I'm team Depeche Mode right now, but if I hear better music my mind can be changed. Might have emptied the chamber in the other thread, RIP Duran Duran.
Depeche Mode's Greatest Hits album doesn't have like three or four songs at the end that are kind of just throw-ins, unlike New Order. Depeche Mode wins for depth. If I had to pick one on the basis of a single song, New Order might pull it out for Blue Monday, which has sort of become the poster-boy song for a certain aspect of the 80's. ALso, New Order wins for "best cover version" of one of their songs: I don't think I've ever heard a cover of a Depeche Mode song, much less one that I thought was good.
Depeche Mode has quantity over New Order but Bernard Sumner, Hookie and the rest have quality- gotta go with New Order.
Tough one. I vote Depeche Mode solely on the strength of Violator, which I believe would make my yet to be created list of 50 essential albums to own.
I love Depeche Mode, but it's not even close for me : New Order. Just their Substance album does it for me. Thanks for posting that - I'd never seen it before. Here's another cover that I thought sounded pretty faithful to the original :
Both were highly influential on other bands. I love New Order, but I'll take Depeche Mode by a mile. The sheer catalog of great songs by DM dwarfs that of New Order. That being said, they both have some amazing songs that were never hits in this country. If you like these bands and are looking for something new, I'd suggest Nation of Language. Their first album came out in 2017, but their biggest influences or OMD, New Order, Joy Division and DM.
But here is the thing…New Order started trying to phase out Hookie. When they did that, their music took a nosedive. It lost depth and they lost me after that. Sucks, because I loved JD and New Order. Those two bands were game changers for me. DM keeps pumping out material and it’s good. Yes, it’s not as strong, as their past, but it’s still light years better than what New Order is doing. I love both bands and always will. I’ve seen both bands live several times and Mode is on another level even to this day.
I would say DM. But if we were to include New Orders previous incarnation (Joy Division) then it would be New Order by a significant margin. DM had two 10/10 masterpieces in the 80s and 90s. Music for the Masses and Violator can legit be included in any top 10 list of that decade. New Orders best output was in the 80s.
Oh I agree completely about New Order now - without Hookie in it, it really isn’t New Order, IMO. Depeche Mode has several good later albums but I am basing my decision when both groups were in their primes. If you ask who was better - The Cure or The Smiths - sure a lot will say The Cure due to their longer discography but I think you have to judge these 2 groups when they were both in their primes.
Feel the same. If u include Joy Division. Then New Order takes it. Both bands made great music. Can u imagine about to tour America for the 1st time and your brilliant front man commits suicide. Then to rebound and still become a great and successful band.
Love Depeche Mode, but, if I had to name ONE band that sums up/represents our eighties trip...it's New Order...by a mile.
