Music for the Masses

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.

3 out of 5. Another enjoyable album today and a first time listen, but not for this band as a whole. Now I know where some of their singles come from.

𝘔𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘤 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴 finds Depeche Mode refining their dark, synth-driven sound into something grander and more cinematic. The production is immaculate — icy electronics and heavy atmosphere dominate — but at times it feels a bit too polished, losing some of the raw charm of their earlier records. Tracks like 𝘕𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘔𝘦 𝘋𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘈𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 and 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 still shine, yet the album as a whole can feel distant and calculated. A solid listen, but not quite as emotionally gripping as it wants to be.

Pretty solid, moody.

Started strong then ended up just kind of sounding spooky like the depeche mode I imagine. Pretty average.

I like Depeche Mode and this was another one of thier albums. 3.5/5

Kinda forgettable

This started off great but then i found it just kept going (and its not even that long). So my heart says 3* as I dont think I'll listen again.

Meh, Depeche Mode. I could take 'em or leave 'em. They are skilled at writing earworms that won't leave you alone, I'll give them that.

3/5 - My ceiling for Depeche Mode is about a 3, so there it is. This band never surprises me, and I find them to be the most over-serious, joyless act of the 80s, but I still understand why people like their music. The production is good, and they know how to create the mood with the synths, but I find their songs something to endure rather than enjoy.

Hmmmm it’s okay. I know never let me down again via a smashing pumpkins cover.

It is not the best DM, but it is still DM.

gfallt mer aber denka isch sicher ned ds stärksta album vo ihna

Never been a fan but enjoyed the laid back sound and general ambience.

If the Smiths and LCD Soundsystem had a baby, that baby would be Depeche Mode. And I am not mad at it.

Good for driving… started out well and then tired of it.

Crazy strong opening track with "Never let me down again", one of my favorite DM songs EVER. Hard to follow up such a banger tbh. The rest of the album is okay i would say. Really of it's time with e synths. Best Song: Never let me down again obv ;) Most skippable Song: Little 15 idkkk got a bit boring Song that surprised me most: I want you now, loved the background sounds

Depeche Mode having come up in the 80’s slipped under my radar. I can honestly say I bought 100s of albums during the 80’s and not one by this band. Having listened to this I must say the sounds and the music were very good. At time the vocal “melodies” went out of my taste. But overall this was a very good album 3 stars (3.5 if this app allowed it)

1. Never Let Me Down Again - 9 Really fun song with a great sound. Lyrically it's a lot of fun as well. Excellent opening track. 2. The Things You Said - 8 Much slower but still really enjoyable song, especially instrumentally between the verses and choruses. Brilliant vocals also help elevate the track. 3. Strangelove - 6 Not as strong a track. Instrumentally there are some highlights but lyrically it's significantly weaker than the previous two tracks. 4. Sacred - 8 Another fun track. Really great lyrics help guide the song through some brilliant sounds. 5. Little 15 - 6 It's not a bad song but it's not as enjoyable and the topic feels really weird. Instrumentally it sounds a little too much like a abandonded haunted carnival scene. 6. Behind the Wheel - 8 Solid track. Very good beat, with great sounds, and solid vocals. It's a little too rigid in its composition but it's all around a good track. 7. I Want You Now - 4 Vocals are good but all the background noises are a horrible disturbance and makes the track seem overly edgy. 8. To Have and to Hold - 6 Decent track. The lyrics aren't phenomenal but the sounds on the track are nice except for the left over sounds from I Want You Now. Overall, it's okay. 9. Nothing - 10 Excellent track. Flipping brilliant chorus on it as well. Really good sound on it as well. 10. Pimpf - 4 Feels so out of place on the album. It's not horrible instrumentally but it's extremely repetitive. Average Rating: 6.90 Adjusted to 5-Point Scale: 3.45 Rounded Down: 3 Stars

The production does sound unfortunately dated (and I'm a Depeche Mode fan), but the main singles are still very solid.

I like Depeche Mode but I think, listening to this album, I'm maybe more of a Greatest Hits kind of guy

nice album.

Some solid driving stuff but not quite super memorable.

As grand and cynical as pop can be - a very sharp album!

Lowkey capable.

I think Lady Gaga sampled a song from this

1980s Depeche Mode always sound like they are the soundtrack for a sex dungeon. And this collection of ditties is no exception. Frankly, I think its a bit dull. It has that industrial sound that NIN will extend into something more substantial. The tracks are a bit flimsy and empty but are the epitome of Depeche Mode. Behind the Wheel starts like Tiffany's I Think We're Alone Now, which amuses me. I don't hate it, and i don't love it. DM were never a band that i was particularly into, and i remain stoically under-impressed with their not-quite-Gothic sex chamber music.

A bit front ended. But classic broody synth pop.

Pretty solid album from Depeche Mode. There's some really catchy stuff on here and enjoyable production.

Expected more tbh it still enjoyable.

3/5. Redelijk saai

Ihan ok. 2,5/5.

J’apprécie de plus en plus depeche mode mais ce n’est pas mon album préf !

Yeah this is a Depeche Mode album alright. A pretty forgettable entry in their great discography, comparatively. Everything on here is good though. A lot of how did they think of that moments. Pimpf rules, extremely kingdom hearts. Agent orange snoozer finish.

I swear if this list could give me 8 new wave albums in a week they'd do it. This starts off pretty strong with one of their hits, followed by more hits. This is probably what new wave fans call a banger. Anyway, this album sounds a lot more like the Depeche Mode I thought I knew than the other album I have listened to on this list, Violator. I actually liked that one despite myself. This one is just OK. 3/5

Pretty good, I like Depeche Mode even if they're not necessarily my usual fare. I could be talked into four stars, but I think three is my gut feeling in this moment.

Great ambassadors for 80s music, deep vocals, sawtooth synths. Some slower/less interesting bits though. Top track: Never Let Me Down Again

It's not the best Depeche Mode album, but I really need to delve into the catalog more. I wanted to like this one more than I did. The singles on this album are as strong as they have ever had and this really helped stamp their sound. A lot of songs on the back half fall flat for me, at least at first couple of listens.

Great music but at the same time quite depressing

I prefer Violator, but this wasn’t bad. I’m not a huge fan of Depeche Mode, but I might would revisit this one on occasion.

Depeche Mode are the kings of the Synth-Pop era. That said, I'm not too familiar with their work. Only their reputation. This album is a very good offering from them. The dark themes resonate regardless of the era. I could see myself listening to this album heavily about 20 years ago. Today, not as much. The first track was the best, imo. "Never Let Me Down Again" will make the playlist.

Hmmm

Fun very atmospheric didn’t know one single song

I finished it but can’t remember anything but the first song 😕

More like Mepeche Dode amiryt?

Love Depeche Mode. Feel like a supervillain in an aerobics leotard just challenged me to a dance off for the fate of the world

Industrial, sometimes bombastic, and a very 80s sound. A sound that disappeared after the 80s, and has therefore ruined its own timelessness in my opinion. Modest 3 for me.

Some refreshing stuff in this album. Never heard of the band before, but like their style and sound. Liked several songs for different reasons. 7/10

Lite samma som Violator, bra hits men ganska trist annars

Best Track - "Never Let Me Down Again"

This is my first Depeche Mode listening experience. They were definitely a band that was the butt of many jokes when I was a kid and alternative music became popular music. This is a good album. I listened to the Deluxe version and liked the instrumental songs after "Nothing" as much or more than the rest of the album.

The epic "Never Let Me Down" is best heard as a 12-inch single.

I think "Violator" had a larger impact on me when I drew that album a few months ago. Nothing particularly wrong with this album, it's Depeche Mode as their usual brooding selves, with their driving synths and drums. Things just didn't peak as high as they did in "Violator", which would release a few years later and was representative of the group hitting their stride. Also, "I Want You Now" was a strange change of pace, given the album's content.

What a wild story this band has, good album

Now that’s what I call 80’s

Very 80’s 3.37/5

Sounds like Depeche Mode and I neither like it nor do I dislike it. It’s sounds 80s and not something that would make me want to revisit it. The dramatics of the album kind of were annoying and I wanted to skip the end of some songs.

One of my favourite genres is 80's British New Wave and as such it was a pleasure to listen to a band I had not connected with. Cool.

Eh just not my thing. Not enough energy. Kept wanting it to turn into Blue Monday. Really liked the neat instrumental Pimpf tho, gonna add it to Halloween mix. Would give 3.5 if I could.

It was okay! I didn't have a strong opinion for that one.

Gothic synth. The hits still resonate; some of the rest are interesting but not spectacular.

Très bien mais Depeche Mode c'est pas ce que j'écouterais tous les jours.

Some interesting elements on here, but a little too dream/chamber pop for me a lot of the time. I like their later stuff more I think Standouts Strangelove Little 15 3/5

80’s. Fine.

Fairly decent album, singing is ok, but the beats are pretty nice. Never Let Me Down Again, Strangelove, I Want You Now, and Nothing were all solid. Best song: Little 15

Not sure how much I like dark synth, might grow on me with repeated listens

Çok güzel bir ilk yarıya sahip olmasına karşın ikinci yarı ilk yarının oluşturduğu beklentileri karşılamıyor

Some catchy tracks, but most are honestly quite forgettable. The opening track is by far the best one, in my opinion. I expected the rest of the album to sound some what similar, but the rest of the songs turned out to be slightly darker and were not as enjoyable to me.

Depeche Mode has a very distinct sound and this album is full of it. But no songs really stood out to me. It was more suited to ambient background music than anything else. Not hard to listen to, but I didn’t find it interesting either.

I’ve never been a massive fan of the late 80s new wave since pop. And Depeche Mode is unique. It’s defining trait is a more avant-garde artistic version of the style of music. The dark voice, while cool, tends to fade in the background and I have a hard time discerning songs from one another. However, as an example of the style of music, this album was pretty Correct.

it was pretty alright for me

Possibly the name of a band most pronounced incorrectly. Also sounds like the kind of person that would try to stop Gazza war by floating a tiny boat around

A great band with a decent album, theres a lot better examples of their music worthy of an extra star though so for now i'm leaving this at a 3

It was good

Was a pretty solid album. I loved the 80s esthetic while I was driving down the highway pretending I was in Miami during 1986. Some nice tracks, but there were also some tracks that were forgettable/repetitive. I didn't even realize the album was finished and replaying until 3 songs in.

Interesting. Not my thing.

80s but not bad

Best Song: The Thing you Said Woohoo, more new wave music, just what this list needs! 3.5

Never let me down again is a perfect song, as is Strangelove. I liked The Things You Said. The rest of the album... I find quite boring sadly. 3 for the album, 5 for those two tracks.

I came late in life to Depeche Mode. I had always heard of them as a kid and teen but my musical interests lay elsewhere. In my 40's I have been discovering bands I missed in my teens and Depeche Mode is at the top of those I have grown to like. Violator has become one of my all time faves. That being said while I liked this album I didn't HOOK me the way Violator did. I just fell short of the mark for me. Still solid but not great.

I like depeche mode. A few boring moments, mostly enjoyable

This album is very reminiscent of that band called dead or alive called you spin me around. I think I will give it another listen, it's good for background music. The lyrics aren't too present which makes it OK for background listening.

"Never Let Me Down Again" is one of my all-time favorites from Depeche Mode. The rest of the album has a few peaks and valleys, but nothing particularly standout in my opinion.

Industrial tinged synthy new wave. Smiths style singing in The Things You Said It's a good sound, but I could use some more variety or hooks Bit disappointed, had higher expectations. It is well produced and written, just a bit samey. Aggro mix of Never Let Me Down Again is good Best track - Strangelove, Nothing 3 stars

This is an interesting one for me. I'm someone who typically likes synth heavy electronic-based music, but this didn't really land for me. I'll give it another listen in the next few days and see if I feel differently about it.

This is a great album. Emo Synth Pop, what’s not to love! It can get a bit repetitive and its darkness means that I need to choose wisely when to listen to depeche mode, it can be a real downer. Love it!

Enjoyable - love them asses.

7/10

I heard this album a long time ago and just kinda had a tepid enjoyment of it then, but I never really figured out why, it became even more puzzling when Never Let Me Down Again is one of DM's best songs so... is the album really that meh to me still? Turns out that... yeah it is, mainly because I'm not huge on the slower and moodier songs here which kinda hint at some dramatic, classical inspired things but generally just sound like a chore to listen to, in general I feel this way towards slower DM songs (with some exceptions) but here I feel there are more of those songs which just isn't the best time, still like this album but not like other stuff in their discography.

Already heard most of the album. Good 80's electronic.

Moody synths with some catchy tunes throughout.

★★★½

Solid music! Bra vibes liksom :p typ tre och en halv?

about 50% of DM's music is rad and the other 50% is that i want somebody to love stuff.

Not sure why, but this didn't grab my attention as much as I was expecting. Strangelove is the stand out hit for me. A lot of it blended into the background for me, though it was still a good listen. I've spent a lot of time listening to Violator which resonates with me much more strongly for some reason. I definitely want to give it another listen.

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.

I couldn’t stand this band when they first came out, but I have grown to appreciate their unique style. This is not just Euro pop. Even though most of it is electronic, there is some depth and interesting moments musically.

It funny, Depeche Mode was introduced to me at the exact angsty moment in high school for it to have full impact. Listening to this album (not my favorite) it definitely is of that time. Feels dated. But, regardless, it took me back after a few songs. There so much space in the sound…that’s part of the appeal.

Larger than life singles. Not much else. The singles feel socially different than the rest of the album. Fuller. Layered with hooks galore. Dancefloor, MTV and stadium ready with the opener launching into the stratosphere. The rest is kind of meh. Aspiring but ultimately falling flat.

The album started off really strong with Never Let Me Down Again, the synths and drums were pretty cool at first. Then the album just progressively got weirder, maybe 2 stars, but giving 3 for what I imagine the cultural significance was of this album for a lot of groups.

My first reaction was, "This rules! I think these are the guys who did Shout." I then realized that was Duran Duran and then found out it was Tears for Fears. Based on that, I don't think I should be given a vote on this one. It generally sounded good, especially the first song.

I wanted to like this album but it wasn’t totally my jam. Initially I was going to give it 2 stars but it started to grow on me so I rated it a 3. Also taking into consideration their contributions to music and modern sound.

2 days in a row! I enjoyed Violator a lot more than this album. Still, great Depeche Mode!

Not for me

Une vraie capsule temporelle des années 80 sans le cringe qui peut venir avec. Un peu répétitif sur l'aspect gothique par contre, plusieurs chansons sont très similaires.

not quiet my taste

Over the years, I’ve tried to get into Depeche Mode about half a dozen times. It never worked for me – maybe I didn’t listen to the right songs or the right albums ? This time, I tried my best to give « Music for the Masses » a chance. I must admit I was finally hooked. It won’t become my favorite band anytime soon, but the cold, brooding atmosphere of this album really struck a chord, and a few tracks left me a lasting impression despite all my initial prejudices. I had never realized Depeche Mode could sound so similar to industrial. I don’t regret giving it a new try !

Enjoyed it! I love Depeche Mode. I think the album went on for a bit too long, though.

...

Two of the singles off this album, "Never Let Me Down Again" and "Behind The Wheel", are pulse-raising stompers, perfect marriages of melody and kinetic energy. ("Nothing" also gets honorable mention.) The rest of this album doesn't reach those heights though - too many of the other tracks are overly stiff and/or overwrought. The earnest singing on a lot of these songs also bogs down the proceedings.

Doesn't quite have the hits of Violator, interesting enough listen, probably needs a few more to grow on me.

His was fine. I prefer even earlier DM. Voice starts to sound the same on every single after a while.

it was alright

I have a weak spot for Depeche Mode. I'm more familiar with Violator and Songs Of Faith And Devotion, but this already has their sound, even tho some of the instruments sound like they are of the previous era (in the context of the DM I know). Some of the tracks are a bit thin for my taste, void of instrumentation, feeling a bit sparse sonically. It might be a 80's thing, I think a lot of things changed with the lightning fast developments in studio and recording technology around the end of the 80's and early 90's.

Some great tracks, but a lot of esoteric tracks in between.

I like Depeche Mode. They are definitely a different sounding band, but they are accessible enough to be pretty popular. I own a good amount of their stuff around the turn of 90s, but I’ve never listened to this album, so I was intrigued about listening to this. It’s interesting in that you can definitely hear the sound that they hone in the coming years, but this is certainly a bit rawer. That said, I have to say that putting this on the list instead of Violator is a crime. This album doesn't have a whole lot of great songs. There’s a few, but those pale in comparison to World In My Eyes, Personal Jesus, Policy of Truth, Enjoy The Silence and others. Violator is vastly superior in just about every way, and I would encourage anyone reading this to go find that album. It’s a much more complete sound and listen. As for this one, an average effort at best.

Surprisingly upbeat music for such morose lyrics

Depeche Mode, een bekende naam maar wist niet meer echt waarvan. Maar dit is dus de groep van Just Cant Get Enough, en dat is een absolute banger! Ben benieuwd naar andere muziek van deze groep. Hey! Strangelove doet mij ook een belletje rinkelen als ik dit zo hoor. Die ken ik uit een vage herinnering. Waarschijnlijk eentje waarin mijn moeder het volume aandraait en zegt: "Dit is mijn jeugd!". Maar niet zeker. Oke nee, naarmate dit album vordert, hoe meer het op mijn irritatie factor gaat werken.. Het is experimenteel, en hoewel ik dat kan waarderen, betekent het niet perse dat de muziek die eruit komt ook goed is. Oke wat, de cover van Route 66 is wel echt heel dope. Holy shit. Dit verhoogd het ineens wel weer zeg. Stjarna ook heel interessant.. Geen zang, maar wel een tof opbouwend nummer. Met ine eens veel piano? Ook het laatste nummer is in eens weer klassiek. Heh. Eerlijk, dit album is wel een breed spectrum. Voor mij persoonlijk is het begin en eind sterk. Het midden gedeelte begon langzaam maar zeker toch te irriteren. 3 reten. FAV: Strangelove, Route66

I don't think this is music for the masses. However, I'm still undecided if this is a good thing or a bad thing.

Nice

Some funky ones in there. Wtf is the Little 15 song? I can see the dance & pop power in this album as a whole, though. Also the more I listen to DM the more "Your Clown" by Eiffel 65 was clearly inspired by them.

Nice.

Delivering music for the masses, Depeche Mode had finally shed the skin of constricting shimmer and embraced something a whole lot darker, rendering them out of step with their homeland but completely in sync everywhere else. It may not be for everyone but the creative and commercial peak from the band is to be respected as it has given them the platform to not only base themselves off of for good but to morph in regards to changing tides and still be amongst the curve. This is as good of a place to start. Favorites: Never Let Me Down Again, The Things You Said, Strangelove, Behind the Wheel, To Have and to Hold, Pimpf.

Another new-to-me album. As you can see, the 80s are a big hole in my listening history. I've never really dug the synth sound but here we go. Through 5 songs I have enjoyed the variety in music more so than other albums in the genre I've heard. Somewhat theatrical! Overall I don't mind this album at all. I doubt I'll ever cue these songs up again but I wouldn't skip them if they popped up either. 2.9/5

Such an influencial group, I'd give a four start if there were a bit less syths, but it was the sound of the time and furthermore their instruments. Thier music is certainly inluenced by the fact that they were keyboardists above all. Once you count the amount of cover versions from their various records you can comprehend their influence. From this album, I recomend "Never let mle down again from" the Smashing Pumkins.

God knows how much I hate synth-pop. But Depeche Mode represents its darker side, deeper, more refined, blending alternative and gothic vibes, and still hugely influential today. One of the best albums of popular music to come out of that damn decade. Some tracks give off a cold, dark atmosphere that is truly unique. But Violator did it even better, seamlessly bringing in the sound of the 90s.

not my favorite but still doable

Not bad, but not as good as Violater. The synthesized breathing/moaning on “ I want you now” was hilarious. “Never let me down again” is probably my favorite on here.

Some songs were great! Some songs didn’t age well.

This is certainly not my sound, but the artistry of this was really impressive

This was the first DM album I heard sometime around '91. I still really like this album all these years later. A great representation of the synth-pop sound of the time.

I much prefer the really early stuff (1981 - 1984) but this one is OK with Little 15 being the highlight of the album. Would dance to it at a nightclub but I doubt I would play it again much less hunt down my own copy. The last song on the album Pimpf has a great beat/feel to it so I would buy it & add it to a playlist.

3. Didnt love it but glad I listened.

I liked it! It isn't my usual style of music but that's what I love about this. In a complimentary way, it sounds like what I imagine aliens and robots would come up with if they needed to create music. I love the lead singer's voice mixed with the techno sound in the background. I feel like I can fully see how some of my favorite bands have referred to them as inspiration.

Good album with a lot of good music. It felt like it dragged on some parts, as it was unnecessary but overall enjoyable.

Solid 80s rock album. Synthy. Pimpf at the end was cool. Otherwise, kinda samey but wouldn’t mind having it on in the background.

It was okay. First few songs were good but then felt repetitive

This one felt like 80s Mecha anime to me. I could definitely hear the influence that this album probably has. Sounds similar to some Muse songs? My favorite track was Strangelove, which sounded different from the rest of the album. I liked it overall but I don't think it would be something I would seek out to listen to.

So 80s. I like that it got really weird in the last tracks

Quite enjoyed this….

Meh. I like Depeche Mode in general. But I don't think I'd ever really want to sit and listen to them with intention. I've always really liked the vocals on all the Depeche Mode records, this one is no exception. I don't really have anything else to say about this one. It's an album that exists. 3/5

Haunting sounds of the 80s. Would give 3.5/5 if I could. Really fun but one of those that you don’t neeeeed to go back to

Decent, for 80's music. 3/5

The Synths are interesting but in general I felt this album was not for me.

Rv/g

Pretty good but unfortunately an ex ruined Depeche Mode so it will never be high in my book

a very cool atmospheric album! could be a four if i keep coming back to it 3.5/5

OK I heard Depeche Mode.

Listenable, just nothing standout

Some good beats. Enjoyable.

The first three songs on this album, were really great! However, I feel like the rest of the songs on the album, struggled to stand out. Everything melted together for me. I will likely not return back to this album, although I do feel they did well fitting into the synth pop scene.

This Is Religion, There Is No Doubt 1001 Albums Generator 57 (06/20/2025) Music For The Masses lies in the middle of the most critically acclaimed trilogy of albums in Depeche Mode's discography. The cover is a bright spot, bookended by the darkness in the covers of Black Celebration and the highly regarded Violator, but the sound of Music For The Masses is certainly not as bright and airy as its cover would suggest. While this is a synthpop album, there is a darkness present here, especially in the second half. I have been very late to the Depeche Mode party to be honest. Violator has been on my radar as long as I can remember but I haven't ever listened to it, so I was excited to jump into Music For The Masses. The album, like many albums on this list, opens with one of its strongest songs. Never Let Me Down Again is one of the poppiest songs here, and it works great. However, even underneath this poppy exterior lies a darkness; some sort of brooding energy lurks below and foreshadows the vibe that later songs on the album would have. Strangelove is another hit. I love the synth riff that happens in the intro and post-chorus. This is also a good time to mention the drum sound on this album. It's absolutely huge and manages to walk the uncanny valley between sounding natural but still having an electronic timbre. The first half of the album continues on a strong note from here with Sacred, which opens on a theatrical, haunting choral part before falling into its groove. Although the chorus is simple, it is one of the most affecting melodies on the album. As you can probably tell, my favorite songs on this album are largely the ones that lean more into synthpop and less into darkwave/gothic elements. The penultimate song, Nothing, is my favorite song on the whole album I think. It is so underrated; I can't believe this wasn't a massive hit. It has the gothic aura that the album exudes but it does that in such a unique and fun way. However, about half of the songs here do not have enough going on for me. The worst offender is Little 15, which just feels so silly to me. I just envision a little elf marching to the silly ah beat. The closer Pimpf is built on a good piano line, but I struggle to take its martial energy seriously and it goes on too long. As a minute and a half outro, I would think it was kind of cool, but 4 minutes is way to much. I Want You Now and To Have And To Hold don't have much distinguishing themselves from one another either, so that whole part of the tracklist drags for me a bit. Music For The Masses is a pretty good album. It features some of the best songs that I have discovered during this challenge thus far, but it also has a lot of songs that I do not care for. Definition of a 3/5 for me. Favs: Never Let Me Down Again Sacred Nothing Least Fav: Little 15

Doesn't have the atmosphere of Some Great Reward or the songs of Violator, and so it doesn't do much for me. It's fine, but not much more than that.

Good album, not their best

Interesting; did not live - did nit hate it

A lot of stuff on here

I assumed I knew Depeche Mode’s music but I didn’t recognise a single track on this album. I associated them with New Romantic but tbh they sounded more like Kraftwerk. Not a fan of electronica, but I liked the variety in the second half of the album. Good to listen

3.3 2x

Some solid gold classics but not as good as violator

Dark, theatrical synth-pop that is also very hooky. Never Let Me Down Again and Sacred were my two favourites. Very close to being a 4.

I was prepared to give this a 2 but then amid a beat made from homoerotic grunting it suddenly dawned on me: This is actually not bad at all. Not a big fan of the 80's sound to be honest so that keeps it from getting a 4 from me.

2.7

Like I've said before, just not my genre. Still a very listenable album though. 3/5.

I never really got into DM, but it was enjoyable.

There's a lot of nice arrangements and artsy stuff going over there, but I can't say that these songs will stay in my mind forever. Enjoyable!

Decent 7/10

Cool band and a good album overall

3.6

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would, but I probably wouldn’t listen again. The music was fine to have on in the background but nothing particularly grabbed my attention. Fav song: Strangelove Least fav: Sacred

Not a big fan of this one honestly. I haven’t heard much of depeche mode but this isn’t making me very enthusiastic. Specific rating - 2.6 Fav song - never let me down again Least fav - the things you said

Oh dear, that was dramatic (and a little gay.) Music for the Masses is an album of 80’s dance music that improves and gets more listenable with each passing song from Nothing to the finish. Best few cuts are at the end. Or maybe they just wore me down. I think the title helped get this album on the 1001 List. (2.75*s)

I'd consider myself a Depeche Mode fan. They bring a darker synth pop sound that mostly resonates for me. Even though I enjoyed the album I wouldn't consider it "for the masses". I feel like it has a pretty high point of entry and could easily see how someone would find this album skipppable or off-putting. I tend to lean more toward the album Violator as their best work so I'm a little surprised that Music for the Masses made the cut. I'll be pleased if Violator shows up but I'm not sure they deserve two albums on the list so I think this one could be axed without issue. While Music for the Masses is a good example of what Depeche Mode offers I'd consider it a pretty middle of the pack entry even if I am a fan of the band. 2.50

Cool 80s vibes. Vocals were sort of weird and some of it seems dated at this point.

Pretty good, but it didn't feel particularly interesting?

es un album muy me presento soi miercoles adams. como oscuro pero mola, se q en otra epoca de mi vida me gustaria mas

Have never listened to any Depeche Mode beyond the singles before. A but dated, but I can see why they have endured so well. Very cool, dark textured production and strong vocals. Didn't blow my mind but really liked the last few tunes especially.

je me sens depressed en écoutant ça. mais c’est appréciable

This is ok, definitely has a couple really good songs and a bunch of forgettable filler. Not as good as Violator or their early stuff, but not bad

Kind of interesting and there's enough here to fit some very specific vibes but I don't see myself revisiting this.

I know these guys are "legends" but I wonder if Music for the Masses is a description as well as a title and in trying to be more accessible they created this otherwise forgettable album.

Reverb heavy, dreamy, echoes

Ugh....things sure were *dramatic* in the 80s.

Tom Breihan of Stereogum #1 fame, wrote this about Pretty Hate Machine by Nine Inch Nails: "For much of the 1990s, Pretty Hate Machine was that type of album: One that could inspire fervent, devotional need and absolute revulsion, largely depending on the age of the person hearing it. And that's even more impressive when you consider that it's basically a **synth-pop" album**." ...did Tom forget that Depeche Mode exists? This idea that 80s synth music was all suitable to be used as backing tracks for Miami Vice never seems to go away, despite the fact that in the UK and the rest of Europe it was often used to create music that was cold, stark, dark and deeply passionate. That said, after a high energy start to "Never Let Me Down Again", the album does start to become overwhelming by the midpoint. The grunt filled Little 15 felt voyeuristic rather than a real character study.

Depeche Mode sits in such an interesting spot in time. What they’re successful at on this album (and in general) is capturing a style/aesthetic and putting it in album form. I can imagine being a teen at the time of this album coming out, it could’ve been a huge gateway into more gothic stuff, more underground electronic music, more industrial stuff. For putting all those genres together in a fairly digestible package, I applaud “Music For The Masses”. “The Things You Said” is my favorite vocal track, with that “I never tried to hide them” call and answer in the chorus. “Pimpf” is my favorite instrumental track, it really leans into the haunted, grand, dramatic direction this album sometimes goes in. I think I like the instrumental tracks the most overall on this project. “Music For The Masses” isn’t totally for me, I think artists in the future iterated in this sound and took it in more intense, interesting directions. I also think this album occasionally lacks hooks, but maybe that’s just me wanting more accessible choruses in general. All that being said, I get the appeal of this album, this band, and the time period they did it all in. Soft 3/5.

C'était bon ! 5

Nothing standout (aside from Agent Orange and Stjarna which are really cool instrumentals) but a really enjoyable overall listen (except for Pimpf which spooked me and wasn't good enough to make that ok).

Beep, bop, boop! Love me some Depeche Mode, just not very often.

80s outdated

Not a bad listen...not nearly as good as Violator though. Only really remember "Strangelove" from the radio or MTV. 3.5 stars...rounding down because of that song with the weird breathing.

3.5

If by "the masses" they mean drunk Gen Xers with their nipples exposed through mesh shirts, the title is spot on

The 80's was the golden age of new wave synth pop. This is a pretty great album. Never Let Me Down Again and Strangelove stand out. I have always liked Depeche Mode, but they always sound downbeat and angsty. Still good, but just that vibe to the music. I was more a New Order person, but this is definitely worth a listen

Vraiment pas mon préféré de Depeche Mode, je le trouve juste correct

Ça me fait pas grand chose.

6/10

Oh hi, it's me, the masses! Out of the gate this is not for the masses, it is a Gothic rock-pop with shouts to early Industrial. Both of which I adore. I am a bit surprised (once again) that Depeche Mode was chosen over the more obvious bands to represent these genres (hello King Woman, Electric Wizard, Sleep, Melvins, Kyuss, Helmet, Mudhoney, later years of The Damned, etc...). First track is a banger. Second track drags, the beat and chimes could have been used to go so much harder imo. To quote Jack Harlow, "whole track sound like an intro". Sacred is layered and atmospheric in a really interesting way but somehow manages to squeak just under being catchy. Little 15 - I'm guessing this is a pedo song? (Looked up the lyrics and yes it is.) Is it just me or is new wave filled with this topic? Just came out of listening to Oingo Boingo's Little Girls. I Want You Now is one of the most fun songs on the album. The layers of vocals doing the heavy lifting of percussion, bass, backing vox and special fx is pretty cool and there is some interesting discord. I have the same gripe about this song as I do for the other songs on this album - there is so much potential for the song to get larger and more dramatic after the chiller, tense "intro". Again the entire song sounds like an intro. Maybe I've just been ruined by modern music. But I Want You Now feels like the blue balls of music. Nothing fortunately brought this album back to life. While the song could have been an intro, it also stood on its own as a eerie bop new wave gothic. The synth and organ are the perfect tone to go along with the gloomy wailing vox. The last two songs have similar dark flavours and tones and end the album on some interest. That said Agent Orange is another "entire song is an intro" kinda track and reminds me of old skool James Bond video game load screen music. Not bad, but it's load screen music. The version of this album I found on spotify had some remixes at the end and I'm sorry to say that they were all better than the originals and transcended the original tracks past intro status. Overall, fun new wave album with pretty tight production and a strong undercurrent of darkness. Did I need to hear this before I die? Absolutely not. Was it moderately enjoyable? Yes. Three stars because compared to other New Wave on this list (hello Duran Duran) this is mildly less interesting.

Good, though it starts to feel a tad samey as many of the songs feel similar. Nothing here’s bad though, and plimpf is a great closer

Fav: Never Let Me Down Again Least Fav: I Want You Now Don’t be fooled by the opener, it’s an average at best album

velho conhecido, mas muito abaixo da minha preferência pelo Violator.

Very 80’s with the synths and melodies, very Depeche Mode for the vocals and the percussion. First two songs don’t do it for me, but Strangelove picks up the pace with the interesting synths. Slows back down again until Behind the Wheel, which I also like.

Liked it enough to download it

A change of pace for 80s music. I feel like I haven’t heard a ton of their music and it was adequate

Painfully 80s, but kind of enjoyable. Brooding synths. The singer reminds me of the guy from the Smiths.

2.5/5

Listens: 2-3 Standout Tracks: Behind the Wheel I have conflicting opinions about this album/band. On the one hand uggggh 80s New Wave is blah; it seems so stereotypical of the era, but on the other hand, the album is growing on me; I am finding myself enjoying it, and I am not sure why. Perhaps its like an accident on the highway. You can't look away. This music is not where my brain goes when I think about or want to listen to Electronic music. 3

On Music for the Masses, Depeche Mode lean hard into their electric goth/pop-industrial roots, delivering a moody, synth-soaked soundtrack for the disenchanted dancefloor. It's a record where sad bois groove through the gloom, threading dark romanticism with pulsing beats and icy textures. The opener "Never Let Me Down Again" sets the tone with its driving rhythm and haunting piano touches, while "The Things You Said" and "Behind the Wheel" create immersive, unsettling atmospheres that tug you deeper into their nocturnal world. "Sacred" stands out with a bouncy, elastic bassline that injects just enough energy to lift the gloom without breaking the spell. It’s not a flawless album, but there’s enough here to keep both your eyeliner and your body moving.

not bad not bad

Solid album, probably something I would fw more if I was 70 years old and alive when it came out

This one receives three stars of five as a good work but not very bright throughtout its A-Side. In fact, the best moments I recall after getting to know the records are from the ending tracks. Fav track (by far): To Have And To Hold. This one is immediately on repeat.

I had only known Depeche Mode through their one song "Personal Jesus" which I liked quite a bit. You can really hear the aging on this album but just because it's dated don't mean there weren't some enjoyable songs on here. It has a certain charm to it that anyone that enjoys 80s music overall could enjoy. At the very least it didn't make me want to fall asleep compared to the other albums on this list. Overall it was pretty good. Top 3: Never Let Me Down Again, Strangelove, and Behind The Wheel No bad songs 3.25/5

It is said this is DP's best album; I disagree. To me, it's par with everything else in their catalog, which is to say it's REALLY good. I prefer Violator. As always, extraordinarily well-produced 3.75

I really couldn't get into this that much. It's fine 80s music, but Im not sure I'd turn this on intentionally.

Not the best but has that nice beat to most songs and catchy rawness that makes Depeche Mode

Violator is superior. This is pretty gothy and morose, though, which I like.

Listened to it, iconic sound but not very memorable. I like the hits, b tracks don’t speak to me.

Like they’re on the brink of putting it together for a true hit but all the pieces aren’t quite there. Meanders at times making me wonder what they were going for and feeling like they didn’t know and didn’t get there.

Vinyl: Yes Fav Song: Strangelove Notes: I want it to be better than it is. Violator is 5 stars.

Interesting album from this group. None of these specific tracks brings back any memories from this 80's kid, though the overall sound absolutely does. This is prime electronica from one of the most recognizable artists of the genre, though not my favorite in their catalog. Also, pretty sure "I Want You Now" is about a dude's blue balls. Deep stuff.

Ayyyy I must really be in a Depeche mode..... ahhhhhhhh... never-ending suffering. Anywho this is very similar to violator. Less hits but equal in quality. Also equal in me not caring too much. Good stuff but not getting spun constantly

“Strangelove” … eh, OK. But the rest of these songs just kinda run together …

not exactly my style but interesting. i'd check out more of their stuff

Not something I would regularly listen to, but I get the hype.

not my favorite od DM but still good

3/5 Ymmärrän albumin listalla olemisen ja onhan tää ihan hyvää, mutta omaan makuun kuitenkin hieman liian laahaavaa musiikkia.

Although my favourite DM song is on this album, Violator is much, much better.

This dour, shadowy modular pop is loaded with the sort of hooks that takes dozens of listens to reveal themselves and would have meant loads to its audience back in the day (the entire gay population of the Soviet Union for example). A bit goth and serious for me, but total respect all the same. Other from Numan and NIN did anybody else achieve such a ‘rock’ sound with so many prominent synthetic elements?

This album was more enjoyable than I expected. The highlight for me was Plimpf (the closer). It was absolutely crazy in the best ways. I'd say this is a 3.5 star album, but I can't round up for the site. I can't go to 4 stars.

I enjoyed this album more than I expected. Though I am an 80s alternative guy through and through, Depeche Mode was never in my wheel house. Too dance, too electronic, etc... But I enjoyed the darkness and drama of the songs on this album . They definitely know how set a mood. The opener is the obvious touchstone with its arena rock ready grandiosity, but there are a number of very enjoyable songs here. 3.5 stars

Not as bopping as other Depeche mode albums, 3*

Yeah it’s ok. Violator is better

It’s good. I like their album Violator much better.

Outside of that one hit, this wasn't sitting with me well yesterday for whatever reason.

Yeh it's Depeche mode ain't it, decent album but probably one I won't visit again. High 3.

As a big fan of Violator, I was really surprised by how little this album did for me. Some cool sounds, and a surprisingly pop punk energy behind the first half, but yeah, very middle of the road.

3.5

Lijkt een beetje op the the, alleen vind ik het dan minder pit hebbe

Pimpf was good. Some nice synthy bangers. Quite dark and depressing but not bad. Not in a rush to chuck on again

Kinda torn cos Never Let Me Down Again is prob my face Depeche Mode song but rest of the album was a bit mehhhhhh. 2.5-3*