Depeche Mode - Black Celebration

This is much better than Violator, and I can't understand why everyone always overrates that album - it's usually just because of the instrumentals that you don't hear in the singles of Personal Jesus and Enjoy The Silence, ironically their most popular songs too.
It's a good album, but this album is much better in comparison, alongside the bonus tracks. It's got a clear formula that keeps the album together but there are many surprises and twists like Music for the Masses.

Both Music for the Masses and Black Celebration are far better than Violator, but if you're new you should go to Violator.

It's hard to disagree with Depeche Mode fans when they say this is the best album they ever did. The only issue I have with it is that playing it once through doesn't have the smoothness of and the cohesiveness of Violator. What should definitely be noted is Daniel Miller's production techniques and Anton Corbijn's visual debuts are featured on this album. Those two artists (perhaps later with Flood and Kevorkian also) really helped Depeche Mode get to that success that they so deserved. "Question of Lust" could quite be the most beautiful Depeche Mode song of their entire discography. Then, combined with seminal favorite's "Black Celebration", perhaps my two favorite pre 1987 DM songs "Fly on the Windscreen" & "Stripped", again, you can't really argue with someone when they say this is the best Depeche Mode album. Don't sleep on "New Dress" & "Dressed in Black", they are terrific btw.

This is definitely my favorite, and many other peoples, of DM. Everysong is classic DM. Their darkest, most emotional album. I give all their music a 5 star rating but this album deserves more than that. Even if you not a big DM fan you must get this one.