By Barry Walters, eMusic ContributorMore than any of the other popular synth acts of the late '80s and early '90s, Depeche Mode helped make rock more electronic. Much of that has to do with the simple fact that Depeche… more »

Depeche Mode

Photo: Anton Corbijn

By Andrew Parks, eMusic ContributorDepeche Mode fans who can't quite wait until March 26th for the band's Delta Machine album will have a chance to hear a few new tracks broadcasted from David Letterman's Ed Sullivan Theater on Monday,… more »

By eMusic Editorial Staff, eMusic ContributorFor years, Warner Brothers Records has been home to musicians who want to pursue a particular artistic vision. The albums in this collection may cover a multitude of genres, but they all have one thing… more »

By eMusic Editorial Staff, eMusic ContributorOne of the great, long-running mythologies in popular music is the one surrounding the integrity of the Original Lineup. There's a long-held belief that, the instant a member leaves a band, that band's work is… more »

By Philip Sherburne, eMusic ContributorFile under: One of the richest (and most diverse) catalogs in independent music Flagship acts: Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Liars, Apparat, Erasure, S.C.U.M. Based in: London, England For an artist who adopted the moniker theNormal, Daniel Miller's life and… more »

By Barry Walters, eMusic ContributorMore than any of the other popular synth acts of the late '80s and early '90s, Depeche Mode helped make rock more electronic. Much of that has to do with the simple fact that Depeche… more »

By Adrienne Day, eMusic ContributorThe "VC" of VCMG is Vince Clarke, who brought sunshine in the form of "Just Can't Get Enough" to Depeche Mode's first album, 1981's Speak & Spell, before leaving to start two of the '80s… more »

By Philip Sherburne, eMusic ContributorReleased the year after Some Great Reward, Catching Up With Depeche Mode is a sort of companion to the US-only People Are People, which aimed to build the band's growing Stateside popularity by introducing listeners… more »

By Philip Sherburne, eMusic ContributorDepeche Mode is one of the unlikeliest success stories of fin-de-siecle rock: a band that rose from humble (if inspired) synth-pop origins to become an arena-filling behemoth, with a stature nearly on par with the… more »

By Philip Sherburne, eMusic ContributorFollowing 1997's Ultra, Depeche Mode took an unexpected turn, largely abandoning the guitar-heavy swagger of the previous two albums and, under the direction of producer Mark Bell (of the techno act LFO), putting synthesizers and… more »

By Philip Sherburne, eMusic Contributor1995 and 1996 weren't great years for Depeche Mode. Alan Wilder left the band. Dave Gahan, hooked on a heroin habit he'd picked up during the Violator tour, cycled in and out of detox. His… more »

By Philip Sherburne, eMusic ContributorReleased in 1981, Depeche Mode's debut album didn't invent synth-pop — crucial recordings from Gary Numan, the Human League and the Normal came first — but it certainly helped perfect the form. Blippy, zap-happy synthesizers… more »

By Philip Sherburne, eMusic ContributorThe 1984 album that first broke Depeche Mode for a growing "alternative" listenership in North America, Some Great Reward is best known for the hits "Master and Servant" and "People Are People," whose wry social… more »

By Philip Sherburne, eMusic ContributorDepeche Mode's third album, and the first to feature the talented arranger Alan Wilder as a full-time member, Construction Time Again closes chapter one of the band's career. The skeletal arrangements and finely honed synthesizer… more »

By Philip Sherburne, eMusic ContributorVince Clarke had left Depeche Mode by the time of 1982's A Broken Frame, and it shows: while the band still pursues a minimalist agenda in its spindly synthesizer lines and whittled-down drum programming, the… more »

By Philip Sherburne, eMusic ContributorThe final record to feature Alan Wilder, responsible for the lush sonics and striking arrangements of the band's late '80s records, Songs of Faith and Devotion found the band struggling to break new ground after… more »

By Philip Sherburne, eMusic ContributorReleased in 1981, Depeche Mode's debut album didn't invent synth-pop — crucial recordings from Gary Numan, the Human League and the Normal came first — but it certainly helped perfect the form. Blippy, zap-happy synthesizers… more »

By Philip Sherburne, eMusic ContributorClassic. Untouchable. Violator may be the canonical fave, but there's plenty of evidence in favor of Music for the Masses as Depeche Mode's greatest album. Swinging from singalong anthems like "Strangelove" to the meditative "I… more »

By Philip Sherburne, eMusic ContributorWhile there's no single definitive Depeche Mode album — fans' favorites invariably depend in some part upon when they discovered the band — 1990's Violator is certainly the cornerstone of their popularity. Having cemented a… more »