Music for the Masses

Maybe my mood, but didn't connect with this at all

Man, Depeche Mode could just crank this stuff out. Forgettable, mindless, meaningless, nihilistic. But I don’t actively hate it as much as some other stuff.

Nope, cancled, didnt like it

2 sterne

Nearly gave it 3 as quite enjoyable for the most part. Just didn’t have enough of an impact on first listen.

I was about 13 when this album first came out. Depeche Mode always intimidated me. People who listened to it were cool and weird and though interested I stayed away. I learned to appreciate them later. I can really enjoy Violator and some of their later works but not this album.

I did not vibe with this at all. 1.7/5

2+ Stars (6/15)

Man depechai nelimpa

Not really for me.

“Nothing” was probably my favorite, but otherwise I didn’t click too much with the album on the whole. I think other entries in the genre might fair better.

I have never heard of this band! First song is promising. This album gives a very specific goth vibe that I thing is very cool! I dont think I would listen to the album again, but several songs will probably make my Playlist.

Would give 2.5 if I could. I think violator is a stronger album.

83. hmm

Didn’t hear any hits on this one

Not so good smiths

It has the grandiose electronic soundscapes Depeche Mode is known for, but other than the opener there weren’t as many peaks as I needed.

every song sounded exactly the same and was hella gloomy

Okay, unremarkable, a few interesting moments, but there were other people doing more interesting things with the same equipment in this era.

Music for the Masses is my shit on paper: industrialized robot pop, expensive gloom, synths humming like a sexy appliance, I don't even mind the sad boi vibez. Reality? It just washes over me. Nothing really pops. Nothing sticks. And repeated listens unearth no mysteries. It's polished, very moody, very "come stand in this dimly lit fog and despair" but the songs never really sink their claws in. I don't hate it, which honestly makes it worse. I just sit there thinking "yeah...yeah" while the album quietly slips out the back door. Great wallpaper for a depressive European nightclub. Stinks like vomit and cigarette butts.

Depeche Mode's sixth studio album. Released in 1987. "Music For The Masses" is a series of synth-pop songs. Critiques of the time seem pretty mixed, none really giving it a negative score. They instead seemed to feel it was fine yet missing something while other give it an incredibly glowing review. This felt quite new for the album reccs up till now as either critics or retrospectives had been mostly or overwhelmingly glowing. Retrospectives seem to agree with the critics of the day who view it as fine though often highlight its legacy. I did come across a retrospective review that talked about how it did get negative perception in the press for being too depressing. Which felt surprising as I listening to the album. It's not positive but it's not THAT depressing to my ear. Though in saying that, I couldn't find more than one interview by the French and that was it. I'll probably keep this one brief for how I feel. It was fine. Nothing really moved me. It feels like a pretty stock standard synth-pop album from the 80's. Perhaps the lens of hindsight is cruel but there is no other lens on which I can view it from. Perhaps I could play a mental contrarianism in my mind for its benefit, yet I feel no drive there because of how little moved I was by the album. We got a song about drugs, a song about driving, and the rest are about some kind of sad love song in some way, shape, or form. Little 15 is probably the only song that stands out however and not for a good reason. Listen/read the lyrics and you'll see what I mean. The songwriter himself even mentions the song was partially inspired by a classmate he once had, who had an affair with a middle-aged woman when he was 15. The song doesn't glorify or condemn the relationship. It instead simply has the middle-aged woman telling the 15 year old about how much life will suck in future for him. So you're left with a strange context to a song that doesn't have much of a message other than life is hard. And after typing that out, I think I know what my conclusion for that song and this album are. It's directionless. The songwriter was in this limbo state emotionally and mentally, while that can be fun to explore I do not think this album actually explores those feelings or state. Instead it sadly declares them in this listless and low energy way that leaves me feeling bored of the album the longer it goes on.

OK, full disclosure... I dated this one girl long ago, and I told her that I liked Depeche Mode because I knew SHE liked Depeche Mode. Figured it was a white lie and no one would ever know the difference... Fast forward 37 years, and now I have to do a critical listen of possibly the most important record Depeche Mode ever had... ...and I hated it. How these guys ever recorded the number of albums they did or kept their careers going with essentially 2 songs IS BEYOND ME. And worse, I now have to basically confess this to my children (borne of that previously mentioned girlfriend) that I lied about this specific band just to get closer to their eventual mother... Oh what a tangled web we weave... Anyway, hated it. Probably a 1, but I'll notch it up to a 2 because I did win the girl in the end... Debatable whether it was due in part to my lie about Depeche Mode.

Never quite got on with Depeche Mode and I don't really know why - do they sound dated or just of their time - is there a difference? Something rather drab about them, and I like plenty of miserable music.

1/3. Maybe I just wasn’t listening closely, but this never caught my ear at all. I feel like based on my music taste I should like Depeche Mode, but these guys just bore me. The voice, the general muted sound; this is a high offense to them but I imagine I’d get a similar album if I asked AI to generate a dark wave album for me.

You know what, I've clowned on so much britpop that I just can't give Depeche Mode a free pass. I appreciate them, I think they broke new ground in the synth-driven '80s, but this isn't the album to nominate here. Shoulda been Construction Time Again imo.

They certainly have a sound. Not very dynamic though. Its fine.

Tem coisas interessantes. Mas provavelmente não ouviria de novo.

Depeche Mode are a band I should like. They are of my time. They criss genres i like. But i think i like the a-side of the best of rather than liking Depeche Mode. Their clean minimalist electronica bores me and Martin Gore has a voice i want to punch for aome inexplicable reason. In fact people bang on about the contradt between him and the other singer but there is little difference to me - probaly the production doing a lot of work in this respect (make them sound like they are singing in an empty gothic church, make the backing track punchy, but the vocals floaty). The Dave guy vocalist does have a signature vibrato, but thats just annoying. And what’s with the laying of a beat and just leaving heaps of the bar empty apart from that? Don’t have enough melody to go around, you got to use it sparingly? Honestly, bored the shit out of me.

Not really into this. A few of the songs are okay -- notably "Never Let Me Down" and "Sacred" -- but overall, I don't really like the sound of this band, which I feel is mostly just corny synth sounds and a drum machine. 2.5 stars.

I dunno about this one apart from it being very deeply mediocre, ploddy, ghoulish n dour synthplop. Strangelove was OK because the sound of it made me want to play Goldeneye 64. Few other highlights though and last song was actually kinda ghastly. This album should be called Music For The Long Grasses because in terms of essentialness I’d kick this album off the list and into the long grass.

One amazing song on this record, maybe two really good ones. Not my favorite record of theirs. Can't give more than three because there are better Depeche Mode records in my opinion. This one is just ok.

A few good songs didn’t catch on

I'm not a fan of anything too drenched in 80's production and culture. Its probably because i came of age musically in the 90's and this was other peoples music. Im sure there is merit in there and i can see style and melody, but it left me entirely numb.

skipped a lot

Weird even by the standards of the time. I don’t like the weird breathing and mumbling- creepy.

Sounds like my dad’s car. I don’t hate it but I can’t say I love it either. Not a huge synth fan.

very dated in not connecting much especially with the preacher voice

I have a soft spot for the synth heavy sounds of mid-late 80s new wave, but I don't feel this album has aged very well. It really feels like a middle of the road synthpop album that doesn't really do much to stand out to me. The slower songs like "The things you said" reaaaally drag for me especially with the weird proclivity for repeating the same lines back to back. That's not to say there's nothing on here I don't like, I think Strangelove 88 is pretty great. On the other hand... Little 15 is a song that clearly is meant to be unsettling but just comes across as unenjoyably gross seemingly being about a relationship between a 15 year old and someone significantly older which, ew. Idk by the end of this one I was happy it was over, but its certainly not without any merit.

I didn't like this as much as I thought I would. Just didn't jump out at me with any memorable tracks. It's not bad at all. Just not to my taste.

It’s just too weird, even for me.

2/3

No. 1.5

não me agrada

Close your eyes, it's 1987. Regan is president, the wall still stands and you're in the mall sipping an orange julius...this is what is on your walkman.

A little weird for my taste but I managed to listen to it. An OK album.

Not Adam of synth pop.

I can't

Very strange music. Honestly, I can't tell what genre this is, but I don't like it.

Depeche Mode for me is all about the singles I have no patience for the millions of remix collections or inferior-audio live performance albums I was hoping for some gems hidden on this album, but I found nothing that came close to the very high bar set by the single releases This is certainly not the DM album I would have chosen for this list!

Parece que nunca entenderé a Depeche Mode, está "bien" pero no me parece que haya algo demasiado extraordinario, o memorable, ni en el puro nivel de entretenimiento. Quizá tenga que darle más escuchas pero por ahora es un 2.5

Better than I thought it would be but still not my taste. The lyrics can good at times, but I don't like the music. The music is good sometimes, and the lyrics are less than stellar. The music & lyrics never match up at the same time to my taste. 2.5

Very dark, I see where they have influenced other bands like Nine Inch Nails, but it's not my cup of tea. There are some good moments...but its an acquireddd taste. 2/5

Started interesting and then got sick of it pretty quickly

Way too 80’s for me

Surprised how much I didn't like this. This is the 3rd of 3 synth-pop records I've had back to back (Pet Shop Boys and New Order being the other 2), and whilst this record uses it's synths the most tastefully of the three, "tasteful" on a synth-pop album tends to equate to boring

Unnecessary.

A band that seem to have been around all my life but one I’ve never really taken any notice of! I like some of their songs but none of those ones are here.

I thought it sounded cool but just not really my thing. Likes a song or two but I don’t see myself playing this back.

Songs all offer something different, however none are stand outs. A good listen for synth, 80s pop.

Interesting even if it's not really my thing. Certain songs had a good vibe. I had to skip the song with lots of moaning. Couldn't deal with it.

First half was boring, second half had some good hooks. This project is making me realize how picky I am musically lol.

Parts of it were sort of fun and I'd try more by them, but overall a bit meh

Honestly not a fan of this album, first couple of songs weren't bad and reminded me of an album I used to love called Buy Now by Eyeliner, but it slowly devolved into what I would consider a soundtrack for a Seinfeld themed murder mystery. Not really something I'd listen to again

the album felt very dated to me, and as a result I couldn’t really get into it. the only song that i enjoyed was Never Let Me Down Again.

Love "Never let me down again", the rest is a bit dull. Good for a movie tho.

Hauntingly, depressingly boring. A couple of tracks that, on their own, would be decent enough. However, an album full of miserable songs doesn't do it for me.

The dark and moody sound of this album is just not to my taste. While it has character being like this, it just doesn't really go anywhere to make it stand out. The electronic songs don't do anything original, resulting in a bland feeling.

The first song was pretty good, but as a whole the album is quite far from my taste.

I feel bad for not getting this, but i don't get it

Gothic and dramatic - but oddly less compelling than I would have imagined

A couple good songs but majority wasn’t for me.

Rather extra with too much grandiosity. Extraneous orchestral involvement and flourishes that tarnish the otherwise simple and enjoyable electronic music I typically enjoy from Depeche Mode. I honestly think my opinion of this band was better before having heard this album and don't feel that I needed to hear it at all.

Had me moving through much of the album, but nothing really gripped me.

While this album may have put Depeche mode on the map it just doesn't hit home for me

Eh, I like the Depeche Mode I had recently but this was definitly a step down for me. 4/10

This reminds need of nine inch nails

Pfff.... I mean, never listened to a DM album now I know why, so so so cliché about the eightees, and still this one is a late one so maybe it's even more cliché and poor. I can agréé than the music may bé interested but the voice and way of singing it's a no go for me. Same year, same kind of band, The Cure, Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me, way better and diverse

sin mas

I was definitely disappointed about this album. I’m not the biggest Depeche Mode fan, but I’m very familiar with a bunch of their hits, and I’ve always really liked a lot of those tracks. This album even had a few of those and a few other songs I liked but as a whole I just sorta got my hopes up. I thought there would’ve been more hidden gems on the album or at the very least I was expecting a lot more variety than this album offered. It did have creative instrumentation but just not enough to over look how many of these songs were completely forgettable.

Cool, Depeche Mode. I'm pretty sure I've never listened to these guys before, though I'm familiar with their name. This could either be synthpop or new wave, but given the album name I'm inclined to side with new wave. Synthpop and new wave, huh? These guys are too greedy. I guess I could do with something a little ghastly and morose. With the exception of One World, the records I've been rolling lately have been sucking the foulest of dicks. Anyways, there's a respectable level of variety and ambition on this album, though I must admit that I wasn't really feeling it. The production is pretty dated, which leaves the unusual electronic effects sounding much stiffer than I would have liked. Can't say I'm a fond of those vocals, either. They're pretty drab and uninteresting. "Never Let Me Down" is a cool and a solid opener. I like the heavy sound and gothic vocals. "Strangelove" is alright. The funky electronic sound is pretty indicative of where popular music would go in the 90s. "Little 15" has an interesting, malignant atmosphere. The string-sounding electronic bits are quite unique, and they go well with the vocal style. The heavier aspects of the song are, of course, the highlight. Book time. A pivot from the band's established sound. Influential within the gothic and dance scenes. That's it, really. Wikipedia reveals that this album kicked off their success in the States, charted well in both the album and singles department and was well-received by critics. This seems to be their pivotal album rather their best, but I'm favourable to the pick. I get the impression that two Depeche Mode albums may a little too conservative for this list. I cosign the inclusion.

It’s not terrible but it’s not great either. IMO it’s just okay. Maybe I just don’t really like British synth pop

Wasn't a fan in the 80s, still not a fan.

Muss ich nicht haben. Ist mit zu simpel

Slow goth. Not interesting.

Depeche Mode is one those bands that I enjoy the hits of but never felt the need to seek out an album from. Listening to Music for the Masses hasn't made me rethink this approach. This seems to hail from their High Goth period and I don't think that's my favourite Depeche Mode era; I much prefer the early synthpop days and even the later druggy rock material. This kind of feels halfway but missing the good bits of either. It's at the same time quite tinny and lumpen and dreary. By the way, even if you are not into this kind of stuff I highly recommend Jeremy Dellers' artpiece/documentary Our Hobby is Depeche Mode. It's on Youtube.

Best: "Behind the Wheel" Worst: "I Want You Now"

Not my kinda music.

They were grand, that is all

Never really got into Depeche Mode, I felt their music was all very same-y and I'm not a huge fan of the lead singer's voice.

Meh

Spread your good songs around an album. What's the point of leading off with your best tune, then getting worse and worse with each track? Especailly when you're already have a craptastic sounding outfit like DM. Not a fan. OK intro tune, rest is a drag. Mid at best.

Not a fan

I actually can't stand Depeche Mode. While I appreciate that having a unique sound makes you stand out from other bands, sometimes you have such an affected and distinctive sound that everything just sounds the same. This is that.

Not a huge fan of the genre but I can understand the appeal.

Not really for me. A couple songs were good, but got bored as the album progressed.

The only band I’ve ever known who genuinely makes music for the masses is Houmous & Chutney. 2.0 6/11 Behind The Wheel

The remixes at the album end were more interesting than the main body.

What I would expect from 80s music

Music for insomniacs

More melancholic than what I’m familiar with, so overall not my favorite.

4/10

This album is a mixed bag, different genres (alternative Rock, Synth-Pop, New Wave, Electropop), which sometimes were enjoyable and at times let me wish the album would end sooner rather than later.

Thought I would enjoy this more than I did. Started off pretty good but quickly got dull. Trying to be too grand and synthy for its own good.

Nice 80s sounds but a little dark sonically

Too moody and somber to be fun Boring pop 2/5

Não é muito minha vibe não. Muito eletrônica "arrastada" pra mim

Unexceptional New Romantic Synth garbage

I don't have a lot to say. It was alright.

Depeche Mode are a band I like for their hits, particularly Enjoy The Silence and Personal Jesus, so I was interested to dive in here. The production is very 80s, lots of synths and feels rather cavernous, which is what I like about this album. However, this may be a controversial artist for me because my enjoyment of this album increasingly deteriorated the longer I listened. *I Want You Now* really made me want to skip it but I’m sticking to my quest of listening to each album in full. It’s easy to see how this fits in, I could the influence on NIN, particularly Pretty Hate Machine, but this seems to lack the hooks and perhaps it was all a bit too downbeat and lacking the heavy riffs that makes PHM more interesting.

Я для себе вже досить давно зрозумів, що Депеші не мій гурт. Сподобались дві пісні, прям бенгери: Strangelove та Nothing

This feels peak 80s but unfortunate that just isn’t my vibe so I appreciated it was a cool album but nothing really grabbed me

trails off in the second half

Good first half, then it takes a bit of a nosedive. I'm not inclined toward this type of music to begin with, so that colored my entire experience with the album.

Acceptable but not setting the world on fire. Losing points for unfortunately not trying hard enough.

little 15 made me question all that i’m doing here

I have already heard Violator from Depeche Mode on this list which includes Enjoy the Silence, which is as close to an essential song from them as it gets. This album does not do anything differently or better enough to justify its inclusion on this list, in my opinion. It's all flat and dull. No thanks.

So you like synthpop but want it darker? Try this album by Depeche Mode. I'm not into this kind of darkwave leaning synthpop, but one can't utter synthpop or 80s music without thinking of this artist. Overall: 4/10

This felt so dated, and not in a good way. It wasn't an easy experience trying to finish it

The synths are out in full force with this one. A few songs were nice, but ultimately I just thought this was mostly forgettable.

Never got into them. Too repetitive.

Dreary, uninspiring, not something I will ever listen to again!

J'avoue j'ai pas été hyper attentif, mais n'ayant jamais écouté d'album de Depeche Mode en entier je m'attendais à un truc plus accrocheur. 2/5

I did not like this and I really did not like the song Little 15… it kind of made me sick. Have no idea what it’s about but just like allergic to the sounds and the key change.

Oh no, this was not for me at all. So dramatic! So much synth!

This album is not really interesting. Why is this revered in any way today ? The music is simple to say the least, very much like others of the time, and bands like New Order have made much more interesting music than this. To me the only track worth anything are the opener which is a good pop song but not that special, and I want you now, that is a bit weird and at least trying something. It has no ambition which is crazy given the title given to that album. But especially it is the writing that is driving me bananas. The words are really dumb. I'll let them speak for themselves : "Nothing, Nothing What am I trying to do ? What am I trying to say ? Nothing, Nothing, oh no". Yeah there is very little worth keeping here, really.

2 feels too low, but this just wasn't for me. I really liked Strangelove and Sacred, but the rest was just alright.

Pretty forgettable, first track was cool though. They've got much better in their discography.

The kind of music goths would have listened to in the 80s. It's like darker 80s pop. Sure. Why not, I guess?

Don't get me wrong, I love the 80s. And I love a bunch of the new wave synth dance pop bands, but giving this a good listen reminds me that I find Depeche Mode super tedious. This one strives for conceptuality and symphonic and their usual shady morose kink, but never hits for me. Even the poppy ones. Monotonous drudgery.

Tried to listen to this one. Just could not make my way through it.

kinda boring.

Each tune sounds remarkably similar to the last one.

Depeche Mode fandom is a mental illness.

Not for me.

Total meh. Very dated. Boring.

Boring

I am starting to think that it’s me. This is a fine album but got old at the end. Some really enjoyable songs but not something I would say I need to investigate further. I was trying to decide how somebody would dance to this?

Very ordinary, nothing really stands out

The singles really shine, the rest didn't stick.

hmm.don't love this album, I do love DM - but it's always been a couple of great tracks and the rest blah on each album-Just Can't Get Enough (1981), Everything Counts (1983) are still huge favorites, + Shake the Disease - I was too busy devouring anything by the Smiths. Violator is the DM album (1990) where they start kicking ass, most of that record is KILLER! But Music for the Masses... no

I was excited going into this one because I've been meaning to check this band out. Ended up finding it monotonous and uninteresting for the most part. A couple decent tracks in the first half but no sense of momentum after that. On paper, I should like this band but they don't do much for me outside of the singles.

decent

i wanted to like it but i just couldn't get into it, it was too brooding for me

I can see how it would make this list but just a bit too moody for my taste(and yes, I get that's what they're supposed to be known for). It feels like something you'd hear as the soundtrack of a Resident Evil game or some horror franchise. Not my cup of tea.

Depeche Mode doing Depeche Mode music. It's fine, having gwon up in the 80s and 90s, this both childhood radio memories and Goth Dance Club vibes for me.

Slow electronic music is still electronic. Not g[d but not terrible.

Having a general idea of this list by now (album #389), I feel like Depeche Mode must be on of the author's favorites. This is the first inclusion on the list but seems right up their alley. And I hate it. It has that late 80s British sound with awful vocals. 3.75/10 (1.875/5)

Music for the masses, but it sounds like music from the asses.

meeeehhhhhhhh!

Not bad at all. Not really moving the needle though. 2.5

Didn't really love this at the time and still don't

2/5

Very, very 80s, and that is not a positive from me. It's fine to have on, but nothing is particularly appealing to me. Please, Little Treasure is okay.

Some cool sounds and synths but the songwriting is pretty drab and uninspired. Minimalist in a way that leaves a lot to be desired. Melodramatic in a way that does not land at all. Weird in a way that’s cringy. “Nothing” was great but otherwise not a fan

Depressed Load just as depressing as ever.

Nostalgic - not necessarily in a good way. Didn't like them much back then, still don't. The song making is good and all...the style just grates me

Started out pretty good, then became so bland and repetitive

Sad boy rock. It's good. Better Depeche Mode songs and albums.

I like some Depeche Mode, but this is a big miss for me. If you take all the interesting stuff out of Kraftwerk, you end up with this album. I get they're trying for a concept album, but when your concept is bland and doesn't matter.... Give me a Pink Floyd any day. 2 stars since it's still music.

Pretty much what I expected from Depeche Mode. Decent 80's alternative album but definitely nothing to write home about and in my opinion both the songs and the album itself are a little longer than they need to be. I didn't get through the whole album, I got to Pimpf and decided I'd had enough.

Did not listed to fully - weird tho

Started out ok...got kind of annoying by the end

Not their best work.

I don’t think it’s really bad, I just don’t like it

Kinda dated and basic

A little bit slow for me. But the synths were nice tho

This is definitely a Depeche Mode album from the mid-80s. Like/remember opening track Never Let Me Down Again. Seems like a transitional album between their early electro-pop stuff and the next album Violator, which made them international sensations.

Solid, not my taste

Not a massive fan of depeche mode. It was ok. Was glad it was over though some catchy songs so 2 stars. Sorry DM fans

Love Depeche mode but like warm on this album

2

2.5

2.5

Depeche Mode has always eluded my interest. They ain't bad and they have some big hits that are fine but I just don't get the diehard following. Music for the Masses is an easily digestible collection of emo-lectro pop. "Strangelove" is best song but a lot of the others are too slow and faith-based. Not sure why this album makes the list when their are others from the group that most certainly will. Not too impressed with this one...1.78 stars. P.S. Wish we could get a DePesci Mode album with Joe doing covers. "What, am I your own personal Jesus...here to amuse you?"

Correct

Very dour, would have to be in a very specific mood for this

I don't understand how these bands made it into a top albums list maybe if you have nostalgia for the 80's but they just don't hold up.

Nothing

I can get why people like this. It's decent background music and very viby, but I'm not sure I love it.

A mood, to be sure. Kind of boring.

As a non-Depeche Mode fan, enjoyed Violater much more outside maybe a couple of songs.

gros synths/pads, très efficace pour créer une atmosphère enveloppante. Mention spéciale à I want you now, qui doit être très difficile à interpréter au karaoke. Pimpf est une belle intrusion de musique minimaliste/répétitive dans la pop (cf tubular bells) Les paroles me semblent un peu whiny... des généralités sur les amours et les amitiés déçus, la trahison, mais sans réelle substance quant à moi, qui aime les narratifs bien ficelés. Je comprends l'attrait, c'est catchy, ça sonne, mais c'est quoi la différence avec The Cure déjà ?

Had a couple of solid songs at the end but overall did not like

I respect the album, has some great hits, but overall it’s just not for me.

How many Depeche Mode albums do these cunts think I need to hear before I die? One was plenty 😒

Really don't see the appeal. A couple of pleasant songs but quite dull overall. This genre has been done so much better by so many other artists.

There’s snatches of solid 80s beats and I found myself finding it a “what if” album. Almost good but ultimately boring. Doesn’t compare well to its peers.

Complete

Eerie vibes. ‘I Want You Now’ is straight up creepy. Some cool synths but all sounds a bit samey. Monotone vocals. Too long, got a bit bored.

Depeche Mode is erop of eronder imo. En deze voel ik toch niet. Violator, sure, maar deze niet. 2.2

Boring

Good variety, but I honestly don't remember any songs that stood out as bangers

The name of this album is really ironic since this is obviously not music for the masses. :) But it’s definitely different and unique.

Difficult to review a lot of these albums without knowledge of the greater historical context. I assume this is early Depeche Mode, before "Hungry Like the Wolf" and greater pop success. This is darker, more moody, and very, VERY gay. The songs are mostly just "fine" again. Kind of boring to me, but inoffensive as background music. I appreciated the two remixes at the end of the album but I suspect those didn't exist on the original release.

I've never really enjoyed Depeche Mode. I found the vocals to be kind of annoying and the production to be too cliche. Even though they are pioneers of the synthpop genre I just never could get into them. "Music for the Masses" is no different, I really haven't found myself coming back to this album at all and there's just nothing telling me to here 5/10 Favourite: None Least Favourite: Pimpf

no

I am not as familiar with songs from this album. It is fine for background music.

Didn’t like a single song. Drab. All songs sound the same.

2/5

Just alright. It's about a 5/10 for me. Had an interesting sound.

I knew going in that this band is not for me, but even so I found this fairly boring. 1.7

Außer Song eins leider nicht mein Geschmack.

Boring 80s album

If I heard this playing in a public setting I wouldn’t be that upset.

That's 4 80s records in a row. I hope when I hit the button I get something from a better decade. This was alright... For the 80s.

Bad

This album should be locked in a time capsule only to be released for study and not enjoyment.

Basic 80s music, fine ig Uninspired, new wave

Violator is one of my favorite albums. This is a lot like listening to violator but in the next apartment.

I was very excited for this album to end.

This doesn’t quite do it for me. Jeff is a fan of their greatest hits album. The songs aren’t that great, and several sound pretty similar to each other.

2.5/5 the dark and moody vibes were interesting but not really my style.

not really my style never let me down again was kinda good

This is a very weak Depeche Mode album. I like DM, but after the first song it this album's not that exciting. Liked Songs Added: Never Let Me Down Again

Dull as dish water. Why is this here? Even the synopsis can’t explain why this album is interesting or included.

Odiously dull. I simply do not give a shit.

First ever critical listen of any Depeche Mode. This album felt like an uninteresting slog with a cool 80's vibe. I found the music dull and vocals contrived and pretentious. At its best moments I was reminded of Morrissey but without the humour or the brilliance. Generally found the album very boring and I doubt there will be a repeat listen.

I usually enjoy Depeche Mode, but this was not great. First half was good, the second half was not.

some good, some random, very disoriented album imo, too much random stuff going on

Not awful, but I didn't like it and I didn't engage with it. It gets an "all right if you like that sort of thing, I don't" 2/5.

This whole album gives me creepy groomer vibes and an unsettling sound throughout “ There'll be times When my crimes Will seem almost unforgivable I give in to sin” “Will you give it to me Will you take the pain I will give to you Again and again” All of Behind the Wheel onwards. Ick.

it was okay, i'm not quite deep with depeche mode but I am aware of how new wave and synthpop during the 80s

I found this album surprisingly annoying. The flat vocals and the goofy electronic music created a combination that was decidedly not for me.

Maybe it is just me, but I find this terribly boring. 2 stars or D.

Cool but absolutely not my speed

Perhaps in the right mood, this might click for me. I don’t hate the sound but it didn’t blow me away, either. 2 stars, I think; on a different day, though, maybe 3?

I really wanted to like this more than I did. I enjoyed some of it but a lot of it really droned on.

Best Song: Behind The Wheel. I liked the driving energy of the track, aligning with the lyrical themes. Worst Song: Little 15. Call me puritanical, but I immediately balk at any pop/rock songs sung by middle aged men about under-aged girls. Whatchu singing about them girls for? Overall: Music from this era of synth-pop must have the greatest gulf between how sexy it is desperately trying to be and how sexy is actually is. Combine that with how Super-Serious everything is presented, it's hard not to find the whole album unintentionally goofy.

A ono, šta ja znam. Ima dobrih stvari na ovom albumu, ali ima i nekih koje su mi wtf. Općenito nisam njihov preveliki fan, ali imaju par kultnih pjesama koje rado poslušam. Ne znam kako bih rejtala ovo, ali vuče me više na 2 nego 3 nekako, pa eto, moram slijediti filing. 2/5, 4/10.

i do not like 80s music, this was a very hard listen

It's okay I guess. Never been a big Depeche Mode fan, so it was kind of a bland listen for me.

Okay, didnt really get through it as much as i wanted.

1. douun - 1.5 2. thingz - 2 3. ztrange - 2.5 4. zacred - 1.5 5. little - 1 6. uuheel - 1.5 7. nouu - 1.5 8. hold - 1 9. nothing - 1 10. pimpf - 0 11. orange - 1.5 12. again - 1.5 13. have - 1 14. treazure - 1.5

3/10 La canzone che mi è piaciuta di più è Pimpf, una delle due instrumental Il principale pregio del gruppo è l'iconicità, appena senti una canzone sai che è la loro, ma per i miei gusti spesso non è una bellissima notizia Li trovo noiosi, sia musicalmente che nel cantato

Electronic music, droning vocals, not much appeal for me at all....

More 1980s stuff.

The singles are solid but most of the album sounds like a bad soundtrack to a mid movie

Not my favorite flavor of new wave

Didn't make me want to fall asleep, or tear my ears out. But still, boring.

A couple great songs here. Production is wild, some of it feels ahead of its time, experimental. Very horny, religious undertones.

Didn’t like it. Got about 3/4 of the way through and gave up.

I have never been able to get into Depeche Mode. I don’t know if it’s too much synth or if it’s the vocals or the overall style, but they just don’t do much to move me. I like some of their songs okay when I’ve heard them covered by others, but that is not much of an endorsement.

Un peu mieux que le sketch des Inconnus sur Indochine, mais pas de beaucoup.

A bit repetitive

Not a fan, This music isn't very bearable for long amounts of time.

Meh not great. I like Depeche mode in general but this was a bit too much for me.

i liked. all the songs kinda started to morph together tho

Album was alright. Had a few highs. Kinda dissociated for most of it - feels like an album to so sleep to.

Annoying 80s pop

As someone who isn't already a fan, this was hard to get through. I like a lot of the soundscapes but there isn't enough meat to sink my teeth into. And the back chunk gets really drone like in a way that grated my nerves. The last track was kind of a fun track in the sense that it felt like the closing credits to a film. But by then, I was a little meh about the whole thing.

No thank you, dark night of the musical soul.

A spooky vibe that I can dig for a while, but ultimately this got pretty boring

Low 3 or high 2, doesn't really matter as I'm not com8ng back. Odd band. In Britain they had one mega hit, were a consistent chart presence in the 80s (but no more than that) and had a very mini revival in 1990. In Central Europe and the US, the seemed to be defined by that revival and more appreciated than in the UK. I'm in the British camp and this album seems to be a bridge to the 90s offerings. Singles are okay but no better than that. The rest I don't really get. The album title is clearly some sort of joke that doesn't land

Even if keep all their material in rotation, there always a handful of Depeche Mode songs every album I most definitely will

Pretty boring!

Jesus this album goes on

Pretty "meh" for a Depeche Mode album

Mmmm, it’s ok

I have a very strange relationship with the music of Depeche Mode, I find their earlier material a little tinny and very familiar of 80's dare I call it modern romantic commercial syth pop. As they have matured and certainly "lived" a bit their music has evolved, gained a lot of depth and many of their tracks from the 90's and onwards has been a part of my musical "go to" particularly some of their stuff that has been remixed. Music for the Masses certainly is from that early era where commercially they were smashin it....staggered to read that this was already their 6th album and it was only 1987! But sadly I'm never going to invest the time to listen in its entirety, Very sad to hear of the death of Fletch at only 60 in 22' RIP

A perfect 2.5

I thought that a list of 1001 albums to hear before I die would be more than pop albums, especially Brit Pop. I certainly have nothing against Brit Po and feel it should be represented, but not this one.

Je connaissais seulement quelques tubes de DM, dont "Behind the Wheel" (dans cet album) très intéressant (ambiance/harmonie essentiellement). L'album commence bien, mais je trouve la plupart des morceaux, en particulier les derniers moins intéressants (après Behind the Wheel et avant le morceau final Pimpf très original). =>2/5

Thought I’d like this a lot more

Much ado about synthesizers, and some samples in the songs that had me almost looking around to see if there were people very close all of a sudden. Interesting, if nothing else.

Never got to like the sound of Depeche Mode. It's just not speaking to me.

Enjoyed the opening track, rest was pretty meh

"Not bad so far as it goes – very strong vocals, above average hooks – but it dulls after a time. Pretty awful lyrics (""Promises me I'm as safe as houses / As long as I remember who's wearing the trousers"") don't help. In the stripped down sound, it’s easy to see how they were pivoting toward a bigger, rockier impact and more mainstream appeal. Synths sound dated, as they always do (and maybe most dance music does, too), no matter the vintage. Personally, one hears not very much to get excited about. In the end, this lot are only slightly better than the Pet Shop Boys and nowhere near as good as The Cure.

i recognize that there's a lot of artistic merit here but DM is and always has been astoundingly unappealing to me

I was born in the decade this was made and I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have liked this even then. Saying that, it’s a very evocative record that I’m sure makes sense for the soundtrack of a period drama about the 80s. Not for me, but I get why people dig it.

run of the mill 80s music. poppy disco stuff. not my thing

never let me down 100/10 [why the album is two starts not 1] too much moaning car sounds and religious imagery

Quite enjoyed it on the first listen but less so the second time around. A little bit samey at times and not too sure if they aren’t taking themselves a bit too seriously. Clearly they were popular at the time and the formulas used on this album don’t seem much different to those used on their big hits.

Distinctive but dull. The vocals are not for me.

Very much of its time, I wasn't gripped.

I got quite excited that this would be a gothy moody album taking me back to my days in the Cookie Club in my first year of uni, however i was disappointed. The quality in the tracks just wasn't there.

I really thought I'd enjoy this - innovative electronica has always been interesting to me. But the songwriting is subpar, and I found myself annoyed more than excited. Oh well.

In theory I should like Depeche Mode, i like a lot of other stuff in the same genres. But, i really just don't like them. A bit too clean, kind of boring?

tem umas músicas que dão pra aproveitar? tem no geral, o álbum é bom? tenho minhas dúvidas musicalmente pra mim ele é um grande estereótipo do que a década de 80 tinha pra oferecer com os sintetizadores, a sonoridade da batera e um tom meio dramático pras músicas. assim como todo bom estereótipo, esse álbum é bem medíocre das ideia.

As remarkable as cream cheese.

So the two big singles are dope AF but the rest of it is kinda the pre-Violator DM that I always associated with them (and the genre as a whole) before I'd ever heard Violator. It's a nice preview of what they had coming but this isn't one I'm gonna be coming back to.

A darker sound for a new wavey/synth pop kinda thing. It’s decent crafted and can set a mood, but overall was a bit dull and little stood out to me.

I couldn't get into this to save my life. I found one song I could vibe to. How were they so popular??

I am usually a depeche mode enjoyer but this really did not hit for me today

Too much

Really not remarkable

Just ok

Nope. Sixth album from an above average but nothing special band. And there’s nothing special here. 1.5

I’ve been noted as a big fan of new wave/vaguely goth synthpop, but I really struggled with this album. I like the heavy use of big reverby drum samples and the spooky synth, but that’s about all the good things I can say about it. The vocals feel cheesy throughout most of the record, and I found it to be lyrically unoriginal and uninspiring. It’s not objectively bad, it’s just a concept that’s been done so much better by so many other artists. This one is best left in 1987. 2 stars.

Being that I generally like new wave and the handful of Depeche Mode songs I know, I expected to enjoy this album. I did not. It has the ambiance of a haunted house with none of the fun. I think Depeche Mode needs a higher tempo to work for me and this album is full of songs that just trudge towards their very welcome end. I found this tedious and tiresome. The lyrics throughout this album are simplistic and frankly kind of dumb. Lyrics don’t need to be complex or deep or clever to be good, but these come across like a writing assignment done by a moody teenager with no particular inspiration. Overall, I am glad this album was short and short though it was, I was counting down the songs until it was over. 3/10

Don't know what I would have done without the "Glitter Mix". 2.4.

Not my favorite Depeche Mode album. Sounds droning and repetitive after a couple songs.

The 80s really had the worst pop music of any decade.

Really not sure about the empty instrumentals that end this

There's a reason I've never listened to the second side of a Depeche Mode album. This is a "greatest hits" band. Just don't love most of their stuff.

This doesn't do much for me except reinforce why I think of Depeche Mode as a singles band,

Didn't offer much surprise or development on what I already knew of the band. Happy to hear the occasional song, don't need to hear an album.

New wave/synthpop is very hit or miss for me. This one misses. Not my thing

I listened to this on Depeche Mode. And by that I mean I sped through all the bits I didn’t like (because depeche is French for hurry the fuck up)

The hits were good. The rest was hit or miss.

Depeche Mode is what I think of when I think of 80s music. I feel like I should like this more and might upon more listens. Never Let Down Again is a strong opener but then it fades for me. I like I Want You Now 2nd most probably. It’s decent. 5.7/10