Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-Worthy Acts #9 - Depeche Mode

Tweet

As I countdown, in no particular order, ten acts that I feel deserving of inclusion into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, here's one that will get the rock and roll purists, the "They aren't rock and roll and they suck" crowd up in arms, so feel free to disagree. We are at #9: Depeche Mode. Electronic act Depeche Mode formed in 1980 in Basildon, England, and are still going strong. Beginning as a quirky synth pop dance group, the band morphed into a darker, deeper sound, both lyrically and musically, after the departure of founding member Vince Clarke. Throughout their near-four decade career, Depeche Mode has remained both relevant and highly influential: it seems as though every electronic and darkwave band on the planet trip all over each other declaring the group as a major influence, let alone mainstream acts such as Coldplay, No Doubt, and Lady Gaga. And even rarer, the critics actually like them. Here's all you need to know: Depeche Mode has released 14 studio albums (and not a dud in the entire bunch,) 10 compilation albums, six live albums, 13 video albums, and 54 singles. All 14 of those studio albums have reached the Top 10 in the UK, where those albums have spent over 210 weeks on the charts. The band has sold over 100 million records worldwide, and their fanbase is so devoted that Depeche Mode has played live in front of over 30 million people internationally. With The Cure having been inducted in 2019, I'm hoping that will open the door for some other deserving alternative bands. Depeche Mode should be a no-brainer. (Info verified by Wikipedia)