Depeche Mode is an English group formed in 1979 in Basildon whose name would have been inspired by the French magazine of the same name and which will place no less than 45 titles in the UK Singles Charts. It was in 1977 that the adventure began when Vince Clarke and Andrew Fletcher, childhood friends, decided to create a group that would massively use a new revolutionary instrument for the time, namely the synthesizer. Martin L. Gore, a high school friend, joined them in 1978 and they founded the “Composition of Sound” group of three. It is through auditions that they recruit the singer of the group, a certain Dave Gahan, who will later be at the origin of the name "Depeche Mode". The first compositions are so "synthetic" that they are all refused by the record companies. Stevo Pearce, manager of the Soft Cell group, is interested in them first, allowing them to release the title "Photographic" on a compilation entitled "Some bizarre Album" and which was released in 1981. The same year, they were spotted in a London club by Daniel Miller who had them sign under his label Mute Records. They can thus release their first Single "Dreaming of me" which knows a success of esteem. Followed by "New Life" with the greatest success and finally "Just can’t get enough" which hits the headlines on a global level. Released the album "Speak and spell" which produced these Singles, most of them written by Vince Clarke. Vince Clarke, who as astonishing as it may seem, decides to leave the group soon after to found another group "Yazoo" (with a former high school girlfriend by the name of Alison Moyet). He also founded "The Assembly" and eventually created "Erasure" in 1985. Despite his departure, the group resisted and took the opportunity to recruit an experienced pianist Alan Wilder. Their second album "A broken frame" was released in 1982, which included the hit "See you". 1983 saw the release of the Single "Get the balance right !" outside of any album and which marks a real turning point in the group's sound. The same year, the album "Construction time again" was released, which notably included the flagship Single "Everything counts" which openly dealt with the excesses of capitalism. But it was not until 1984 that the group acquired its status as a world class with the Single "People are people". A prolific year that will see the release of the album "Some great reward" which contains the hit "Master and servant". The year 1985 saw the group's success weaken slightly. The album "Black celebration" was released in 1986 and included the Single hit "Stripped" and "A question of time". 1987 saw the release of the album "Music for the masses" from which the hit Singles "Strangelove" and "Behind the wheel" would be based. And the ultimate consecration will arrive in 1989 with the release of the flagship album "Violator" which contains the Singles "Personal Jesus", "Policy of truth" and the now cult "Enjoy the silence" which will stay in history as their most big commercial success. The years that followed will unfortunately be years of wandering and only the release of the album "Songs of faith and devotion" in 1993 will allow the group to keep their heads above water. Years of wandering with multiple causes : tensions within the group, alcohol, drugs, depression ... to the point that Gahan becomes a real junkie and that Wilder decides to leave the group definitively in 1995. We thought the group lost definitively but it is very bad to know them. Business resumed in 1997 with the release of the album "Ultra", an album with once again notable success. An album mainly carried by 2 flagship Singles that are "Barrel of a gun" and "It's no good".
After 2 decades which will have seen them maintain a level of success to say the least incredible, one could seriously wonder about the continuation of the events. But the transition to the 2000s will confirm, once again, that this group is truly extraordinary. 3 new albums will be released during this decade and what albums ! "Exciter" in 2001, "Playing the angel" in 2005 and "Sounds of the universe" in 2009 will produce no less than 10 new mega hits with in top of list the Singles "Dream on" in 2001, "Precious" in 2005 and "Wrong" in 2009, just that !
And the phenomenon will even continue during the decade 2010 with the release of the albums “Delta machine” in 2013 and “Spirit in 2017”, two albums which, too, will know the favor of the public and in what way ! Extending in an incredible way the extraordinary adventure of an extraordinary group which will remain in world musical history as one of the 10 major groups of the end of the XXth century. And which may still surprise us in the years to come.
To discover or rediscover...
Discography (among others ...) :
80s Decade :
• Dreaming of me 1981
• New life 1981
• Just can’t get enough 1981
• See you 1982
• The meaning of love 1982
• Leave in silence 1982
• Get the balance right 1983
• Everything counts 1983
• People are people 1984
• Master and servant 1984
• Blasphemous rumours 1984
• Shake the disease 1985
• It's called a heart 1985
• Stripped 1986
• A question of lust 1986
• A question of time 1986
• Strangelove 1987
• Never let me down again 1987
• Behind the wheel 1987
• Little 15 1988
• Personnal Jésus 1989
90s Decade :
• Enjoy the silence 1990
• Policy of truth 1990
• World in my eyes 1990
• I feel you 1993
• Walking in my shoes 1993
• Condemnation 1993
• In your room 1994
• Barrel of a gun 1997
• It’s no good 1997
• Home 1997
• Useless 1997
• Only when I lose myself 1998
2000s Decade :
• Dream on 2001
• I feel loved 2001
• Freelove 2001
• Goodnight lovers 2002
• Precious 2005
• A pain that I'm used to 2005
• Suffer well 2006
• John the revelator 2006
• Martyr 2006
• Wrong 2009
• Peace 2009
2010s Decade :
• Heaven 2013
• Soothe my soul 2013
• Should be higher 2013
• Where's the revolution 2017
• Cover me 2017
2020s Decade :
• Ghosts again 2023
• Before we drawn 2023
• My cosmos is mine 2023
• Speak to me 2023
• Wagging tongue 2023
• My favourite stranger 2023
Tracks :
1981 ... the first steps of a small group out of nowhere but which displays a trendy style and sound from the outset. It promises...
1981 ... we see immediately that this group has nothing in common and that it has something more than the average of ordinary people. And they will soon show that they are surely not there to do only some figuration ...
1981 ... then comes THIS title. This title will change everything, their life and their destiny ! Their first planetary top hit and probably not their last, far from it. HU-GE !
1982 ... the "little ones" grow at a speed more than impressive. They already display an unusual and particularly productive musical maturity. We look forward to seeing the next events ...
1982 ... in delirious mode, a small sin of youth that we gladly forgive. But it is clear that they will have to not play too easily if they want to stay in contact with the best ...
1982 ... a particularly successful title to end a particularly prolific year. Barely 2 years of existence and already 6 top hits on the counter. Who says better ?!
1983 ... the group passes the overdrive and signs here a new top hit which will really change the situation to the point of moving into the court of the Best. A largely deserved reward !
1983 ... now a title released = a mega hit ! Starting with this one. The group then becomes one of the biggest phenomena of the moment and this is only the beginning. MAS-TER-FUL !
1984 ... a flood of mega hits that nothing and no one can stop. And this thanks to an inspiration constantly renewed and which produces exceptional hit on exceptional hit
1984 ... they are the Masters ! Undeniably, unquestionably, irremediably ! The group is then one of the major groups of the moment and literally crushes the competition which only has to keep well
1984 ... surely one of their best titles ! Not necessarily their biggest commercial success but an extreme summary of what is best at this precise moment in the 80's across the Channel. MO-NU-MEN-TAL !
1985 ... change of vintage but, concerning them, nothing changes. On top, always and again. One would have thought that after 4 years spent at the top, they would weaken somewhat. What a denial. It is even the opposite that will happen !
1985 ... every title released now creates an event. One of the best inventiveness and inspiration of the moment and almost without equivalent !
1986 ... we start again on a new year with 3 mega hits. Starting with this one. A level of excellence that cannot be denied and which maintains the group in heights of stratospheric success
1986 ... the WONDER ! A superb title with incredible lyricism and which magically suspends time. The group is as powerful in the mega Dance hits as in the Ultra Intimist. What talent !
1986 ... the ultimate consecration ? It's coming soon..more than a matter of time. As incredible as it may seem, they have not yet reached their maximum !
1987 ... surely one of the groups which will have aligned the greatest numbers of mega hits during this magic decade. An almost record !
1987..new year at 3 mega hits and new triplet in mega premium quality. Well, I have the impression of repeating myself compared to previous years ...
1987 ... we are getting closer to the ultimate consecration with this title which will remain as one of their greatest masterpieces. MAS-TER-FUL !
1988 ... after 7 years spent with the stars, the group knows its first air hole. A year 1988 within with a somewhat lacking inspiration. But don't worry when you see what's on the horizon ...
1989 ... another title with extra-terrestrial inspiration, where are they going to find all this ? Only one new title at the end of this decade but what a title !
1990 ... there it is, the final consecration ! A legendary title for a group that is no less so. The group reaches here the ultimate perfection with this title which will surely remain like their Mona Lisa. MAS-TER-PIECE !
1990 ... a flawless change of decade with no drop in speed. The group restarted the 90s as smashingly as it had finished the 80s. The Class, the real one !
1990 ... a track which is still part of a very large triplet. Not necessarily their best title but the least good at home corresponds to the very good of most competitors !
1993 ... after a sudden and spectacular 3-year vacuum, something has changed, it has to be said. A new Depeche Mode has just hatched ! For good or for bad, only the future will tell ...
1993 ... indeed, nothing is as it was before. A certain darkness fell on the group without in any way affecting its level of success. Like what, everything evolves, groups like the public ...
1993 ... a blackness interspersed with pretty Intimist pieces which more or less maintain balance. Hope it lasts ...
1994 ... a single title year, an extremely rare event for them. On the inspiration side, darkness is always a must and it's off to last at first sight ...
1997 ... paradoxical as it may seem, it was in these dark years that the group won the timpani with a 1997 year of 4 mega hits. Starting with this one. Go figure...
1997 ... we are already at 16 years at the peak of glory and maximum success. A literally breathtaking career that never seems to stop !
1997 ... another absolutely sumptuous title which shows once again that they really outdo the rest of the competition and this with absolutely disconcerting ease. MA-GIC !
1997 ... fourth and last mega hit of the year. Not necessarily the most inspired unfortunately. It happens to them from time to time ...
1998 ... the last title of the decade. One might think that the transition to the 2000s will not be really favorable to them. It is very bad to know them. What an incredible adventure !
2001 ... 20 years after a start to say the least, the metamorphosis is complete. Considering the level of success achieved by this title, this radical change of sound did not disturb the basic fans at first sight ...
2001 ... they will have been able to make the perfect mix between old sounds and new trends at the start of the 2000s. Admittedly, they will never again experience the incredible level of success achieved in the previous decade, but they will get very close to it...
2001 ... each decade has really been marked by a style and a sound that have little to do with it, it has to be said. But the result will have been amazing every time ...
2002 ... the group explores a lot of new ways and the least we can say is that they are not afraid to take risks. And it pays, the proof !
2005 ... the group regains its fundamentals for the time of a title and we can only appreciate. Everything works perfectly as always with them ...
2005 ... back to the standards of the time. Not sure that they are the most effective in this kind of sound but there is something for everyone as we say ...
2006 ... the production of titles hardly weakens and the inspiration of the group still functions perfectly. The brand of the Greatest !
2006 ... it is clear that on certain titles, the inspiration is surprising to say the least, even confusing. But that's also what made their success in part ...
2006 ... the group continues its adventure quietly but surely. Where a good number of other groups of their generation have disappeared body and soul, they, conversely, manage to stay in the Elite without much worry. For how much longer...
2009 ... slight air gap of 3 years and here they are back in 2009 in a medium form. Anyway, average shape enough to stay in contact with the best. The essential is therefore preserved !
2009 ... the end of the 2000s which saw them evolve in musical spheres which were, to say the least, confusing. A daring bet and above all an increasingly risky bet ...
2013 ... already 30 years of career and here they are entering the decade of 2010 with an obvious desire to continue the adventure, whatever it takes. But how far will they go ?
2013 ... and still this incredible ability to adapt to the latest musical trends of the moment while retaining the fundamentals of their beginnings. A reference in the matter !
2013 ... the last notorious hit. At least for now. Because with them, everything is always possible and the future may hold some nice surprises for us ...
2017 ... 4 years will separate this title from the previous title. The end of the decade will prove to be a little more complicated to manage than expected. With a level of success in free fall ...
2017 ... a totally surreal title as they know how to do it so well. Nearly 35 years after their debut, they still manage to sign mind-blowing titles whose inspiration seems to come from another world. MO-NU-MEN-TAL !
2023...
2023...
2023...
2023...
2023...
2023...
Top Bonus : the story of a lifetime...1983
Top Bonus : the story of a lifetime...2022. 40 years after...
Wiki :
Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :