What is the best synth-pop album of all time?

Synth-pop redefined pop music by replacing organic instruments with pulsing synthesizers and futuristic production. From austere minimalism to glittering maximalism, vote for the greatest synth-pop album ever made.

1

Violator

Depeche Mode's 1990 masterpiece featuring 'Personal Jesus' and 'Enjoy the Silence' — universally cited as the pinnacle of synth-pop.

2

Dare

Human League's 1981 defining statement of the synth-pop movement, featuring the genre's signature anthem 'Don't You Want Me'.

3

Actually

Pet Shop Boys' 1987 follow-up containing 'It's a Sin' and 'Always on My Mind', widely regarded as their artistic peak.

4

The Pleasure Principle

Gary Numan's 1979 blueprint for synth-pop featuring 'Cars', which took the genre into the mainstream for the first time.

5

Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)

Eurythmics' 1983 album featuring its iconic title track, a flawless blend of icy synthesisers and Annie Lennox's remarkable voice.

6

Hunting High and Low

A-ha's 1985 debut featuring 'Take On Me', whose unforgettable synth riff became the sound of a generation.

7

Architecture & Morality

OMD's 1981 album fused synth-pop ambition with emotional depth, influencing virtually every synth act that followed.

8

Upstairs at Eric's

Yazoo's 1982 debut perfectly blended Vince Clarke's mechanical synth melodies with Alison Moyet's raw, soulful vocals.

9

Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret

Soft Cell's 1981 debut featuring 'Tainted Love' is one of the most startling and visceral synth-pop albums ever made.

10

Music for the Masses

Depeche Mode's 1987 album was the breakthrough that turned them into stadium-filling global stars.

11

Very

Pet Shop Boys' 1993 album features some of their most exuberant and euphoric dance-oriented synth-pop.

12

The Bones of What You Believe

CHVRCHES' 2013 debut brought synth-pop roaring into the modern era with shimmering hooks and emotional intensity.

13

Computer World

Kraftwerk's 1981 visionary album predicted the digital age and laid the conceptual groundwork for all synth and electronic pop.

14

Hurry Up, We're Dreaming

M83's 2011 epic double album breathed new emotional life into synth-pop's cinematic possibilities.