hardware while adding modern workflow enhancements for today’s producers, delivering the iconic 808 sound directly within any DAW. The TR-808 Software Rhythm Composer is also included with Roland Cloud Ultimate membership, alongside Roland’s full catalog of vintage instrument emulations, ZENOLOGY, ZENOLOGY FX, Zenbeats, and more. New users can try Roland Cloud free for 30 days.
808 Day, Refreshed
Roland’s official TR-808 promo page has been refreshed for 2026, bringing this year’s celebration, including The Rhythm Creators episodes, the NTS radio series, and more, together in one place.
More information: Roland
