Music for the Masses

Music for the Masses is the sixth studio album by the English electronic band Depeche Mode, released on 28 September 1987 by Mute Records in the United Kingdom and Sire Records in the United States. The follow-up to their successful album Black Celebration (1986), it was co-produced by Depeche Mode and David Bascombe. Recorded in Paris and London and mixed in Denmark, it was the first Depeche Mode album to see band member Alan Wilder take control of the production.

The album marked a turning point in the band's sound, blending dark, introspective themes with expansive production. Its release also marked a shift in visual identity, with Anton Corbijn's involvement in music videos and promotional materials helping to redefine the band's aesthetic. Music for the Masses was considered instrumental in helping the band achieve chart success and popularity in the US, which up until then had eluded them. It reached number 10 in the UK, number 35 in the US and number 2 in West Germany. Certified platinum in the US in 1991, it was estimated in 2023 that it had sold over 5.5 million copies globally.

Music for the Masses was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2006) and Slant Magazine's list of the 100 Best Albums of the 1980s. The title and songs inspired the tribute album For the Masses (1998), which itself had chart success in both the US and Germany.

The album spawned four successful singles, "Strangelove", "Never Let Me Down Again", "Behind the Wheel", and "Little 15", all of which charted in the top 10 in charts in various regions around the world. It was supported by the 1987–1988 Music for the Masses Tour, which helped to further launch their fame in the United States when they performed at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to over 70,000 fans, captured in the live album and video documentary 101 (1989).