It was all downhill for DM after this one

It's a widely held maxim that Depeche Mode reached its peak with Music for the Masses (although some might make an argument for Violator). In this case, the conventional wisdom is actually correct.

The album starts off with "Never Let Me Down Again," a bouncy tune that is absolutely perfect for starting off a long road trip or even just a ride to the club with buddies. The tone quickly changes with the next track, "The Things You Said," a dark, brooding piece that chronicles the bitter feelings of a jilted lover after a breakup. In other words, typical Depeche, and fodder for the pseudo-goths who made up their core fanbase.

Most of the other tracks on the album are also excellent, and fit the tone set by "The Things You Said," including "Sacred," "Little 15," and "Behind The Wheel." But without a doubt, the signature track on the album is "Strangelove." It's got a more forceful underlying tone than the other tracks, but the lyrics fit the late 1980s era to a T. Think of the excesses of that time and there can be no doubting that words like "I give in to sin/Because you have to make this life livable," made Strangelove the perfect song at the perfect time.