Music for the Masses

Interesantes sonidos y tal pero se hace demasiado estático, por lo que cansa enseguida.

Notable tracks: Never Let Me Down Again, Sacred, Little 15, I Want You Now, To Have and to Hold, Pimpf, Pleasure Little Treasure

Master piece

Surprised I didn’t like it

Am I goth? Why did I like this so much lol found myself really vibing to this

not bad but not good

I'm not crazy about Depeche Mode but I see how they were such a big influence for synth pop; the beats are really good.

Some well known songs from the 80s. In general I guess I find it kind of boring music-wise.

Like a real melodramatic apocalypse, but with fairly static beats. Very obviously influenced by Kraftwrek. Don’t think I’d end up listening to it fully again, but perhaps a few tracks. Nothing is definitely the most creative track to me. Fav tracks: The Things You Said, Strangelove, To Have and To Hold, Nothing

Business proposal: Let's make a pop album, but without hits or any catchy songs. Are you in? The sequencer work is really rough, is that on purpose? Is this technology disguised as art? 2.3

Another from Depeche Mode's classic period. This is some of the best 80s synth pop out there and represented a major development and maturity of their sound. I didn't immediately like this one as much as 'Violator' but it has really grown on me. Fantastic album.

Surprised how much I liked this one; no single song stands out, but consistently good all the way through. 4 stars.

I once had a boss called Dipesh, and although he never made this joke, he was exactly the kind of Apprentice wannabe that would have said he was entering ‘Dipesh Mode’. So that’s all I can really think about when Depeche play their tunes. Anyway, that’s by the by, this fellas getting a 2, not offensive enough for a 1, but it didn’t have much going for it.

Endured this one better than the last Depeche Mode album.

Not a bad album. Not sure about the weird set nosies on I want you now!! Liked never let me down again and strangelove

This album did nothing for me.

Nice!

I believe this is my first ever introduction to Depeche Mode. I have heard the group's name before but I don't think I ever got around to listening to them. I really vibed with The Things You Said and Strangelove. The Things You said is my favorite track on the album. I really resonated with it and felt the music and lyrics in my bones. To Have and to Hold is another in this vein. The dark intensity pierces right through the soul and completely envelopes you. I also liked the conversation intro, reminiscint of Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here. Nothing has a really funky jungle beat and nice little melody. Lyrics weren't exceptional or anything but not bad either. Less intense of a song but definitely a fun groove and an enjoyable listen. Never Let Me Down Again and Behind The Wheel were just okay. I didn't really care for Sacred and Little 15 much. Not really sure why, just a vibes thing. I Want You Now is unnecessarily horny in the cringiest way it possible, which is a shame because the song is excellent minus the lyrics. Pimpf got my anxiety going a bit and was almost frightening- so not my favorite track but id rank it somewhere in the middle because any song that can elicit a visceral response is a work of art in my book. Overall I love the dark, new wave 80s sound and passionate vocals. They remind me a lot of The Smiths who I quite enjoy. I think I'll check out more of their discography in the future based on this listen.

Depeche mode is one of those bands I have been meaning to listen to, I was not disappointed

Definitely a vibe...super cool an innovative is someways, but a bit too much for me all at once

This was a big one for me in high school, but it took me until just now to realize it’s all about drugs.

Meh. Not my cup of synthesizer tea. I think they're good if you like this sort of music, though.

Gorgeous. Futuristic, gothic chamber music.

Just yuck!

doomy and unpleasant

Awesome sound, like an outer-space cyber-punk dystopian night club in the rain. Moody and dissonant, feel like I need a trench coat on. Vocals are so clean.

It all kinda sounds the same.

It's fine I guess. Wasn't really impressed though.

Not good

Not my kind of music, but definitely remarkable.

I liked it. It is dark with a lot of the typical 80s elements.

i really really liked the first 3 songs of the album it had a genuinely good start and captivated my attention the rest was good too but a good album starts off strong and this definitely did

First 4 tracks are great, then the quality of the albums dips a bit. The next few tracks are still good, just not as good as the ones preceding them. I don't like 'I want you now'. 'To have and to hold' is boring. I like the dramatic shift the album takes at pimpf, it is a good way to close the album. The remixes are mid but I'm going to ignore them

Ok

Very flat and unemotional to me. Some nice rythems and melodies but never get "over the hill" to get me coving. Maybe I'll try again in a couple years.

Interesting, not my thing though

Quintessential 80s sound. A little too brooding and sterile in production for my taste. I can’t say I loved it, glad I heard it though.

Ok

Very easy listening, really enjoying. Dad would love this. Not a fan of the remix's at the end.

It's a Depeche Mode album, his slow droning baritone over electronic music. Some songs were interesting, otherwise it was more of the same from this band. Nothing really stood out to me. It was ok to listen to

Depeche Mode perfected the dark, moody synth vibe. Love that style!

Enjoyed this album. Don't remember much of their music but no surprise they were a success. Relaxing.easy to listen to with similarities to Tears for Fears. Definitely groundbreaking for its time. Well done musicianship.

Stop trying to make depeche modè happen.

Some known songs but all in all it is not my music style I totally like

Very interesting genre. Usually not a fan of 80's synth but they are different and there were some good tracks. More misses than hits though.

Last song wtf

Pretty cool

Got to be in the mood for this I think. It's a bit miserable but good. pimpf track really spoils the ending but I think 4 stars ok

Die perfekte materialisierung von 'its not a phase Mom!' gut gemacht, aber bei Demo nichts überraschendes und hier auch nicht die oberbanger dabei.

cool

I was really happy to see this band's name show up. I've heard about them and people have raved about them online and I was always felt that they had a solid cult following. What a let down to find out they're just new wave boring British pop. The instrumentals are decent but a lot of this ends up being pretty forgettable. Some of the instrumentals were able to draw out emotion but the brooding of the lead singer just doesn't do it for me. Not offensively bad but also nothing that sticks out.

I'm normally the biggest synth pop and new wave defender. There's some catchy songs here but on the first listen through this one felt kinda...bland? Songs are kinda repetitive and the album as a whole just goes on for a little too long.

i wanted to like this more than i did, but it was still pleasant!

pretty good for a 1001 album entry but not depeche mode's best. there are some good tracks here and a lot of darker 80s synth sounds that are kinda goofy in retrospect. definitely not "music for the masses" which I'm certain was their intent, but these other reviews may reflect that. favorites: never let me down again, strangelove, little 15, behind the wheel

Die einzigen sinnvollen Lieder: Pleasure, little Treasure und Route66.

This album got me through my awkward teenage years.

Big fan of Depeche Mode's singles so it was fun to dive into one of their albums to hear some lesser known songs

Okayish, not impressive. Maybe it was the case at 1987

I want to give this 3.5 but I’ll round up to 4 because it’s Depeche Mode. Nowhere near as good as Violator though

One of the the best Bands in the 80th with a good album. Must Play for all generations!

It’s a good sign when an album doesn’t contain a band’s biggest hits (well, not the ones I was most familiar with anyway) and I still enjoy it this much. A boatload of deliciously gloomy tunes, kept afloat by catchy synth and vocal hooks. It threatens to get a bit samey but interesting left-turns like I Want You Now stop that from happening.

Easy listen this one

The closest experience that is similar to listening to this album It would be like going into a nightclub inside a gothic church, the dancing and at the same time somber atmosphere gives this feeling, overdose to the sound of synth wave, of a terrible dance in decadence. Throughout the album's journey, going through the most upbeat, dark and experimental songs, the entire lyric revolves around of a love, or rather an obsession, the kind of love that waits for you while watches without been noticed.

Very clean sound and lots of variety, without an overwhelming amount of 80s synths :D Favorite track: Strangelove

Gear: Fostex TH610 (Lawton) Mische: fies hallende Drums, schreit nach mehr Lautstärke - unter 100 Hz wohnt aber (meistens) niemand Mugge: trotz meiner Schwäche für 80s-Synths - ganz große Liebe ist dieses Album nicht bei mir Wertung: 3/5 (+1 für "Behind the Wheel")

Sehr gutes Album mit den Klassikern: Never Let me Down und Strangelove Geht mal aber nicht immer:

It's listenable, unmistakably depeche mode, good background music. Don't love it though. 3 flat.

I have heard of Depeche Mode of course, but nothing on this album sounded familiar at all, and I couldn't even think of a song of theirs I knew. In 1987 I turned 13 and was mainly listening to hard rock/glam metal over pop, so I would have probably dismissed this anyway. When I listen to it now, I like what I hear. It reminds me of Duran Duran, who I enjoy. There is a good amount of variety which I wasn't expecting. The sometimes monotone vocals didn't really bother me either. One dull song, I think. Good album, I'd listen again.

Just not the Depeche Mode that I enjoy. Some good tracks, a lot of ones I cared nothing for.

Not much to say about this. I know people who love them, I don't share that opinion. But it's not terrible. 1

Disappointingly dull and basic.

The first DM album I bought at the time of its release. I was so looking forward to it and paid for it out of my 4th ever pay packet from Tesco. After teasing us with 'Strangelove' and the monumentally brilliant 'Never Let Me Down Again', on first listen I was gravely disappointed by it. At 16, I don't think I was ready for the slow pace of most of the album. Being a goth at that time I felt this album would be better than it was, with all its reverb and a darkness to the tone. However I have grown up and fast forward 36 years, I've finally got round to listening to it again. This time round? Better, but still not exciting me as a whole. All the singles are bangers, most of the album tracks are at best good, a couple are just fillers. However 'Pimpf', a track I hated at 16, sounds really good to my old ears now, I wanted it to go on longer. You can hear their sound slowly transforming into what would become 'Violator' three years later. Difficult decision in what to give this, so I'll give it a high 3.

Very good album, some great songs. However Depeche Mode is one those bands I really love about 50% of there stuff and while the rest isn't bad by any means it's just ok. I don't often listen to a whole album of there's often. A 3.5 for me and since there's gotta be at least one more on the list, I keep it at 3.

I’m not much of a DM fan. They have a few songs I like (Strangelove) but I get tired of the sound after a few songs.

This was a good listen. It had more songs that I knew then i was expecting.

I wanted to like this more than I did. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood. I thought it was fine.

My favorite of the new wave style albums so far. Lot more variety in the instrumentals and melodies.

A (yet) modern classic.

I will probably like it more on relisten, but I just kept wanting it to be Violator

Dull by Depeche Mode standards

Some nice surprises but it’s only Depeche Mode with that weird front man.

Enjoyable listen at work. None of the big songs I know of. Ends with Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata?

Blind album, know the artist. Catchy parts of catchy songs but overall not to the higher standards of Depeche when I think of the group. Like chocolate chip cookies, and the chips are way better than the stale crunchy cookie itself. Not Gooey and warm but it makes the cookie good.

Some great theatrical songs, a little slow at times

Probably my least favorite so far. Found it boring, couldn't finish the album. Maybe in another headspace I'd be into it so 2/5

oh god, i don’t wanna listen to this but i’m hoping i’m wrong and it’s good. there’s been only a few albums i’ve been happy to listen to you know. it was a bit depressing and i didn’t really care for it.

Never listened to this before. Seems more epic and expansive sounding than their usual stuff. Liked it

very 80s, much interesting. only in small doses. kids seemed to really like it

I’ve listened to a fair few Depeche Mode albums now, and each one has been enjoyable so I’m expecting the same today. They seem to have found their genre early on and stuck to that through the years without it feeling stale, which is certainly remarkable. Songs I already knew: None Favourites: Never Let Me Down, Strangelove Definitely as expected, this album was catchy synth-pop with moody undertones, just like each other album, and I enjoyed it a fair bit. My only criticism, which is more about the discography in general rather than any particular album, is that if I was played any Depeche Mode song and asked to say which album it was on, I wouldn’t have a clue. Regardless though, I liked this and that’s ultimately the important bit. The synths sound very nice.

Bon album malgré quelques musiques suspectes

mmmmmh étrange

Almost a 5 but the second half is weaker than the first.

It's top heavy but the synth beats are infectious.

Full of great tracks! Standouts: Strangelove, Never Let Me Down Again, Behind the Wheel, Little 15. Others: The Things You Said, Sacred, I Want You Now. 4/5

Little 15 is haunting

A couple of good songs, but easy to get bored of quickly

Well that was pretty boring and unremarkable

Falls off in the second half, but the first half is SO strong. Some of the best music of the 80s in my eyes, driving and engaging.

I love the first half. 3 of the first 4 songs are 10/10 for me. But this album goes downhill at Pimpf. I don't really like the covers on here. Great side A, mediocre side B.

fav: Nothing

The first few songs had me thinking, “Huh, I wonder why I never really got into Depeche Mode…” but the rest of the album answered that. This is the kind of album I would -maybe- put on as background music for a creative session of writing or drawing….only if I already had a lot of sentences or scenes in my head and didn’t want to get distracted by the soundtrack. None of the songs made me feel any kind of way except Moonlight Sonata, and they didn’t write that.

Classic Depeche Mode from freshman year in high school. Album starts strong but fades at the end.

a few great classics but overall a bit disappointing...

Highlights - Never let me down

Me gustó, se nota mucho que es un álbum de los 80, mucho sintetizador, eco en las voces, pero me parece interesante que creaban un ambiente que parece de película, como transmitiendo emociones con el sonido, por momentos si que quería meter un cambio, pero volvería a escuchar

Incredible album by an even more incredible band

Great 80's synth-pop-rock sound. More instrumentals than I expected. Worth another listen.

I've decided I don't like this style of English 80s synth-heavy pop very much.

Depeche Mode is one of the more pleasant 80s synth pop groups for me. Still only sorta like it though

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would :) Wasn't expecting Sonata #14 at the end there.

Great album but violator better

this album had some interesting sounds, it took me a few listens to grasp it and they were sim disconnected, I never got it all in one go. never let me down again is good but I found the album kind of blende together as it rolled through, not a bad thing, but difficult to differentiate before you all of a sudden realise that there is some ambient noise and no more lyrics

Staple 80s sound with a lot of reverb. Pop-heavy with fun grooves to ride along to.

Not the strongest offering, with no real standout songs. Overall, a good effort, but j was looking for more.

80s af

Not for me. DNF’d

Not super impressed. I guess I am not a big Depeche Mode fan.

Only had the chance to skip around. I like the combo of upbeat pop they used in the debut with the ominous and darker mood that creeps in and shows up later on Violator.

A little sleepy but by the third listen I was getting into it.

Nope, didn’t like it at all

A great and classic

Dark, gothic, and moody. Strange pace and transitions, but enjoyed it overall.

Noh.. Oli siinä muutama hyväkin kappale, mutta ei tämä nyt ihan vielä riittänyt kääntämään minua faniksi.

Good I liked it. A fun 80s ish listen

some good and bad songs

2.5

LOVED this. I have always liked Depeche Mode but never actually listened to an album. Weird. Glad to pick this one up.

Didn’t expect to like this album. But the more I sat with it, the more I liked it. I generally hate 80s music: Prince, New Order, Talking Heads, the Cure, Blondie… you name it, all shit. I hate 80s music but this is a pretty damn fine album.

I love how they took the idea of new wave and crammed every nook and cranny full of sound – Lush arrangements that fill up my room. It's interesting to me that, while many members of the band aren't gay, their lyrics are universal enough that their work became synonymous with LGBT identity for a time. Their brand of longing and isolation was immediately identifiable to the queer community, that when I looked up their stats a few moments ago, I was genuinely surprised that two of the surviving members of the group are married to women. This is a great album, but would be eclipsed by the astonishingly good Violator a few years later.

outdated sound, bad

Love love love.

Seeeeeehr langsweilig

Good but monotonous

Love Strangelove. Feels like all the sounds of Goldeneye put into a dancy melody. Loved the choral intro to Sacred and the driving synthwork on Behind the Wheel. I Want You Now feels like what Alexa would give you if you asked for something to soundtrack a night of S&M play. To Have and To Hold is one of the more minimal here and also one of the best imo. Loved the sampled intro. I enjoyed this one a lot. Production is amazing in quality and the songwriting is phenomenal. Sure it definitely feels like the 80s, but in a well done sort of way. 4 / 5 and will be back for more.

Not a bad album, I just didn't really like it. Nothing was probably my favorite. Pimpf is boss music. Listening to the last couple songs while driving alone at night in the rain seemed appropriate.

I can only picture Bo Burnham again when I hear the singer and it is really throwing me off. The first two songs we cool but strange but, Strangelove got the funk going and got me engaged for sure. Unfortunately that was really the peak of the album and it got pretty uneventful for me after that. I really wanted to like this album because it was a type of weird music which I like but this just didn't do it for me. Pimpf at the end sounded like the soundtrack for End of The World in Kingdom Hearts 1

Not as heavy hitter as Violator but damn these guys know how to do the whole gothic 80s sound perfectly. I usually hate the 80s sound but these guys have really made me appreciate it more. The first few songs and definitely Strangelove fucking rock.

Fun listen

Strangelove a standout. Like the overall vibe but nothing really stands out. A little long as well

I like Depeche Mode. Just not enough

I love DM's signature synthy sound but I can rarely be arsed to listen to a whole record of their actual songs 🤷🏻‍♂️

I’m starting to realize just how much I like 80s techno dance music. 4/5

My dad quite likes them so I'm kind of desensitised to it, not an era I'm particularly fond of and a bit repetitive but some nice ideas.

Found this a tough listen. Didn't grab me at all, felt very flat, boring and dull. 20+ albums in and this is down the bottom.

really cool. I really like their music, and its influence can be seen i other artists like NIN

Sounds like Depeche Mode. I like Depeche Mode.

Heard of Depeche Mode, associate them with 80s which I’m quite a fan of! Album described as ‘Rock’ from 1987. Really enjoying so far - high 4/5 so far. Just a good vibe.

Very 80s goth. I was just missing my eyeliner.

I like it! 3 cuz I’m difficult

очень даже ничего, томно, романтично, пока не было неописуемых красот, но все на неплохом троечном уровне.крайне средне вообщем. как демонстрация будущего саунда и свежесть еще пойдет, сейчас скушновато, но пару песен взяли

Favorite Songs: Little 15 Behind the Wheel Strangelove Pimpf. I really like the sounds and variety of those sounds but I feel like the back half is just not at the same level as the first.

Not really into this album. It became quite repetitive.

just cant do it

What, why was this on here lol

I always thought Depeche Mode was a 90's band. It's interesting to learn more about their history and listen through an album. This particular album and bonus tracks were an enjoyable listen, but nothing overwhelming. The irony of the albums title was not lost on me. It's a unique musical space in the 80's that helped steer the band's own direction and many other artists

Stylistic and dark

I don't think I have listened to this album since high school, but it's just as great as I remember. After seeing Depeche Mode live for the first time this past summer, I can appreciate them even more. Love the mix of moodiness and darkness with great songwriting. It all just works.

Un bon 4 mérité. J'ai apprécié l'album du début jusqua la fin mais bon le synth et la musique des année 80 est moins pour moi.

It didn’t live up to ‘break the silence’ but it was a still a cool, synthy 80’s time. I liked it! Favourite songs: never let me down again, the things you said, strange love, behind the wheel, I want you now

Never Let Me Down Again Strangelove Nothing

Even growing up in the 80's I wasn't big into Depeche Mode then, and I'm still not. I appreciate it for what it is, but this is certainly not what I would choose to play.

4 stars for what it was when it first came out. Never Let Me Down.

Quintessential 80s electro pop. Not much soul. Lyrics sung without much emotion. Feels like a formula for 80s movie background soundtrack. I don't feel anything listening to this.

I enjoyed 'The Things You Said'. Other than that, I did not enjoy the album. I understand that Depeche Mode helped lay the groundwork for depressive synth electronica and "industrial music" (per Wikipedia; that's not how I would describe their genre at all). But in listening to this record, I find myself wanting to listen to their successors instead. The bands that followed DM, that were inspired by DM, the bands that pioneered entire genres off the backs of DM's influence - Drab Majesty, The Soft Moon, Traitrs, etc. The electronica present here sounds like shit a lot of the time. It sounds cheap in an 80's way. There's this fucking horn sound on a few of these tracks that's so 80's it makes me want to erase the decade from its place in time. I can appreciate that what they were doing here, sound-wise, was in its infancy - but who in their right mind looks back at their time on earth as an infant fondly? I'd rather listen to the groups that that grew this early, "infant" sound, into adolescence and eventual adulthood.

Felt like they discovered the synthesizer and just started pressing buttons. also I really didn't need Dave gahan moaning in my ear, could've lived without that.

Maybe this album was more ground-breaking or influential when it came out, but at least here in 2023 it was a very forgettable hour of 80's synth-pop

Dark and ethereal, this album feels like David bowie looks in the Labyrinth. Not a standout for me, but no strong criticisms either. Favorite track was strangelove.

Very good

Fav songs -Behind the wheel -The things you said -Nothing -pleasure, little treasure -To have to hold

Quite fun. Why was the moonlight sonata on there

Very generic 80s.

Love

I prefer Violator, but Depeche Mode is one of my favorite bands, and this album has some of their best songs ever recorded Atmospheric, spooky sex music for hot people fav: never let me down

ffs, why is this generator so full of 80's music.

love the instrumentals. not so keen on the vocals though.

Not my personal favorite Depeche Mode album, but it does have a lot of good synthpop on it. Not every song is as good as the last, but the highlights here are really damn good and carry this album to a really good score.

Great start, but loses some steam towards the end of the album.

Loved it. Never heard any of these.

Way too dramatic 80s stuff for me but loved the synth sounds

Thoroughly enjoyable album. Starts with "Never Let Me Down Again", which is probably the best song on the album. That said, it's not as if there's a sharp dip in quality. Great album.

Made it thru the first 4-5 songs, didn't hate it but definitely didn't resonate with me as much as Violator

I love Franz Ferdinand and this reminds me of them (backwards in regards they were first).

Manch schönes dabei

it was just ok

80’s dance music for gothic cathedrals. Good stuff but sounds dated at this point. In context with the times it was fresh and exciting. 3/5

I already listen to Never Let Me Down Again and Behind the Wheel regularly. Some of the other songs are a little too 80s for me tbh

Very weird stuff.

Awful

2.5-3, Very top heavy album, falls off heavily at the end

2.5/5 - Classic 80s album for 9 songs, it dropped off significantly for the last 3. I Want You Now is my standout on this one.

This album felt pretty gloomy, I would only return to perhaps 1 song.

Dark, moody, and repetitive. The songs start sounding very similar to each other after a few. Lyrics seem very simple which is sometimes boring, although sometimes it works as a type of mantra. Find myself enjoying the groove occasionally

Album 205 of 1001 Depeche Mode - Music for the Masses Rating : 3 / 5 Favorite Tracks : Pleasure, Little Treasure / Route 66 Music for the Masses, it is not. This doesn't do a lot for me. I've heard some Depeche Mode that I enjoy. Overall, this is not it. Hard pass but I'll give it props for giving its intended audience what they wanted. The last 4 tracks did grab my attention.

Not a bit fan of this record. Too moody/brooding for my taste. I do like some DM stuff and love 80’s new wave/alt/indie but this album didn’t do it for me.

Banger album. Almost peak DM. Every time I hear Strangelove I imagine myself in a New Wave club in London, circa 1988.

I was excited with “Never let me down again” but quickly got fatigued with the 80s synth melodrama. “Pimpf” and “I want you know”…only ok if picturing Will Ferrell singing in some crazy sketch. Otherwise cringe.

One of my favorites.

pretty classic stuff isn't it

dull

I can appreciate the influence of this album at the time it was released but I just cant get into it.

Already have it on vinyl :)

Standout tracks- Never Let Me Down, Strangelove, Behind the Wheel

If there's one thing I've learned from this project it's that this I really love the 80s synth pop/goth music. I didn't realize it till now. Loved this album though it did kind of meander and fizzle with the last couple songs.

Good album. Not so much as Violator.

Great album

This is the superior '80s sound. I love new wave, and I especially love dark, brooding new wave. Standouts are Strangelove, Sacred, and To Have and to Hold.

depecheeeeee "I Want You Now" "To Have and To Hold" átváltás szex "Pimpf" ominous

Very nice, ended up listening to Strangelove a couple of times. The instrumentilisation of Depeche Mode is always so cool and ahead of it's time. Most tracks were good but not absolutely groundbreaking though. Overall great album.

Un gran álbum de new-wave con tintes góticos. Si bien, la propuesta es interesante y es uno de los mejores álbumes de Depeche Mode, la segunda mitad del álbum es bastante más aburrida que la primera. Sin embargo, es innegable que la banda fue una de las más influyentes del género y una inspiración para todos los artistas que se dedican a la electrónica de estética oscura.

Liked it, thought it was interesting how it was a pretty cinematic album but also used synths a lot Did south oc cars and coffee today with keith, andrew, aidan. lowkey almost fucked it sleeping through my alarms but everything turned out good and it was a great time. tired asf now tho

This is the first album I got that was from my generation. DM was part of the soundtrack for high school and college. I have a lot of sentimental love for the album. It just resonates with the years I was coming of age. It's hard not to like.

Ive heard a bit of depeche mode but i dont recognize any of these songs. should be a good one. My local radio station has been shilling them for a long time which has gotten annoying. keeping an open mind. its rainy today so this album is hittin different. first song was enjoyable. October+rain makes this album in good timing. Track 1 and track 3 are ones ive heard a handful of times. Album was too long

Some nice 80's synth pop, not the best example but a nice listen.

Went from ecstatic to listen to this lp to fairly underwhelmed. Added 3 of 14 to 1001 Playlist with Never Let Me Down Again a clear number one

Need to be in the mood for it

Nice 80's sounding synth pop. All good, but nothing felt too new

I enjoyed it. Would listen to again/listen to more of DM's albums.

eighties without the nostalgia, feels timeless and lots of genres alltogether

Unfortunately, Apple Music doesn’t support this album in my country. I dunno why. One of the moments currently lives here. Either way, this is a great album and a product of its time. Not my favorite. But, impactful nonetheless.

60/100

At first I thought I was really going to like this album, I’m a sucker for synths and stuff. The first song I really did like but I just got bored with the rest of the album. It just kept going on and on. It’s really funny that it ends with moonlight sonata though. Regarding last album as I didn’t comment, it’s good probably not going to relisten often or ever though. You can really tell it’s from a movie soundtrack and I feel like I’ve felt inspiration from it in other shows/movies. Maybe I’ll check out the movie someday.

It was a little drab for me. Kinda floated by in the background. Upon the third listen though, the album really popped for me. I'm not typically into the gothic vibe, but there are some really good hooks and fun use of instrumentation here. It gets a liiiittle too Danny Elfman at points, but this is a very fun but dark listen. The bass synth in Agent Orange is so wild.

Listened to this while scrolling r/nope which was an interesting time. I like its weird dark angst. I think if I’d grown up in the 80s I would have loved this but alas my past goth self was more interested in Korn 3.5/5

Intensely 80s. But I kinda love that

Classic Depeche Mode in that is sometimes awesome industrial/new wave stuff (Never Let Me Down Again) and sometimes way too goofy vampire rock (Little 15, Pimpf).

Moody electronic. Not really my thing. Not enough variety or change of pace to make it overall interesting. 2/5 Won't listen again

Fair amount of vocals for an electronic group

Dark depressing electronic

Synthy goodness

highlights: little 15 - dark tone, interesting idea/story behind the wheel - it had something going on, dark tone, but all the little girl stuff is weird, at least she’s old enough to drive? i want you now - somehow pretty good despite the amount of distorted deep breathing going on, if it’s supposed to be sexy it wasn’t, vocals carry nothing - i actually like this one, good mix of catchy and the tone it’s been establishing pimpf - i get it, but like you just had something going pleasure, little treasure - kind of like it unfortunately route 66 - ? overall: really went in on a dark tone but not all that dark a few highlights, mostly when keeping the dark tone but going a little poppier/lighter/less serious some parts sound dated, not in a good way weird ending

Have this album. Some good tracks. Somewhere between early synth and guitar based Depeche Mode.

Classic synthpop done brilliantly.

It was okay. Sounded like any of the songs could’ve been on Stranger Things.

Love the 80s sound. Like WHAM or Real Life. Just want more excitement. Had it in the first couple of tracks then lost me. 3/5

The genesis of industrial music, but with pop sensibilities and a new wave edge. Dark, but accessible and relatable. If ministry’s psalm 69 is a day when everything goes catastrophically wrong on the factory floor, then this is a relatively good one; but it’s still the same cold and dangerous factory.

This is a great album Fav: Never Let Me Down Again, The Things You Said, Strangelove, I Want You Now

I don't love this, but Depeche Mode made some absolute bops back in their day. Agent Orange is a beautifully composed song.

Gros classic!

Happy to have heard it, fun experience. Don't feel compelled to revisit as it lacks that bitta something special and is a bit too long. Fav track: Strangelove

Pretty camp and groovy, I had a good time! Enjoyed the cinematic flourishes and almost wish it had gone further with them. As an album it won't be something I'll be coming back to but I reckon they've got some tracks in the catalogue I'd really enjoy. Fave track: Strangelove

A lot of things to like on this record for me - an eeriness and unsettling tone that almost felt like out of a camp horror soundtrack at times, and some interesting vocals. I felt maybe some songs were a bit too one note, and that bled across quite a few of the tracks. Maybe on another day could find myself more invested in this, but kind of felt something was holding me back. Two and a half. Fave track: Nothing

Its a good album and depeche mode has kinda a own style. The deluxe was unnecessary for me tbh but its a good album for me

Great atmosphere, unique and powerful

4/5. A solid and weird electronic album. The sampling choices are definitely unique, mostly environmental and ambient sounds just sitting in the background yet they feel the loudest as well. The songs are good as well, which is a plus. I'm a fan of mixing two opposing vibes and creating a discomforting feeling. This is definitely not for everyone, so the title is misleading lol

3.5

different sound but still enjoyed it

I wanted to give this five stars but after repeat listens of “I Want You Now”, I have to bring it down. It sticks out for its weak production, especially compared to every other track. Still a great album.

I never liked this band much in high school. I've grown to appreciate them. Their music brings back good memories.

I've always had a soft spot for British New Wave Synth-Pop. Dark and moody, with several tunes that end up living rent free in your head for the next few days. Great album, very enjoyable.

Pretty good. Decent listen if you're in the mood for it.

meh

I'm a goth, so this was mandatory.

some great singles and others.

Not really my style - felt a lot like The Smiths.

3.5

they went beast mode

Dave gahan love that bitch so much

Depeche Mode's cheekily named "Music for the Masses" is nothing of the sort... It's for the freaks, the goths, the alt kids, the nerds, the weirdos etc. And I freaking love that.

1/10, 10%

This is one of those albums I think you have to have heard as a teenager to get. I’m in my mid twenties now, and I did not get the hype at all. The ‘good’ songs all sounded very similar to me, and three of the songs: Little 15, I Want You Now, and Pimpf, are amongst the most irritating things I’ve ever heard. Everything else sounded generic, I could think of a dozen synthpop acts around the same time who were doing better things. I an sorry to say that I just do not get it.

Good tunes, none of them bad. Good voice is the same over and over which feels a bit repetitive by the end, but they close with a sonata, so no complaints.

“Sound of the 80’s”. I really dig these guys, good introductory album to listen to.

4.0

Pretty good stuff. I knew I would kinda like it, but it was even better than I expected.

So meaningful... Happy that I found this album!

not bad by any means but i think violator was definitely better

Pretty fun album, although with definitely a few misses, and some of the sounds don’t age quite as well. I actually expected to like this more as a fan of a ton of music that is derivative of these guys, but it’s still solid.

Standard depeche mode. I quite like it, but it's nothing special.

Damn good! Standouts: Strangelove, Never Let Me Down Again, Little 15, Behind the Wheel. 4/5

dark music still doesn't appeal to me too much, but 3 tracks here were pretty good: "never let me down again", "strangelove", and "pimpf". rest ranged from good to fine enough, but those 3 were pretty nice. i think violator is in 1001 too so maybe i'll like that one more.

I love synths but turns out I’m not crazy about the godfathers of synths themselves. Found myself a bit bored through this. Probably would not listen again.

Great

Yeah, music for the masses was an appropriate title. It was good music, but came off a bit shallow and overall didn’t wow me. Enjoyable though.

Kyllä tällä bändillä on ihan oma tunnelma. Ei mitään mestariteoksia sävellyksinä ja sanoituksina (kaikki) biisit, mutta äänimaailma on hämmästyttävän yhtenäinen olematta varsinaisesti tylsä. A-puoli on kovin hyvä! B-puoli lässähtää, mutta yritys kuuluu. En silti ymmärrä, miksi pitää olla kaksi instrumentaalia perätysten.

Miten synkkää. Sacredissa oli jotain jujua, avausraidassa myös. Hikinen kakkonen.

It´s nice, but liked it less than expected. Slow and monotone. This album needs investment and you gotta be in the mood for it. Listened to it 3 times and it get´s better, so gained a star.

Up to Violator all DM albums (that is, their first seven albums) are more or less 5 star. Occasionally, there is a weak song or so, but even the B-sides from this period are generally great. There is a slight quality drop on the next three albums, but only slight: still 4 star for sure. Their final 5 albums are patchy: 3 star perhaps, but must admit that I haven't hear their last album. This album is number six, so 5 stars. It contains several DM classic songs, in particular, Never Let Me Down and Strange Love, and it is one of their most consistent efforts.

Many familiar songs, but never really checked out this album as a whole. I haven't listened to Violator in a while, but this seems just as good. Getting strong Kraftwerk vibes.

Atmospheric though somewhat too repetitive and dark.

This album wears well.

A strong record - moody and dramatic and despite the heavy 80s sound it doesn’t get in the way , actually the synth work is quite classy. Not many of the big hits here beside Never Let Me Down but there is no filler here. Also this record can definitely classify as a grower with every listen.

Fiquei na expectativa de reconhecer alguma música, hit dos anos 80. Mesmo não rolando, o disco flui bem.

Pretty boring for me. Although the first song is interesting I couldn’t listen the whole album to the end.

Bland. Completely average. I've become less of a fan of Depeche Mode since I last got them 550 albums ago. It's just meh.

Why is a lackluster rendition of the Moonlight Sonata adagio on here? Who knows! I applaud the bizarre choice. Also, spectacular 80s synth cheese from start to nearly finish.

I wasn’t expecting to enjoy 80s synth music, but it’s unexpectedly catchy.

Solid album, Strangelove is probably the best track. The synths kind of wear on me sometimes, honestly. Behind the Wheel works well! I Want You Now also interesting. Effective on headphones. Still thinking a 3. Solid album, but not their best. Doesn't age terribly well.

Depeche were of my era, and as a spotty faced teen, I narrowly missed out on going to one of their early gigs that they played near my home town. Loved the Depeche sound, it was 80s synth done well, but the achilles heel for Depeche through all their years playing, is for every brilliant track they have, there's a dozen meaninglessly meandering nothingness tracks that become more increasingly irritating as they go on and on and on, in fact the track Pimpf on this album is a classic example of this type of meaningless track. Given that Depeche are of my era, i should be loving this, but I'm not. Best track for me on this album is Strangelove, but I wouldn't rate this as one of Depeches good/best albums.

Loved it

Not for me

Agent Orage Sample is DOPE!!!! Sonata 14 Moonlight Sonata

Love the eerie dark vibes and the strong beats. Very 80s in a good way. I don’t know much about Depeche Mode but really enjoyed discovering this band. This album has hints of Kraftwerk and Joy Division. Highlights: the first tracks up to Strangelove. The haunting piano and vocals of Pimpf (sounds like a theme for a video game).

You either like it or you don’t. With Depeche Mode there’s no in-between

If they had halved the number of songs, this could have earned 5 stars. But as it is, I got a bit bored at times.

Even while second part is not that hitty, still a banger record in whole

Never really listen to tecno but this seems like very soft tecno and pretty decent. Not a big fan of very long intros tho

me gusta el disco y depeche mode, pero muchas veces se me torna un poco repetitivo. la voz del flaco que canta es muy parecida a la de cerati.

Not my favorite by Depeche Mode, but it's still good. A few songs are more cringe now than they were upon my very first listen to them and some remain the classics that they immediately were. This is a band whose singles I could listen to a lot, but their albums have always been a hard listen for me. I often lose interest somewhere along the way and this one is no exception to that.

One really good song (Behind the Wheel) and a bunch of mediocrity after that.

Um pouco longo demais, mas um moodzinho 80s gostoso em geral