Synth-Pop Essentials

Apple Music Pop
Updated Friday

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.
Kate Bush
Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)
Kate Bush
Hounds of Love (Remastered)
Bronski Beat
Smalltown Boy
Bronski Beat
The Age of Consent (Bonus Tracks)
Erasure
A Little Respect
Erasure
The Innocents
Pet Shop Boys
West End Girls
Pet Shop Boys
Please
Soft Cell
Tainted Love
Soft Cell
Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
Future Islands
Seasons (Waiting On You)
Future Islands
Singles
The Human League
Don't You Want Me
The Human League
Dare
Men Without Hats
The Safety Dance (Short Version)
Men Without Hats
Rhythm of Youth (Expanded Edition)
The Knife
Heartbeats
The Knife
Deep Cuts
ABC
Poison Arrow
ABC
The Lexicon of Love (Deluxe Edition)
Depeche Mode
Enjoy the Silence
Depeche Mode
The Best of Depeche Mode, Vol. 1
New Order
Bizarre Love Triangle
New Order
Brotherhood
Tears for Fears
Pale Shelter (2nd Single Version)
Tears for Fears
The Hurting (Super Deluxe Edition)
M83
Midnight City
M83
Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
Kraftwerk
The Model
Kraftwerk
The Man-Machine (Remastered)
Sparks
Beat the Clock
Sparks
No. 1 In Heaven
a-ha
Take On Me (2015 Remastered Version)
a-ha
Hunting High & Low (Remastered)
Paul McCartney
Temporary Secretary
Paul McCartney
McCartney II
MGMT
Kids
MGMT
Oracular Spectacular
Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Relax
Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Welcome to the Pleasuredome
Hot Chip
Ready for the Floor
Hot Chip
Made in the Dark
Eurythmics
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
Eurythmics
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
Yaz
Don't Go
Yaz
Upstairs at Eric's
Talk Talk
It's My Life (Remastered 1997)
Talk Talk
It's My Life (Remastered 1997)
The Postal Service
Such Great Heights
The Postal Service
Give Up (Deluxe 10th Anniversary Edition)
Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark
If You Leave
Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark
If You Leave - Single
Grimes
Oblivion
Grimes
Visions
CHVRCHES
The Mother We Share
CHVRCHES
The Bones of What You Believe
Gary Numan
Cars
Gary Numan
The Pleasure Principle
LCD Soundsystem
Someone Great
LCD Soundsystem
Sound of Silver
Duran Duran
Planet Earth
Duran Duran
Duran Duran (Deluxe Edition)
Saint Etienne
Like a Motorway
Saint Etienne
Tiger Bay
The Cure
Let's Go to Bed
The Cure
Greatest Hits
Animotion
Obsession
Animotion
Obsession
Corey Hart
Sunglasses at Night
Corey Hart
First Offense
Spandau Ballet
To Cut a Long Story Short (Remastered)
Spandau Ballet
Journeys To Glory (Remastered)
Donna Summer
I Feel Love
Donna Summer
I Remember Yesterday
Ultravox
Dancing with Tears in My Eyes
Ultravox
Lament (Definitive Edition)
Herbie Hancock
Rockit
Herbie Hancock
The Essential Herbie Hancock
Scritti Politti
Perfect Way
Scritti Politti
Cupid & Psyche 85
Dead or Alive
You Spin Me 'Round (Like a Record)
Dead or Alive
Youthquake
Howard Jones
New Song (2008 Remastered Version)
Howard Jones
Human's Lib
Kajagoogoo
Too Shy
Kajagoogoo
White Feathers
Thomas Dolby
She Blinded Me With Science
Thomas Dolby
The Golden Age of Wireless
Visage
Fade To Grey
Visage
Visage
Japan
Quiet Life
Japan
Quiet Life
Fischerspooner
Emerge
Fischerspooner
#1
Simple Minds
Promised You a Miracle (Remastered)
Simple Minds
New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)
Beborn Beton
Another World
Beborn Beton
Truth
Eurythmics
Here Comes the Rain Again
Eurythmics
Touch (Bonus Tracks)
Re-Flex
The Politics of Dancing
Re-Flex
Lost & Found, Vol. 1: Imagination
Hot Chip
Over and Over
Hot Chip
The Warning
Naked Eyes
Always Something There to Remind Me
Naked Eyes
Best Of
A Flock of Seagulls
Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)
A Flock of Seagulls
Platinum & Gold Collection: A Flock of Seagulls
Yellow Magic Orchestra
Rydeen
Yellow Magic Orchestra
Solid State Survivor
Kraftwerk
Computer Love
Kraftwerk
Computer World (Remastered)
Martin Gore
Compulsion
Martin Gore
Counterfeit - EP
Cut Copy
Hearts on Fire
Cut Copy
Hearts on Fire
Yaz
Situation
Yaz
Upstairs at Eric's
Sparks
The Number One Song In Heaven
Sparks
No. 1 In Heaven
M & Robin Scott
Pop Muzik (Nik Launay '79 12")
M & Robin Scott
New York, London, Paris, Munich
The Human League
(Keep Feeling) Fascination (Extended Version)
The Human League
Fascination! - EP
Gary Numan
Metal
Gary Numan
The Pleasure Principle
Junior Boys
In the Morning
Junior Boys
So This Is Goodbye
Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Two Tribes
Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Welcome to the Pleasuredome
Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark
Enola Gay
Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark
Organisation
Neon Indian
Polish Girl
Neon Indian
Era Extraña
Johnny Hates Jazz
Shattered Dreams
Johnny Hates Jazz
Turn Back the Clock
The Presets
My People
The Presets
Apocalypso
Ministry
Over the Shoulder
Ministry
Twitch
Ladytron
Destroy Everything You Touch
Ladytron
Witching Hour (Bonus Version)
Soft Cell
Say Hello, Wave Goodbye (7" Single Version)
Soft Cell
Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret (Deluxe Edition)
New Order
True Faith (7" Edit)
New Order
Singles
Erasure
Sometimes
Erasure
The Circus
M83
Kim & Jessie
M83
Saturdays = Youth
Stephen Duffy
Kiss Me (1985)
Stephen Duffy
The Ups and Downs: A Very Beautiful Collection
Kon Kan
I Beg Your Pardon (I Never Promised You a Rose Garden)
Kon Kan
Move to Move
Tears for Fears
Mad World
Tears for Fears
The Hurting (Deluxe Edition)
Heaven 17
Temptation (Edit)
Heaven 17
The Luxury Gap (Deluxe Version)
Pet Shop Boys
Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)
Pet Shop Boys
Please
Limahl
The NeverEnding Story
Limahl
The NeverEnding Story (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Phil Oakey & Giorgio Moroder
Together In Electric Dreams
Phil Oakey & Giorgio Moroder
Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder (Remastered)
Depeche Mode
Just Can't Get Enough
Depeche Mode
Speak & Spell (Deluxe Edition)
Yello
Oh Yeah
Yello
Stella (Deluxe Edition)
Real Life
Send Me an Angel
Real Life
Heartland
Talk Talk
Talk Talk (1997 - Remaster)
Talk Talk
The Party's Over
When In Rome
The Promise
When In Rome
When in Rome
John Foxx
Underpass
John Foxx
Metamatic...Plus
Glass Candy
Digital Versicolor
Glass Candy
B/E/A/T/B/O/X
Thompson Twins
In the Name of Love
Thompson Twins
Arista Heritage Series: Thompson Twins
The Normal
Warm Leatherette
The Normal
Warm Leatherette - Single
Ruth
Polaroïd/Roman/Photo
Ruth
Polaroïd/Roman/Photo
Men Without Hats
Pop Goes The World
Men Without Hats
Pop Goes The World
Future Islands
A Dream of You and Me
Future Islands
Singles
Duran Duran
The Chauffeur
Duran Duran
Rio (Collectors Edition)
The Communards
Don't Leave Me This Way (with Sarah Jane Morris) [feat. Sarah Jane Morris]
The Communards
Communards
Altered Images
Don't Talk to Me About Love
Altered Images
Reflected Images - The Best of Altered Images
Rational Youth
Saturdays In Silesia
Rational Youth
Cold War Night Life (Expanded)
Marc Almond
Tears Run Rings
Marc Almond
The Stars We Are
Classix Nouveaux
Is It a Dream (Extended Version)
Classix Nouveaux
The Very Best of Classix Nouveaux
100 Songs, 7 Hours, 15 Minutes

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