Music for the Masses

Fine

Long weird album lol. Definitely some good songs in there

Didn’t really do anything good or bad for me

Po hitrem pregledu sm bla zihr, da ne poznam nobenega komada s tega albuma, ampak evo prvi mi je znan - "Never Let Me Down Again". And it's great. (U, sampli od Carmine Burane in "When the Levee Breaks"! Pomojem sicer ne bi dojela, če ne bi prebrala na wiki. Hud začetek za "The Things You Said". Najs prelivanja med komadi. "I Want You Now" je zanimiv, čeprav so te background zvoki že na meji z nadležnostjo. "Pimpf" je zelo grandiose sounding, čeprav ma butast naslov. Honestly, sm upala na nek amazing album za moj 200. album. This was fine.

I’m pretty eh on new wave. It all just sounds so similar. That said, definitely bopped along to Behind the Wheel

It straddles a line between fun synth pop and a little too weird. It kind of feels like a Flaming Lips show I went to where they were playing out a rock opera on stage but everyone was too confused/high to understand

First time listening to a complete Depeche mode album. I dig it

A little pretentious sounding

está bueno pero el estilo no me gusta tanto y tiene como unos temas tipo re conceptuales que no me gustaron tanto

Technically impressive, maybe just not for me though

A classic band that I have heard many times but mostly their biggest hits. This album has the same feeling as what I have heard before but the songs doesn't catch me as much. Not bad but just ok. Something the radio would play at work and I wouldn't pay it any mind.

Hyvää kasarisynailua, miellyttävää kuunnella. Ne hitaammat biisit olivat vähä liian ambienttia. Ihan okei.

Listened

Loved the instrumentals tracks towards the end, "never let me down again" is amazing.

It's kind of strange to think about how a band as big as Depeche Mode has pretty much been faint background noise to my entire adult life. Listening to this album has been my most sustained exposure to their music. It was okay, but I can't say it's going to bring them out of the background noise zone for me.

me putting this on the aux trying to impress vampire trade fave track: sacred

Sounds like the soundtrack of an 80’s suspense movie. I kinda dig it!

Fine.

I do like Depeche Mode and this was goth-y in a way that they made their own. This album just doesn’t have standout highlights though and whilst I enjoyed it, is not one of theirs that I’d revisit in a hurry. Songs often got into a good groove but missed a killer hook or lyric as they do one some other songs.

Kind of torn between a three and a for this one. I really do enjoy the old midi soundscape. Reminds me of the Doom soundscape in a way, and I kind of like it.

Creative and interesting. Lead singer is weak, suffers from 80s over-syntehsised sound.

Basic electronic sound, more polish than most 80s electronic bands, but nothing stand out.

These guys have a whole thing going on that's all their own, and sometimes I feel it and sometimes I just don't. This feels like an album to listen to late on a winter's evening with a small lamp in the corner and Dad thoughts on your mind.

I haven't spent all that much time with Depeche Mode outside of Violator, and it's possible this was the first time I've heard this. I appreciated the restraint they showed throughout and their efforts to mix up the song structures and dynamics. It almost lost me when it moved into a pair of chamber music songs, but then they reopened the aperture on "Behind the Wheel," and I got pulled back into the second half. Lots of Christian imagery, but it feels like they're not just aiming for cheap taboo. I could see myself growing to like this if I had encountered it when I was much younger. However, the first time through, nothing grabbed me the way Violator does. Chalk it up to this not being accessible, which doesn't mean bad. It feels worthy of a deeper listen, but not sure I'll come back for it.

Didn’t enjoy as much as I thought I would. Having only really heard Depeche Mode’s big singles I was looking forward to this. Ok, but not great

Haven't listened to much Depeche Mode other than the pop hits but I quite liked it

It's alright. Definitely not my thing, though. It's not that I couldn't bear to listen, but nothing particularly piqued my interest.

Liker soundet, noen kule låter, kubbe hørt på noen ganger men ikke noe som enkeltvis helt fester seg ved gjennomlytting

Not a bad album, juts very samey. I'm not the biggest Depeche Mode fan, but I can appreciate them for being different and interesting. However, this album had some good stuff, and lots of crap in my opinion.

Didn’t enjoy this as much as the previous album from them but it wasn’t bad by any means. Did just sort of blend into the background on a long driving day 3

What makes this different than any other Depeche Mode album? This is not a rhetorical question. I just assume Depeche Mode all sounds the same.

Neat production and I like the dark feel of it. The runtime is long...and the appeal wears thin long before the hour is up. I don't think I'm quite sad enough. Really cool record but ultimately kind of one-note and melancholy.

Surprised how much this album didn't connect with me. I had high expectations since I love Violator, but there's an edge that's absent from this album preventing it from being as great. It was a perfectly fine listen, but didn't have nearly as much staying power or gripping melodic lines. Decent but inferior. Top tracks: Never Let Me Down Again, Behind the Wheel, Nothing

not a genre I gravitate toward but I love a goth club vibe, I’m never mad at it. Found myself not paying attention to the lyrics and more just enjoying the atmosphere the sound created. Gonna go read them to see what I missed🫡

Classico classique encore hein mais pas hyper mon style

I don't think I'll ever understand the love for this band. I have a couple of their releases on my shelves (not this one), but despite trying, they never really leave a lasting impact. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ ★★★☆☆ (5/10) Total reviewed : 315 Already owned : 70 Purchased : 15 To buy : 4 Nope : 226

Another decent

Few weird ones but overall decent

No standout songs but a decent listen

I came into my Depeche fandom via the live album that covered this tour, 101. I of course knew about Personal Jesus at the time, but still didn’t have Violator, which would be my next (along with Some Great Reward and Black Celebration). It’s amazing how cavernous Never Let Me Down sounds next to the material from all 3 of those studio albums, the whole thing sounds like it was recorded in a reverb chamber. It sounds mammoth! What’s odd listening to this in retrospect, but trying to put myself in the shoes of a 1987 listener, is how slight some of the side b material is compared with Violator and SOFAD. Behind the Wheel and Nothing are classics, I Want You Now is a bit of a Gore misfire, and then there are 2 near instrumentals. For such an important record in their trajectory, it’s very much 3 singles and 2 solid album cuts and then...shrugs.

like most of the old, well-known albums - inconsistent is the key 6.5/10 Will I add this album to my library? no

the thinga you said isch megaaa depeche mode wauw little 15 hetmer leider nödso gfalle pimpf isch en riiiese titel de "song" ah sich wär eig cool als interlude aber eso echli lang? agent orange isch megaa schön hmm weiss nöd, es isch halt mega depeche mode und drum cool aber s isch villes ah mier verbii

Ah yes, more Depeche Mode. Do the masses like whiny synth music? I guess they do, since this was a wildly popular album. "Violator" justified itself with "Personal Jesus," but this record doesn't have any standout tracks like that for me. The music is pretty consistently uninteresting to me, it just doesn't have any force behind it. It's not completely unpleasant, though. 3 stars

Good, fun

Ive worn my Violater CD though, and I haven't listen to much more depeche mode. Much like Violator, this is very good dark synth-pop, but it shows it's age much more. Hard to beat violater though. 7/10

Interesting listen. Haven't heard this record in decades and it sounds so dated. I still enjoy it, but man, it hasn't matured well.

Overall Rating - 2.89/5 (5.79/10). Not really my style of music. These guys are good at it, but I'm just not a fan.

England during the 80s synth pop was huge. Erasure and Pet Shop Boys were huge. But they were also cheerful and filled with escapism. But Depeche Mode was the one to really use synth pop to capture the darkness of the Thatcher's era. Pensive and not always danceable, but deep and contemplative. Music for the Masses is excellent but it is not even close to their best.

Most songs give off the same vibes but each one has its own unique little instrumental flourish so you kinda just have to decide which flourish you like best when trying to come up with a favourite song.

I'm a sucker for goofy synths but the melodrama is a little err distracting.

good. felt the 80s.

Definitely sounds like it came out in 1987. I get it though. Some solid bangerz on this one.

Standard eighties sound. Nothing exciting.

Not the first of their broody style. Not their best album. Not their biggest hits. That said, its decent enough for a 1,001 list; not sure it makes the top 500.

I was a bit disappointed in the album as a whole. I put on their greatest hits after and really enjoyed it.

If I were about ten years older, Depeche Mode might have become one of ny favorite bands. There’s a lot I like about them and this album. They have a distinct sound - which works against them in some ways as some tracks sound similar. Still a solid album, though.

Depeche is a good music to listen to when you're wanting interesting and dark background music. It can be monotonous and droning, but not in a bad way. More like a brooding, pensive way. I liked the album and might go back to it again, but not quickly. I'm not necessarily drawn heavily to it, but I enjoyed the experience.

Depeche Mode lite. It’s an ok album, but low energy. Pimpf is an over the top master class but I’m not sure in what.

I don't think Depeche Mode is as influential and important as the writer of this list seems to think. It's fine, but I think I could've died just fine without this one.

Muy atmosférico

There’s nothing fundamentally wrong with Depeche Mode , they just aren’t for me. And all the elements that aren’t for me are the heart of this. Dave Gahans voice is perfect for this but I find it a bit one note, and the production is dark and brooding but lacks light and shade. However, where the band tries different things like the spy movie organ on sacred or the weird layered vocals on pimpf they are far more interesting

Pretty good album. Electro/New Wave ish. Some of it is not to my taste, but overall I liked it. The first three tracks are the best.

Сколько ни пытаюсь, но заставить себя полюбить музыку Depeche Mode не могу. Хотя музыка качественная. Но меня она не задевает

Yeah, alright

As I started to listen to this for the first time in almost 40 years, I was thinking….y’know, maybe I’ve been too hard on Depeche Mode. I mean, It’s irony and repetitive and the like, and I really shouldn’t like any of it, but…a lot of this sounds better in 2026 than it did then. But there’s some clunkers in here, too, especially “I Want You Now” (laughably ridiculous, awkward), “Pimpf” (pointless rhythmic exercise) and “Sacred” (portentous).

Their sixth album. New Wave / Synth Pop. I am a huge fan of other Depeche Mode albums. Violator being an example. This one is a bit too brooding for me and falls flat. It's good bit that's all.

Not in fact music for the masses, this felt very eerie and ominous and I quite like that and how it kind of contrasts with the title.

Enjoyed but I feel they have better

Love the 80s vibe.

Está muy oscuro para mí pero sí me gustó. Aprecio que hayan tenido tanta avanzada y por eso después se volvieran referentes.

Me parece disco muy bueno, no lo escucharía siempre. Como muy de mambo. Destacó mucho los teclados de la banda, timbres que usan que jamás se ocurriría usar. Capas que si entendiera las letras sería otra la cuestión.

Que temon never let me down again, entra en el panteon de grandes inicios de discos. Tiene picos altos y bajos. Particularmente no es un disco que disfrute escuchandolo pero lo aprecio como obra. Tiene momentos que me dan ganas de sacarlo directamente y un poco me aburre tanta oscuridad que quiere transmitir el disco, pero también tiene puntos excelentes con Nothing, never let me down y Strangelove. No es de los que guardo. P.d. que onda con Pimpf, flasharon ahi

It's Synth and it's British. It was alright but no songs in this album particularly stood out to me.

Aight

Nooit grote fan geweest 2,5

Not bad

muy vampiresco pero ñe

3/5

Enjoyed the other Depeche Mode album a bit better, but still some interesting stuff going on with Music for the Masses.

Depeche Mode is pretty good on its own but I feel like you really have to buy into "Depeche Mode: The Band" to love Depeche Mode. Maybe with a little more time I will but for now, all I'll say is that these guys really knew their way around the synthesizer.

Don’t love or hate it so 3 it’s getting

Νομίζω πως το συγκεκριμένο άλμπουμ προκάλεσε συναισθήματα μελαγχολίας και νοσταλγίας. Είχε μια πιο αργή ροή αλλα συγχρόνος σε μερικά σημεία ήταν αρκετά ξεχωριστό διότι ανακάτευε χωροδίες και εκκλησιαστικούς ήχους. Επιπλέον μου άρεσε ιδιαίτερα η φωνή του τραγουδιστή Never Let Me Down Again

Me gusta la banda, tiene temazos. Este no es su mejor álbum aunque también tiene buenos temas.

nice enough

Depeche Mode as their meant to sound. Somewhat industrial danceable pop music. A Kraftwerk influence seems tangible.

Solid album! Lots of deep cuts, great electronic music of the late 80's!

Aldrig fastnat för Depech mode. Inte helt fan av rösten. Inte dåligt dock. En rak trea blir det. Annie är med och lyssnar idag! Hon tyckte inledningsvis 4a pga ljudbild och variationen, men ändrade sig till 3a mot slutet ändå.

det är lökigt men det är också lite najs

Dramatic and moody. A little repetitive but still has moments of groove. Thoroughly enjoyed Pimpf and Agent Orange.

Återigen! Detta är inte ett av deras topfem-album ens. De sitter emellan de fantastiska syntpopskivorna från det tidiga 80-talet och deras helt fantastiska nittiotal, utan att riktigt höra till någon av epokerna. Inga jättebangers, men en kompetent synthskiva. En stark trea.

Under appreciated album, but not their best by any stretch.

Solid album. I’m not a fan of heavy synths but can appreciate the artistry and sound this has.

No sabría decir bien si me gustó o no. Es interesante, tienen un sonido ciertamente particular. Varias canciones me gustaron, no lo pondría entre mis favoritos, pero sí fue disfrutable.

Never let me down is one of the best DM tracks, the rest is ok but a bit repetitive

Music for the Masses was somewhat disappointing. After listening to Violator, I expected the album to be more like Violator. There are some songs I really enjoyed, but the rest of the album didnt standout to me.

Not my favourite. Good album, but Depeche Mode were never my thing.

De beste sporene her er creme de la creme 80s synthpop – særdeles Never Let Me Down & Behind the Wheel. Størsteparten av de gjenværende sporene holder trått, men så har skiva tre skikkelig irriterende drittlåter som surner lytteopplevelsen. Jeg skipper sjeldent låter, men Little 15, I Want You Now, og Pimpf går meg faktisk på mentalhelsa løs – som er synd når resten av skiva er såpass god.

På sitt beste er dette Kraftwerk i datidas moderne lyddrakt. På sitt verste er låtene helt ok synthpop.

Overraskende tullete greier

Imam neko dugotrajno iracionalno nevoljenje (neću baš reći mržnju) Depeche Mode pa sve čekam Violator da iskoči i da dam šansu. Kad evo nešto drugo. I potvrđuju mi definitivno da nisu ništa više od osrednjih muzičara. Nema ničeg posebnog, sve je tu negdje, zvuči nalik svemu ostalom što su ikad radili. Nikad nisam slušala njihovu pjesmu i pomislila jao kako je ovo zanimljivo. Ali eto, još čekam Violator.

makeeta musaa, hienoja saundeja, tykkään laulajasta

Very good, enjoyed, not a band I have a great affinity for but would listen again.

Decent enough - not really my kind of thing, but enjoyed, quite mournful sounding

Sounds EXACTLY like Depeche Mode...

Cool and atmospheric. Slightly passed me by in parts partly just because it feels quite long. I think I prefer the other Depeche mode I heard. Interesting and good though

I like Depeche Mode and gave this a few listens in hopes that I would really get into it. I never got there, but it was cool enough music. I was familiar with Strangelove, and the rest was new to me. The only other song that grabbed me was Never Let Me Down Again.

3 stars, not bad

I like the dark synthpop, but there's a few choices on here that make me scratch my head. I don't understand the use of moaning on I Want You Now. I don't have anything against Pimpf or Agent Orange, and really like the latter, but I wish they wouldn't have put them back to back. Strong 7/10

6/10

A transitional album. There's some classic tracks here -- "Never Let Me Down Again" being the most obvious, but also "Behind the Wheel" and "The Things You Said" -- and some favorites like "Nothing," too. These showed the direction they'd be heading with Violator. Having not heard this album in over 20 years, I had forgotten that "Never Let Me Down" again was here and not on Violator. Those tracks feel relatively timeless. "Strangelove," "Sacred," and "Little 15" though, feel dated to me now, and haven't aged so well. 3.5 stars. I go back and forth on rounding up or down.

Legal mas achei meio creepy

Pimpf??

-tragend, sehr entspannt -nicht dieser Depeche Mode stil den ich kenne -5/10

I'm enjoying this, I am. makes me want to explore more Depeche Mode. don't know if this is the cream of the crop of Depeche Mode, but it was a nice little intro. saved a few songs.

Same as The Smiths really.

I like Depeche Mode pretty good. I’d say I’m easily more of a Violator fan (can’t imagine there are too many dissenting opinions there), but Music for the Masses is pretty decent. The thing is, I totally would understand why this record wouldn’t turn anyone into this band. It’s pretty decent, but it doesn’t ever switch gears and the songs all sound pretty similar and sloggy. And I’d normally gripe about the rich tapestry of shitty 80’s synths, but it’s Depeche Mode, and that’s kind of been their whole shtick from the beginning. Honestly, they’re one of the only bands that I feel like can really pull that off. I guess all that is to say that I like this record, but I understand why it could bore someone to tears. 7/10

I’m not sure I like Depeche Mode, but I respect that they’ve created a sound for themselves that is certainly of its era but distinct from other 80s pop.

3.2 Not the biggest Depeche Mode fan but like this more than others. That brooding droning on can get tiresome after a while

I heard it from my friends about the things you said I heard it from my friends about the things you said But they know me better than that They know me better than that They know my weaknesses (I never tried to hide them) They know my weaknesses (I never denied them) I heard it from my friends about the things you said I heard it from my friends about the things you said How can a view become so twisted? How can a view become so twisted? They know my weaknesses (I never tried to hide them) They know my weaknesses (you tried them) I get so carried away You brought me down to earth I thought we had something precious Now I know what it's worth I heard it from my friends about the things you said I heard it from my friends about the things you said I've never felt so disappointed Never felt so disappointed They know my weaknesses (I never tried to hide them) They know my weaknesses (thought that you liked them) They know me better than that

Has to catch me in the right mood but is fun when it hits. Kind of a slog when it doesn't. A little creepy and haunting at times. Surprised this of the albums is the one on here.

Music For The Masses has a cool industrial electronic pop feel. Easy to see where some bands like Nine Inch Nails drew some inspiration. I thought the songs were a little slow paced though and the album as a whole didn't keep me fully interested. It's very cool to see how this type of sound has evolved over the years though. Standout tracks were "Never Let Me Down Again" and "I Want You Now" A solid 3/5

I like the harmonic choices, and the vocals. The overall style isn’t really my bag but I didn’t hate it.

it's a bit boring for me, but I can't say anything bad about the music. I'll try it later at the right time

Норм

I can see where She Wants Revenge got their influence! This was pretty good too, I'd like to hear more!

A good listen, an important band. Definitely feels dated, but not in a bad way! I just don't think it's for me and that's ok.

3.0 RYM

Gotta respect it for what it was but hasn’t aged well. The drum machine noises on this album are a rough listen in 2026.

Depechian Mode

Alright

Fine. Just too 80s for me.

While the album is pleasant to listen to and has some good songs on it, it is unclear to me what this album is trying to achieve. It's just there in its place being good, but it's not trying to really be anything. 3/5

Perfectly fine album. Couple of really good and good sounding songs... The rest didn't move the needle.

Cool

My second Depeche Mode album and it’s another great one. I didn’t enjoy it as much as Violator though. The synths here give the record a much darker feel than I was anticipating. Never Let Me Down Agian was my favourite and the Aggro Mix really lets the synths shine

I'm a fan but I don't think this is consistently great. 6.8 Fav track: Never Let Me Down Again Least fav: Little 15

Great 80s electronic sound. Don't know if I'll return to it, but didn't hate it either.

I enjoyed it, but no exactly what I would choose to listen to on my own.

Perhaps the lowest 3 stars I’ll ever award. 3/5

Listened to this in the car while concentrating on GPS directions do probably didnt give it the attention it warranted. Nothing stood out for me.

Give me a black eyeliner, a fringed caftan, crimped cockatiel haircut, and cue the fog machine – because we’re about to make a moody entrance into a smokey bar. Menacing, synthy, danceable. “Pimpf”, “Agent Orange” are delightfully ominous, but ultimately disappointing. Like… huh?

Scary The title couldn’t be further from the truth, which surprised me since I mostly knew them from their super popular synth pop stuff. There was some pretty cool stuff about this one. Honestly didn’t particularly like the first song, and then each song got better than the last. There are some genuinely unsettling parts of the album, which is definitely new to me. Not usually my type of music but it still sounds pretty solid. I do think there’s a little bit of a clash between the vibes the albums going for and the vocals but there’s plenty of instrumental stuff that really absorbs you. I feel the album could have been just a tad shorter, but I don’t think it overstays its welcome too much. Definitely on the higher side of 3s, but there’s enough nitpicks where I don’t think I could give it a 4.

I think this is a solid example of the principal eighties sound. That being said, this is probably not something I'd revisit again, mostly just because I find other records to fill the same niche for me in a better way than this one does. The opening track, Never Let Me Down Again is by far my favorite and it had me excited for the remainder of the record, but I felt sort of let down as it went on. Is this a bad album? Absolutely not, but I struggle to understand what makes this record better than some of the work by other bands around the same time. Tears for Fears comes to mind, ironic because this album had the same producer as Songs From the Big Chair. Anyway, this was fine, not something I'd seek out, but not a bad time by any means. Did I need to hear this before I die? It's definitely a quintessential 80s album.

Fine, very 80s.

Good

It wasn't a conscious effort to be cool (that's way beyond anything I am capable of), but just as Depeche Mode went stratospheric, I sort of went off them. I'd loved them throughout the eighties, but this is the last album I bought by them. Much as I love it, I didn't connect with it in the same way I did with the previous five. There are some outstanding tracks, the opener in particular remains one of my favourite Depeche Mode songs, and Behind the Wheel and Sacred also have that classic Depeche feel to them, but there were also a fair few duller moments that were missing from their previous efforts (Little 15, To Have and to Hold, I Want You Now). It was good to listen to this again, and I should probably listen to Violator one day but for me, Construction Time Again is peak Depeche Mode.

Great music for walking the halls of my Gothic mansion

Pues muy aburrido, no le veo algo que haga bien o mal. Es el tipo de canciones que tiene un edit de anime cyberpunk de los 80s o 90s. No se te queda nada de la canción, la escuchaste y pasaste de página a los 5 minutos. Vacío.

Competent but dull

I love modern Ulver so I should love this.

Had never heard them before. I dig it. You can definitely hear where they influenced bands that would come later.

This is high-school Trey's least favorite music on Earth. 34-year old Trey kind of digs it. Is it dramatic and emotional? Yes. Is it cool regardless? Also yes. "Strangelove" made me immediately bob my head. Gets a little depressing after a while.

not bad

Liked this more than anticipated.

good album for the background, will need another listen to really describe how it is. 2.5 rounded to 3

Pretty good, though I like other albums of theirs better. You can see a lot of inspiration for bands like Nine Inch Nails in their music.

Fun album! I didn’t have a favorite, but I enjoyed the piece!

Synrh pop with some cool textures. 3.5 stars

Not bad that. I really enjoyed the beginning but got a bit bored. I liked almost every individual track but a whole album was a bit much

Never let me down: big gay vibes I guess bo Burnham is trying to sound like them sometimes lol This is early emo lol. Sad boi hours. What in the phantom of the opera. Why does it feel like im being inducted into a secret society. (Pimpf) (Upon further research "Pimpfe" refers to a subgroup of children recruited to Hitler's youth, so apropro i suppose). Would make good sci fi music (Agent Orange) (LOL the Wikipedia article says they were asked to score "some dodgy sci fi films" and they declined)

Yup, this was a Depeche Mode album.

I was a fan of Depeche Mode back in the early-mid 80s. Haven't really listened to a full album of theirs since Black Celebration - except the occasional play from a co-worker at the record store. I think by the time this one came out, I wasn't listening to much synth-based stuff. Listening to it now, it's not bad. It's also not something that really grabs me. The album starts strong with "Never Let Me Down Again" and "Things You Said", then things get comfortable, not bad just okay, until it ends strong with "Pimpf". The stuff in between is enjoyable but somewhat forgettable.

Cool in that new wave way

Boa música de fundo. Nada excepcional

a bit middling. much like jared leto tron ares, i also like depeche mode, but primarily through the lens of their popular hits played at clubs or via whichever trans person i am hanging out with who has control of the aux. in other words, i've never actually sat down to listen to an album in full outside of maybe their seventh album "violator", and this is precisely Okay. it's enjoyable to listen to yet at the same time it's just.... There. i don't know if there's anything that really stands out here to me. i'm a fiend of 80s synth but i don''t think this has aged overly well, all things considered.

very cool 80s synth rock.. would rate 3.5 but i cant

Nice

Actually liked this album better than violator

favs: strangelove, little 15

The good songs are good unfortunately I could only identify 3 on the album with the best being sort of standard vaguely industrial electro pop. Nothing on it is bad per se it’s just not particularly great 2.7

Not quite as entertaining as Violator, and it got a bit dark and church-esque at the end. Never Let Me Down Again and Strangelove were the standouts.

This was kinda crazy but I liked it

I owned this album at one point, as well as Violator. I remember their being a bit of a slog outside of the hits. This leans that way—it really fades at the end—but DM does their thing well.

No private session used for Spotify. Normally 80's heavy keyboard/drum track music sets me off on a rant about synth music, but for Depeche Mode gets a pass. I think its because their music is more complex and interesting than a lot of other synth bands from the 80's.

Despite being British and growing up with Depeche Mode as a constant presence both in the pop charts and in the type of "alternative" discos I used to frequent, I've never listened to one of their albums. I assumed I wouldn't enjoy 45 minutes of their goth-synth sound. I was wrong. This was ace! It turns out that 45 minutes of synthpop in one sitting isn't too much, after all. The goth phase must have come later. I still don't think I'd like that, but I'll probably give it a chance at some point.

I consider Depeche Mode's next album "Violator" to be one of my all-time favorites, but this one doesn't quite reach the same heights for me. 3/5

sort of cool, very familiar. impressive sound. didn't floor me.

This album is like living as a tortured genius of synth pop, cursed with a disfigured face and forced to live underneath the English nightclub that is frequented by the acid-fiends that dance to your music. By chance, you happen to meet a young French synth prodigy named Roxanne. You form a bond with this woman as you impart your musical genius upon her, and in turn she grants you the kindness of treating you like a normal human. To your dismay, Roxanne meets Phil - an American heartthrob with a rebellious style. Roxanne spends more and more time with Phil, even beginning to miss classes with you. To show her that your teachings are the one true path to synth nirvana, you start attacking other known stars. You kill Jedrick and Patricio, and in a mad panic you end up kidnapping Roxanne. However when you take her back to your lair, she looks at you with tearful eyes that betray fear. You realise you can never be with this woman, so you let her go, and leave town.

Just listen to Violator

Sounds like Depeche Mode. In a good way, not a bad way. But Pimpf stuck out like a sore thumb from the rest of the tracks.

A little to emo for me. But still a strong album.

3.5 stars. Synthpop but with dark undertones and an expansive production. The leadoff "Never Let Me Down" is great, and unexpectedly heavy for synthpop, helped by the driving sampling from Zeppelin's "When The Levee Breaks". Other standout is "Nothing" and the rest of the album doesn't really do it for me. Liked Gore pushing 'pop' boundaries with minimalist composer-inspired "Pimpf" but there are some real duds (like porno breathy "I Want You Now"). Overall an album I appreciate more than I enjoy.

3/5

Didn't pull me in to a full focused listen - probably deserved a better rating from the parts that I am recalling but.

I liked this, but it didn’t fully grab me. I might come back to it again and revise my feelings but for now, I’ll say 3.

I never go in to Depeche Mode. I’m not mad I listened to this, but I don’t think it’s a revisit.

3.5/5

Never Let Me Down Again - 5/5 The Things You Said - 4/5 Strangelove - 3.5/5 Sacred - 4/5 Little 15 - 3.5/5 Behind The Wheel - 3/5 I Want You Now - 4/5 To Have And To Hold - 3.5/5 Nothing - 4.5/5 Pimpf - 3/5 Agent Orange - 2.5/5 Never Let Me Down Again - Aggro Mix - 2/5 To Have and to Hold - Spanish Taster - 2/5 Pleasure, Little Treasure - Glitter Mix - 3/5

Not bad, I expected to like it less than I did because I've heard depeche mode before and didn't love it. I still don't love it, but it was fine.

Decent album, I definitely like the first half more than the second half, at the end it got a bit wonky and I was turned off, over all nice listen

It's okayish, nothing really stood out with anything special, but as kind of background noise I did not hate listening to it. However, listened to the first bonus track and almost fell asleep.

Wow that's definitely 80s. Lots of synth, almost-spoken vocals with some reverb. Kinda reminds me of Pet Shop Boys. Reasonable amount of variety - though most of the instrumental variety is different synthesised sounds rather than actually different instruments, the tracks do sound different enough. Highlights: "Never Let Me Down Again" - does a lot despite the vocal range being about 2 notes "Little 15" - just like the vibe "I Want You Now" - bit of an interesting one. Didn't like everything it did but it got my attention. "Pimpf" - totally different from everything else on the album, built up in quite a cool way. I think with all of the above they're arguably a bit slow to get going.

great opening song - the rest was good vibes but didn't break through to me beyond that.

Too long

Rather melancholy and a bit dated

Even as a depeche mode guy, I have to admit violator is 10x better.

This project is giving me good opportunities to figure out just why I don't particularly care for this kind of music. I didn't hate this album, and it even got my heading bobbing here & there, but the music just didn't really resonate with me and I'm not entirely sure why. Not bad, though, and there were a few standouts that I would like to hear again. Progress!

Pretty good album, like the first half a lot more than the second. Reading that this was the first where they started going a bit dark in terms of music and lyrics so interesting to see how they develop if other later and earlier albums are on the list

this is music for vampires

I got the other, significantly better Depeche Mode album way early into this whole thing, so this one is just kind of whatever in comparison. It's what you would expect, and it doesn't ascend past that like their subsequent work does.

This was fine. I didn't recognize any songs off it. However, I know a few Depeche Mode songs and they have an extremely recognizable sound now that I've listened to a few more songs. It's good, but I'll stick to the hits.

I respect this, but honestly 2.5.

Their best music, in my opinion, came later. This one was okay.

Some songs were decent, others sounded a bit too gothic and moody for me…

Idk, all the songs kind of sound the same, except when they are super different. Some of it reminds me of like the band from Music and Lyrics/80s synth pop, one of the songs kinda sounds like Don’t you Forget About Me. Those are kinda fun, though a little less dancey than those. But then other songs have weird breathing and are just kinda boring. I’d listen to some parts again

Brooding sort of album that was a fine listen but not amazing

this album falls off a cliff after the first half, which i was like "ooooh this is some good 80's synth stuff" and then it just gets into that ambient experimental stuff and like sure that's cool for some people but that's not the vibe i wanted esp from the first half.

Café de Cork fazendo música. Essa banda tem uma vibe muito única, acho massa isso. Nunca vi nada parecido. Gostei muito do começo da Strangelove, me lembra uns beat em ups antigos, tipo double dragou e battletoads. Pimpf parece Castlevania. Álbum bem legalzinho, único, foi gostosinho ouvir, mas nada que me deixou impressionado.

This album has some great bangers but it feels like the middle falls apart and drags the corpse of songs along to a boring conclusion. Too long, too similar.

not very memorable but okay

Agent Orange is a good track. No singing

Very cool 80s vibes. Liked Never let me down again

So I love Depeche Mode, but not this album so much. Never Let Me Down and Strange Love are great....after that I got bored really fast.

Kinda interesting but not interesting enough

Interesting. Another band outside my sweet spot, but I enjoyed it.

Solid album. Good for feeling moody and brooding.

I've always found Depeche Mode to be just OK, even though I like a few of their contemporaries. I think I prefer my New Wave to be more punk / post punk influenced.

Another huge 80's essential album. This one made them stars in the US as well - it followed the successful 'Some Great Reward' album that introduced them to a wider US audience because of the popular single "People Are People". "Never Let Me Down Again" (130M listens) is a quintessential late 80's track. Add in "Behind The Wheel" (53M, popular but kind boring) and "Strangelove" (40M) plus fan favs like the moody "The Things You Said" (20M) & "Nothing" (11M) and you have a solid album. No song has fewer than 2.8M listens, meaning it's still popular and getting streamed by fans. It holds up well, sound-wise, their production work is really good, but they're a bit theatrical at times for me ("I Want You Now") and the lyrics aren't always in my wheelhouse ("Little 15"). Great music for driving at night, moody and rhythmic. "Pimpf" wasn't a necessary track, it definitely could have been left on the cutting room floor. They still tour and sell out large stadiums, but their mark on the 80's and 90's is indisputable. You can hear them any day of the week on 80/90's, alternative, and pop radio. Longevity, hits, impact- this album checks all those boxes. 3.5 stars.

Está bueno

6/10 - signature Depeche mode sound

It was good but never been a depeche mode fan

I really love their sound and the 80s pop synth vibe. Big fan of some of their other music. This album didn’t exactly stand out to me with any specific tracks, but started strong! Top Songs: Never Let Me Down Again, Strangelove

Top 5 songs: never let me down again; behind the wheel; strangelove; nothing; the things you said.

Joyon solo no estoy en el mood

Modo Despecho tienen un estilo muy marcado, no es difícil identificar cuando algo es de ellos, respeto eso Es música de tensión Vibra industrial

This album feels extremely 1980s. Even though I didn’t hear it in real time, it still gave me a strange sense of nostalgia. That said, I found the second half starting to drag a bit.

I don't think it's Depeche Mode best album but it's still a new wave staple. there's some classic Depeche Mode sounding songs like the things you said and some more unique songs in my opinion like I want you now. The vocals were consistent and so dark, I enjoyed it, and the instrumentals were all so imteresting and dreamy, especially behind the wheel with the long intro.

couple of good ones and the rest were kinda meh,.,,

Very nice background music but nothing really grabbed me.

3/5

It sounds pretty dark but cinematic, almost like something you'd hear in dystopian cyberpunk sci-fi movies and stuff. Not really my cup of tea, but it was good overall.

Woah...first track and I was convinced. "Never let me down" is honestly one of the best songs I've heard this year. This album was quite an interesting listen because this genre isn't what I'd usually go for but I liked most of the album tbh. Fav tracks: 1. Never Let Me Down 2. Strange love 3. Nothing 7/10

not really my thing but good

I wanted to give it 4 stars from the jump. It was cool, it was dark, a little emo, sounded like something Kojima would throw onto a Metal Gear Solid OST. But about halfway or 3/4 of the way I felt myself getting tired of the sound. Every song started kind of just feeling the same. I went from having fun to just waiting for the album to end. 3 stars from me.

Better than I expected, more adventurous than the singles indicate: Pimpf!

Dark

It's definitely from the 80s with that distinctive 80s sound. It's epic in its own way though and embraces itself. I enjoy it for just going for what it is.

I think this is a solid example of the principal "eighties" sound. That being said, this is probably not something I'd revisit again, mostly just because I find other records to fill the same niche for me in a better way than this one does. The opening track, "Never Let Me Down Again" is by my favorite and it had me excited for the remainder of the record, but I felt sort of let down as it went on. Is this a bad album? Absolutely not, but I struggle to understand what makes this record better than some of the work by other bands around the same time (Tears for Fears comes to mind, ironic because this album had the same producer as "Songs From the Big Chair"). Anyway, this was fine, not something I'd seek out, but not a bad time by any means.

se me ha pasado volando así que diría que está bien pero no sé si lo revisitaré pronto

7/10 will definitely come back to

Synth pop Never let me down again Strangelove Little 15

I LOVE Never Let Me Down Again, and it's a part of what I love about Depeche Mode. I think they have such a cool and unique melancholy synth pop sound, but also kind of chamber rock. The rest of the album lacks hits, but it's not bad at all. I'm probably rating this album lower than I want to. But that's in spite of how much I love the artist and first song.

Kinda up and down but quintessentially Depeche Mode. My 7 year old ran into the room and asked what it was and said that he loved it and danced to the first 4 songs

Atmospheric and perhaps a little dark for some tastes.

No me encantó. Siento que cuando lo escuché no estaba en new wave mood pero todo me sonó demasiado igual.

Postoji hostel u sevojnu koji se zove little 15

I'll probably like the other Depeche Mode album more than I liked this one. I enjoyed it well enough, it was pleasant to listen to, but nothing really stood out that much.

La verdad que disfuto de 3 canciones contadas de este grupo, no es para mi

нормалек, но ремиксы больше понравились...

The Good: We get something for all! The Bad: Sometimes the masses don’t know what they want… The Ugly: Hearing this at mass… 540 albums into the journey and I am starting to become very uninspired when it comes to The Good, The Bad and The Ugly… but, like Depeche Mode, I refuse to give up! First time I heard the band was 83, I think… could’ve been 84, with the People Are People song. Checked the Wiki, it was 84. I did not like that song enough to buy the album, which seemed to be what one would do back in those days… It wasn’t till the ‘90s that I really started listening more intently to DM, though still not intently enough to purchase an album… which brings us into the now, where we have spotify, or YouTube, or any other service, where we can listen at hardly a cost to music… Did I like the album… well, yes, but oddly enough, today is the 15th, and I can’t recall a single song that I listened to… which means that I am not going to give it a 4* which would probably be fairer… 3*

A new style of early electric that I’ve never heard, very cool

Interesting and weird and very cool

Great band, just not my jam.

This was an interesting listening but not my vibe at all.

3.4 Always dismissed Depeche Mode has a generic 80s band but there was some pretty good stuff in here. The first 4 tracks were some good solid 80s shit, then it went a bit off the rails with the terrible little 15 and behind the wheel. The next two though, wow, seemed to set the tone for a bit of industrial unless I've mistaken my timeline. Pretty Hate Machine is just a heavier Depeche Mode it turns out. Last few after that were skippable, but overall positive thoughts about this album.

Kinda boring but liked the last song, know i know a little more abojt 80s style shit u know

This was my intro to Depeche Mode. Not too shabby, but also not something I’d go out of my way to listen to. Also the breathing bit at the end of I want you now was had me like huhhh ?????? Very weird.

An interesting album. Definitely a product of its time. And actually very timely because its giving Stranger Things

Another step in the right direction for Depeche Mode, but this time they come swinging out the gates with a hell of an opener, "Never Let Me Down Again." I really wish this album held the same energy as that one song because it truly is phenomenal and I'm glad to see it getting the attention it deserves. The rest of this album feels very much in the shadows of the opener but decides to play it a lot more cool, I don't think this album is amazing but it's pretty close to reaching it.

Not what I'm used to hearing from them, the classical music parts were rather lovely

I like Depeche mode, but when one of their single comes on while I’m listening to a playlist on shuffle. An hour long album like this just eventually started grating on me. I eventually was crying out for it to just be over lol. 3.25 / 5

I guess because of my upbringing, I can't really rate this any lower than a 3. I did like some of it.

I just can't over how that all this sounds nearly same, it's the synths man. I don't think synths are bad, but when its put together with stereotypical 80s production and especially that monotonous drum sound, it really does sap my energy! "Pimpf" is pretty cool and unique, nice album closer with its orchestral-like elements. Highlight Song/s: Sacred and Little 15

Not a fan but it is pretty good

is depeche mode one of the best new wave bands? almost certainly true. does that mean all that much to me? nope

This album was good as far as Depeche Mode albums goes, but it doesn't hold up to other albums in the genre in my opinion.

*1987. *Opens with Never Let Me Down Again, which I love. *Strangelove is the only other song I know on this album. *Standard Depeche Mode - which I dig - with some odd, not great tracks at the end. RATING 7/10

A couple of good tracks, but not enough there to pull me in or convince me that I should be or have been a Depeche Mode fan.

Good. Calming. Bland. 3/5

1980s thriller/horror soundtrack fodder. It’s activates my fight or flight responses. I feel like I did something wrong. But it’s clean, unique and well-produced. Not bad!

Fun but nothing that stuck with me

Some dark lyrics here but like the quite hypnotic beats

Good album with very modern sound. None of the songs I knew of DM (and really like) is on the album, but the sound really grew on me while listening.

Knew of Depeche mode but couldn’t name a song. I mean it’s not really for me to be honest but I don’t think it deserves a 2, unique and has a good sound if a little depressing.

Why are 80s synth pop vocals always so monotone and sung through a megaphone. Even though I get why Depeche Mode is influential and I respect what they did, the whole synth pop thing just never clicks for me. The vocals always feel too tacky. "Never Let Me Down" works for me, but the moment it moves into something like "The Things You Said" I lose all interest. "Strangelove" hits the right spot with that groovy bassline before it shifts into the more synth heavy sound. "Sacred" starts strong and then turns into the same familiar synth pop texture that I just cannot fully get into. They are good songs and the craft is obvious, but nothing really sticks for me. When a genre is mastered this well, the songs can end up feeling too similar. "I Want You Now".... stop moaning in my ear, thanks! You know those very specific sounds that make your whole body cringe; The knife scraping a brick sound in "To Have To Hold" is that exact sound for me. Still, the album is great. They knew exactly what they were doing, and even with my bias against synth pop I cannot go lower than an 8/10.

There were times that I thought I was listening to Tears for Fears. Unfortunately just not as good though. But it wasn't too bad either.

Not normally a fan of this genre of music - but strangely I liked this. Still a little boring to me though.

Very good album from a terrific band.

It starts incredibly strongly, but then it, well, fizzles out by the end. This is one of the albums I definitely need to listen to later, because I feel that one day was not enough to appreciate it.

I like a few Depech Mode songs quite a lot so I was excited for this. MEH! Whole album sounded so similar that it started over and I didn't notice that 3 songs had fully replayed.

First synth-poppy album I’ve actually enjoyed

Ok

Nothing special hear but didn’t hate it.

I've never listened to Depeche Mode before... It was just okay. They've done a great job of claiming a particular vibe and sound - broody synth music - and they do it well. It's not up my alley, but I respect that it's someone's thing. It was perfectly fine as far as I'm concerned, but a little hard to get through.

Now THAT'S how you use synthesizers in the 80s (glares at Knopfler, again). Gore explained his early objectives for Depeche Mode, saying, "My dream was to combine the emotion of Neil Young or John Lennon transmitted by Kraftwerk's synthesizers. Soul music played by electronic instruments." Their next album would be a five star classic.

Not really my favorite music, but I remember how DM gave 80s music a dark edge that would influence the rise of grunge and then Nine inch Nails.

Not bad.

80s, 80s, 80s.... Jesus Christ, the amount of synth.

More introspective and moody than they were earlier in the 80s. And as a result, a lot less fun. Fewer highs to punctuate the lows.

Pretty good, not a personal favorite though

I'm not much of an 80's music fan but this was pretty enjoyable.

If you take out the singles, this is what I imagine they'd play in a dystopian sci-fi sweatshop to set the mood and keep the worker bees in line

kinda of sad pop, sleepy

Eigentlich eine 2.5, aber leichte Tendenz zur 3. An einigen Stellen einfach bisschen drüber, wirkt nach zu viel gewollt.

Nach den ersten Tönen ist man gedanklich wieder direkt in den 80ern. Tolle Musik, ohne Frage, und auch innovativ im damaligen Zeitkontext. Das ganze Album am Stück ist für mich aber anstrengend, dafür wird es dann doch schnell zu erwartbar (bis auf wenige Ausnahmen zum Ende hin).

Stärker Anfang, aber gegen Ende nimmt es etwas ab

First 3 songs

Not horrible to the ears, but could have just listened to the same song 12 times.

A whole bunch of meh 80s music

It was fine, a couple of hits in there. overall good, but nothing too standout.