The Singles 86–98

The Singles 86>98 is a compilation album by English electronic music band Depeche Mode. It was released on 28 September 1998 by Mute Records. It serves as a follow-up to the band's previous compilation, The Singles 81→85, which was also reissued in the same year. The compilation covers the band's seven-inch single releases spanning five studio albums (from 1986's Black Celebration to 1997's Ultra), while including the new song "Only When I Lose Myself". It also includes "Little 15" (from Music for the Masses, released as a single in Europe) and the live version of "Everything Counts" (from the live album 101), which was released as a single in 1989. All tracks on The Singles 86>98 were newly remastered, as was the case with the re-release of The Singles 81→85.

The band decided to release the album as a close follow-up to Ultra, Depeche Mode's first studio album after Alan Wilder's departure and Dave Gahan's drug addiction and resulting health problems, to maintain interest in the band. The four-month The Singles Tour that followed marked the first time Depeche Mode had toured since the 1993–1994 Devotional/Exotic Tour, since they had declined to tour Ultra a year earlier, playing only a few songs at a handful of shows instead.

The Singles 86>98 has sold 500,000 units in the United States (double albums count as two units), achieving platinum certification. The album was also listed on Blender magazine's "500 CDs You Must Own: Alternative Rock" list.

The Videos 86>98

To coincide with the release of The Singles 86>98, the band released a VHS/DVD called The Videos 86>98 featuring the music videos for all of the songs, and more. In 2002, the DVD was re-released as The Videos 86-98+, which included more videos and some electronic press kits.

Track listing

Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Singles 86>98.

Depeche Mode
Andy Fletcher
 Dave Gahan – lead vocals 
 Martin Gore – lead vocals 
Alan Wilder

Technical

 Depeche Mode – production ; mixing 
 Daniel Miller – production 
 Gareth Jones – production 
 Phil Harding – remix 
 Dave Bascombe – production 
 Shep Pettibone – remix 
 Flood – production 
 François Kevorkian – mixing 
 Phil Legg – mixing 
 Mark Stent – mixing 
 Alan Wilder – additional production, remix 
 Steve Lyon – additional production, remix 
 Butch Vig – additional production, remix 
 Tim Simenon – production ; mixing 
 Q – mixing 
 Alan Moulder – remix 
 Mike Marsh – compiling, remastering
 Roland Brown – compiling, remastering

Artwork

 Mat Cook – concept, art direction
 Rick Guest – sleeve photography
 Elaine Macintosh – stills production
 Lee Collins – photo shoot technician
 P.A. Taylor – photo shoot technician
 Anton Corbijn – Depeche Mode 86 photograph (taken from "A Question of Time" video)
 Marina Chavez – Depeche Mode 98 photograph

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

External links
 Album information from the official Depeche Mode website

Category:1998 greatest hits albums
Category:Albums produced by Butch Vig
Category:Albums produced by Daniel Miller (music producer)
Category:Albums produced by Flood (producer)
Category:Albums produced by Gareth Jones (music producer)
Category:Albums produced by Tim Simenon
Category:Depeche Mode compilation albums
Category:Mute Records compilation albums