Depeche Mode

Originally a product of Britain's new romantic movement, Depeche Mode went on to become the quintessential electro-pop band of the 1980s. One of the first acts to establish a musical identity based completely around the use of synthesizers, they began their existence as a bouncy dance-pop group but gradually developed a darker, more dramatic sound that ultimately positioned them as one of the most successful alternative bands of their era. Still, despite an enormous fan base, the group was very much considered an underground cult phenomenon prior to the release of 1990's Violator, a Top Ten smash.