Depeche Mode - Never Let Me Down Again

What this video is

Released 24 August 1987 as the second single from Music for the Masses, 'Never Let Me Down Again' arrived at a pivotal moment for Depeche Mode's international expansion. While the single stalled at UK chart position 22, it reached number 2 in West Germany, signalling the band's outsized cultural footprint in continental Europe. The song's lyrical themes—described by Martin Gore as depicting 'the concept of fleeing…

Why it matters

A landmark in late-1980s synth-pop and dark wave, 'Never Let Me Down Again' demonstrated the genre's capacity for anthemic, emotionally complex songwriting beyond simple pop structures. Its live legacy—particularly the mass audience arm-waving documented at the Rose Bowl in 101 (1989)—became one…

The director

Anton Johannes Gerrit Corbijn (born 20 May 1955, Strijen, Netherlands) is a Dutch photographer, music video director, and film director. He began his career as a music photographer around 1975 and moved to London in 1979. He has directed more than 75 music…