Synth-Pop Essentials

Apple Music Pop
Updated Last Week

Synthesizers had been slowly percolating into popular music since the late ‘60s, and over the ‘70s they’d serve as a cosmic enhancement on countless prog-rock records. But through the robo-rock innovations of Kraftwerk and Giorgio Moroder’s groundbreaking electro-disco productions for Donna Summer, the synth was elevated from embellishment to essential feature. And as the technology was embraced by adventurous punks and aspiring radio stars alike, synth-pop became the defining musical style of the ‘80s. It was the agent through which post-punk artists like New Order and The Human League infiltrated the wedding-DJ canon, as well as the shiny packaging that attracted the stateside masses to European exports like a-ha. But as much as it signifies a particular moment in music history, synth-pop truly transcends era: Thanks to savvy revivalists like CHVRCHES and Future Islands, it’s become the lingua franca of modern indie.
The Human League
The Human League
Dare
3:56
MGMT
MGMT
Oracular Spectacular
5:02
Eurythmics
Eurythmics
Ultimate Collection (Remastered)
3:36
Future Islands
Future Islands
Singles
3:46
Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys
Please
4:45
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
The Best of Depeche Mode, Vol. 1
4:13
Bronski Beat
Bronski Beat
The Age of Consent
5:02
The Postal Service
The Postal Service
Give Up (Deluxe 10th Anniversary Edition)
4:26
New Order
New Order
Brotherhood
4:21
a-ha
a-ha
Hunting High & Low (Remastered)
3:48
Men Without Hats
Men Without Hats
Rhythm of Youth (Expanded Edition)
2:46
Soft Cell
Soft Cell
Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
2:34
CHVRCHES
CHVRCHES
The Bones of What You Believe
3:11
Kate Bush
Kate Bush
Hounds of Love (Remastered)
5:00
Hot Chip
Hot Chip
The Warning
5:47
Yaz
Yaz
Upstairs at Eric's
3:11
Grimes
Grimes
Visions
4:11
Tears for Fears
Tears for Fears
The Hurting (Deluxe Edition)
4:03
Alphaville
Alphaville
First Harvest 1984-1992
3:46
Dead or Alive
Dead or Alive
Youthquake
3:19
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk
The Man Machine (Remastered)
3:40
Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Welcome to the Pleasuredome
3:28
Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark
Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark
The Best Of Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
3:32
Ultravox
Ultravox
Lament
4:40
Talk Talk
Talk Talk
It's My Life (Remastered 1997)
3:52
The Knife
The Knife
Deep Cuts
3:51
Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
McCartney II
3:16
The Cure
The Cure
Greatest Hits
3:31
Gary Numan
Gary Numan
The Pleasure Principle
3:58
Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Rio (Collector's Edition)
5:21
M83
M83
Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
4:01
Sparks
Sparks
No. 1 In Heaven
4:24
Corey Hart
Corey Hart
First Offense
5:20
Erasure
Erasure
The Innocents
3:33
LCD Soundsystem
LCD Soundsystem
Sound of Silver
6:30
Thomas Dolby
Thomas Dolby
The Golden Age of Wireless
3:42
David Bowie
David Bowie
Changesbowie
4:49
Junior Boys
Junior Boys
Begone Dull Care
6:32
Ladytron
Ladytron
Light & Magic
4:37
Stephen Duffy
Stephen Duffy
The Ups and Downs: A Very Beautiful Collection
3:32
Visage
Visage
Visage
3:59
ABC
ABC
How to Be a Zillionaire
3:35
A Flock of Seagulls
A Flock of Seagulls
Platinum & Gold Collection: A Flock of Seagulls
5:30
Celebrate the Nun
Celebrate the Nun
Best Of....
3:32
Eurythmics
Eurythmics
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) (Bonus Tracks)
3:44
Scritti Politti
Scritti Politti
Cupid & Psyche 85
4:44
Classix Nouveaux
Classix Nouveaux
The Very Best of Classix Nouveaux
7:09
Neon Indian
Neon Indian
Era Extraña
4:24
Heaven 17
Heaven 17
The Luxury Gap (Deluxe Version)
4:22
Cut Copy
Cut Copy
In Ghost Colours
4:37
Blancmange
Blancmange
Happy Families
4:10
The Human League
The Human League
Crash
4:25
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Construction Time Again
3:59
Kon Kan
Kon Kan
Move to Move
4:00
Hot Chip
Hot Chip
One Life Stand
4:40
Future Islands
Future Islands
The Far Field
3:25
Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock
The Essential Herbie Hancock
5:24
Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys
PopArt: The Hits
3:57
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk
The Man Machine (Remastered)
6:12
Naked Eyes
Naked Eyes
Best Of
3:38
Donna Summer
Donna Summer
I Remember Yesterday
5:57
Ministry
Ministry
Twelve Inch Singles
6:26
Limahl
Limahl
The NeverEnding Story (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
3:34
Phil Oakey, Giorgio Moroder
Phil Oakey, Giorgio Moroder
Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder (Remastered)
3:52
Spandau Ballet
Spandau Ballet
Journeys To Glory (Remastered)
3:19
Kajagoogoo
Kajagoogoo
White Feathers
3:41
Men Without Hats
Men Without Hats
Pop Goes The World
3:41
Howard Jones
Howard Jones
Human's Lib
4:15
Tears for Fears
Tears for Fears
The Hurting (Deluxe Edition)
3:35
Fischerspooner
Fischerspooner
#1
4:48
Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark
Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark
The OMD Singles
3:32
M, Robin Scott
M, Robin Scott
New York, London, Paris, Munich
4:56
Talk Talk
Talk Talk
It's My Life (Remastered 1997)
5:35
John Foxx
John Foxx
Metamatic...Plus
3:57
Soft Cell
Soft Cell
Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret (Deluxe Edition)
5:24
New Order
New Order
Singles
4:24
Thompson Twins
Thompson Twins
Thompson Twins: The Greatest Hits
3:12
Erasure
Erasure
Wonderland
3:36
Saint Etienne
Saint Etienne
Tiger Bay
5:42
M83
M83
Saturdays = Youth
5:22
Gary Numan
Gary Numan
The Pleasure Principle
5:37
Martin Gore
Martin Gore
Counterfeit - EP
5:27
Yellow Magic Orchestra
Yellow Magic Orchestra
Solid State Survivor
3:36
The Beloved
The Beloved
Conscience
5:01
Johnny Hates Jazz
Johnny Hates Jazz
Turn Back the Clock
3:27
Yello
Yello
Stella (Remastered 2005)
3:05
Trans-X
Trans-X
Living On Video
5:56
Camouflage
Camouflage
The Great Commandment - Single
4:20
Simple Minds
Simple Minds
New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)
5:38
The Communards
The Communards
Communards
4:31
China Crisis
China Crisis
Diary - A Collection
4:28
Book of Love
Book of Love
Book of Love
2:57
Glass Candy
Glass Candy
B/E/A/T/B/O/X
5:57
Baltimora
Baltimora
Living In the Background
6:18
Modern Talking
Modern Talking
The First Album
5:32
Japan
Japan
Quiet Life
4:49
Animotion
Animotion
Obsession
5:37
Re-Flex
Re-Flex
Lost & Found, Vol. 1: Imagination
4:16
Marc Almond
Marc Almond
The Stars We Are
4:21
Anything Box
Anything Box
Worth
6:04

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