Erasure (duo)
Erasure (/əˈreɪʒər/) are an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1984,[1][2][3] consisting of lead vocalist and songwriter Andy Bell with songwriter, producer and keyboardist Vince Clarke, previously co-founder of the band Depeche Mode and a member of synth-pop duo Yazoo. From their fourth single, "Sometimes" (1986), Erasure established themselves on the UK Singles Chart, becoming one of the most successful acts of the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s. From 1986 to 2007, the pair achieved 24 consecutive top-40 entries in the UK singles chart. By 2009, 34 of their 37 chart-eligible singles and EPs had made the UK top 40, including 17 climbing into the top 10. At the 1989 Brit Awards, Erasure won the Brit Award for Best British Group.[4][5]
Erasure
London, England
1985–present
Erasure made their debut with the studio album Wonderland in 1986, however it did not perform well chart-wise. With their second release The Circus the following year in 1987 came major success, the album reaching UK number 6 and spawning four top-20 singles. Their third studio album, The Innocents released in 1988, was a number one and was followed the same year by the Christmas EP Crackers International peaking at number 2. The Innocents was the first in a string of albums to place in the top spot, with their next five long-form releases also reaching the pole position of the UK Albums Chart: the albums Wild! (1989) and the Mercury Prize nominated Chorus (1991), the ABBA tribute EP Abba-esque (1992), the compilation Pop! The First 20 Hits (1992), then the studio album I Say I Say I Say (1994).
Erasure's songs from albums of this period include "Oh L'amour", "Sometimes", "Victim of Love", "The Circus", "Ship of Fools", "Chains of Love", "A Little Respect", "Stop!", "Drama!", "Blue Savannah", "Star", "Chorus", "Love to Hate You", "Breath of Life", "Always" and "Run to the Sun".
Overall in their career, Erasure have written over 200 songs and have sold over 28 million albums worldwide.[6][7]
Musical style[edit]
Erasure's music has been described as electropop,[2][27][28] synth-pop,[29][30] dance-pop,[31][32] hi-NRG,[33][34] disco,[27][28][30][34][35][36][37][38] and new wave.[39][40] According to Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic, the group's style, like Vince Clarke's previous groups Depeche Mode and Yazoo, is "synth-based, but with stronger, more house-oriented dance inclinations, as well as a sharp, accessible sense of pop songcraft".[29] The Washington Post wrote that Erasure's music "combines synth-pop, disco, cabaret, light opera and a bit of English choirboy sound."[30]
