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Does anyone think Depeche Mode should've been bigger in the US prior to 1990?


I felt like prior to the release of the "Violator" album Depeche Mode should've been much bigger in the States during the 1980's, songs like "Shake The Disease", "Strangelove" and "Behind The Wheel" are songs I feel should've been bigger hits in the U.S, their only major hit in the U.S. prior to "Personal Jesus" was "People Are People"

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It is strange that they didn't really break America during the second British invasion but later went onto become bigger than many of those UK bands that had huge success in 80's America.

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They could have been bigger, but considering the longevity of their career, who knows if it might have been more of a boon than a blessing.

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They just weren’t “pop” enough for the 80s...they were big enough though, I remember hanging out in the parking of Dodger stadium for a show in 89, plenty of people, lots of girls, which is mostly why I went- I prefer the stuff they did in the 90s myself....a month later, did the same thing and got buzzed in the parking lot for The Cure, that was awesome listening to “Fascination Street” with that bass line...goes without saying, Good Times!

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I thought they were pop enough - other artists would have sold their souls or killed to have singles like Just Can't Get Enough, See You, Everything Counts, It's Called a Heart, But Not Tonight and Master & Servant.

Strangelove in particular is a song that would have been huge if it was sung by Michael Jackson.

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Definitely. One of the best bands of all-time but then again America doesnt have taste.

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America didn't care about synth pop in the 80s. Guitar bands and big ballads were a hit

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Which is a shame because there were some great synth pop back then, I also noticed Americans loved dance pop music as well.

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I think it's worth considering that they were big enough that 101 was recorded at a US concert. I think somewhere around 60,000 people there. That was in 1988.

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Plus their previous album "Music For The Masses" was their first Top 40 charting album and they were definitely on the rise in popularity during that time, I was so happy for them getting the Rose Bowl gig that year.

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