Depeche Mode: 12 Of The Rock Hall Of Fame Band’s Best Songs, Including ‘Never Let Me Down Again’

• Depeche Mode is simply a set that formed successful 1980.
• Their song, “Never Let Me Down Again,” was utilized successful The Last Of Us.
• Here are 12 much songs to cheque out.

2023 whitethorn good beryllium the twelvemonth of Depeche Mode. In March, the set – Dave Gahan and Martin Gore – volition merchandise Memento Mori, its fifteenth album, the archetypal since the passing of founding subordinate Andy Fletcher. The set volition execute unrecorded for the archetypal clip successful 5 years, kicking disconnected a worldwide tour. They whitethorn person a caller procreation of fans, acknowledgment to The Last Of Us.

In the debut occurrence of the HBO live-action adaptation of the deed video game, showrunner Craig Mazin utilized the group’s “Never Let Me Down Again” successful a closing scene. “My woman has an encyclopedic cognition of 1980s music,” helium told The Hollywood Reporter. “And I virtually said each the things you conscionable said. I request it to beryllium a opus that I benignant of cognize but I haven’t heard successful a agelong time. One that hasn’t been beaten to death. And I needed it to person context. I needed to beryllium meaningful. I needed [it] to beryllium foreboding, and ideally, without being ace connected the nose, springiness maine a remark …. And past she was like: ‘Never Let Me Down Again.’ And I’m like, ‘Oh, my God.'”

Whether The Last Of Us causes a Kate Bush-style surge successful streams remains to beryllium seen. For those fans proceeding Depeche Mode for the archetypal clip (or are present doing a deep-dive), present are immoderate songs to assistance you get acquainted with these electronic goth stone gods.

Depeche Mode arsenic they were conscionable starting retired (Ilpo Musto/Shutterstock)

“Just Can’t Get Enough”

Compared to the remainder of Depeche Mode’s assemblage of work, “Just Can’t Get Enough” stands out. Like the awkward middle-school photograph that haunts the present chill precocious schoolhouse senior, “Just Can’t Get Enough” sees the set successful a precise antithetic dependable than they’d aboriginal employment connected hits similar “Personal Jesus,” “Never Let Me Down Again,” and “Barrel of a Gun.”

“I was possibly 18, astir 19,” Dave Gahan told Entertainment Weekly in 2017. “The punk happening had conscionable benignant of ended, but determination were inactive a fewer radical who were hanging retired successful the clubs successful London, who were trying to play euphony that you could creation to a spot much that wasn’t truthful violent, and ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’ became 1 of those.”

Written by founding subordinate Vince Clarke, “Just Can’t Get Enough” was not the dependable helium was usually into. He wasn’t into creation euphony until helium heard “To Cut A Long Story Short” by Spandau Ballet. “It was the archetypal clip I was really impressed by a bushed that went ‘boom-thwack, boom-thwack,'” helium told Rolling Stone successful 2000, per Songfacts. “It was the archetypal clip I discovered creation euphony for myself, and to constitute a opus astir the bushed was rather a revelation for me. ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’ came retired of that.”

Clarke near Depeche Mode soon aft the merchandise of Speak & Spell to signifier Yazoo/Yaz and Erasure. “[Speak & Spell] was precise overmuch a Vince Clarke album, and helium owns the rights to that song, of course, truthful it’s been successful truthful galore commercials, and it pops up,” Gahan told EW. “I deliberation that opus has kept him successful cornflakes for galore years.”

“Everything Counts”

Clarke exited Depeche Mode due to the fact that helium claimed helium was sick of touring. “That’s what helium said, but I deliberation that’s a batch of bullsh**, to beryllium rather honest,” Gahan told Rolling Stone in 1990. “I deliberation he’d conscionable taken it arsenic acold arsenic helium could.”

“We were precise successful. We were successful each popular magazine. We were connected the TV shows. Everything was going close for Depeche Mode. Everybody wanted to cognize astir Depeche Mode. I deliberation Vince abruptly mislaid involvement successful it – and helium started getting letters from fans asking what benignant of socks helium wore,” said Gahan. “Martin had written a mates of songs, and we went into the workplace and recorded ‘See You,’ which was our biggest deed truthful far. So that was it ‘Bye, Vince.'”

“See You” would ascent higher than “Just Can’t Get Enough,” reaching No. 6 connected the UK Singles Chart. However, it didn’t merchantability arsenic good arsenic its predecessor. And the consequent singles – “The Meaning of Love” and “Leave In Silence” from 1982’s A Broken Frame – had diminishing returns. With the set seemingly connected the verge of collapse, Gore shifted gears, turning distant from the effervescent satellite of popular to follow much governmental themes connected 1983’s Construction Time Again. This is champion exemplified successful “Everything Counts.”

“‘Everything Counts’ is the benignant of course-correcting, game-changing grounds that fewer bands with mainstream aspirations let themselves to marque (or are allowed to make),” wrote Jason Heller for The AV Club in 2011. “It’s gutsy. It’s subversive. It’s weird. Yet it formed the template for everything Depeche Mode would execute implicit the adjacent 10 years, erstwhile Gore and unit morphed from second-stringers to stadium-fillers.”

“People Are People”

Though Depeche Mode had enjoyed occurrence successful the UK, the set hadn’t crossed implicit into different countries – particularly the United States – until 1984’s “People Are People.” The opus reached No. 4 connected the UK Singles Charts, the band’s champion showing up to that point, and No. 13 connected the Billboard Hot 100. “People Are People” showed that the set could person wide appeal, and its occurrence would let the radical immoderate fiscal breathing room. 0

“This was the archetypal opus of ours that made a dent, really, into fashionable radio,” Gahan told EW. “It’s not 1 of Martin’s peculiar favorites, this one, and I don’t deliberation we’ve done it unrecorded since the mid ’80s. It’s rather literal, precise poppy, each large cords — thing Martin doesn’t similar truthful overmuch these days. But the opus truly propelled america into a caller cosmos astatine that peculiar time.”

Despite Gahan’s calling the opus “very poppy,” its lyrics are dense (“a governmental opus wrapped successful pop’s clothing,” writes Clash magazine). The BBC reports that “People Are People” was utilized arsenic the taxable of West German TV’s sum of the 1984 Olympics (when East Germany joined a Soviet Union-led boycott successful retaliation to the American-led boycott of the 1980 Olympics.)

“The opus became a no. 1 deed successful galore countries successful Europe,” said Gahan, “and it allowed america to past spell disconnected and make the euphony that we wanted to create.”

“Master And Servant”

As Depeche Mode progressed done the 1980s, the band’s dependable fell further distant from the popular joyousness that surrounded the group’s archetypal success. While penning astir BDSM wasn’t antithetic for a synthpop set (Soft Cell had “Sex Dwarf” connected their 1981 album, Nonstop Erotic Cabaret), this inactive stands arsenic a pivotal infinitesimal for Depeche Mode, particularly successful its increasing entreaty with the goth/Batcave Club community.

“Even much of an concern anthem than its predecessors, ‘Master and Servant’ doesn’t simply codify the implicit bondage/domination doings of said perceived country successful its lyrics but brings them to full beingness via the almighty bushed attack,” writes AllMusic. “That it could besides beryllium a popular deed is portion of Depeche Mode’s unique, almighty appeal, from the opening call-and-response vocals to David Gahan’s heavy treated vocals and the operation of softer tones and harsher screams, noises, and drumming.”

The opus reflects Martin’s shifting interests. He’d go “acquainted with the euphony of concern acts specified arsenic Einstürzende Neubauten and SPK,” writes AJ Ramirez for Pop Matters. “However, alternatively of creating confrontational musique factual similar galore of his inspirations, Gore was adamant astir fashioning his caller influences into a popular context.” This is wherefore “Master and Servant” matters: Gore took his peers’ and idols’ experimentation and presented it arsenic a palatable dependable for the masses without sacrificing the bulk of the grit, grime, and underground excitement.

“Shake The Disease”

“The opus tells the communicative of a one-sided narration betwixt a miss and a boy. They recognize that it is arsenic bully arsenic implicit for them. So it’s a poignant song, but not existent life,” Martin reportedly said successful 1985, per the DM/Live fan-site.

“It’s fundamentally a emotion song, and it’s truly astir the problems of not being capable to get crossed what you truly mean,” Gahan reportedly said successful an quality connected the ITV tv show No. 73, “When you’re really trying to speech to idiosyncratic that you, let’s say, fancy — you know, you fancy idiosyncratic astatine schoolhouse oregon immoderate and you’re trying to speech to them. Sometimes it’s precise difficult, you know, and that’s what it’s fundamentally about. And he’s trying to shingle that illness of not being capable to speech to people.”

“Strangelove”

Released arsenic the pb azygous from Music for the Masses, “Strangelove” acts similar a cleanable balancing enactment betwixt Depeche Mode’s pop-leanings that helped spark the band’s instauration and the dark, sultry attitudes that lurked nether the surface.

“‘Strangelove’ slipped retired arsenic an aboriginal azygous portion [Music For The Masses] sessions were inactive ongoing; arsenic archetypal heard, it was assertive synth-funk that was almost…sprightly,” wrote Ned Raggett for The Quietus. This almost-accidental azygous “helped acceptable the wide code of things to come, with the [Anton] Corbijn video afloat showcasing the director’s oculus for odd, intriguing visuals changeable done with wit and hardly concealed lust.”

Though the set was cute – the earlier videos and photos showed them arsenic crisp, cleanable young lads – this was erstwhile the radical began to get sexy. While they weren’t wholly determination yet (the representation of Gahan, Gore, Fletcher, and Wilder lip-syncing to the opus successful identical shades seems absurd successful hindsight), they were connected their way.

“Behind The Wheel”

Similar to “Strangelove” and the “Never Let Me Down Again,” “Behind The Wheel” – besides from Music For The Masses – helped Depeche Mode turn from synthpop idols into acheronian heartthrobs of the underground.

As a pule-pounding bushed drives “Behind the Wheel,” Gahan’s assurance surges arsenic helium serenades the pistillate operator with his sultry, captivating voice. Yet, determination seems thing acheronian and forbidden astir this song, arsenic if it were touching backmost connected the themes posed successful “Master and Servant” 3 years earlier.

“Depeche Mode built a diehard cult, becoming 1 of the indispensable goth/industrial bands to transverse implicit into the mainstream,” wrote the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame erstwhile the set was inducted successful 2020. “Known for their dark, concern emotion songs for the modern era, Depeche Mode person earned a monolithic pursuing by pushing sonic and lyrical boundaries with caller synthesizer exertion and captivating unrecorded performances. They proceed to evolve, remaining a legendarily fearsome unrecorded enactment crossed the planet, with 1 ft successful the underground and the different successful the nine – but ever with an oculus connected the future.

“Never Let Me Down Again”

Released arsenic the 2nd azygous from 1987’s Music for the Masses, “Never Let Me Down Again” reached No. 63 connected the US Billboard Hot 100 charts and tapped retired astatine No. 22 connected the UK Singles Chart. The opus was thrust backmost into the spotlight successful 2023 erstwhile HBO’s The Last Of Us, the live-action adaptation of the deed video crippled series, utilized the opus successful its debut episode.

Written by Martin Gore, the opus was produced by David Bascombe, who worked with the set connected Music For The Masses. “‘Never Let Me Down Again’ was the 1 I was really, truly pleased with,” noted Bascombe successful a making-of documentary, per Music Radar. “I was truly progressive with the drum sounds connected that. The guitar intro was really an mishap due to the fact that [with] the sequencers we were utilizing successful those days, that guitar was sampled, and it conscionable ran connected the count-in implicit the commencement of the track, but it wasn’t expected to be. We each went, ‘That’s great,’ and truthful that was a blessed accident.”

The opus marks an summation of guitar sounds successful the Depeche Mode sound, thing that would beryllium seen successful the band’s adjacent album, Violator.

“Personal Jesus”

The opus was inspired by Priscilla Presley’s memoir, Elvis & Me, in which she describes the King arsenic her ain “personal Jesus.” Martin took that 1 measurement further. “It’s astir however Elvis was her antheral and her mentor and however often that happens successful emotion relationships; however everybody’s bosom is similar a deity successful immoderate way,” Martin told Spin in 1990. “We play these god-like parts for people, but nary 1 is perfect, and that’s not a precise balanced presumption of someone, is it?”

“It’s a large line!” Gahan told EW. “It’s got a wit successful it excessively arsenic well, and there’s ever this weird acheronian wit wrong a batch of Depeche Mode songs that radical miss, tongue-in-cheek and besides precise British, but it was successful that opus for sure.”

“Enjoy The Silence”

“Enjoy The Silence” is, arsenic of Jan. 2023, Depeche Mode’s astir palmy song. Though it lone reached No. 6 successful the UK Singles chart, it broke done the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 8. The UK certified it Platinum, and it went Gold successful the states. The opus “made Depeche Mode into American superstars, propelling their seventh album, Violator, to triple-platinum presumption and prompting a near-riot astatine a SoCal in-store appearance,” writes Rolling Stone when listing it astatine No. 415 of its 500 Best Songs Of All Time list.

“When Martin archetypal came up with a demo for ‘Silence,’ it was benignant of fractional a song. Just a soft and these precise slow, ballad-y mates of verses,” Gahan shared with EW. “And Alan [Wilder] and Flood, who was producing the album, had this thought to enactment a bushed to it. They said, ‘Get retired of the workplace and travel backmost successful 2 days.’… We virtually recorded it successful a mates of days. Then we started messing with the song, trying to marque it much than it was, and it ne'er needed more. We enactment it retired similar that, and I deliberation we knew betwixt america that determination was thing precise peculiar astir it, but we had nary thought what a immense deed it was going to be.”

“Policy Of Truth”

“Personal Jesus,” “Enjoy The Silence,” and “Policy of Truth” people the 3 large U.S. hits disconnected of Violator. While Depeche Mode would besides merchandise “World In My Eyes” (and it would scope No. 17 connected the UK Singles Chart), it failed to ace the apical fractional of the Billboard Hot 100, whereas “Policy of Truth” made it to No. 15.

The opus “glides on connected 1 of the band’s astir alluring synthetic rhythms,” wrote Jim Beviglia for American Songwriter. “Gore’s words, which are transmitted by Gahan successful his insinuating tones, discarded nary clip successful making their point: ‘You had thing to hide/Should person hidden it, shouldn’t you?'”

“What truly drove maine was, archetypal of all, to beryllium to you and everybody other that we were a unit to beryllium reckoned with,” Gahan says of that time, per American Songwriter. “That we were important and had conscionable arsenic overmuch close to beryllium present arsenic your U2s oregon whoever were the critics darlings astatine the time. I deliberation we ever felt we were someway slighted successful that way. When we were making Violator, adjacent though we had nary thought what the occurrence of that medium was going to beryllium aft we released it, determination was decidedly a feeling of breaking caller ground.”

“I Feel You”

Released arsenic the archetypal azygous from Songs of Faith and Devotion, “I Feel You” showcased Depeche Mode’s scope by reaching No. 1 connected the US Modern Rock Tracks and No. 3 connected the Hot Dance Club Play charts. Not galore bands tin execute specified a feat, and it’s wherefore Depeche Mode has resonated with truthful galore passim its forty-year career.

“Electronically generated post-Goth creation popular isn’t a concept, it’s a style,” wrote Rolling Stone in its reappraisal of the medium successful 1993. “Song to song, Faith and Devotion showcases Depeche’s every, er, mode astatine its finest and adds a wee thing — an intensifier, a surprise, the shocking but not unpleasant dependable of frontman Dave Gahan really singing. ‘I Feel You’ has the twangy stomp of “Personal Jesus”; it’s ecstatically danceable.”

And radical person been dancing ever since.

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