Depeche Mode

Depeche Modeare an Englishelectronic musicband formed inBasildon,Essexin 1980. Originally formed with the lineup ofDave Gahan,Martin Gore,Andy FletcherandVince Clarke, the band currently consists of Gahan and Gore.
With Clarke as their primary songwriter, Depeche Mode released their debut albumSpeak & Spellin 1981 amid the Britishnew wavescene. Clarke left the band at the end of 1981, going on to form the groupsYazooand laterErasure. The remaining trio recorded their second album,A Broken Frame(1982), with Martin Gore as chief songwriter. The band then recruitedAlan Wilder, establishing a lineup that continued until 1995, beginning with the albumsConstruction Time Again(1983) andSome Great Reward(1984). The albumsBlack Celebration(1986) andMusic for the Masses(1987) cemented them as a dominant force within the electronic and alternative music scenes, and their June 1988 concert at thePasadena Rose Bowldrew a crowd of over 60,000 people.
In 1990, they released their seventh album,Violator, which reached number seven on theBillboard200and was certified triple platinum by theRIAA. The following albumSongs of Faith and Devotion(1993) was also a success, though the band's internal struggles during recording and touring resulted in Wilder's departure in 1995. The band returned to the lineup of Gahan, Gore, and Fletcher, and released the albumUltrain 1997. The band continued touring and recorded five more albums as a trio—Exciter(2001),Playing the Angel(2005),Sounds of the Universe(2009),Delta Machine(2013) andSpirit(2017)—until Fletcher's death in 2022. Gahan and Gore have since continued as a duo. Their latest album,Memento Mori, was released in 2023.
Depeche Mode have had 54 songs in theUK Singles Chart, 17 Top 10 albums in the UK chart, and have sold more than 100 million records worldwide.Qincluded the band in its list of the "50 Bands That Changed the World!"Depeche Mode also rank No. 98 onVH1's "100 Greatest Artists of All Time."In 2016,Billboardnamed Depeche Mode the 10th Greatest of All Time Top Dance Club Artists.They were inducted into theRock and Roll Hall of Famein 2020.
Depeche Mode's origins date to 1977, when schoolmates Vince Clarke and Andy Fletcher formed a band called No Romance in China with Clarke on vocals and guitar and Fletcher on bass. Fletcher would later recall, "Why am I in the band? It was accidental right from the beginning. I was actually forced to be in the band. I played the guitar and I had a bass; it was a question of them roping me in."In 1979, Clarke played guitar in anUltravox-influenced band, the Plan, with friendsRobert Marlowand Paul Langwith.In 1978–1979,Martin Goreplayed guitar in an acoustic duo, Norman and the Worms, with school friend Phil Burdett on vocals.In 1980, Clarke and Fletcher formed a band called Composition of Sound, with Clarke on vocals/guitar and Fletcher on bass; the pair were soon joined by Gore as a third instrumentalist.Dave Gahan joined the ensemble later in 1980 after Clarke heard him perform at a localScout hutjam session, singing a rendition ofDavid Bowie's "'Heroes'".
With the advent of affordable synthesisers and the increasing popularity of electronic music, the group began pursuing asynth-popdirection.The first live concert of Composition of Sound as a four-piece was on 14 June 1980 at Nicholas School, Basildon, England, UK.There is a plaque commemorating the gig at theJames Hornsby Schoolin Basildon, where Gore and Fletcher were pupils. Gahan's and Gore's favourite artists includedSiouxsie and the Banshees,Sparks,Cabaret Voltaire,Talking HeadsandIggy Pop.Gahan's onstage persona was influenced byDave Vanian, frontman ofThe Damned.Gahan has also later credited David Bowie,James Brown,Elvis PresleyandPrinceas influences on his performance style.
Composition of Sound would become embarrassed about their band name and started thinking of changing it. There were several potential variants, including the name "Musical Moments" that was suggested by Vince Clarke as both a band name and the name of their first album. Starting at their concert on 24 September 1980 at Bridge House, the band changed their name to Depeche Mode, chosen by Dave Gahan.When explaining the choice for the new name, which was taken from a mistranslation of the name of French fashion magazineDépêche Mode,Gore said, "It means 'hurried fashion' or 'fashion dispatch'. I like the sound of that."However, the more accurate translation of the magazine's name (and therefore the band's name) is "Fashion News" or "Fashion Update".
The band made their recording debut in late 1980 for theSome Bizzare Album(released in 1981) with the song "Photographic", later re-recorded for their debut albumSpeak & Spell.
The band made ademo tapebut, instead of mailing the tape to record labels, they would go in and personally deliver it. They would demand the labels play it; according to Dave Gahan, "most of them would tell us to fuck off. They'd say 'leave the tape with us' and we'd say 'it's our only one'. Then we'd say goodbye and go somewhere else."
According to Gahan, prior to securing their record contract, they were receiving offers from all the major labels.Phonogramoffered them "money you could never have imagined and all sorts of crazy things like clothes allowances".
While playing a live gig at the Bridge House inCanning Town,the band was approached by Daniel Miller, anelectronicproducerand founder ofMute Records, who was interested in their recording a single for his burgeoning label.The result of this verbal contract was their first single, "Dreaming of Me", recorded in December 1980 and released in February 1981. It reached number 57 in the UK charts. Encouraged by this, the band recorded their second single, "New Life", which climbed to number 11 in the UK charts and got them an appearance onTop of the Pops. The band went to London by train, carrying their synthesisers all the way to theBBCstudios.
The band's next single was "Just Can't Get Enough". Thesynth-popsingle became the band's first UK top ten hit. The video is the only one to feature Vince Clarke. Depeche Mode's debut album,Speak & Spell, was released in October 1981 and peaked at number ten on the UK album charts.Critical reviews were mixed;Melody Makerdescribed it as a "great album … one they had to make to conquer fresh audiences and please the fans who just can't get enough",whileRolling Stonewas more critical, calling the album "PG-rated fluff".
Clarke began to voice his discomfort at the direction the band was taking, saying "there was never enough time to do anything. Not with all the interviews and photo sessions".Clarke also said he was sick of touring, which Gahan said years later was "bullshit to be quite honest".Gahan went on to say he "suddenly lost interest in it and he started getting letters from fans asking what kind of socks he wore."In November 1981, Clarke publicly announced that he was leaving Depeche Mode.
Soon afterwards, Clarke joined up with blues singerAlison Moyetto formYazoo(or Yaz in the United States). Initial talk of Clarke's continuing to write material for Depeche Mode ultimately amounted to nothing. According to third-party sources, Clarke offered the remaining members of Depeche Mode the track "Only You", but they declined.Clarke, however, denied in an interview that such an offer ever took place saying, "I don't know where that came from. That's not true."The song went on to become a UK Top 3 hit for Yazoo. Gore, who had written "Tora! Tora! Tora!" and the instrumental "Big Muff" forSpeak & Spell, became the band's main composer and lyricist.
In late 1981, the band placed an anonymous ad inMelody Makerlooking for another musician: "Name band, synthesise, must be under twenty-one."Alan Wilder, a classically trained keyboardist from West London, responded and, after two auditions and despite being 22 years old, was hired in early 1982, initially on a trial basis as a touring member.Wilder would later be called the "Musical Director" of the band, responsible for the band's sound until his departure in 1995.As producerFloodwould say, "[Alan] is sort of the craftsman, Martin's the idea man and [Dave] is the attitude."
In January 1982, the band released "See You", their first single without Clarke, which managed to beat all three Clarke-penned singles in the UK charts, reaching number six.The following tour saw the band playing their first shows in North America. Two more singles, "The Meaning of Love" and "Leave in Silence", were released ahead of the band's second studio album, on which they began work in July 1982. Daniel Miller informed Wilder that he wasn't needed for the recording of the album, as the core trio wanted to prove they could succeed without Vince Clarke.A Broken Framewas released that September, and the following month the band began their 1982 tour.
A non-album single, "Get the Balance Right!", was released in January 1983, the first Depeche Mode track to be recorded with Wilder, now an official member of the band.For their third album,Construction Time Again, Depeche Mode worked with producerGareth Jones, atJohn Foxx's Garden Studios and atHansa Studiosin West Berlin (where much ofDavid Bowie's seminalBerlin TrilogyfeaturingBrian Enohad been produced). The album saw a dramatic shift in the group's sound, due in part to Wilder's introduction of theSynclavierandE-mu Emulatorsamplers.By sampling the noises of everyday objects, the band created an eclectic,industrial-influenced sound, with similarities to groups such as theArt of NoiseandEinstürzende Neubauten(the latter becoming Mute labelmates in 1983).
"Everything Counts" rose to number six in the UK, also reaching the top 30 in Ireland, South Africa, Switzerland, Sweden and West Germany.Wilder contributed two songs to the album, "The Landscape Is Changing" and "Two Minute Warning". In September 1983, to promoteConstruction Time Again, the band launched a European concert tour.
In their early years, Depeche Mode had really attained success only in Europe and Australia. This changed in March 1984, when they released the single "People Are People".The song became a hit, reaching No. 2 in Ireland and Poland, No. 4 in the UK and Switzerland, and No. 1 in West Germany – the first time a DM single topped a country's singles chart – where it was used as the theme to West German TV's coverage of the1984 Olympics.Beyond this European success, the song also reached No. 13 on the US charts in mid-1985, the first appearance of a DM single on theBillboardHot 100, and was a Top 20 hit in Canada. "People Are People" became an anthem for the LGBT community,regularly played at gay establishments andgay pridefestivals in the late 1980s.Sire, the band's North American record label, released a compilation ofthe same namewhich included tracks fromA Broken FrameandConstruction Time Againas well as severalB-sides.
On the American tour, the band was, according to Gore, "shocked by the way the fans were turning up in droves at the concerts".He said that although the concerts were selling well, Depeche Mode struggled to sell records.
In September 1984,Some Great Rewardwas released.Melody Makerclaimed that the album made one "sit up and take notice of what is happening here, right under your nose."In contrast to the political and environmental subjects addressed on the previous album, the songs onSome Great Rewardwere mostly concerned with more personal themes such as sexual politics ("Master and Servant"), adulterous relationships ("Lie to Me"), and arbitrary divine justice ("Blasphemous Rumours"). Also included was the first Martin Gore ballad, "Somebody"—such songs would become a feature of all following albums."Somebody" was released as a double A-side with "Blasphemous Rumours", and was the first single with Gore on lead vocal.Some Great Rewardbecame the first Depeche Mode album to enter the US album charts, and made the Top 10 in several European countries.
The World We Live In and Live in Hamburgwas the band's first video release, almost an entire concert from their 1984 Some Great Reward Tour.
In July 1985, the band played their first-ever concerts behind theIron Curtain, inBudapestandWarsaw.In October 1985, Mute released a compilation,The Singles 81→85(Catching Up with Depeche Modein the US), which included the two new non-album hit singles "Shake the Disease" and "It's Called a Heart", with the US version also including their B-sides ("Fly on the Windscreen", the B-side of "It's Called a Heart", would also be included on the next studio albumBlack Celebration).
In the United States, the band's music appealed primarily to analternativeaudience who were disenchanted with the predominance of "soft rock and 'disco hell'"on the radio. This view of the band was in sharp contrast to how the band was perceived in Europe, despite the increasingly dark and serious tone in their songs.In Germany, France, and other European countries, Depeche Mode were considered teen idols and regularly featured in European teen magazines, becoming one of the most famous synth-pop bands in the mid-'80s.Depeche Mode's musical style shifted slightly again in 1986 with the release of their fifteenth single, "Stripped", and its accompanying albumBlack Celebration. Retaining their often imaginative sampling and beginning to move away from the "industrial pop" sound that had characterised their previous two LPs, the band introduced an ominous, highly atmospheric and textured sound. Gore's lyrics also took on a darker tone and became more pessimistic.
The music video for "A Question of Time" was the first to be directed byAnton Corbijn, beginning a working relationship that continues to the present. Corbijn has directed 22 of the band's videos. He has also filmed some of their live performances and designed stage sets, as well as most covers for albums and singles starting fromViolator.
For 1987'sMusic for the Masses, the band's sound and working methods continued to develop. It was the first time they worked with a producer not related to Mute Records. Dave Bascombe was called to assist with the recording sessions; although, according to Alan Wilder, Bascombe's role ended up being more that of engineer.In making the album, the band largely eschewedsamplingin favour ofsynthesiserexperimentation.While chart performance of the singles "Strangelove", "Never Let Me Down Again" and "Behind the Wheel" proved to be disappointing in the UK, they performed well in countries such as Canada, Brazil, West Germany, South Africa, Sweden and Switzerland, often reaching the top 10.Record MirrordescribedMusic for the Massesas "the most accomplished and sexy Mode album to date".The album also reached No. 35 on the USBillboard200chart.
The Music for the Masses Tour began 22 October 1987. On 7 March 1988, with no previous announcement that they would be the headlining act, Depeche Mode played in theWerner-Seelenbinder-Halle, East Berlin,becoming one of the few Western groups to perform inEast Germany. They also performed concerts in Budapest and Prague in 1988.
The world tour ended on 18 June 1988 with a concert at thePasadenaRose Bowl. Paid attendance of 60,453was the highest in eight years for the venue.Its massive successmarked a breakthrough for the band in the United States.. The event was documented in101, a concert film byD. A. Pennebakerand its accompanying soundtrack album. The film is notable for its portrayal of fan interaction.Alan Wilder came up with the title, noting that it was the 101st and final performance of the tour.On 7 September 1988, Depeche Mode performed "Strangelove" at the1988 MTV Video Music Awardsat theUniversal Amphitheatrein Los Angeles.
In mid-1989, the band began recording inMilanwith producerFloodand engineerFrançois Kevorkian. The initial result of this session was the single "Personal Jesus". Prior to its release, a marketing campaign was launched with advertisements placed in thepersonals columnsof UK regional newspapers with the words "Your own personal Jesus." Later, the ads included a phone number one could dial to hear the song. The resulting furore helped propel the single to number 13 on the UK charts, becoming one of their biggest sellers to date. In the United States, it was their first gold single and their first Top 40 hit since "People Are People", eventually becoming the biggest-selling 12-inch single inWarner Records' history up to that point.
Released in February 1990, "Enjoy the Silence" reached number six in the UK (the first Top 10 hit in that country since "Master And Servant"). A few months later it reached number eight in the US and earned the band a second gold record, and it won Best British Single at the 1991Brit Awards.To promote their new album,Violator, the band held an in-store autograph signing at Wherehouse Entertainment in Los Angeles. The event attracted approximately 20,000 fans and turned into a near riot. Some attendees were injured while being pressed against the store's glass by the crowd.As an apology to those injured, the band released a limited edition cassette tape to fans in Los Angeles, distributed through radio stationKROQ(the sponsor of the Wherehouse event).
Violatorwas the first Depeche Mode album to enter the Top 10 of theBillboard200, reaching Number 7 and staying 74 weeks in the chart. It wascertifiedtriple platinum in America.Two more singles from the album—"Policy of Truth" and "World in My Eyes"—were hits in the UK, with the former also charting in the US.
TheWorld Violation Toursaw the band play several stadium shows in the US. 42,000 tickets were sold within four hours for a show at Giants Stadium, and 48,000 tickets were sold within half-an-hour of going on sale for a show atDodger Stadium.An estimated 1.2 million fans saw this tour worldwide.
In 1991, Depeche Mode contribution "Death's Door" was released onthe soundtrack albumfor the filmUntil the End of the World. Film director Wim Wenders had challenged musical artists to write music the way they imagined they would in the year 2000, the setting of the movie.
The members of Depeche Mode regrouped inMadridin February 1992. Gahan had become interested in the newgrungescene sweeping the US and was influenced by the likes ofJane's Addiction,Soundgarden,Alice in ChainsandNirvana.
In 1993,Songs of Faith and Devotion, again withFloodproducing, saw them experimenting with arrangements based as much on heavily distorted electric guitars and live drums (played by Alan Wilder, whose debut as a studio drummer had come on theViolatortrack "Clean") as on synthesisers.Livestrings,uilleann pipesand femalegospelvocals were other new additions to the band's sound. The album debuted at number one in both the UK and the US, only the sixth British act to achieve such a distinction to date.The first single from the album was the grunge-influenced "I Feel You". The gospel influences are most noticeable on the album's third single, "Condemnation". Interviews given by the band during this period tended to be conducted separately, unlike earlier albums, where the band was interviewed as a group.
TheDevotional Tourfollowed, documented by a concert film of thesame name. The film was directed byAnton Corbijn, and in 1995 earned the band their firstGrammynomination.The band's second live album,Songs of Faith and Devotion Live, was released in December 1993. The tour continued into 1994 with theExotic Tour, which began in February 1994 in South Africa, and ended in April in Mexico. The final leg of the tour, consisting of more North American dates, followed shortly thereafter and ran until July. As a whole, the Devotional Tour is to date the longest and most geographically diverse Depeche Mode tour, spanning fourteen months and 159 individual performances.
Qmagazine described the 1993 Devotional Tour as "The Most Debauched Rock 'n' Roll Tour Ever".According toThe Independent, the "smack-blasted" Gahan "required cortisone shots just to perform, borderline alcoholic Gore suffered two stress-induced seizures, and Andrew Fletcher's deepening depression resulted, in the summer of 1994, in a full nervous breakdown."After the band played at theMcNichols Sports ArenainDenver,Colorado, local police arrested Gore and fined him $50 for disturbing the peace when he held a loud party in his hotel room.Fletcher declined to participate in the second half of theExotic Tourdue to mental instability;he was replaced on stage byDaryl Bamonte, who had worked with the band as a personal assistant since the beginning of their career in 1980.
In June 1995, Alan Wilder announced that he was leaving Depeche Mode, explaining:
He continued to work on his personal projectRecoil, releasing a fourth album (Unsound Methods) in 1997.
Despite Gahan's increasingly severe personal problems, Gore tried repeatedly during 1995 and 1996 to get the band recording again. However, Gahan would rarely turn up to scheduled sessions, and when he did, it would take weeks to get any vocals recorded; one six-week session atElectric Ladyin New York produced just one usable vocal (for "Sister of Night"), and even that was pieced together from multiple takes.Gore was forced to contemplate breaking the band up and considered releasing the songs he had written as a solo album.In mid-1996, after his near-fatal overdose in which his heart stopped beating for two minutes,Gahan entered a court-ordereddrug rehabilitationprogram to battle his addiction to cocaine and heroin.With Gahan out of rehab in 1996, Depeche Mode held recording sessions with producerTim Simenon.
Preceded by two singles, "Barrel of a Gun" and "It's No Good", the albumUltrawas released in April 1997. The album debuted at No. 1 in the UK as well as Germany, and No. 5 in the US. The band did not tour in support of the album, with Fletcher quoted as saying: "We're not fit enough. Dave's only eight months into his sobriety, and our bodies are telling us to spend time with our families."As part of the promotion for the release of the album, they did perform two short concerts in London and Los Angeles, promoted as "Ultra Parties".Ultraspawned two further singles, "Home" and "Useless".
A second singles compilation,The Singles 86>98, was released in 1998, preceded by the new single "Only When I Lose Myself". In April 1998, Depeche Mode held a press conference at the Hyatt Hotel inCologneto announce the Singles Tour.The tour was the first to feature two backing musicians in place of Wilder—Austrian drummer Christian Eigner and British keyboardistPeter Gordeno.
In 2001, Depeche Mode releasedExciter, produced byMark Bell(oftechnogroupLFO). Bell introduced a minimalist, digital sound to much of the album, influenced byIDMandglitch. "Dream On", "I Feel Loved", "Freelove" and "Goodnight Lovers" were released as singles in 2001 and 2002. Critical response to the album was mixed, with reasonably positive reviews from some magazines (NME,Rolling StoneandLA Weekly), while others (includingQmagazine,PopMattersandPitchfork) derided it as sounding underproduced, dull and lacking in luster.
In March 2001, Depeche Mode held a press conference at the Valentino Hotel inHamburgto announce the Exciter Tour.The tour featured 84 performances for over 1.5 million fans in 24 countries.The concerts held in Paris at thePalais Omnisports de Paris-Bercywere filmed and later released in May 2002 as a live DVD entitledOne Night in Paris.
In October 2002 the band won the first-everQmagazine "Innovation Award".
In 2003, Gahan released his first solo album,Paper Monsters, and toured to promote the record. Also released in 2003 was Gore's second solo albumCounterfeit².Fletcher founded his own record label, Toast Hawaii, specialising in promoting electronic music.
A new remix compilation album,Remixes 81–04, was released in 2004, featuring new and unreleased promo mixes of the band's singles from 1981 to 2004. A new version of "Enjoy the Silence", remixed byMike ShinodaofLinkin Park, "Enjoy the Silence 04", was released as a single and reached No. 7 on the UK charts.
In October 2005, the band released their 11th studio albumPlaying the Angel. Produced byBen Hillier, the album peaked at No. 1 in 18 countries and featured the hit single "Precious". This is the first Depeche Mode album to feature lyrics written by Gahan and, consequently, the first album since 1984'sSome Great Rewardfeaturing songs not written by Gore. "Suffer Well" was the first ever post-Clarke Depeche Mode single not to be written by Gore (lyrics by Gahan, music by Philpott/Eigner). The final single from the album was "John the Revelator", an up-tempo electronic track with a running religious theme, accompanied by "Lilian", a lush track that was a hit in many clubs all over the world.
To promotePlaying the Angel, the band launchedTouring the Angel, a concert tour of Europe and North America that began in November 2005 and ran for nine months. During the last two legs of the tour Depeche Mode headlined a number of festivals including theCoachella Valley Music and Arts Festivaland theO2Wireless Festival. In total, the band played to more than 2.8 million people across 31 countries and the tour was one of the highest grossing and critically acclaimed tours of 2005/2006.Speaking about the tour, Gahan praised it as "probably the most enjoyable, rewarding live shows we've ever done. The new material was just waiting to be played live. It took on a life of its own. With the energy of the crowds, it just came to life."Two shows atMilan'sFila Forumwere filmed and edited into a concert film, released on DVD asTouring the Angel: Live in Milan.
A "best-of" compilation was released in November 2006, entitledThe Best of Depeche Mode Volume 1featuring a new single "Martyr", an outtake from thePlaying the Angelsessions. Later that month Depeche Mode received theMTV Europe Music Awardin the Best Group category.
In December 2006,iTunesreleasedThe Complete Depeche Modeas its fourth ever digital box-set.
In August 2007, during promotion for Gahan's second solo album,Hourglass, it was announced that Depeche Mode were heading back in studio in early 2008 to work on a new album.
In May 2008, the band returned to the studio with producerBen Hillierto work on some songs that Martin Gore had demoed at his home studio inSanta Barbara, California. Later that year it was announced that Depeche Mode were splitting from their long-term US label, Warner Music, and signing withEMIMusic worldwide.The album was created in four sessions, two in New York and two in Santa Barbara. A total of 22 songs were recorded, with the standard album being 13 songs in length while many of the others were released in subsequent deluxe editions.
In 2009, Depeche Mode allowed their likeness to be used inValve'sLeft 4 Dead 2.
On 15 January 2009, the official Depeche Mode website announced that the band's twelfth studio album would be calledSounds of the Universe.The album was released on 14 April 2009, also made available through an iTunes Pass, where the buyer received individual tracks in the weeks leading up to the official release date. Fletcher said the idea for their iTunes Pass was a combination of the band's and iTunes': "I think the digital and record companies are starting to get their act together. They were very lazy in the first 10 years when downloads came in. Now they're collaborating more and coming up with interesting ideas for fans to buy products."The album went to number one in 21 countries. Critical response was generally positive and it was nominated for a Grammy in theBest Alternative Albumcategory."Wrong" was the first single from the album, released digitally in February 2009. Subsequent singles were "Peace" and the double A-side "Fragile Tension / Hole to Feed". In addition, "Perfect" was released as a promotional-only (non-commercial) single in the United States.
On 23 April 2009, Depeche Mode performed for the television programJimmy Kimmel Live!at thefamed cornerofHollywood BoulevardandVine Street, drawing more than 12,000 fans, which was the largest audience the program had seen since its 2003 premiere, with a performance byColdplay.
In May 2009, the band embarked on a concert tour in support of the album, calledTour of the Universe; it had been announced at a press conference in October 2008 at theOlympiastadionin Berlin.There was a warm up show inLuxembourgand it officially started on 10 May 2009 inTel Aviv. The first leg of the tour was disrupted when Dave Gahan was struck down withgastroenteritis. During treatment, doctors found and removed a low-grade tumour from the singer's bladder. Gahan's illness caused 16 concerts to be cancelled, but several of the shows were rescheduled for 2010.The band headlined theLollapaloozafestival during the North American leg of the tour. The tour also took the band back to South America for the first time since 1994'sExotic Tour. During the final European leg, the band played a show at London'sRoyal Albert Hallin aid of theTeenage Cancer Trust, where former member Alan Wilder joined Martin Gore on stage for a performance of "Somebody".In total the band played to more than 2.7 million people across 32 countries and the tour was one of the most profitable in America in 2009.The concerts held atPalau Sant Jordi,Barcelona, Spainwere filmed and later released on DVD andBlu-rayrelease entitledTour of the Universe: Barcelona 20/21.11.09.In March 2010, Depeche Mode won the award for "Best International Group – Rock / Pop" at theEcho Awardsin Germany.
On 6 June 2011, as the final commitment to their contract with EMI,the band released aremixcompilation album, entitledRemixes 2: 81–11that features remixes by former membersVince ClarkeandAlan Wilder.Other remixers involved with the project wereNick RhodesofDuran Duran,Röyksopp, Karlsson & Winnberg ofMiike Snow,Eric Prydz,Clarkand more.A new remix of "Personal Jesus" byStargate, entitled "Personal Jesus 2011", was released as a single on 30 May 2011, in support of the compilation.
Depeche Mode contributed their cover of the U2 song "So Cruel" to the tribute albumAHK-toong BAY-bi Coveredhonouring the 20th anniversary ofAchtung Baby, a 1991 album byU2. The compilation CD was released with the December 2011 issue ofQ.
In October 2012 during a press conference in Paris, Dave Gahan, Martin Gore and Andy Fletcher announced plans for a new album and a 2013 worldwide tour starting fromTel Avivand continuing in Europe and North America.Martin Gore revealed thatFloodmixed the album, marking the producer's first studio collaboration with the band since 1993'sSongs of Faith and Devotion.
In December 2012, the band officially announced signing a worldwide deal withColumbia Recordsand releasing a new album in March 2013.On 24 January 2013, it was confirmed that the album was titledDelta Machine."Heaven", the debut single fromDelta Machinewas released commercially on Friday 1 February 2013 (although not in the UK). The release date in the UK was pushed back to 18 March 2013 (17 March 2013 on iTunes). The physical release still bore the Mute Records logo, even though the band have now severed ties with their long-standing label. Fletcher mentioned in an interview this was due to their "devotion" to the label and with the band's insistence.Delta Machinespawned two further singles, "Soothe My Soul" on 6 May and "Should Be Higher" on 11 October. Though neither performed well in the UK charts they did perform moderately in other European charts.
In March, the band announced North American dates to theirDelta Machine Tour, starting 22 August fromDetroitand ending 8 October inPhoenix.In June, other European dateswere confirmed for early 2014. The final gig of the tour took place in Moscow, Russia on 7 March 2014, at Olimpiski venue.
That month, Depeche Mode won the award for "Best International Group – Rock / Pop" at theEcho Awardsin Germany. Also, they were nominated at the category "Album des Jahres (national oder international)" forDelta Machinebut lost againstHelene Fischer'sFarbenspiel.
On 8 October 2014, the band announcedLive in Berlin, the new video and audio release filmed and recorded at theO2 Worldin Berlin, Germany in November 2013 during the Delta Machine Tour. It was released on 17 November 2014 worldwide.
In a 2015 Rolling Stone interview celebrating the 25th anniversary ofViolator, Gore stated thatJohnny Cash's cover of "Personal Jesus" is his favorite cover version of a Depeche Mode song.
On 25 January 2016, Gore announced a projected return to the recording studio in April, with both Gore and Gahan having already written and demoed new songs.In September, the official Depeche ModeFacebookpage hinted at a new release, later confirmed by the band to be a music video compilation,Video Singles Collection, scheduled for release in November bySony.In October 2016, the band announced that their fourteenth album titledSpirit.It was produced byJames Ford, and was released on 17 March 2017.
"Where's the Revolution", the lead single fromSpirit, was released 3 February 2017, along with its lyric video. The official video was published a week later, on 9 February.TheGlobal Spirit Tourofficially kicked off on 5 May 2017 with a performance in Stockholm, Sweden, at the Friends Arena. The first leg of the tour covered European countries only, ending with a final stadium show in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, at the Cluj Arena. The second leg of the tour covered North America and returned to Europe. The North America leg of the tour kicked off in Salt Lake City, Utah, on 23 August, at the USANA Amphitheatre. Depeche Mode broke a record when the band became the first to play four nights at theHollywood Bowl.The band remained in North America until 15 November when they left for Dublin to resume the European leg. The band ended the tour in Europe with two sold-out shows on 23 and 25 July 2018 in Berlin, Germany, at the Waldbühne.
In September 2019, the band announced thatSpirits in the Forest, a documentary that was partially filmed during these shows by long-time collaboratorAnton Corbijn, would be released in theatres for one night only, 21 November 2019.It was released on CD, DVD and Blu-ray under the titleLiVE SPiRiTSon 26 June 2020.
On 7 November 2020, the band were inducted into theRock and Roll Hall of Fame.
On 26 May 2022,Andy Fletcherdied, aged 60, after suffering anaortic dissectionwhile at home. His bandmates Gahan and Gore stated, "we are shocked and filled with overwhelming sadness with the untimely passing of our dear friend, family member and bandmate Andy 'Fletch' Fletcher." Former Depeche Mode memberAlan Wilderstated that learning of Fletcher's death was "a real bolt from the blue."
Prior to Fletcher's death, Gahan said: "There's a ton of stuff that we've done with Depeche Mode that I'm really proud of. I think that's come with time and age. Martin put out a record last year which I really liked. I actually bought a copy because it wouldn't feel right otherwise. I know he's been pottering away in his studio as well, so I guess at some point next year we'll get together. Hopefully at least to just have a chat about what we both feel like we could move forward with."
On 15 August 2022, the social media accounts for Depeche Mode posted a photo of Gahan and Gore in a recording studio, with them tweeting, "finding stability in what we know and love, and focusing on what gives life meaning and purpose", which magazines likeNMEsuggested was a hint at work on a new studio album.
On 4 October 2022, Depeche Mode announced their fifteenth studio albumMemento Moriand a tour to support the album which started on 23 March 2023.
The first single, "Ghosts Again", released on 9 February 2023, was co-written byRichard Butlerofthe Psychedelic Furs.It received relative success in the UK, charting at No. 14. "Ghosts Again" had widespread success in the US, charting in the top 10 of 3Billboardcharts. Reaching number 2 on the Adult Alternative Songs chart, Gahan said it "captures this perfect balance of melancholy and joy", while Gore said it has "such an upbeat feel to it" and how rare it is for the band to record a song that "I just don't get sick of listening to."
The band stated that work on the album began during theCOVID-19 pandemicin 2020.Gahan and Gore said they would send each other ideas for songs, for example Gahan said, "I played guitar and sort of sang on my iPhone", while Gore "sent it back with his angelic voice."They also stated that they would be working withJames Fordonce again as producer along withMarta Salognimixing for the album.
Gore recalled, "My dream was to combine the emotion ofNeil YoungorJohn Lennontransmitted byKraftwerk's synthesisers. Soul music played by electronic instruments."Gore also cited synth-pop groupOrchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark(OMD), who providedsupporton the Music for the Masses Tour; Clarke stated that Depeche Mode would never have happened without OMD.Fletcher mentioned influences including the late 1970spunk rockscene, thepost-punkbandsSiouxsie and the Bansheesandthe Cure, and electronic groupthe Human League.Band members have also citedDavid Bowie,the Clash,Roxy MusicandBrian Eno,Elvis Presley,the Velvet Underground,Fad Gadget,Suicide,and theblues.
Depeche Mode were considered a teen pop group during their early period in the UK, and interviewed in teen pop magazines such asSmash Hits.Following the departure of Clarke, their music began to take on a darker tone, establishing a darker sound in the band's music, as Gore assumed lead songwriting duties.Gore's lyrics include themes such as sex, religion, and politics.Gore has stated he feels lyrical themes which tackle issues related to solitude and loneliness are a better representation of reality, whereas he finds "happy songs" fake and unrealistic.At the same time, he asserts that the group's music contains "an element of hope".
Depeche Mode's music has been variously described assynth-pop,electronic rock,new wave,dark wave,dance-rock,post-punk,alternative rock,andpop rock.The band have also experimented with other genres throughout their career, includingavant-garde,electronica,pop,soul,techno,industrial rockandheavy metal.
Depeche Mode have released a total of 15 studio albums, 10 compilation albums, six live albums, eight box sets, 13 video albums, 71 music videos, and 54 singles. They have sold over 100 million records and played live to more than 35 million fans worldwide. The band has had 50 songs in the UK Singles Chart, and one US and two UK number-one albums.In addition, all of their studio albums have reached the UK Top 10 and their albums have spent over 210 weeks on the UK Charts.Along with theRed Hot Chili PeppersandU2, Depeche Mode are one of three acts that have charted at least once on theBillboardAlternative Airplaychart in every decade since its debut in 1988.
In 2006, music criticSasha Frere-Jonesstated that "the last serious English influence was Depeche Mode, who seem more and more significant as time passes."Depeche Mode's releases have been nominated for five Grammy Awards:DevotionalforBest Long Form Music Video; "I Feel Loved" and "Suffer Well", both forBest Dance Recording;Sounds of the Universefor Best Alternative Album; and "Wrong" forBest Short Form Music Video. In addition, Depeche Mode have been honoured with aBrit Awardfor "Enjoy the Silence" in the Best British Single category, the first-everQInnovation Award, and an Ivor Novello Award forMartin Gorein the category of International Achievement.
Depeche Mode were called "the most popular electronic band the world has ever known" byQ,"one of the greatest British pop groups of all time" byThe Sunday Telegraph,and "the quintessential eighties techno-pop band" byRolling StoneandAllMusic.They were ranked No. 2 on Electronic Music Realm's list of The 100 Greatest Artists of Electronic Music,andQincluded them on their list of "50 bands that changed the world".
Other musicians have stated their admiration for Depeche Mode. In an interview in 2009,Simple Mindslead singerJim Kerrargued that Depeche Mode andU2were the only contemporaries of his band which could be said to have "stayed constantly relevant".Muse'sMatt Bellamysaid, "They had their own thing, their own style, own sound. I respect them very much."During Depeche Mode's induction into theRock and Roll Hall of Fame,Coldplay'sChris Martinremarked, "sonically, they were and are about throwing away all the rulebooks."Arcade Fire'sWin Butleradded, "I feel like their music still sounds like it could come out 20 years from now. Depeche were able to take that spirit and spread it, which is really kind of a sacred responsibility."
On December 13, 2023, Los Angeles city council memberMonica Rodriguez, officially declared December 13th as "Depeche Mode Day" in the city ofLos Angeles. Dave Gahan and Martin Gore were present as they were honored in a public ceremony held atLos Angeles City Hall.
Many major artists have cited the band as an influence, including:Arcade Fire,The Killers,Nine Inch Nails,Chvrches,The Smashing Pumpkins,Coldplay,Muse,Metric,No Doubt,A Perfect Circle,Marilyn Manson,Linkin Park,The Crystal Method,Fear Factory,La Roux,Gotye,Amanda Palmer,Rammstein,a-ha,Tegan and Sara(onSainthood)andPaul van Dyk.Depeche Mode contemporariesPet Shop Boys,Tears for FearsandGary Numanhave also cited the band as an influence. Colombian singerShakiradescribed "Enjoy the Silence" as the song that first sparked her passion for pop music.
The dark themes and moods of Depeche Mode's lyrics and music have been enjoyed by severalheavy metalartists, and the band influenced acts such asMarilyn MansonandDeftones.Trent ReznorofNine Inch Nailsalso cited Depeche Mode, in particular their 1986 albumBlack Celebration, as a major influence on his beginnings.They have also been named as an influence onDetroit technoandindie rock.
Early in their career, Depeche Mode was dismissive of benefit concerts such asLive Aid. Gore himself stated, "If these bands really care so much, they should just donate the money and let that be it. Why can't they do it without all the surrounding hype?".
Since 2010, the band has applied their celebrity and cultural longevity to help promote and raise funds for several notable charity endeavours. They lent their support to high-profile charities such asMusiCares,Cancer Research UKand theTeenage Cancer Trust. The band has also supported the Small Steps Project, a humanitarian organization based in the UK, aiming to assist economically disadvantaged children into education.They have partnered with Swiss watchmakerHublotto supportCharity: Water, aimed at the provision of clean drinking water in developing countries.Such collaboration led to the release of two different limited edition watches, the Hublot Big Bang Depeche Mode in 2017 and The Singles Limited Edition series based from the Big Bang model in 2018. The proceeds helped raise $1.7 million for Charity: Water.In 2014, the partnership hosted a gala and fundraiser at theTsUMbuilding in Moscow, raising $1.4 million for the charity.