In 1980 Depeche Mode arrived; Kids armed with synths and squeaky bubblegum tunes. By the end of the decade they had twenty UK top 40 hits and had grown progressively darker, moodier and more industrial, but still pop.
However in the US they were not mainstream, known mostly by listeners of anglophile college radio DJs and seen along with The Smiths, Cure, New Order and XTC as “alternative.”
This cult appeal had made them one of the biggest US concert draws of the late 1980s, but they couldn't back that up in album sales. 1990's Violator would change that.
And alongside “Personal Jesus,” its second single would solidify that after a decade as a band they could have the biggest songs of their career, defining Modern Rock-crossover hits in the process.
This is New British Canon and This is the story of "Enjoy the Silence."
00:00 | Introduction
01:31 | Depeche Mode: Saviours and Punchline
07:21 | Every Cult Needs a Messiah: "Personal Jesus"
11:03 | From Serene to Danceable: "Enjoy The Silence"
14:57 | How Violator Cracked the Top Ten