Is Depeche Mode the biggest band in the world ?

"We are modest. We are not like U2, who want to be the biggest band in the world. Most of what we've done, we did by accident." says Martin Gore, chief songwriter of DM.

For lack of pretention, Depeche Mode is one of the longest-lived, most successful and influential bands to have emerged from the New Wave era.
Formed in 1980, in England, the band was named Depeche Mode after Gahan had come across the French fashion magazine Dépêche-mode. Like a lot of groupe, DM knew a lot of changements. The original line-up was Dave Gahan (lead vocals), Martin Gore (keyboards, guitar, vocals, chief songwriter after 1981), Andrew Fletcher (keyboards) and Vince Clarke (keyboards, chief songwriter). But this last one left the band in 1981 and was replaced by Alan Wilder. Once again, a member gave up and, since Wilder's departure, Gahan, Gore, and Fletcher have continued as a trio.

In nearly thirty years, they have released 11 studio albums and 46 singles, all in a variety of formats. That is not even counting the singles compilations, box sets or live recordings!
Againts all odds, on 15 January 2009, the official Depeche Mode website announced the release of a new album ! Called Sounds of the Universe, the album is available since 20 April 2009 all around the world. Today, every American fan can run to the record seller and buy it.

Where does this success come from?

Depeche Mode's first single, "Just Can't Get Enough", entered the UK Top 10, peaking at number eight. This record was in many ways a breakthrough for the band, and its success paved the way for its debut album Speak & Spell, released in November 1981.

The band has continued to explore new musical directions, and their sound has remained immensely diverse since their inception.
Some examples : for their third album Construction Time Again (1983), the band has created an eclectic, industrial-influenced sound by sampling the noises of everyday objects.
The largest transformation came in 1986, with the release of Black Celebration : "industrial-pop" sound, an ominous, highly atmospheric and textured sound, accompanied by some darker, bleaker, lyrics written by Gore.
Anothe evolution : in 1993, Songs of Faith and Devotion saw them experimenting with more organic arrangements, based as much on heavily distorted electric guitars, keyboards and live drums. Live strings, uillean pipes and female gospel vocals were other new additions to the band's sound.

Fletcher likes claiming : "It's something that maybe we could have done earlier on in our career. But I do always think that we moved along with the times as well. We're retrofuturistic."
Fans have always followed the band in its constant changements and DM influenced many of today's popular recording artists.

What will Sounds Of The Universe contribute to the legacy of Depeche Mode? Will there be more songs with saving for future generations? We will see.

Manon Soucasse