If you’re starting to get into electronic music or need a bit of inspiration for your own music, these four synth-pop records are a few of the most memorable in the genre. And they’re still fun to listen to, quite a few years after they were first released. Let’s dive in!
Videos by American Songwriter
1. ‘Sweet Dreams’ by Eurythmics
“Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)” is one of the most memorable synth-pop songs of the early 1980s, but the whole of its album of the same name is essential listening, too. This dance-pop record by Eurythmics features Annie Lennox at her very best. That Lou Reed cover is excellent, too.
2. ‘The Man-Machine’ by Kraftwerk
What would a list of the best synth-pop records be without mentioning Kraftwerk in some way? They pioneered synth music in a powerful way throughout the 1970s, and The Man-Machine from 1978 is their most innovative album.
Despite being ahead of its time, The Man-Machine was also quite accessible to new audiences in the 1970s who weren’t really accustomed to synth-pop or electronic music in any capacity. Kraftwerk’s impact on electronic music is undebatable, and nothing gets better than this new wave record.
3. ‘The Pleasure Principle’ by Gary Numan
Gary Numan deserves a spot on this list for The Pleasure Principle at a minimum. Released in 1979, this record was clearly inspired by Numan’s contemporaries Kraftwerk. However, this record is no cheap imitation.
Numan’s first solo effort was a huge success post-Tubeway Army, and The Pleasure Principle managed to make synth-pop sound creepy and haunting… in the best way possible.
4. ‘Violator’ by Depeche Mode
A bit of a younger record compared to the synth-pop albums we’ve mentioned thus far, Violator by Depeche Mode was released in 1990. Music For The Masses from 1987 was a hard thing to follow up on, but Depeche Mode did so with flying colors.
This record boasts some of the English electronic outfit’s most memorable singles. Just a few include “Personal Jesus”, “Enjoy The Silence”, and “World In My Eyes”. Synth-pop isn’t the easiest sound to blend with genres like gothic rock, but Depeche Mode managed to do it in a way that sounded natural. Out of most of the synth-pop releases from around that time, Violator seems to have aged the best.
Photo by Fröhling/Kraftwerk/Getty Images
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.