Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode formed in Basildon in 1980, four teenagers who signed to Mute Records and began releasing synth-pop singles that were immediately distinctive. Vince Clarke left after the debut album, leaving Martin Gore as the primary songwriter. The decision to continue without Clarke was the best thing that could have happened — Gore's darker, more complex vision transformed the band.

'Some Great Reward' (1984) and 'Black Celebration' (1986) established the template: dark, electronic, and possessed of a sexual and spiritual intensity that was unlike anything else in pop music. Dave Gahan's voice — deep, sensual, and capable of extraordinary range — was the perfect vehicle for Gore's songs. 'Violator' (1990) was the commercial and artistic peak — 'Personal Jesus', 'Enjoy the Silence', 'Policy of Truth' — one of the great albums of the decade.

Depeche Mode have continued to record and tour with remarkable consistency. 'Songs of Faith and Devotion' (1993) and 'Ultra' (1997) were both excellent. The death of Andrew Fletcher in 2022 was a devastating blow, but Gahan and Gore have continued as a duo. 'Memento Mori' (2023) was a strong album made in the shadow of loss. Their influence on subsequent electronic music is incalculable.