What is the best synthpop act of all time?

[Black Sunday9]

Sorry but New Order uses guitars/bass/drums too much to be considered synthpop.....

[phee]

Had to go with information society for that one.... they are just to kewl

[Black Sunday9]

I forgot to add Heaven 17 and Anything Box. Oh well.

[Guest Game of Chance]

can I vote none of the above?

j/k :fear :laughing

[Msterbeau]

can I vote none of the above?

j/k :fear  :laughing

You can just take that silly bald head back to Royal Oak and STFU.... :fear

[Guest Game of Chance]

You can just take that silly bald head back to Royal Oak and STFU....    :fear

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

can I vote for Black Flag instead of Red Flag? :grin

[torn asunder]

i was sure i'd see devo in here... =(

had to go with the mode...

[Msterbeau]

i was sure i'd see devo in here...  =(

had to go with the mode...

Naw... DEVO is not pop... They are.... um...... unlabelablalelelele...

[Guest Game of Chance]

Naw... DEVO is not pop...  They  are.... um......  unlabelablalelelele... 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We are not men. We are Devo.

[Guest Game of Chance]

I vote for The Postal Service

[phee]

There is one band on this list I CAN'T STAND... so I hope they don't win... but I am not going to say who.

[Guest Game of Chance]

There is one band on this list I CAN'T STAND... so I hope they don't win... but I am not going to say who.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Its ok. There are 12 bands on that list I can't stand and I hope they don't win...I won't say which ones they are either

[mallochai]

had a hard time picking between Information Society, whom I've loved for years, and Leiahdorus, whom I've loved for less time. I finally had to go with InSoc, just because they've got the grandmother factor. And eighties power.

[phee]

had a hard time picking between Information Society, whom I've loved for years, and Leiahdorus, whom I've loved for less time.  I finally had to go with InSoc, just because they've got the grandmother factor.  And eighties power.

Yeah!!! glad you agree

[Black Sunday9]

I thought Depeche Mode would win this is easily considering all the DM threads that pop up on DGN, then again many people don't read the quizes and polls forum.

I picked OMD, most under rated band of all time. Sure their top 40 songs in the mid 80's were cheesy but their earlier and later stuff was awesome. MOJO magazine rated Architecture and Morality a 5 out of 5. Spin Magazine gave OMD's greatest hits a 9 out of 10. Moby called OMD one of the most important bands of the 80's.

top ten OMD songs in my opinion

Almost

88 Seconds in Greensboro

Very Close to Far Away

The New Stone Age

Never Turn Away

Love and Violence

Joan of Arc

Was it Something I said?

The Messershmitt Twins

The Romance of the Telescope

Here is what trouserpress.com said about OMD's early albums:

"Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark is a demonstration of stylish electro-pop. Aided by Dalek I's Andy Gill, McCluskey and Humphreys build the songs up from computer-generated rhythms, polishing the synthesizer song into a full-bodied medium. Thanks to a knack for melodies and hooks, notable attractions are the catchy "Electricity" and "Messages."

Organisation (which originally included an excellent bonus single of early tape experiments and live tracks) introduces drummer Malcolm Holmes and ethereal synthesizer techniques that suit the depressive subject matter of "Enola Gay" and the like. It also pays attention to ensure variation in the tunes, a problem that mars the first LP. With nods to John Foxx and David Bowie, OMD overlays melodies to dramatic effect; the performances are excellent.

O.M.D. is an American condensation of the band's first two British albums, including both catchy OMD standards, "Enola Gay" and "Electricity." Recommended.

Architecture & Morality struggles with new techniques, and includes two magnificent, ethereal hit singles: "Souvenir" and "Joan of Arc." OMD is again experimenting with sound and much of the album sounds more naturalistic than electronic. An intriguing and highly inventive use of the technology.

The conceptual Dazzle Ships overreaches by a mile, succumbing to excessive found-tape gimmickry in lieu of adequate songwriting. It does contain the striking "Genetic Engineering" (which integrates a Speak and Spell toy to make a point) and "Radio Waves," as well as some amazing sounds and a powerful atmosphere to recommend it. Impressive but not satisfying.

Junk Culture is much stronger, pulling away further from sparkling pop while retaining smart melodies in far denser and newly dance-based styles. "Tesla Girls" employs scratch production to great effect while fixing on science as a clever lyrical base (shades of Sparks); the rhythm-heavy "Locomotion" and the more fanciful "Talking Loud and Clear" are likewise ace tracks."

[Paper Hearts]

You don't consider Kraftwerk synth-pop? I know that they're very close to industrial at times but I'd say that essentially, they are closer to synth-pop. I'm having a hard time voting, I'd have voted Kraftwerk. Next to Kraftwerk I'd put Depeche Mode...

[Homicidalheathen]

Hmmmmm......I wonder if I can guess who it is? Wouldn't hurt my feelings If I like 'em....just curious who you so hate because I like your musical tastes and all.... :erm

There is one band on this list I CAN'T STAND... so I hope they don't win... but I am not going to say who.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[phee]

Hmmmmm......I wonder if I can guess who it is?  Wouldn't hurt my feelings If I like 'em....just curious who you so hate because I like your musical tastes and all.... :erm

OK... I guess we are all friends here.... except for that one guy (you know who you are)

I HATE HATE HATE: Wolfsheim

I just cannot stand it, I hate it more than Marlyn Manson.... OK I guess I like them more than Manson... but it's like nails on a blackboard to me....

[Homicidalheathen]

OH and you hate Mansion too eh? I like 2 or 3 of his songs.....I don't own a CD.

Thanks for sharing Master Phee.

[phee]

OH and you hate Mansion too eh?  I like 2 or 3 of his songs.....I don't own a CD.

Thanks for sharing Master Phee.

Master eh? I could get used to that.

[Black Sunday9]

I don't like Erasure, they give synthpop a bad name - cheesy and obvious melodies, they never experiment - it's always a sugary pop formula and they never veer from it.

I do like Wolfsheim but once you've heard one of their albums you've heard them all. 'Wonderwoll' is a banging tune though! They play it at CC alot too.

[Guest Game of Chance]

'Wonderwoll' is a banging tune though!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I never was an Oasis fan. I always liked Blur better. :whistling :fear :grin

[Black Sunday9]

I never was an Oasis fan.  I always liked Blur better.  :whistling  :fear  :grin

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Blur's first album was good but they sucked after that. Oasis had one good album. The Wolfsheim song is not the same song, but your poor attempt at humor is noted. :grin

[Guest Game of Chance]

Blur's first album was good but they sucked after that.  Oasis had one good album.  The Wolfsheim song is not the same song, but your poor attempt at humor is noted.  :grin

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ouch.

I was recently reminded that I saw Blur with Dyno's sister some 9 years ago.

[ZhukovCodeslinger]

I find it odd that the pet shop boys did not get more discussion here... they had a lot to do with electronic sounds/noise too... and also helped to popularize the music with many more people since they were liked by the crossover crowds.