Depeche Mode is a legendary English electronic band that was formed in Basildon in 1980. The band consists of Dave Gahan as the lead vocalist and co-songwriter, and Martin Gore, who plays keyboards, guitar, co-leads vocals, and serves as the primary songwriter. Depeche Mode's original lineup included Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke, and their debut album, Speak & Spell, released in 1981, launched the band into the British new wave scene. However, Clarke left shortly after the album's release, and the band continued as a trio with Gore taking over as the main songwriter.
In 1982, Alan Wilder joined the band, solidifying the lineup that lasted for 13 years. Depeche Mode's albums from the late 1980s, Black Celebration and Music for the Masses, cemented their position as a prominent force in the electronic music scene. The band's concert in June 1988 at the Pasadena Rose Bowl, which drew a crowd of more than 60,000 people, was a defining moment in their career. In 1990, Depeche Mode released their international mainstream success album, Violator. They followed up with the equally successful Songs of Faith and Devotion in 1993. However, the band's internal struggles during the recording and touring of this album led to Wilder's departure in 1995.
Depeche Mode continued as a trio with Gahan, Gore, and Fletcher until Fletcher's death in 2022. Over the years, the band has had 54 songs in the UK Singles Chart and 17 Top 10 albums in the UK chart, selling over 100 million records worldwide. Depeche Mode has been recognized as a significant contributor to the music industry, with Q magazine including them in its list of the "50 Bands That Changed the World!" and VH1 ranking them No. 98 on the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" list. In 2016, Billboard named Depeche Mode the 10th Greatest of All Time Top Dance Club Artists.
The band has also received numerous award nominations throughout their career, including five Grammy Award nominations. They received their first nomination in 1995 for the Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video for "Devotional." The band has also been nominated for Best Dance Recording for "I Feel Loved," "Suffer Well," and "Wrong." Depeche Mode has received many other accolades, including the MTV Europe Music Award for Best Group and the Q magazine "Innovation Award."
Depeche Mode's impact on the music industry has not gone unnoticed. The band was ranked No. 144 on Acclaimed Music's list of The Top 1000 Artists of All Time. In 2020, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, an honor that had been long overdue. Depeche Mode's music continues to inspire and captivate audiences around the world, cementing their status as one of the most influential bands in music history.
