Samara, 16, reviews the legendary Depeche Mode

Formed in Basildon, 1980, Depeche Mode are one of the most successful electronic bands of all time. 

Consisting of lead vocalist, Dave Gahan, and guitarist/keyboardist, Martin Gore, the band have gone on to sell more than 100 million records worldwide with 54 songs in the UK Singles Chart and 17 Top 10 Albums in the UK Album Chart. 

With over three million fans worldwide, Depeche Mode have influenced bands such as: The Killers, Arctic Monkeys, Linkin Park, Muse, No Doubt and several more, making them one of the most comprehensive bands within the music industry. 

My favourite song of theirs is unsurprisingly their most successful one – “Enjoy The Silence”. Released in 1990, this timeless track went on to become their most successful single, winning the 1991 Brit Award for best single. In this song, Gahan openly sings about the power of words and how what we say can affect anything and everything – a simple but incredibly powerful message. 

The music video that accompanies “Enjoy The Silence” is also particularly memorable, with Dave dressed up as King (symbolising that he has all of the power that he’s ever wanted – “All I’ve ever wanted, All I’ve ever needed”) simply seeking for a peaceful place to sit and contemplate his life, something which the integration of the media within our lives has made incredibly difficult to do. 

Another popular song of theirs which I enjoy listening to is “Personal Jesus”. It explores the theme of religion, and how having someone to take care of you as Jesus did for other people, can bring you hope – a feeling that has been brought to a halt by the ever changing Coronavirus Pandemic. 

Depeche Mode have produced a plethora of exceptional songs; this makes it difficult to choose my three favourite songs. My final recommendation would be “People Are People”. In the song, Gahan suggests that even when you believe that a person has changed, there is the potential for them to revert back to their “old ways” in moments of need – this can make it difficult to maintain faith in them.

If I had to choose a single album of theirs, it would be the critically acclaimed “Violator”. Despite its underlying melancholic tones, the album explores a broad spectrum of themes, which makes for easy listening. 

It’s undeniable that Depeche Mode have completely changed electronic music for good. They have been a critical influence for several bands within the mainstream media today, therefore I commend them as one of my favourite bands of the 1980s.

(Samara is a student at the brilliant The King Alfred School Academy sixth form in Highbridge, Somerset.)