The Best Song From Every Depeche Mode Album

Since breaking out of England in the early 1980s, Depeche Mode has forged a distinctive and uncompromising legacy.

Their early influences included David Bowie, Iggy Pop and the Clash, yet the dawn of electronic music allowed Depeche Mode to create a unique style all their own.

The band has always maintained an outsider’s mentality, even as their group evolved to become one of the most popular acts in the world. With its dark tones and serious subject matter, Depeche Mode’s music was never meant for straight-laced society. It continually defies genre classification and – despite some hugely impressive sales numbers – was never intended for mass consumption.

"Growing up listening to music on the radio and having music, it really kind of helped us to feel normal, to feel a part of something," frontman Dave Gahan explained when Depeche Mode was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2020. "And that’s what music does for people, and that’s what I think Depeche Mode has done for many people. I think music really brings people together.”

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In his speech, the singer was sure to thank “all of the promoters across the world that took a chance on a bunch of outsider, eyeliner-wearing weirdos from Essex,” as well as “all of the wankers that didn’t."

With 15 studio albums under their belt, Depeche Mode has created an impressive body of work. They’ve weathers lineup changes, drug addictions, changing trends in popular music and even the death of a bandmate. All the while, the group has maintained the artistic integrity that made it such a groundbreaking act.

Below, we’ve highlighted our picks for The Best Song From Every Depeche Mode Album.