Violator

Staff Pick "This sparse, stripped back gem of an album shaped my love of synths and dark pop. Top ten for me for sure"

The first Depeche Mode album to sell over a million copies in the United States, Violator (1990) is often regarded as Depeche Mode's finest work. Not only containing the world hits Personal Jesus (later beautifully reinterpreted by Johnny Cash) and Enjoy The Silence (with its epic video), each and every song on Violator is worthy of mentioning: for instance the beautiful and haunting album closer Clean, and two further hit singles Policy Of Truth and World In My Eyes, all fine examples of Gahan, Wilder and Gore's combined magic.