Initially rooted in the U.K.’s New Romantic movement, modern rock icons Depeche Mode first formed in 1980 with founding partners Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, Vince Clarke, and Andrew Fletcher. Their pioneering, synthesizer-based sound became a global phenomenon that made them wildly successful electro-pop superstars who loomed as large as cult heroes as they did as commercial heavies. With an originality of vision that’s only grown over time, the band’s wealth of singles and signature tracks ranges from bold dance grooves to atmospheric alt-pop to dramatic, industrial flavored masterpieces.

1987’s Music For The Masses lived up to its title and then some, underscoring the power and songcraft of Depeche Mode as its popularity exploded and leading to a massive world tour. Produced by David Bascombe fresh off his engineering work on Peter Gabriel’s immensely successful album So, the 10-song set was the band’s first to break into the Top 40 on the Billboard 200 chart and it was home to more hit singles on the Billboard Hot 100 than any of their prior releases with “Strangelove,” “Behind The Wheel,” and “Never Let Me Down Again.”