Depeche Mode Concerts Setlist

Known as the kings of electronic music in the UK, and indeed they are, pioneers of the genre, Depeche Mode is an electronic band formed in Basildon, UK in the 80s. The group was formed by Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, Andy Fletcher, and Vince Clarke. After Vince Clarke left in 81, Martin Gore became the main songwriter, and Alan Wilder joined the band. Depeche Mode has had 54 UK singles, 17 Top 10 UK albums, sold over 100 million records, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020.

The group started recording in late 1980 for an album called "Some Bizzare Album," with the song "Photographic," later redone for their first album "Speak & Spell." Instead of sending their demo tape by mail, they hand-delivered it to record labels and insisted they listen. Dave Gahan said most labels turned them away, but Phonogram offered them big deals. At a live show in Canning Town, in the UK, they met Daniel Miller, who wanted them to record for his label, Mute Records.

This fortunate event, eventually led to their first single, "Dreaming of Me," released in 1981. They followed up with "New Life," which reached number 11 on the UK charts and got them on Top of the Pops. The band took a train to London, carrying their synthesizers all the way to the BBC studios.

1984 was a big year for the band, and everything changed for Depeche Mode, that's because they released the song "People Are People." It became a big hit, reaching high spots on charts in Europe and topping the charts in Germany for the 1984 Olympics. It also did well in the U.S.. The song became a favorite for the LGBT community, and it is often played at gay places and pride festivals.

In 1991, Depeche Mode contributed "Death's Door" to the soundtrack of the film "Until the End of the World." The film's director asked musicians to create music as they envisioned it in the year 2000, the movie's setting. One year later, big things continued happening, when the band reunited in Madrid, Spain. Dave Gahan was intrigued by the rising grunge scene in the U.S. and was inspired by bands like Soundgarden, Nirvana, and Alice in Chains, which were trending at that time.

In 2005, Depeche Mode released "Playing the Angel." The album hit No. 1 in many countries and there was something different this time, and that's because Dave Gahan wrote the lyrics, not Martin Gore, for the first time since 1984. Their single "Suffer Well" had lyrics by Gahan. They toured to promote the album, playing in Europe and North America, headlining festivals like Coachella. The tour was a huge success, and even got its own live DVD.

In 2012, Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, and Andy Fletcher announced plans for a new album and a 2013 worldwide tour during a press conference in Paris. Despite a delay in the UK release, the album was a huge success. Depeche Mode toured North America starting in August 2013 and continued with European dates in 2014, ending in Moscow, Russia, in March 2014.

In 2022, Andy Fletcher passed away at 60 due to an aortic dissection at his home, leaving his bandmates Gahan and Gore deeply saddened. Former member Alan Wilder expressed shock at Fletcher's sudden death. Before his passing, Gahan mentioned their pride in Depeche Mode's work.

Now, Gahan and Gore continue as a duo, and the band keeps its legacy for everything they have done to the music industry, mainly, to the pop and electronic genre.