Violator (studio album)
by Depeche Mode

Violator by Depeche Mode
Year: 1990
Overall rank: 101st   
Average Rating: 
83/100 (from 1,391 votes)
     
Accolades:
Award Best album of 1990 (1st)
Award Top 20 albums of the 1990s (19th)
Award Top 200 albums of all time (101st)

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Product Details
Availability

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DEPECHE MODE - VIOLATOR NEW VINYL
Condition: New


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Depeche Mode Personal Jesus 12 Inch Single Vinyl Near Mint Clean Violator Era
Condition: Used


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Depeche Mode : Violator (2025 Remastered Vinyl LP; Gatefold) NEW/SEALED
Condition: New


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Depeche Mode bestography

Violator is ranked as the best album by Depeche Mode.

Depeche Mode album bestography « Higher ranked
-
This album (101st)
Violator
Lower ranked (469th) »
Music For The Masses

(N.B. Bestographies include all albums by an artist (and their variations), but do not include albums ranked outside the top 100,000).

Upcoming concerts

Dec
20
Sat
19:00
Strangelove: The Depeche Mode Experience
House of Blues San Diego, San Diego, United States. United States
Tickets from Ticketmaster Get tickets
 
Dec
26
Fri
19:00
Devotional - Depeche Mode Experience
The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano, United States. United States
Tickets from Ticketmaster Get tickets
 
Dec
27
Sat
19:30
DEPECHE MODE + THE CURE + YAZ + ERASURE TRIBUTES
Gaslamp Long Beach, Long Beach, United States. United States
Tickets from Ticketmaster Get tickets
 
Discover more upcoming concerts

Listen to Violator on YouTube

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Violator track list

   The tracks on this album have an average rating of 85 out of 100 (all tracks have been rated).

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Track
Rating/Comments
1.
Average Rating: 87 (341 votes)Comments: View 4
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2.
Average Rating: 79 (287 votes)Comments: View 5
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3.
Track pick (900 - 467 votes)
Average Rating: 90 (467 votes)Comments: View 7
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4.
Average Rating: 84 (299 votes)Comments: View 4
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5.
Average Rating: 82 (285 votes)Comments: View 1
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6.
Track pick (920 - 551 votes)
Average Rating: 92 (551 votes)Comments: View 12
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7.
Track pick (890 - 376 votes)
Average Rating: 89 (376 votes)Comments: View 9
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8.
Average Rating: 79 (267 votes)Comments: View 1
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9.
Average Rating: 81 (262 votes)Comments: View 2
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Track pick (1000 - 100 votes) Top-rated track as rated by BestEverAlbums.com members.

Violator rankings

Rankings summary
Overall rank: 101st | 1990s rank: 19th | 1990 rank: 1st

Violator collection

Violator ratings

Average Rating: 
83/100 (from 1,391 votes)
   Help Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AV
where:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.

Showing latest 5 ratings for this album. | Show all 1,391 ratings for this album.

Sort by
RatingDate updatedMemberAlbum ratingsAvg. album rating
 
90/100
 !
12/07/2025 22:17 NowhereMan   1,40578/100
 
100/100
 !
12/07/2025 11:31 patxi   1100/100
 
95/100
 !
11/29/2025 01:46 Kingturtle   7,00573/100
 
80/100
 !
11/25/2025 08:45 Johnnyo   9,62177/100
 
75/100
 !
11/23/2025 17:24 DommeDamian   7,29149/100

Rating metrics: Help Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
(*In practice, some albums can have several thousand ratings)

This album is rated in the top 1% of all albums on BestEverAlbums.com. This album has a Bayesian average rating of 83.4/100, a mean average of 82.5/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 83.5/100. The standard deviation for this album is 14.5.

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Violator comments

Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 100 comments |
Most Helpful First | Newest First | Positive Sentiment First | Longest Comments First
(Only showing comments with -2 votes or higher. You can alter this threshold from your profile page. Manage Profile)

Rating:  
70/100
From 07/07/2025 18:57 | #309959
If more of the album had edgy synth like on "Halo" this could have been a lot better. For me this is not essential listening, as I found Music for the Masses much more interesting musically. "Enjoy the Silence" is nice though.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 07/17/2024 20:26 | #304377
Nice dark wave album, impressive album production, very 80's, probably one of the best Dark wave albums.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
60/100
From 05/11/2024 12:44 | #303473
EXCELLENT...BUT STILL...!!
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
45/100
From 10/06/2023 18:51 | #299377
This comment is beneath your viewing threshold.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -3 votes (1 helpful | 4 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 06/26/2023 21:00 | #297813
Peak Depeche Mode and peak darkwave, feels like their whole career was building up to that album, it is quite consistent with huge hits that are also finest works on album - Enjoy The Silence, Personal Jesus, Policy Of Truth. I feel like Halo is pretty underrated too. I also feel that Dangerous would fit perfectly on that album, it is a shame it's only a bonus track.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 10/23/2022 15:58 | #290737
A fantastic album and the best of their career. A great end and ribbon on top to the New Wave era.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
75/100
From 08/31/2022 03:44 | #289139
Solid album
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 04/13/2022 11:09 | #284162
It feels like a homage to the decade before and completely puts it to bed by being the best version of all of the albums that preceded it of the same ilk. It's cool, it's fun and leaves a long lasting impression by still being incredibly impressive to listen to today.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 02/13/2022 15:07 | #281254
A Great album opening for the new Decade.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
75/100
From 11/21/2021 15:44 | #276512
This is one of the few electronic records that still holds up well today. My only complaint is the singer referring to himself as a "thug." Puh-lease!

A Side: Enjoy the Silence
B Side: Policy of Truth
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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Best Albums of 1990
1. Violator by Depeche Mode
2. Heaven Or Las Vegas by Cocteau Twins
3. Nowhere by Ride
4. Rust In Peace by Megadeth
5. Bossanova by Pixies
6. Goo by Sonic Youth
7. Ritual De Lo Habitual by Jane's Addiction
8. Repeater by Fugazi
9. Fear Of A Black Planet by Public Enemy
10. The La's by The La's
11. The Good Son by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
12. Canción Animal by Soda Stereo
13. Reading, Writing And Arithmetic by The Sundays
14. Pills 'N' Thrills And Bellyaches by Happy Mondays
15. I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got by Sinéad O'Connor
16. Soundtrack From Twin Peaks by Angelo Badalamenti
17. Painkiller by Judas Priest
18. Ragged Glory by Neil Young & Crazy Horse
19. Facelift by Alice In Chains
20. Flood by They Might Be Giants
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