Playing The Angel (studio album)
by Depeche Mode
eBay
Condition: New
Depeche Mode bestography
Playing The Angel is ranked 7th best out of 45 albums by Depeche Mode on BestEverAlbums.com.
The best album by Depeche Mode is Violator which is ranked number 101 in the list of all-time albums with a total rank score of 12,230.
(N.B. Bestographies include all albums by an artist (and their variations), but do not include albums ranked outside the top 100,000).
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Playing The Angel track list
The tracks on this album have an average rating of 79 out of 100 (all tracks have been rated).
Top-rated track as rated by BestEverAlbums.com members.
Playing The Angel rankings
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Showing latest 20 members who have this album in their collection | Show all 106 members
Playing The Angel ratings
Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AVwhere:
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 238 ratings for this album.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Album ratings | Avg. album rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 11/09/2025 19:16 | kinginsomniac12 | 383 | 100/100 |
| ! | 09/24/2025 19:33 | heavensin | 56 | 93/100 |
| ! | 04/28/2025 10:59 | Banner | 4,906 | 80/100 |
| ! | 04/10/2025 14:26 | cicadelic | 11,400 | 73/100 |
| ! | 12/05/2024 03:07 | dhbarrett | 8,181 | 65/100 |
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 12% of all albums on BestEverAlbums.com. This album has a Bayesian average rating of 74.5/100, a mean average of 74.2/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 74.6/100. The standard deviation for this album is 13.0.
Playing The Angel favourites
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Playing The Angel comments
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Hugely underrated. One of, if not, their best album. Strong from start to finish, the complete Depeche Mode sound.
An amazing return to form, Playing the angel shows Depeche mode still has power in its later years. This album captures themes of restructuring life after personal failure and tragedy.
One of those Depeche Mode albums that starts strongly but runs out of steam towards the end. Playing The angel, sees the band trying hard, and some of it works fine in, John the revelator(based on an old blues song), suffer well, and, precious. Maybe the album could have been shortened by a couple of tracks down to ten. Still, when it's good, playing the angel, is fine, but it's just not often enough.
DM know how to write great music
A bloody great album that deserves a listen
Eastwood 01/06/2015 18:49 | #130917
Good synthpop/alternative dance/alternative rock album. Best 10 songs average is 84,7/100 and the album can get good 85/100. Best song is "Precious" 90/100, followed by "A pain...", "John the revelator", "Suffer well" and "The sinner in me" all 85/100. Second half is lower, all songs here 75-80/100.
A great album; better than anything U2 or R.E.M. have done this century. Precious might be their best single since Enjoy the Silence.
Bach 10/21/2013 22:48 | #88866
Very good.
Best tracks: Precious, Lilian, Suffer Well, I Want It All.
serpico 02/20/2013 14:50 | #65601
one of the best albums of Depeche Mode
lightmyway 05/08/2012 08:04 | #41821
A few moments of brilliance, but it feels somewhat uninspired. This album was really good the first time I heard it but never again.
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