Music for the Masses

I was tempted to make the obvious "music for them asses" joke but it really is a good record.

Oh, boy. Here we go, again. Crappy 80s synths. Hideous echoey drums emphasizing the backbeat. Inconsequential melodies and song structures. We don't even have the saving grace of interesting rhythms or song lyrics. This is self-serious, humorless tripe, the dullest of dull pop. It's not even danceable. It makes me want to curl up and die. Not even the moderately original album closer Pimpf, with it operatic vocals, comes close to redeeming this dreadful album. 1 star out of 5 and only because I can't give it less. I'm beginning to have my doubts about the curators of this list.

This is my first time hearing Depeche Mode and I must say that I loved this album. It is brooding and driving with interesting instrumentation and song construction. There's an expansiveness to this music that I really enjoy. British New Wave is quickly becoming a favorite of mine.

"Music for the Masses" is the 6th album by Depeche Mode. It was produced by David Bascombe and the album title was meant to be tongue-in-cheek as the band thought the music was anything but for the masses. And, on the surface I would agree with the music dark and the songs about sex, sin and drugs. However, this album (and the previous one "Black Celebration") pretty much taking these guys beyond sort of cult status to playing in front of 60,000 people. The music is eerie, hypnotic and I must say I enjoyed more and more with repeated listens. The songs switch lead singers between David Gahan and Martin Gore with a definite flow to this album. The album contains some of their bigger hits. "Never Let Me Down Again" starts things off with a great dark and hypnotic intro and appears to be about drug use seeking euphoria. Obviously, Gahan at the lead here. "Strange Love", another big song and great intro, adds more of a dance beat. An interesting take on probably sinning (cheating) and keeping a relationship. "Behind the Wheel" adds even more of a dance beat and really sounds like early Depeche Mode to me. I love it when a song has an emotionless feel and is good. This is one of those. Not having a dance beat but creating an eerie, almost Goth feel is "I Want You Now". Martin Gore takes the lead here with Gahan groaning in the back. Lust the theme here. It has been awhile since I listened to this album and I thought it might sound dated, being of its time. I get some of that but it still sounded great and you can see why they became so big.

I get why it is here and I appreciate it but I don’t wanna listen to it anymore

Now that this record is over, I can truly Enjoy the Silence.

I’m not sure I know why but this album just ticked every box for me. Dark, moody synthesizers, driving beats, interesting multipart harmonies, it all just works. I enjoyed this way more than I was expecting to.

Some days this project is enjoyable. This was not one of those days.

1. thought the 1st track was like a cute platonic friendship type thing, nope-- drugs lol. 2. good i think, i forgot, need another listen. 3. STRANGELOVE SLAPS. 4. sacred also a bop. imma mishun-airyyy 5. good, lotta drama. lyrics hmm, needa re-listen. 6. ooooooh. 7. SEXY. 8. also good, eerie, needa another listen tho. 9. bop. nothaaaaang 10. spooky piano/orchestra/choir instrumental, me likey!!! DELUXE 11. MORE SPOOKY-MOODY PIANO & other sounds, I LOVE. 12. bop. periodt. i could dance to this 13. it's aight, not a fave. 14. more moody piano--hell YEAH. more of a calm vibe this time. still got drama. 15. it's moonlight sonata, c'mon. gorgeousness. overall thoughts: on first listen I'd give the album a 4/5. i think with more listens it'll become more perfect to me. i love the eerie vibe of it all, some bops here and there. def got tracks I can come back to which is poifect.

This was Depeche Mode's bridge album between their more classic 80's synth period (Black Celebration) and their all time classic Violator. But from the album cover to the music, this album is both a classic and truly iconic in its own right. There is not one bad song on here. 5/5

Depeche Mode could write a catchy, fresh and innovative song about anything or nothing. Oh, look they actually did write it...

Depeche Mode is one of the few bands I will go to great lengths to experience live. They were part of my bucket list - see one of my favorite bands on their home turf - and that I did. I saw DM in London at Queen Elizabeth Stadium surrounded by an English audience in 2017. The pinnacle was the first track of this album, Never Let Me Down Again. It started raining, the entire audience was swinging their arms back & forth, and the energy was electric. Fast forward to 2022 and I get to see an epic lineup at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA - Cruel World Fest. I couldn't help to think about the infamous 1989 Depeche Mode show at the same venue - Depeche Mode 101. They pulled heavily from Music for the Masses (arguably one of the best live shows in modern history). If you've never experienced 101, I highly recommend it. It will make you wish you could travel back in time. Depeche Mode, my 4th favorite band & my favorite band to see live, will always get high ratings from me.

Depeche Mode knows that if you're going to use "again" to rhyme with a word ending in an "ane" sound, you need to pronounce it "a-GANE". I'd be tempted to give it five stars just for not cocking it up like everybody else. Thankfully the album is also very good.

I feel like this is the sweet spot for Depeche Mode's music. It is moving past the poppier sound and headed more towards brooding. An amazing album.

I think this album cements Depeche Mode as one of my top 3 favorite artists of the 80s because—except for a few duds and a random moonlight sonata—this album was excellent. I don’t think its as right of an album as violator and doesn’t quite reach a 5 but it’s pretty darn close. The pure 80s synths and overall sound still holds up.

For me, Depeche Mode is "Just Can't Get Enough", "Personal Jesus" and the time in the late 80s when a reporter on an American entertainment show unironically called them "America's favourite rock 'n' roll band". Their Music for the Masses phase is interesting. It's an edgier sound and makes me think a little of Joy Division. "I Want You Now" was the most memorable track, with its disturbing respiratory sounds mixed with the loving but dark lyrics. It feels like a good stage in the creative life of la Mode.

Depressed Mode

At their best Depeche Mode are an overly serious version of Kraftwerk with a monotonous cabaret singer. At their worst a soulless New Romantic band of goth posers. PICK A LANE Depressed Mood! I will give the list a pass on one Depeche Mode album, but why two? At least I got them out ogf the way early. This has been a very below-average week. Hopefully next week isn't all Tom Waits and Rod Stewart 🫣 .

We've got splashy synths, and we've got plaintive piano. Yup. I'm sold.

Never really been a fan of DM I think mostly because they were an 80s band that, outside Personal Jesus, didn't really have any radio ready songs. I feel like they were more of an MTV band and by the time MTV was in most households I was out of high school. Also, rural America didn't get MTV until decades later. My point being, DM was not a band I had ready access to. That's why I love this site. It's got me to listen to and really enjoy a band I previously little interest in hearing. These guys are good. They are excellent, and most importantly, creative composers.

This is one of the biggest loves of all time! Unparalleled, gets to the bones..

I got into Depeche Mode after doing an episode of "my one track mind" and I really enjoy most of their material. This album is no exception. They sound like a link between Kraftwerk and Nine Inch Nails at times. Sucks that some of the track transitions seem to get flubbed by awkward pauses in-between songs on spotify (or maybe it's just my settings)? I love the 3 song run at the beginning of the album best. Listened to the 2006 remaster w/ bonus tracks.

Somewhere between New Order and Pet Shop Boys. Not as exciting, funny, or danceable as them, but roughly a hundred times better than I expected. Fey, melodramatic, and infectious.

It's Depeche Mode's Music for the Mases featuring none of their greatest hits! Buy now and you can get all this maudlin synth pop absolutely free because absolutely no one else wants it!

Catchy and great. Keyboard hooks with more of a dark wave atmosphere than stuff that came before. I treated them more like a hits band than an album band (honestly speak and spell and violator were listened to a lot in my youth though), and this one shows that I should have dived into the fuller material much earlier. I should repeat listen to this more.

MUSIC FOR THE MASSES is truly and exceptional album, which is saying a lot, because for many Depeche Mode fans it ranks only 6th after VIOLATOR, SONGS OF FAITH AND DEVOTION, SOME GREAT REWARD, ULTRA, and BLACK CELEBRATION. It was the first album that allowed Depeche Mode to become an arena act that could play arenas anywhere in the world. With the band becoming the first alternative act of the 1980s to be able to fill the Rose Bowl Stadium on their 101st and final show of the 1987-1988 world tour. Bascombe's production, coming after working with Tears for Fears on their career defining album SONGS FROM THE BIG CHAIR and Peter Gabriel's all time classic SO, was perfect for expanding the sound of the band with more guitar work, and more of a rock, soul, and gospel influenced exploration with synths and vocal harmonies.

Contrairement à l'avis totalement à côté de la plaque de mon compère elrodriguez, je n'ai pas été subjugué par cet album.

Not my thing. Boring and sad. Sorry.

If I ever get stuck in purgatory then this will be the soundtrack

The soundtrack to something absolutely terrible happening in a nightclub back room.

I picked this up in the local Our Price when it came out, lured in by the starkly evocative cover. Was not disappointed - quality '80s synth pop with quite intricate songs and the requisite amount of sinister, perhaps pervy allusions. I think it's their best, a perfect teenage bedroom record

Heard this album within days of it being released…if it weren’t for the last 2 tracks, this might be a perfect album. I love this album and it deserves accolades.

I've been meaning to listen to Depeche Mode for at least two centuries now and it was this list that finally got me there. Wow. This feels important. I can trace paths back to this band and this album from everywhere. But not only is it important (which ultimately doesn't guarantee a great listening experience) it is good. This album sounds sinister, with a depth to the lyrics that might not be profound, but at least there are attempts. The rhyme of 'houses' with 'trousers' actually hit for me. I'm definitely going to add tracks from this to playlists and listen to it more and more while looking into their catalogue. A resounding success.

Even though its title was intended to be ironic, this is the album where Depeche Mode went from being a dark dancefloor-aimed synthpop act to a whole other level. *Music For The Masses* sees Gore, Gahan, Wilder and Fletcher honing their skills to create an LP where the overall mood and dynamics are as important as the individual songs--a lesson they will use to even greater effects in their magnum opus *Violator*, released right after this LP. Gore's evocative songwriting had never been this subtle before, mixing innuendoes about debauchery with religious overtones, all of this above surprising-yet-pristine chord sequences complemented by a wealth of addictive keyboards hooks. And Gahan's performance reaches the soulfullness required to transcend such stellar writing. Highlights abound: epic opener "Never Let Me Down Again", lively "Strangelove", the ambiguous yet poignant synth ballad "Little 15", the driven and aptly-named "Behind The Wheel" or the angsty, existential "Nothing"... And between them, none of the other tracks disappoints, each one of them tying the whole thing into a neat package. It's like watching the rays of the sun piercing through an overcast sky: you can go through a sense of foreboding while still clinging for hope as you listen to those tunes. It's as if lust, impulse, stoicism and melancholy were all fighting for your soul, none of them ever having the final say or the upper hand. It's both dreadful and incredibly beautiful. Gothic yet naive. "Pop" while still being uncompromising most of the time. When the hectic arpeggios of "Pimpf" conclude the album you're still trying to make sense of it all, even if you never quite manage to put your finger of what this music does to you. This is the sort of mystery that nags you when you open your heart to said music. And this is what makes it timeless, as clearly from its day and age as it is. I've just read someone in here writing in their review that Tears For Fears was to them a better "electronic" band than Depeche Mode... Which, obviously, is a very *weird* take for me. Don't get me wrong: TFF released excellent singles in an admittedly close genre, and they had good tunes on the side, too. But if you compare the so-called "deep cuts" of *The Hurting* and *Songs From The Big Chair* to the ones of *Music For The Masses* or *Violator*, will you find the same spotless layering, or the same level of intensity and/or entranced elatedness? Tell me, friend, what would you write to praise Tears For Fears' secondary ditties as they explore a far less sweeping landscape ? What sorts of words would you use? Would you use that metaphor of sunrays piercing through dark clouds? And if you do, will you be truly faithful to the music? This here is exactly why I think Depeche Mode turned to better "album artists" than TFF ever were, as gifted as the latter were. And it all boils down to the "flow" and overall feel of Gore, Gahan, Fletcher and Wilder's best LPs. Here's an "electronic" ambient tradition that DM took from the forefathers of the genre, Kraftwerk, as different as the British lads were from their elder German peers. Tears For Fears is not so far from this picture, I'll grant you that. But when it comes to essential *albums* they're a notch under Depeche Mode. At least to me. And don't get me started on the disappointing hodgepodge that *Seeds Of Love* is, okay? 4,5/5 for this Depeche Mode LP, rounded up to 5 here. A perfect grade will then grace the masterpiece that *Violator* is. So next, please... Number of albums left to review: 576 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 204 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 98 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 126

This is probably one of my most listened to albums ever. I wasn’t that into DM until I saw them at the Rose Bowl on this tour (my 1st concert) w/ Wire, Thomas Dolby, & OMD. A few friends went along, and I ran into others I had no idea were going. Back then DM was largely an underground band. But then they got bigger and bigger, & it seemed they were always on the radio, everyone around my had this album & their next (“Violator”). This is one of the pinnacles of 80s New Wave/Electronic music. It’s Still great!

Put this on again recently around Andy's untimely death. Absolutely terrific album, some of their greatest ever songs, an easy 5. Also the Depeche Mode album I think which most influenced the glorious Turrican and Turrican 2 soundtracks.

Very good and easy listening. I had a great experience. I can’t think of anything other than the title and how fitting it is. Somebody made it and it’s art so I like it

one of the best albums of all time

This album made me want to snap Bo Burnhams neck

Music for the Masses Quite partial to a bit of Depeche Mode even if I’m not that familiar with them outside Violator and the singles/greatest hits. This does feel like a bit of a mix of their more overtly pop stuff and their more gothic whips and semi-knocking tinged electro stuff, it has some echoes of People are People, Everything Counts and New Life and Just Can’t Get Enough but also echoes of Master and Servant, Personal Jesus and Enjoy the Silence. They are really great at catchy synth hooks, seemingly done with one finger. There’s a couple of great ones in Strangelove, but they are scattered throughout on some of the excellent tracks on here; Never Let Me Down Again, Things You Said (hello Kraftwerk), Sacred, Behind the Wheel, Nothing. The combination of those poppy hooks and the drum sound with the dark lyrics and gloomy, brooding atmosphere is great. Aside from the obvious Kraftwerk reference you can also get a sense of Bowie and mostly Joy Division if Ian Curts hadn’t died, kind of meshing the music New Order make with the lyrical and atmospheric approach of Joy Division. It doesn’t always work though, Little 15 is way too musical theatre cabaret and is pretty annoying as a result, I Want You Now’s sex breathing and horizontal melody feels pretty flat. I half like and half dislike Pimpf, the repeating motif is nice, but that circularity does make it feel it never really goes anyway. I enjoyed this a lot, the great songs are great, but it doesn’t quite sustain the highs of Never Let Me Down, Strangelove and Nothing. But it’s still a very good album. 4. 💅💅💅💅 Playlist submission: Strangelove

Of course I know Depeche Mode (mostly the hits) and I quite liked them, but not enough to buy an album, it's always been more "radio music" to me. But listening to this album I must say - I really enjoyed it. No hits but a steady flow of good music, great to listen to in one sitting. Yes it has the typical electronic Depeche Mode sound but it's chilled and atmospheric, reminiscent of Talk Talk sometimes (and that's a huge complement).

I love Depeche Mode. This album had a bit of everything - some hits and some wonky tracks. Like what is "Pimpf" even doing. Anyways, when they're good they're SO good and when they're weird, they're like normal weird.

A haiku: Ooh, titillating! No, too sexy, too sexy! See you in boudoir

Depeche Mode is a band that I really like, UT wouldn't say that I love, but they do have some classic tracks. Really solid all the way through, almost as good as Violator in my opinion.

ah hell i'll take this over Violator. much more strange and menacing. Never Let Me Down Again is great obv (don't skip the Aggro Mix), but there are some great deep cuts too. Little 15 is crazy atmospheric and brooding. pretty neat. deserves to be one of the 1001? yes

Mick Picks: NEVER LET ME DOWN AGAIN, STRANGELOVE, BEHIND THE WHEEL. While I would've preferred a tighter album, I also enjoy that Depeche Mode didn't conform to those standards, per their moody, nihilistic aura.

I feel like people either love Depeche Mode or hate them. But I’m just stuck in the middle of thinking it’s OK.

I like Depeche Mode but never felt inspired enough to buy an album. This was wonderful but still would not buy it.

Best tracks were the instrumental focused ones toward the end. 2.5/5

This is a sulky thing, much of the time, putting on mum’s cocktail dress to sing sad songs before a full-length mirror, which may bring pride as well as solace. The influences reach back past Kraftwerk to a Teutonic romanticism, which can be breathtaking and monotonous at the same time. The songs live in this brooding ambivalence that had me longing for some sort of resolution - a soaring climax, a scream, a hummable chorus, or even just a fat, loud power chord. But the record’s compositional logic would deem that inelegant. “Nothing” promises a noir thrill ride with its menacing opening, but the John Carpenter-style synth riff ends up being back drop for pretty, abstract sound poses - I expected “Assault on Precinct 13” and received an Ingmar Bergman scene instead. I liked this more the second time through. The vocals and lyrics are still sway too much in front of the mirror for me.

Typical music from Depeche Mode. Generally I find them ok, some songs are really great, some not.

I had heard of Depeche Mode before, but I wasn't really sure what their deal was. This is a late '80s synth-pop / new wave album that's a bit more on the electronic side. As we know by now, synth-heavy is not my favorite music style at all. While I didn't love this, I did think this was better than a lot of the other music that's similar to this. It's still super synth-heavy, but it's a bit less pop, a bit darker and moodier. I liked this way less than Disintegration, but I get a bit of The Cure vibes here and there on this. I think this approaches that type of sound at its very best, but falls into electronic synth-overdrive at its worst. I just took a look at Depeche Mode's "fans also like" section on Spotify and the 4th band is The Cure (like) and the 5th is Duran Duran (meh), which pretty much describes exactly how I'm feeling (somewhere in the middle of the two, though probably a bit closer to meh overall). This is probably another 3.5 to me, but I think I'm more out than in so rounding down. Favorite song: Never Let Me Down Again Other: The Things You Said, Strangelove, Behind The Wheel, To Have And To Hold 3/18/24

This sounds so DATED, but I actually love it? Like it’s almost so cringe that it’s great. Screams 80’s and stuck in the chase Not very familiar with the artist, but I’ve heard some of these songs a TON. No idea why or where. The beginning of the album suffers from some sameish tendencies, but then it breaks loose and goes all over the place in the back half. Not something I’d listen to a ton, but was a fun listen

If I’m in the mood for 80s synth I’d go to New Order than this but they’re definitely doing their own thing compared to New Order. I didn’t connect with a decent bit of the songs here but it still managed to keep my attention the whole way through as you really don’t know which way the album is going to go next. Rating: 3.4

This sounded more like a movie soundtrack rather than a band's album. There were some spooky tracks on here. I was working and started getting anxious as hell with this on. Pimpf is an insane song. Pretty epic this ended with the moonlight sonata. 5/10

These Lost Boys looking, high school goth dorks are the original edge lords. Real Beta city energy. Everything is so serious, how can you dance or have sex to this without just laughing hysterically? Either relax and have a little fun, or go a little further and try and actually be edgy. There's no tension in the middle ground they occupy. The first song is really good tho, and the production is solid throughout. Might be worth listening to with headphones, by candlelight.

The last time I listened to a Depeche Mode album I really enjoyed this, however Music for the Masses felt underwhelming. I liked Pimpf mostly because it gave me something to chew on. The mixes were pretty fun too but the core of this album just wasn't for me.

The 80s were a mistake.

This album exemplifies most of what I dislike about 80s pop rock. Affected vocal styles, cheesy synths and electronic drums, lifeless and uninspired performances. Dark, brooding, and brain-numbingly boring...

Fantastic, the 2nd best album of DM for sure with many great songs.

Kan kanske vara det bästa album på hela den här listan. Ett mästerverk.

One of my top albums from the 80s. Part of my soundtrack to Spring 1988 when I graduated high school. An absolute classic.

Best Depeche Mode Album.

really fun album

This one's pretty great. The synths ooze cool and the vocals have an enchantingly dark aloofness to them. I even listened to a few tracks again and liked them more the second time around. Favorite tracks: "Strangelove," "Agent Orange"

I've heard this album before and I've gotta say it's one of my favorites. I absolutely love Depeche Mode and I wish I could see them in concert someday.

Great album great band

What an amazing record. Never Let Me Down Again is one of the greatest tracks ever written

I goth goth

Easily the best in their catalog.

Fantastic atmosphere. Aged better than most 80s music. Teenage years bias, but I'll own it: 4.55

One of my ALL TIME favourite albums

A true masterpiece.

I own this on CD so it automatically gets bumped up, listening to it again I've really enjoyed it, my favorites are Nothing, Behind the Wheel, Never Let Me Down Again. I also learned that the CD might have a hidden track on it, which is interesting! Overall 5 star

Oh let’s just review the album that got me through junior high…

New wave-y in the best way. A gothy, very 80s alt rock album. I will relisten to this one.

Quintessential 80’s new wave album. Sstandouts "Strangelove", "Never Let Me Down Again", and"Behind the Wheel".

Such atmosphere and presence. This coupled with Violater is such a strong back to back performance. Brooding, tense, and sexual. Peak example of the genre.

Goddamn, this one changed me. This was my first Depeche Mode record. Got a tape of a tape, back in ‘88. Listened to it, pretty much non-stop all through junior high and high school. This turned me into a hardcore, new wave evangelical devotee, and DM super fan. The nerve of this record to still sound so good. It’s been many, many, many years. But it still hits all the right notes. Easily the best in their catalog.

FUCKKKKK 😩

This album, Violator, and Songs of Faith and Devotion are the holy trinity for me when it comes to Depeche Mode. There is such a wonderful metamorphosis that happens across those records, from synthpop masters to full on rock stars. Standouts on this album are "Never Let Me Down Again", "Strangelove", "Little 15", and "To Have and To Hold".

Very fun album, enjoyable listen.

Tämä on ollut mun aktiivikuuntelussa pitkään sen jälkeen kun hurahdin DM:een. Nimi on mainio levylle joka nosti yhtyeen jo osin koko maailman tietoisuuteen juuri ennen todellista pommia, Violatoria. Miks tykkään tästä niin paljon? Ennen tätä levyy bändi oli muodostanut jo omintakeisen soundin joka ol jotain gootihtavaa rokkia mutta synalla -tyyppistä, mutta tämän levyn kohdalla mukaan tuli viimeistäänkin valtavat pop-koukut jotka yhdistettynä upeaan nimeen muodostivat aika hiton hyvän synapoprocklevyn. Sika kovia hittejä ja väliinkin jäävät biisit ovat nousseet itselle kiinnostaviksi. Tämä kaikki tulee nyt toki aika kovan DM-fanin suusta. 5/5

This is a classic and was from the day it was released. Depeche Mode has been making consistently great music for 4 decades now. This falls between Black Celebration (which deserves a spot on the list. Let’s throw the Associates off right now). I’m pretty sure if you disliked this album you need to get back to the safety of your auto tuned nonsense and overproduced numetal.

Always a great listen from the Basildon boys!

# Album Name: Music to the Masses # Artist: Depeche Mode # Rating: 5/5 # Comments: Absolute banger of an album. Took a few listens but i got there in the end. Some great tracks on this thing. I really enjoyed it. The vocals, the tunes, the beats. All top draw. # Top Tunes: Tracks 1 - 9 # Would I listen to it again? Yes

Perfect train music

Immediate hell yes from me. My favourite Crizzo coded electronic group. Imagine the vibes of hearing this blasted through a big ass cathedral. Shout out to Pimpf for being Final Fantasy villain music in the middle of all this. Piano building up throughout until it’s just the final flash keys at the end rules.

It's a great sounding album with some solid songs on here. However, if it would be up to me, I'd either put Black Celebration or Some Great Reward on this list instead. It is a classic album tho

Rinos fave, really enjoyed Depeche. Reminds me of Duran Duran. Going to be in the rotation going forward.

Yes

Good rainy day music. Good band

So good!

This is my favourite pop album of all time. Depeche Mode is one of my favourite bands of all time. I adore this album.

Never Let Me Down Again is one of my favourite songs of all time, so it will be hard not to rate this album a 5/5.

If Edward Cullen made a synth-pop album

Despite seeing them in concert a couple of times, every time I listen to depeche mode it makes me want to listen to a lot more depeche mode.

Peak Depeche Mode

LP

I went to their concert too... except it was the Singles tour. I like this cd... I especially like the My Secret Garden remix. I don't know that I'll make time to listen to it today. Maybe. :) It has been awhile since I listened to Depeche Mode.