The 1980’s Best Electronic Dance Music Bands
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A look at the best EDM bands that came out of the 1980’s. These groups helped to shape the sound of electronic dance music and are still popular today.
The 1980’s Best Electronic Dance Music Bands
The 1980’s is often considered the golden age of electronic dance music. Many of the best and most influential bands of the genre emerged during this time. These bands helped to shape the sound of electronic dance music and set the stage for the genre’s popularity in the decades that followed. In this article, we will take a look at some of the best electronic dance music bands of the 1980’s.
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode is an English electronic band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group’s original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan (lead vocals, occasional songwriter since 2005), Martin Gore (keyboards, guitar, vocals, chief songwriter from 1981 to present), Andy Fletcher (keyboards) and Vince Clarke (keyboards, chief songwriter from 1980 to 1981).Depeche Mode released their debut album Speak & Spell in 1981. The follow-up record, A Broken Frame was released the following year and peaked at number thirteen in the UK Albums Chart. Construction Time Again was released in 1983 and topped the UK Albums Chart. Two more albums followed in 1984 and 1985; Some Great Reward and Black Celebration which respectively reached number four and number two in the UK Albums Chart. Music for the Masses followed in 1987 peaking at number two on the UK Albums Chart. In 1990 Depeche Mode’s seventh album Violator was released; it became one of their most commercially successful releases reaching number one on fourteen charts worldwide including the UK Albums Chart where it stayed for three weeks.
New Order
New Order is an English musical group formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Peter Hook (bass guitar, vocals), Gillian Gilbert (keyboards, guitar), and Stephen Morris (drums, keyboards). The band were a critical success both with critics and the public; their blend of post-punk influenced electronic music and synth-pop helped them achieve mainstream success in the UK. They also achieved international acclaim for their pioneering work in the emerging rave scene.
The band’s classic lineup of Sumner, Hook, Gilbert, and Morris was active from 1980 to 1995. New Order’s products have been released through London Records (1983–87) and Factory Records (1980–87; 2005–07); the band has used other labels including Qwest Records (1985–86), Warner Bros. Records (1986–93), and Reprise Records (1995–2001) for North America. In 2000, the group returned with a new lineup featuring Phil Cunningham on guitars and new member Bad Lieutenant.
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is a German electronic music band formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider-Esleben in 1970 in Düsseldorf. Widely considered as innovators and pioneers of electronic music, they were the first band to make extensive use of synthesizers and sampling. Their work has influenced many genres of modern music, including hip hop, techno, house, trance, drum and bass, breakbeat and ambient.
The band was originally composed of Hütter on keyboards and synthesisers, Schneider-Esleben on vocals, flute and guitars, Karl Bartos on percussion and Emil Schult on visuals. In 1975 they were joined by Wolfgang Flür on drums and percussion. These five members remained together until Schwarzschild’s departure in 1987.
The 1980’s Best Electronic Dance Music Bands
If you are looking for the best electronic dance music of the 1980s, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will countdown the top 10 best electronic dance music bands of the 1980s. These are the bands that made the 80s the best decade for electronic music.
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode is an English electronic dance music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group’s original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan (lead vocals, occasional songwriter since 2005), Martin Gore (guitar, keyboards, vocals, chief songwriter from 1981 to present), Andy Fletcher (keyboards) and Vince Clarke (keyboards, chief songwriter from 1980 to 1981).
The band’s primary songwriters, Gore and Gahan, keyboardist/sound architect Fletcher, and producer Daniel Miller founded the band as a synthesizer-based project. Intending to combine the craftsmanship of rock music with the accessibility of pop music, they ended up being one of the most successful electronic dance music bands of all time. With worldwide sales exceeding 100 million records,[1][2] Depeche Mode are one of the world’s best-selling music artists. Q magazine lists the band as one of the “50 Bands That Changed The World!”[3]
Formed in 1980,[4] Depeche Mode released their debut album Speak & Spell in 1981.[5] Founding member Vince Clarke left in late 1981;[6][7] going on to form Yazoo and Erasure. Clarke was replaced by Alan Wilder (synthesizers, drums).[8][9] Wilder successfully revived some commercial and critical success with the band’s eighth studio albumViolator (1990), which peaked at number seven on the UK Albums Chart[10] and at number three on the US Billboard 200.[11] Its singles “Personal Jesus”, “Enjoy the Silence”, “Policy of Truth” and “World in My Eyes” were international hits reaching number one in several countries.[12][13][14][15]”Personal Jesus” became a club staple while “Policy Of Truth” (“Enjoy The Silence” in North America) topped various dance charts; both becoming two of only three Depeche Mode songs to hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Play chart.[16][17]”World In My Eyes” went to number two on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Play.[18] By 1992,’s Songs of Faith and Devotion had become among their most commercially successful works,[19]”I Feel You,” “Walking In My Shoes,”‘s lead single peaking at number one or top ten across much European countries .[20]) It also debuted at number one or within top five positionsinín many countries including United Kingdom , United States , Germany , France , Spain and Australia . [21][22][23] In 1994,[24
25] Alan Wilder departed from Depeche Mode due to creative differences; he would form Recoil.
New Order
New Order is an English rock band formed in 1980, currently comprising Bernard Sumner, Stephen Morris, Gillian Gilbert, Phil Cunningham and Tom Chapman. The band was formed in 1980 by Sumner (vocals, guitars, keyboards), Morris (drums, keyboards), Gilbert (keyboards), and Peter Hook (bass, vocals). They were considered one of the most influential groups of the 1980s and often cited as the legendary missing link between post-punk and electronic dance music. New Order’s Blue Monday is the best-selling 12-inch single of all time.
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is a German electronic music band formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970 in Düsseldorf. Widely considered as innovators and pioneers of electronic music, they were first known for their experimental work in the 1970s and became pioneers in the development of synth-pop and industrial.
