Music for the Masses | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 28 September 1987 | |||
Recorded | February–July 1987 | |||
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Genre | ||||
Length | 44:04 | |||
Label | Mute | |||
Producer |
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Depeche Mode chronology | ||||
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Singles from Music for the Masses | ||||
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Music for the Masses is the sixth studio album by the English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 28 September 1987 by Mute Records. [4] The album was supported by the Music for the Masses Tour, which launched their fame in the US when they performed at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The tour led to the creation and filming of the documentary/live album titled 101 . [5]
Considered one of the band's best albums, Music for the Masses was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2006). [6] The album reached No. 10 in the UK Charts.
It was preceded by the singles "Strangelove", released on 13 April, "Never Let Me Down Again", released on 24 August. Two other singles followed the release of the album, one being "Behind the Wheel", released 28 December, and the other being "Little 15", which was released on 16 May the following year.
Depeche Mode had released their album Black Celebration in early 1986, [7] followed up with a supporting tour which lasted through the middle of that year, [8] and contributed the song "But Not Tonight" to the soundtrack to the movie Modern Girls (1986). [9] Daniel Miller, citing growing tension in the studio during the recording of Black Celebration, stepped away from production duties. [10] With Miller's approval, the band approached David Bascombe to co-produce Music for the Masses, who had previously worked as a recording engineer with Tears for Fears and Peter Gabriel. [11] Music for the Masses saw the band using heavy amounts of sampling, [12] much like they did in Black Celebration .
The album was recorded at Studio Guillame Tell outside of Paris, and mixed in Puk Studio in Denmark. [13] The song "Little 15" was one of the last to come together during the sessions, as the band wasn't quite sure how to put it together. [14] The group, having seen A Zed & Two Noughts during the sessions, decided to try the song in the style of its soundtracks, and "from there, it was easy. It just flowed." [14] "Behind the Wheel" had a sequence of four chords that kept cycling, which Alan Wilder compared to Penrose stairs; "once you get around, you're back at the bottom again. That's kind of how the chord sequence works [in the song]." [14] For "Pimpf", Wilder said that it "starts off with one little riff that just feeds on itself. ... You've got this one thing and we just keep adding and adding and adding to it." [14]
Band members Andy Fletcher and Martin Gore both explained the album's title was conceived as a joke, after Gore found an old album called Music for the Millions. [15] Fletcher said, "The title's ... a bit tongue-in-cheek, really. Everyone is telling us we should make more commercial music, so that's the reason we chose that title." [11] According to Gore, the title "was a joke on the uncommerciality of [the album]. It was anything but music for the masses!" [16] Miller agreed, saying that the name Music for the Masses was "about how Depeche Mode were forever destined to be a cult band who could never quite crack the mainstream," [13] disproved by the success of Depeche Mode's subsequent tours and albums. [13]
The megaphone (or its iconic representation) on the album's cover was used during the breadth of the album's release: at press events, on the covers of the album's singles, and during the tour. Alan Wilder gave credit to Martyn Atkins, who had been a longtime Depeche Mode collaborator, for the use of the megaphone. "[Martyn came] up with this idea of a speaker, but, to give the kind of ironic element which the title has, to put this speaker in a setting which wasn't really to do with the masses at all. It was, in fact, the opposite. So you end up with this kind of eerie thing where you get these speakers or megaphones in the middle of a setting that doesn't suit it at all, like a desert or whatever." [11] They took the megaphone, mounted it to a pole, and drove up to the Peak District to take pictures. [17] [14] Atkins called the cover his favorite of all the Depeche Mode album covers he was involved in. [14]
An early alternative cover was rejected for the album. The rejected cover was also designed by Atkins and a test pressing copy was auctioned off by Wilder in 2011. It features a white-and-orange stylised design of the megaphone emitting sound waves. [18] This alternate artwork was planned to be used for a budget series of albums, but the project was scrapped. [19]
This article needs additional citations for verification .(October 2024) |
The tour began in October 1987 with a European leg, starting in Madrid and finishing mid-November in Paris. In early December, a North American run commenced in San Francisco and culminated three weeks later in New York City.
In January 1988, the group played an eleven-date UK tour, which was followed by further dates in Europe beginning in Hamburg, West Germany in early February. The leg wrapped up in Vienna in late March.
In April 1988, the group played four dates in Japan. This was followed later in the month by the start of a second North American leg, which began in Mountain View, California. The entire tour concluded mid-June with a concert at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, where the band performed in front of a sold-out crowd of nearly 80,000 people, [13] released as the live album 101 in 1988. [5]
In 2006, Music for the Masses became one of the first Depeche Mode albums (along with Speak & Spell and Violator ) to be released on a special two-disc SACD/CD Hybrid + DVD format, in the vein of their eleventh studio album Playing the Angel (2005), which had a limited edition SACD + DVD release. The format was the same as Playing the Angel's, the first disc had a special digitally remastered version of the album, while the DVD had the album on three formats (PCM Stereo, 5.1 surround sound and DTS 5.1) plus bonus tracks, and a documentary on the album. The re-release preserves the album as it was originally intended. Thus, the four bonus tracks do not appear on the SACD, but appear on the DVD. The DVD also features all B-sides from the Music for the Masses era, but unlike the album and the bonus tracks, the B-sides are only available in PCM Stereo.
The documentary, a 37-minute short film titled Depeche Mode: 1987–88 (Sometimes You Do Need Some New Jokes), is an extensive look at the album, featuring commentary from a wide variety of people, including the current Depeche Mode, former member Wilder, producer David Bascombe, Daniel Miller, Daryl Bamonte, Atkins, Anton Corbijn, and others. The documentary features new facts on the album, and also an extensive look at the film 101.
The re-release was released on 3 April 2006 in Europe. The US version was delayed to 2 June 2006 and is only available on a CD + DVD format, with no SACD. The DVD on all the versions are region independent, but differ in television formats: PAL or NTSC. The remastered album was released on vinyl on 2 March 2007 in Germany and 5 March 2007 internationally.
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [20] |
The Austin Chronicle | [21] |
Pitchfork | 8.0/10 [22] |
Q | [23] |
Record Mirror | [24] |
Rolling Stone | [25] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [26] |
Sounds | [27] |
Spin Alternative Record Guide | 7/10 [28] |
The Village Voice | B+ [29] |
The album mostly received favourable reviews upon release. Robert Christgau complimented the abnormal road symbolism of the lyrics, particularly on "Little 15", and believed that apart from the sadomasochistic metaphors, Depeche Mode succeeded in turning "adolescent Weltschmerz into something catchy, sexy and seemingly significant". [30] NME 's Jane Solanas felt Gore was "at his obsessive best" on Music for the Masses, particularly on "Never Let Me Down Again", which she called "an intriguing masterpiece, combining homo-eroticism with drug euphoria." [31] In a less enthusiastic review, Paul Mathur from Melody Maker was ambivalent towards the group's more mature, minimalist aesthetic and said although they had departed from their simpler pop sound, the record was "seamless, fluid, and, once the lights are out, particularly dull." [32]
In a retrospective review, Q magazine found the narratives on Music for the Masses to be among Depeche Mode's most uncertain and contemplative, and that most of its songs were "real diamonds in the darkness ... this was the point at which Depeche Mode were first taken seriously." [23] Slant Magazine 's Sal Cinquemani said that Music for the Masses showed the gloomier side of the "post-punk synthpop" scene during the 1980s and was a success with both critics and consumers. [33] Alternative Press called the record "articulate, intricate electronic music that lacked the tinny feel of DM's early synth pop". [34] Music for the Masses was listed by Slant Magazine at number 75 on their list of "Best Albums of the 1980s". [35] The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2006). [36]
All tracks are written by Martin L. Gore. All lead vocals by Dave Gahan, except where noted
No. | Title | Lead vocals | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Never Let Me Down Again" | 4:47 | |
2. | "The Things You Said" | Gore | 4:02 |
3. | "Strangelove" | 4:56 | |
4. | "Sacred" | 4:47 | |
5. | "Little 15" | 4:18 |
No. | Title | Lead vocals | Length |
---|---|---|---|
6. | "Behind the Wheel" |
| 5:18 |
7. | "I Want You Now" | Gore | 3:44 |
8. | "To Have and to Hold" | 2:51 | |
9. | "Nothing" | 4:18 | |
10. | "Pimpf" (includes hidden track [note 1] ) | instrumental; vocalization by Gore | 4:55 |
Total length: | 44:06 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
11. | "Agent Orange" ( [note 3] ) | 5:05 |
12. | "Never Let Me Down Again" (Aggro Mix) | 4:55 |
13. | "To Have and to Hold" (Spanish Taster) | 2:34 |
14. | "Pleasure, Little Treasure" (Glitter Mix) | 5:36 |
Total length: | 57:24 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Never Let Me Down Again" | 4:47 |
2. | "The Things You Said" | 3:55 |
3. | "Strangelove" | 4:38 |
4. | "Sacred" | 5:01 |
5. | "Little 15" | 4:14 |
6. | "Behind the Wheel" | 5:17 |
7. | "I Want You Now" | 3:28 |
8. | "To Have and to Hold" | 3:08 |
9. | "Nothing" | 4:12 |
10. | "Pimpf" (includes hidden track [note 1] ) | 4:55 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Depeche Mode 87–88 (Sometimes You Do Need Some New Jokes)" | 37:02 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
11. | "Agent Orange" | 5:31 |
12. | "Never Let Me Down Again" (Aggro Mix) | 4:58 |
13. | "To Have and to Hold" (Spanish Taster) | 2:36 |
14. | "Pleasure, Little Treasure" (Glitter Mix) | 5:38 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
11. | "Agent Orange" | 5:05 | |
12. | "Pleasure, Little Treasure" | 2:53 | |
13. | "Route 66" | Bobby Troup | 4:11 |
14. | "Stjarna" | 4:25 | |
15. | "Sonata No.14 in C#m (Moonlight Sonata)" | Ludwig van Beethoven | 5:36 |
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Music for the Masses. [37]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
France (SNEP) [59] | Platinum | 300,000* |
Germany (BVMI) [60] | Gold | 250,000^ |
Sweden (GLF) [61] | Gold | 50,000^ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [62] | Gold | 25,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [63] | Silver | 60,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [64] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in Basildon, Essex in 1980. Originally formed with the lineup of Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke, the band currently consists of Gahan and Gore.
Violator is the seventh studio album by English electronic music band Depeche Mode. It was first released on 19 March 1990 by Mute Records internationally, and by Sire and Reprise Records in the United States.
Construction Time Again is the third studio album by English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 22 August 1983 by Mute Records. It was the band's first album to feature Alan Wilder as a member, who wrote the songs "Two Minute Warning" and "The Landscape Is Changing". The album's title comes from the second line of the first verse of the track "Pipeline". It was recorded at John Foxx's The Garden studios in London, and was supported by the Construction Time Again Tour.
Black Celebration is the fifth studio album by English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 17 March 1986 by Mute Records. The album's co-producer Daniel Miller devised "a plan to capture the essence of the dark works" that Martin Gore created because Martin Gore had no intention of compromising the mood that his demos had set. Miller and Gareth Jones produced the album to be more like an environment rather than a collection of songs. Their production created "a tech-noir future dystopia" that "glitters of gloom".
Speak & Spell is the debut studio album by English electronic music band Depeche Mode. It was released on 5 October 1981, or possibly 29 October 1981, by Mute Records. It was the band's only album to feature Vince Clarke, and is much lighter in tone than their subsequent releases.
Some Great Reward is the fourth studio album by the English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 24 September 1984 by Mute Records. The album peaked at number five in the United Kingdom and number 51 in the United States, and was supported by the Some Great Reward Tour. This also saw the band using samplers, much like they did in their previous studio album Construction Time Again (1983), which they would continue to use in their following studio albums Black Celebration (1986), Music for the Masses (1987) and Violator (1990).
A Broken Frame is the second studio album by English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 27 September 1982 by Mute Records. The album was written entirely by Martin Gore and was recorded as a trio after the departure of Vince Clarke, who had left and formed Yazoo with singer Alison Moyet. Alan Wilder was part of a second band tour in the United Kingdom prior to the release of A Broken Frame, but had not officially joined yet and does not appear on the album.
Ultra is the ninth studio album by English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 14 April 1997 by Mute Records. It was the band's first album following the departure of Alan Wilder. Wilder's departure and lead singer Dave Gahan's drug problems, which culminated in a near-fatal overdose, had caused speculation that Depeche Mode was finished.
Exciter is the tenth studio album by English electronic music band Depeche Mode. It was first released on 14 May 2001 in the United Kingdom by Mute Records and a day later in the United States by Reprise Records. The album was produced by Mark Bell, and was supported by the Exciter Tour, one of the band's most successful tours.
Songs of Faith and Devotion is the eighth studio album by English electronic music band Depeche Mode. It was first released on 22 March 1993 in the United Kingdom by Mute Records and a day later in the United States by Sire Records and Reprise Records. The album incorporated a more aggressive, darker rock-oriented tone than its predecessor Violator (1990), largely influenced by the emerging alternative rock and grunge scenes in the United States.
"Stripped" is a song by the English electronic music band Depeche Mode. It was released as the lead single from their fifth studio album Black Celebration (1986) on 10 February 1986, through Mute Records. Written by the band's lead songwriter Martin Gore, "Stripped" introduces the more dark and sample oriented composition that featured on the Black Celebration album. It incorporates various samples into its instrumental; most notably, the sound of an idling motorcycle engine was recorded, altered slightly, and inserted as a percussive element.
The Singles 86>98 is a greatest hits album by English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 28 September 1998 by Mute Records. It serves as a follow-up to the band's previous compilation, The Singles 81→85, which was also reissued in the same year. The compilation covers the band's seven-inch single releases spanning five studio albums, while including the new song "Only When I Lose Myself". It also includes "Little 15" and the live version of "Everything Counts", which was released as a single in 1989. All tracks on The Singles 86>98 were newly remastered, as was the case with the re-release of The Singles 81→85.
101 is a live album and documentary film by the English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 13 March 1989 by Mute Records. It chronicles the final leg of the band's Music for the Masses Tour and the final show on 18 June 1988 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
"Everything Counts" is a song by the English electronic music band Depeche Mode from their third studio album, Construction Time Again (1983). A live version of the song was released in 1989 to support the band's live album 101. The original single reached No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart, whereas the live version reached No. 22.
"Strangelove" is a song by the English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 27 April 1987 as the lead single from their sixth studio album, Music for the Masses (1987).
"Never Let Me Down Again" is a song by the English electronic music band Depeche Mode. It was released as the second single from their sixth studio album, Music for the Masses (1987), on 24 August 1987. It reached No. 22 in the UK, No. 2 in West Germany, and the top-10 in several other European countries such as Sweden and Switzerland, topping the Danish charts. In the US, it entered the Billboard Hot 100. The cover art features fragments of a Soviet map of Russia and Europe, with different fragments used for the different editions of the single.
"Little 15" is a song by the English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 16 May 1988 as the fourth single from their sixth studio album, Music for the Masses (1987). The song was never intended to be a single; in fact, it barely made it onto the album, but a French record label wanted to release the song as a single, which became a popular import and reached number 60 on the UK Singles Chart.
Strange – A Black and White Mode by Anton Corbijn is the second music video compilation by the English electronic music band Depeche Mode, featuring the first five Depeche Mode videos directed by Anton Corbijn, released in 1988. Corbijn shot the entire video album in Super 8.
For the Masses is a 1998 tribute album to the British band Depeche Mode, specifically the works of Martin Gore. The album charted in America and reached the Top 20 in Germany, making it the most successful Depeche Mode tribute album of all time. The album title is taken from Depeche Mode's 1987 album Music for the Masses. The album cover was photographed by Martyn Atkins who shot and designed early Depeche Mode artwork; the whole album artwork is consistent with the past Depeche Mode albums.
The Videos 86>98 is a music video compilation by the English electronic music band Depeche Mode, featuring almost two dozen music videos directed by a variety of directors, released in 1998 on VHS and DVD. It coincides with The Singles 86>98.
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