H's 'proto-trance' selection; all good as far as I'm concerned - that was the sort of 'sound' I was growing up with in the 80s - European, synth-pop - love it. Although that version of Humanoid Invasion does seem to be lacking some 'ooomph' in the *ahem* bottom end...
D's 'not-connected-in-any-way' selection; Drake - serious ear-worm, Jay-Z & Kanye - more ear-worm, Rodriguez - nice enough - the 'weird-noisy' middle section is cute for 1972, Costello and Kinks - classics although, on a personal note, that particular Kinks tune always leaves me a bit cold whilst the Costello tune is the absolute opposite - melts me every time.
And so...
When one considers 'pop' music there are likely as many opinions as to its genesis and fruition as there are early albums and singles. Was it rock'n'roll that started 'pop'? Had 'pop' been around even before the first World War? Did The Beatles crystallise and distil it in 1963's 'Please Please Me'? Any and all such questions are largely daft and therein, for many folk at least, lies the attraction in addressing them - there are, of course, no correct answers and consequently one cannot be definitively wrong... However, no matter the opinions offered about the origins of 'pop' music - here are some indisputable pop music facts.
Depeche Mode have been going for 37 years. That's THIRTY SEVEN YEARS. Depeche Mode have released 49 UK charting singles; 13 studio albums - all of which have been Top Ten in the UK and, worldwide, sold over 100 million records. Depeche Mode have played live to over 30 million people.
THAT'S THIRTY MILLION PEOPLE!!!
It is for these reasons, but far from these reasons alone, that I unhesitatingly call them England's greatest ever 'pop' band.
Let me leave aside the round-number statistics and use less empirical arguments...
Depeche Mode helped spawn and have sustained the commissioned remix culture like NO other band. From 'extended 12" mixes' in the early 80s to full on re-engineered deliveries from just about every single worthwhile dance music producer ever - Frankie Knuckles, Francois Kervokian, Danny Tenaglia, Sasha and UNKLE to name but five - it would very probably be easier to list who HASN'T reworked one or more of their tracks than document all those who have (their officially 'unofficial' remix catalogue is GIGANTIC). They have been cited as a major influence by rock groups, pop acts, indie bands and dance producers from the UK, US, Europe and beyond and simple minded fans like me across the globe. Not to mention the photographers and film directors they have influenced, inspired and given opportunities to through their tours, videos and publicity work over the decades - eg, Anton Corbijn's filming of 'Devotional - A Performance' - the most stylish, elegant and somehow still emotional live gig film I've seen and which provided a major boost for Corbijn's career.
They are genuinely a band without peers.
And yet Depeche Mode are still MASSIVELY underrated and undervalued in the UK and it is a wrong that really should be righted - starting, in rather pathetic fashion, here, on the home of musical correctness...
A Depeche Mode 'top five' for DHS purposes is laughably impossible - but this is my best stab at it... (As befitting a 'pop band' I've limited my choice to singles and excluded all album tracks and/or remixes - but even so that's leaving somewhere around 90% of their eligible material out of the list. I've also kept it to the period during which they were my biggest influence, which is absolutely not to say that their more recent stuff isn't worthy.) So, in chronological order;
- See You (4th single, 1982)
- Blasphemous Rumours (12th single, 1984)
- A Question Of Lust (16th single, 1986)
- Personal Jesus (23rd single, 1989)
- Walking In My Shoes (28th single, 1993)
Wallop.
