Besides the 30th anniversary of Strangeways, Here We Come, two other very important classic alternative albums were released on this day in 1987.
By the time Music For The Masses was released, Depeche Mode were already well established as dark synth rock legends worldwide, but much less so in the United States. Music For The Masses changed that. The album's trio of alt-rock staples - "Never Let Me Down Again," "Strangelove," and "Behind The Wheel" - received much love and airplay on MTV's 120 Minutes and alternative radio, exposing new ears to the alluring melodic sexy magic of Depeche Mode.
Meanwhile, a then-mostly unknown band from Boston named Pixies released their debut album. Despite Come On Pilgrim being a mini-album/EP of demos, the raw material was a jolt of exciting, intriguing, unique indie rock. Many/most of the songs on the EP would later be re-recorded and released on subsequent albums, but Come On Pilgrim was a impressive introduction to a band that would go on to become legends and in turn inspire other legendary acts.
Published September 28th, 2017
