Black Celebration (studio album) by Depeche Mode

Black Celebration by Depeche Mode
Year: 1986
Overall rank: 698th   Overall chart historyOverall chart history
Average Rating: 
78/100 (from 477 votes)
  Ratings distributionRatings distribution   Average rating historyAverage rating history
Accolades:
Award Top 10 albums of 1986 (10th)
Award Top albums of the 1980s (105th)
Award Top 1,000 albums of all time (698th)
Product Details
Availability

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Depeche Mode - Black Celebration (1986 ) Embossed, SRC Pressing Vinyl LP Shrink
Condition: Used


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DEPECHE MODE BLACK CELEBRATION VINYL LP 180 GRAM SEALED MINT
Condition: New


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Depeche Mode Black Celebration Cassette Tape 1986 Sire Records SEALED New NOS
Condition: Brand New


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Depeche Mode bestography

Black Celebration is ranked 3rd best out of 44 albums by Depeche Mode on BestEverAlbums.com.

The best album by Depeche Mode is Violator which is ranked number 114 in the list of all-time albums with a total rank score of 12,751.

Depeche Mode album bestography « Higher ranked (480th) This album (698th) Lower ranked (884th) »
Music For The MassesBlack CelebrationSongs Of Faith And Devotion

Upcoming concerts

Mar
23
Sat
19:30
STRANGELOVE - THE DEPECHE MODE EXPERIENCE + Special Guests: TEARS FOR FEARS and DAVID BOWIE TRIBUTES
Gaslamp Long Beach, Long Beach, United States. United States
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Mar
29
Fri
20:00
A Flock of Seagulls w/ STRANGELOVE: The Depeche Mode Experience
Manchester Music Hall, Lexington, United States. United States
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Mar
29
Fri
20:00
A Flock of Seagulls, Strangelove : The Depeche Mode Experience
Manchester Music Hall, Lexington, United States. United States
Tickets from $39.50 (Ticketmaster) Get tickets
 
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Black Celebration track list

  Track ratingsTrack ratings The tracks on this album have an average rating of 82 out of 100 (all tracks have been rated).

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4.
Rating: 77 (102 votes)Comments: 0
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7.
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Rating: 88 (152 votes)Comments: 0
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10.
Rating: 78 (96 votes)Comments: 0
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11.
Rating: 80 (99 votes)Comments: 0
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Track pick Top-rated track as rated by BestEverAlbums.com members.

Black Celebration rankings

Black Celebration collection

Black Celebration ratings

Average Rating: 
78/100 (from 477 votes)
  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 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 477 ratings for this album.

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RatingDate updatedMemberAlbum ratingsAvg. album rating
 
75/100
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02/27/2024 21:34 Timooosterink  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 65573/100
 
40/100
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02/25/2024 09:15 Strangel  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 93174/100
 
75/100
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02/25/2024 00:26 PAPPITUFO  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 11879/100
 
50/100
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02/08/2024 04:00 EntList  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 24373/100
 
75/100
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02/03/2024 18:47 Hyggevinyl  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 2,92373/100

Rating metrics: 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 2% of all albums on BestEverAlbums.com. This album has a Bayesian average rating of 78.5/100, a mean average of 77.4/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 78.6/100. The standard deviation for this album is 15.6.

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Black Celebration comments

Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 29 comments |
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Rating:  
40/100
From 02/25/2024 09:14
This reminds me of the time when I bumped into John Candy and my colostomy bag exploded into his shopping bag. Good times.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 01/07/2023 23:26
This is a really solid synth-pop album with dark, nocturnal vibe. Title track sets the atmosphere right in the beginning and it is followed by fantastic Fly On The Windscreen. Then we have very danceable, sensual Question Of Lust, that has this esoteric vibe. Another highlight for me is Question Of Time with catchy guitar and synths all over it. Stripped is my favorite on the album, the production is very forward looking and synths sound like something that could have been on Violator. Here Is The House is another catchy one and New Dress ends the album with a more industrial synth sound. There is a couple filler tracks like Sometimes or Dressed In Black, but overall the album is great in terms of vocals, production and vibe.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 03/30/2022 20:46
This is the album where Depeche Mode really started to discover their sound and start to experiment with a darker undertone. While it would be executed better on later releases, this early dive into more harsh and tense sounds makes for fantastic listening as you really can feel the raw nature of the music and that puts you right at the centre of it all. This creates a state of bliss that is hard to achieve on a lot of albums as when artists develop they start to iron out these little nuances but in my opinion they make the soundscape so unique and that's why this is probably my second favourite DM album. This is helped by the fantastic vocals and stellar song writing that we are treated to. Then they add layers on top of that with a dark and brooding atmosphere that is maintained throughout and you then know you are in for a phenomenal experience. If I had to criticise the record it would be that there are a few weaker tracks with some songs being just okay but none of them are bad enough to take you out of the bubble of the record. Overall, an under rated release in my opinion and is probably the most important album in the artists career and is their second best behind Violator.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 09/02/2019 14:58
Some have evaluated this as a transitional album, but I always viewed it as where DM found their later sound - the sound that catapulted the band into arena concert superstars. The throbbing goth/dance songs along with brooding ballads are all here. "Princess Di Is Wearing a New Dress".
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
75/100
From 04/15/2019 23:32
Favourite track: "Stripped"
Least-liked track: "Sometimes"
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 01/19/2019 13:46
Probably the beginning of the band's prime.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (1 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
Rating:  
65/100
From 09/23/2018 10:56
My favourite Depeche Mode album. Some of the best songs like "Stripped" or "But Not Tonight" and the perfect opening track ("Black Celebration") that sets the mood for the whole album. Regardless of the growing darkness in their sound this is still an album you can really enjoy. Most Depeche Mode albums contain a lot of songs I really don't like but on this album (except for "Sometimes") even the worse songs are still OK.

If you want to buy "Black Celebration" on CD today you should look for one of the older releases that include the following CD extra tracks that were removed from the 2007 re-releases:

12. "Breathing In Fumes"
13. "But Not Tonight" (Extended Remix)
14. "Black Day"

"But Not Tonight" is my favourite Depeche Mode song of all time. The 4:15 min. version was already the B-Side of the european "Stripped" 7" single. The 5:14 version on "Black Celebration" is not only longer but has a better mastering quality.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 04/03/2018 12:43
This is prototypical new wave music, and the album finds DM hitting their stride. One of their best.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
75/100
From 10/19/2017 06:40


this is where DM start getting really dark
and really sound THEIR sound
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 09/05/2017 05:18
With this album Depeche mode really came into their own. The album is filled with the growing darkness that would even more apparent in their later works.
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Best Albums of 1986
1. The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths
2. Master Of Puppets by Metallica
3. Graceland by Paul Simon
4. So by Peter Gabriel
5. Skylarking by XTC
6. The Colour Of Spring by Talk Talk
7. Reign In Blood by Slayer
8. Licensed To Ill by Beastie Boys
9. Lifes Rich Pageant by R.E.M.
10. Black Celebration by Depeche Mode
11. EVOL by Sonic Youth
12. Slippery When Wet by Bon Jovi
13. Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? by Megadeth
14. Parade by Prince And The Revolution
15. Raising Hell by Run-D.M.C.
16. Somewhere In Time by Iron Maiden
17. Atomizer by Big Black
18. Invisible Touch by Genesis
19. Your Funeral... My Trial by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
20. True Blue by Madonna
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