WATCH: Depeche Mode - People Are Good

The video for the kraftwerkish "People Are Good" by Depeche Mode has been premiered today on YouTube. This is the fourth single from their latest studio album Memento Mori which was released last year. As for the previous singles, the video was directed by Anton Corbijn.

Best of 2023 - The Album List

Absolutely thrilled to share our favorite releases from this remarkable year in music. It's a joy to witness the triumphant return of seasoned veterans who have graced the industry for decades, alongside the exciting emergence of new talents. What unites these diverse artists is their remarkable ability, each within their own genre, to reinvent themselves with their recent releases. Here are the ten albums that collectively represent the artistic evolution and enduring brilliance of musicians, leaving an indelible mark on the musical landscape of 2023.

Best of 1990 - The Singles List

The year 1990 has been one of the most exciting years ever, maybe due to the fact that it was between the two decades when music styles shifted and the songs were influenced by the past decade but also looking into the future with new technologies. For some artists it was a clear career peaks when they released their best selling albums and/or singles. This year belonged to Depeche Mode, Madonna, Sinead O'Connor, but at the same time Euro dance and Brit pop exploded.

Over the next month we will feature the best singles from the 1990 that comes as a result of the Singles poll that was up this summer. Stay tuned!

01. Depeche Mode  - Enjoy The Silence

02. Madonna - Vogue

03. Sinéad O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2U

04. Pet Shop Boys - Being Boring

05. George Michael - Freedom

06. The Cure - Pictures of You

07. Julee Cruise - Falling

08. Depeche Mode - Policy of Truth

09. Cocteau Twins - Heaven or Las Vegas

10. Madonna - Justify My Love

11. The Charlatans - The Only One I Know

12. The House of Love- Shine On

13. St Etienne - Only Love Can Break Your Heart

14. Deee-Lite - Groove Is In The Heart

15. The KLF - Last Train to Trancentral

16. George Michael - Praying For Time

17. The Beautiful South - A Little Time

18. The Sundays - Here's Where The Story Ends

19. Technotronic - Get Up

20. INXS - Suicide Blonde

Best of 1990 - The Album List - Top 50

The world is currently facing its biggest crisis since the World War II where the Coronavirus has spread worldwide to almost every country, causing a mass pandemic in the world. Authorities from most of the countries have introduced the national lock-downs in order to prevent the virus from spreading further and are urging the people to stay at home

During the past decade, this time of the year always meant a flashback to a certain year in the 80s decade and paying a 30 years anniversary tribute to some of the biggest albums and songs that were released back then, and also to see how they have stood the test of time. 

This year it does not mean only returning to one specific year but also celebrating the shift of decades as we are entering the 90s terrain.

In the history, 1990 is mostly remembered for the start of reunification of Germany and demise of the Soviet Union and collapsing of the socialist governments in Easter European countries. While the Wind of changes was flowing throughout Europe, George Michael released his biggest hit "Freedom" and for Madonna it was her most scandalous year ever. As some of her live shows were condemned and the music video for "Justify My Love" banned from daily airplay on MTV. Apart from this despite the previous success of SAW production in the previous years, it saw a sharp decline in popularity where new dance forms were emerging, including Euro dance, house and acid jazz as well as Baggy / Madchester and the rise of Brit pop. Among the winning artist at the Brit awards were Phil Collins, Neneh Cherry, Annie Lennox and Fine Young Cannibals.

Based on the poll results in April, the following Top50 Album list was established.

Best of 1989- Singles

Time to put the year 1989 on display and celebrate the 30th anniversary of the year that was closing the 80s decade. Known as the year of revolutions that swept through the eastern block countries in Europe as well as the year of innovations which brought the first commercial internet services. Musically the charts were still dominated by Stock-Aitken-Waterman hits also introducing Donna Summer to their hits factory. 

The second half of 1989 was also dominated by a growing House music genre led by Inner City and S'Express and Italo-disco which evolved into Euro dance. Even though the 1989 chronologically belonged to the 80s decade, it clearly sensed the 90s spirit in all terms and the music styles that started in late 90s eventually reached their peak points in the 90s and beyond.

01. The Cure- Lullaby

02. Chris Isaak- Wicked Game

03. Madonna – Like A Prayer

04. The Stone Roses- Fool’s Gold

05. The Cure- Love Song

06. Depeche Mode- Personal Jesus

07. The KLF- 3 A.M Eternal

08. Pixies- Monkey’s Gone To Heaven

09. Madonna –Express Yourself

10. Tears for Fears –Sowing The Seeds of Love

11. Xymox- Imagination

12. Pixies- Here Comes The Man

13. Malcolm McLaren- Waltz Darling

14. Lightning Seeds- Pure

15. Simple Minds- Belfast Child

16. U2 –All I Want Is You

17. Shakespeare’s Sister –You’re History

18. Cher- If I Could Turn Back Time

19. The Stone Roses- She Bangs The Drums

20. Technotronic- Pump of the Jam

Best of 1987 - Top 50 Singles

This fall we will continue with our 30-year anniversary of 1987 with the selection of Best single releases. As mentioned, an interesting year which was still sort of a crossover year in which some music styles from the first half of the decade started to transform into new genres, raising new musical opportunities and opening stages for new kids. The European market was mostly dominated by SAW releases while in the USA it was mostly Madonna, Whitney Houston, U2 who were holding top positions on the charts for several weeks.

Along the commercial level, creativity was also in bloom in all varieties of sounds, from Jangle Pop all the way to new trends in electronic music.

01. New Oder - True Faith

02. The Cure - Just Like Heaven

03. Pet Shop Boys- It’s a Sin

04. Depeche Mode - Never Let Me Down Again

05. Prince - Sign O’ the Times

06. The Jesus and Mary Chain – April Skies

07. Siouxsie & The Banshees - The Passenger   

08. Depeche Mode - Strange Love

09. Black - Everything is Coming Up Roses          

10. U2 - With or Without You

11. The House of Love - Shine On

12. Pink Floyd - Learning to Fly

13. The Pogues - Fairy tale of New York

14. M/A/R/R/S- Pump Up the Volume

15. Suzanne Vega – Luka

16. INXS- Need You Tonight

17. The Smiths - Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before

18. Madonna - La Isla Bonita

19. Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield ‎- What Have I Done to Deserve This?  

20. Sinead O’ Connor - Troy 

Best of 1987- The Album List

Let's dive into the 1987 Albums campaign! This year marked an interesting crossover period where music styles from the first half of the decade began transforming into new genres, creating fresh musical opportunities and providing stages for new talents.

In terms of innovation, MTV Europe was launched, and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" became the first single released on CD, while the cassette tape continued to rise in popularity.

Synthpop was still prominent in the mainstream, with Erasure and Pet Shop Boys maintaining its presence. The pop hits from the emerging Stock Aitken Waterman pop factory, including Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up," became chart-toppers and contributed to making it the best-selling single of the year.

On the other hand, House music was slowly growing and taking over dance floors, providing a fresh and dynamic sound. Simultaneously, indie pop/rock was flourishing, offering more diverse and alternative forms of music.

At the Brit Awards, Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel received honors for Best Female and Best Male, respectively, showcasing the diversity and richness of the musical landscape in 1987.

Depeche Mode Announce New Album and New Video Compilation

Depeche Mode have announced the release of a brand new album 'Spirit' which will be out in spring 2017. There is not much detail about it other than that it will be produced by James Ford and that it will be followed by a huge European tour. Before that, right on time if you don't have an idea for a Christmas present, comes DM's 'Video Singles Collection'. Group's First-Ever Career-Spanning Anthology will presents Group's Original Music Video Singles from 1981 to 2013 in a 3DVD DigiPak. The 3DVD set will include more than three decades worth of Depeche Mode's international hit singles as lensed for the group's mind-blowing progression of innovative and provocative music videos directed by a who's who of cinematic visionaries including Julien Temple, Anton Corbijn, D.A. Pennebaker, John Hillcoat and others. The compilation is set for release on November 11th. 

More info here. 

Best of 1986- The Album List

n the early months of 1985, the Pet Shop Boys made a significant impact on the UK charts with "West End Girls," a track that would go on to become their signature tune and biggest hit. Alongside Erasure, they played a pivotal role in transforming synth-pop into electro-dance, giving the genre a fresh and contemporary sound. The Communards also contributed to this evolving trend, as their cover of the disco classic "Don't Leave Me This Way" emerged as the best-selling single of the year.

Meanwhile, established artists like Madonna and George Michael continued to be among the best-selling acts, further shaping the pop genre. Madonna's third studio album, "True Blue," stood out as the best-selling album in the UK during this period, solidifying her status as a pop icon. The musical landscape of 1985 reflected a dynamic fusion of synth-pop, electro-dance, and enduring pop influences.

Best of 1985 - Top 50 Singles List

The year 1985 was the year of big charity concerts and records. Following up on the release of "Do They Know It’s Christmas Time" from 1984, the big Live Aid concert was organised by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. The event was held simultaneously at Wembley Stadium in London, UK, and John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, US. Also inspired by Band-Aid, USA for Africa band project released "We Are the World", a song written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie. 

Among the best-selling albums this year was Dire Straits’ album Brothers in Arms, which at the same time was the first ever album to be released on CD. Jennifer Rush had the best-selling single in the UK with "The Power of Love" while in the USA, Madonna and George Michael both solo and with Wham! ruled the charts. 

With 1985 New Wave completely faded, knocked out by guitar-driven rock most notably by the Jangle rock which in this period of time was popularized as College rock with R.E.M. and The Smiths paving the way. On the other hand, Electronic music was transforming into new rhythms with the emerging Chicago house and Detroit techno that would give hits in the years to come.

01. Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill 
02. The Smiths - How Soon is Now? 
03. Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls 

04. The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary 
05. Depeche Mode - Shake the Disease 
06. Killing Joke - Love Like Blood 
07. Simple Minds - Don't You (Forget About Me) 
08. New Order - The Perfect Kiss 
09. The Cure - Close to Me 
10. Talk Talk - Life's What You Make It 
11. a-ha - The Sun Always Shine on TV

12. Grace Jones - Slave to the Rhythm
13. The Cure - In Between Days
14. Echo & The Bunnymen- Bring on the Dancing Horses
15. Jesus and The Mary Chain - Just Like Honey
16. Tears for Fears - Everybody Wants to Rule The World
17. Madonna - Into the Groove
18. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Cities in Dust
19. King - Love and Pride
20. David Bowie and Pat Metheny Group - This is not America

Best of 1984- The Album List

The growing popularity of Michael Jackson which started in 1983 also set foot in 1984 especially after the video for "Thriller" was released. Even though the content of the video was controversial at that time, it was also groundbreaking and it revolutionized the music industry and the world of pop by breaking down the racial barriers and transforming the music video into a work of art.

Even at the other end of the Atlantic the 1983 started with a small scandal which involved Frankie Goes To Hollywood who got banned by BBC for almost a year due to the explicit lyrics in the and provocative video for their biggest hit "Relax". Despite this fact, the band managed to have major success around the world with their debut album Welcome to the Pleasuredome. This was also the first big success for ZTT Records and three times platinum in the UK. Towards the end of the year the Frankie Goes to Hollywood ban was slowly lifted and "Relax" was the ultimate anthem of 1984 introducing the Frankie Says Relax trend. 

With the growing popularity of MTV, in 1984 the first MTV Music Awards were given away at the  Radio City Music Hall in New York. Among the winners were Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, David Bowie, Herbie Hancock. Madonna was not up for awards, but manged to make prominence and shake the pop world with her performance at the VMA's. 

Just ahead of Christmas when 1984 was in the fade out, a group of musicians headed by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure got together for a good cause forming Band Aid. This was a group of musicians who recorded a song to raise awareness and funds for the Ethiopian famine in 1983–1985. It included more than 40 musicians and it sold over two million copies around the globe and raised more than $24 million. 

Towards the end of the year New Gold Dream which could easily be translated as the golden era of new Wave slowly began to vanish and became clear that the new musical term was Pop.

 

Best of 2013- The Singles List

01. Goldfrapp- Drew
02. David Bowie- Where Are They Now?
03. Soap and Skin- Sugarbread
04. Mood Rings- The Line
05. Chvrches- Tether
06. Tropic of Cancer- More Alone
07. Manic Street Preachers- Anthem for The Lost Cause
08. Pet Shop Boys- Axis
09. Depeche Mode- Heaven
10. Suede- It Starts and Ends With You
11. The National- Demons
12. The Arcade Fire- Afterlife
13. Austra- Painful Like
14. Moby- A Case for a Shame
15. Young Galaxy- New Summer
16. Xeno & Oaklander- Sheen
17. Cold Cave- Nausa, the Earth and Me
18. Röyksopp- Something in my Heart
19. Cosmetics- Black Candy 
20. Arctic Monkeys- Do I Wanna Know?

Best of 1983 - The Singles List

The year 1982 was all about Michael Jackson's Thriller, which became the best-selling album of all time. The video for the song proved to be challenging for the MTV airwaves, and it is also considered as one of the best videos of all time. Along with Michael Jackson's success other artists followed; David Bowie released Let's Dance, his most commercial album to date and ladies rocked too, Madonna and Cyndi Lauper released their debuts too exploring the weird and unconventional and Kim Wilde won the Brit Award for best British female artist. 

In 1982, the first compact discs were produced in Germany and were already sold in Japan during the third quarter of the same year. In 1983, they also went on sale in the USA, and they will certainly revolutionize the music industry in the coming years. 

New Wave slowly faded into Pop and its biggest stars of the decade Michal Jackson, Madonna, Prince and George Michael will rule the charts for the rest of the decade and beyond.

01. New Order - Blue Monday 
02. Depeche Mode - Everything Counts 
03. The Smiths - This Charming Man 
04. Michael Jackson - Thriller 
05. The Sisters of Mercy - Temple of Love 
06. Simple Minds - New Gold Dream 81-82-83-84 
07. Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Relax 
08. Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) 
09. The The - This is the Day 
10. Siouxsie and The Banshees - Dear Prudence 
11. Yazoo- Nobody's Diary 
12. Echo & The Bunnymen- The Cutter 
13. U2- New Year’s Day 
14. David Bowie – Let's Dance
15. Cyndi Lauper- Girls Just Wanna have Fun
16. Pat Benetar - Love is a Battlefield 
17. Talking Heads - Burning Down The House 
18. R.E.M.- Radio Free Europe 
19. Spandau Ballet - True 
20. PIL - This is not a Love Song 

Depeche Mode Reveal New Album 'Delta Machine'

Depeche Mode have announced that their 13th studio album studio album will be entitled Delta Machine. It is set for release on March 26th on Columbia Records. the debut video for their first single ‘Heaven’ will be premiered on February 1st on Vevo. Alongside a standard CD format, Depeche Mode will release 'Delta Machine' in an exclusive Deluxe Edition with four additional new tracks and accompanied by a 28 page hardcover book including photos by longtime artistic collaborator Anton Corbijn. 

 Following the release of their new album, Depeche Mode will embark on a European stadium tour, kicking off in Tel Aviv’s Hayarkon Park on May 7th. They will perform 34 shows in 25 European countries. 

http://countdown.depechemode.com/#delta

Depeche Mode First Album Details

It's official, Depeche Mode have reveled some details about their upcoming album. Their brand new album is going to be released on Columbia Records in March 2013. It is reported that the new album will have similar vibe to 'Violator' and 'Songs of Faith and Devotion' and that the new songs are written by both Matin Gore and Dave Gahan. 

Following the release of their new album, Depeche Mode will embark on a European tour, kicking off in Tel Aviv’s Hayarkon Park on May 7. They will perform 34 shows in 25 European countries, featuring appearances at the Rock Werchter Festival in Belgium, BBK Festival in Spain and Optimus Alive Festival in Portugal. The band will go on to play at Rome’s renowned Olympic Stadium, the Stade De France in Paris, and Moscow’s Locomotive Stadium before wrapping up the European leg of their tour in Minsk, Belarus on July 29.

Depeche Mode European Tour Dates 2013 Announced

Dave Gahan, Martin Gore and Andy Fletcher will play 34 must-see shows in 25 European countries to an audience of more than 1.5 million fans, before taking the tour to North America. The part of the tour kicks off with an open-air stadium show in Tel Aviv’s Hayarkon Park on Tuesday May 7th and it will end in Minsk on July 29th. 

MAY 7 - Tel Aviv - Hayarkon Park
MAY 10 - Athens - Terra Vibe
MAY 12 - Sofia Georgi - Asparuhov Stadium
MAY 15 - Bucharest - National Stadium
MAY 17 - Istanbul - Kucukciftlik Park
MAY 19 - Belgrade - USCE Park
MAY 21 - Budapest - Puskas Ferenc Stadium
MAY 23 - Zagreb - Hippodrome
MAY 25 - Bratislava - Inter Stadium
MAY 28 - London - O2 Arena
JUN 1 - Munich - Olympic Stadium
JUN 3 - Stuttgart - Mercedes-Benz Arena
JUN 5 - Frankfurt - Commerzbank Arena
JUN 7 - Berne - Stade de Suisse
JUN 9 - Berlin - Olympic Stadium
JUN 11 - Leipzig - Red Bull Arena
JUN 13 - Copenhagen - Parken
JUN 15 - Paris - Stade de France
JUN 17 - Hamburg - Imtech Arena
JUN 22 - Moscow - Locomotive Stadium
JUN 24 - St Petersburg - SKK Arena
JUN 27 - Stockholm - Borlange Peace & Love Festival
JUN 29 - Kiev - Olympic Stadium
JUL 3 - Dusseldorf - Esprit Arena
JUL 7 - Belgium - Rock Werchter Fest
JUL 11 - Bilbao - BBK Festival
JUL 13 - Lisbon - Optimus Alive Fest
JUL 16 - Nimes - Antic Arena
JUL 18 - Milan - San Siro Stadium
JUL 20 - Rome - Olympic Stadium
JUL 23 - Prague - Synot Tip Arena
JUL 25 - Warsaw - National Stadium
JUL 27 - Vilnius - Vingus Park
JUL 29 - Minsk - Arena

Best of 1982 - The Album List

The rise of synthesizers continued to shape the landscape of pop music, gaining dominance and emerging as a potential formula for future success. The Human League maintained their chart-topping presence and received the BRIT Award for Best Breakthrough Act, solidifying their status as pioneers of the synth-pop movement. Inspired by their success, other bands such as Depeche Mode, Yazoo, and Soft Cell adopted synthesizers as primary instruments, contributing to the launch of the Second British Invasion in the United States.

This musical invasion introduced new styles, rhythms, and stars to American audiences, with acts like Duran Duran, The Human League, Eurythmics, Billy Idol, and more making a significant impact. However, the era also saw the dissolution of some iconic bands from the late '70s and early '80s, including Blondie, Adam and The Ants, ABBA, and Japan, marking the end of their influential musical journeys.

Retrovision: Depeche Mode- See You

"See You" was released on this date 30 years ago. It was the fourth single release for Depeche Mode which reached #6 in the UK Charts. The song was included on the band's second album 'A Broken Frame'. Martin Gore debuted here as a songwriter and Alan Wildler appeared for the first time in a DM video. The video was directed by Julien Temple. The band did not like, and it did not show up on the 1985 video compilation 'Some Great Videos', which included the band's videos up to 1985 except the 'A Broken Frame' singles and "Get the Balance Right".

Best of 1981 - Top 50 Singles List

Following the tragic death of John Lennon in December 1980, the world was still in mourning after the loss of one of the most influential musical masterminds of all time. All this did also had impact on the charts as where his biggest hits "Woman" and "Imagine" could be found again. Even Roxy Music paid tribute to him by covering "Jealous Guy".

Apart from this, the charts were still dominated by the rising stars of 1980, Adam and the Ants, while The Police had more hits. Human League re-formed this year, exiting the dark phase and releasing "Don't You Want Me Baby" which together with Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" helped to emblem the music style which would in the coming years be known as Synth-pop.

Along with the increasing popularity of synth driven music, the New Romantic movement slowly grew to fame as new kids adopted synths and started wearing lipstick. Perhaps the biggest event of the year was the launch of MTV, which aired "Video Killed The Radio Star" by The Buggles. The song became a huge hit and a symbol for the new platform, which would give the music industry a new face and dimension.

 

01. Ultravox- Vienna 
02. The Cure- Charlotte Sometimes 
03. The Human League- Don't You Want Me 
04. Siouxsie and the Banshees- Spellbound 
05. New Order- Ceremony 
06. Soft Cell- Tainted Love 
07. Talking Heads- Once in a Lifetime 
08. Duran Duran- Planet Earth 
09. Ultravox-The Voice 
10. Japan- Quiet Life 
11. Depeche Mode - Just Can't Get Enough 
12. Simple Minds- Love Song 
13. Kraftwerk- Computer Love 
14. The Specials - Ghost Town 
15. Heaven 17 -We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang 
16. David Bowie - Up The Hill Backwards 
17. Kim Wilde - Kids in America 
18. Depeche Mode- New Life 
19. Men At Work - Down Under 
20. Soft Cell - Memorabilia 

Best of 1981- The Albums List

The year 1980 was marked by a profound sense of loss with the tragic death of John Lennon in December. The music world mourned the passing of one of its most influential figures, and Lennon's iconic hits like "Woman" and "Imagine" reappeared on the charts as a tribute to his enduring legacy. Roxy Music also paid homage with a cover of "Jealous Guy."

Despite the somber atmosphere, the charts were still lively with the sounds of rising stars like Adam and the Ants, while The Police continued to dominate. Human League made a notable return, emerging from a dark phase and releasing "Don't You Want Me Baby." This, coupled with Soft Cell's "Tainted Love," played a crucial role in defining the emerging genre known as Synth-pop.

Simultaneously, the New Romantic movement began to gain traction, with young artists embracing synthesizers and distinctive fashion choices, including lipstick. A groundbreaking moment in the music industry occurred with the launch of MTV, featuring "Video Killed The Radio Star" by The Buggles as its inaugural video. This song became a symbol of the new platform that would reshape the music industry, ushering in a new era of visual storytelling and musical dimension.