Erasure is a British synth pop duo band consisting of keyboardist Vince Clarke and singer Andy Bell.
Erasure entered the music scene in 1985 with their debut single "Who Needs Love (Like That)". Beginning in late 1986 with the release of their single "Sometimes", Erasure established themselves on the British charts; through 1995, Erasure were the greatest pop phenomenon in Britain since ABBA. Albums such as The Circus, Wild!, Chorus, I Say, I Say, I Say, Erasure and Nightbird demonstrated a further diversity of sound.
Contents
- 1 Formation of Erasure
- 2 Discography
- 2.1 Albums
- 2.2 EPs
- 2.3 Box sets
- 2.4 Singles
- 2.5 Notes
- 3 DVD
- 4 Compare to
- 5 See also
- 6 External links
|
Formation of Erasure
Clarke formerly was a member of Depeche Mode and later had a successful career with the duo Yazoo (known as "Yaz" in the US). Later he split with Yazoo partner Alison Moyet and briefly formed The Assembly with vocalist Feargal Sharkey. After a successful Assembly single ("Never Never"), Clarke placed a blind advertisement in Melody Maker looking for a vocalist for a new musical project. He selected Andy Bell, who was the 41st to audition.
From the start, their success was founded upon their songwriting skills. Clarke's talent for writing melodic, catchy pop songs was evident from his years with Depeche Mode and Yazoo. Bell's gifts as a lyricist and melodist added depth and character to Clarke's style. As pop craftsmen, their work bears comparison with that of Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, Eurythmics, OMD, Alphaville, A-Ha, Roxette and other pop songwriters.
Though their productivity and record sales declined beginning in the second half of the 1990s, Erasure scored at least one Top 30 hit with the release of every new album. Few electronic bands have demonstrated the durability of Erasure. In 2005 Erasure made a comeback with their #1 position on the US Dance Chart, eighteen years after their first chart-topper. This success was mirrored in the UK with the debut single from Nightbird reaching #4 in the charts.
Discography
Albums
sources: Billboard 200, UK Album Chart. Germany chart positions provided within official Erasure webite.
| Year
| Album
| US
| UK
| Ger- many
|
| 1985
| Wonderland
| -
| 71
| 16
|
| 1987
| The Circus
| 190
| 6
| 20
|
| 1987
| The Two Ring Circus
| 186
| -
| 26
|
| 1988
| The Innocents
| 49
| 1
| 10
|
| 1989
| Wild!
| 57
| 1
| 16
|
| 1991
| Chorus
| 29
| 1
| 13
|
| 1992
| Pop! The First 20 Hits
| 112
| 1
| 12
|
| 1994
| I Say, I Say, I Say
| 18
| 1
| 6
|
| 1995
| Erasure
| 82
| 14
| 87
|
| 1997
| Cowboy
| 43
| 10
| 34
|
| 2000
| Loveboat
| -
| 45
| 48
|
| 2003
| Other People's Songs
| 138
| 17
| 17
|
| 2003
| Hits! The Very Best Of Erasure
| -
| 15
| 54
|
| 2005
| Nightbird
| 154
| 27
| 22
|
EPs
sources: Billboard 200, UK singles chart.
| Year
| Album
| US
| UK
|
| 1988
| Crackers International 4
| 73
| 2
|
| 1991
| Am I Right? 6
| -
| 15
|
| 1992
| Abba-esque 7
| 85
| 1
|
| 1997
| Rain: Plus 10
| -
| -
|
| 2001
| Moon & the Sky: Plus 11
| -
| -
|
Box sets
| Year
| Album
| US
| UK
|
| 2000
| Singles - EBX 1
| -
| -
|
| 2000
| Singles - EBX 2
| -
| -
|
| 2001
| Singles - EBX 3
| -
| -
|
| 2001
| Singles - EBX 4
| -
| -
|
Singles
sources: Billboard Hot 100, Hot Dance Music/Club Play, UK singles chart.
| Year
| Song
| Album
| US
| US Modern Rock
| US Dance
| UK
|
| 1985
| "Who Needs Love Like That" 1
| Wonderland
| -
| -
| 8
| 55
|
| 1985
| "Heavenly Action" 1
| Wonderland
| -
| -
| 8
| 100
|
| 1986
| "Oh L'amour" 2
| Wonderland
| -
| -
| 3
| 85
|
| 1986
| "Sometimes" 3
| The Circus
| -
| -
| 4
| 2
|
| 1986
| "It Doesn't Have To Be" 3
| The Circus
| -
| -
| 4
| 12
|
| 1987
| "Victim Of Love"
| The Circus
| -
| -
| 1
| 7
|
| 1987
| "The Circus"
| The Circus
| -
| -
| -
| 6
|
| 1988
| "Ship Of Fools"
| The Innocents
| -
| -
| -
| 6
|
| 1988
| "Chains Of Love"
| The Innocents
| 12
| 22
| 4
| 11
|
| 1988
| "A Little Respect"
| The Innocents
| 14
| 15
| 2
| 4
|
| 1989
| "Stop!" 4
| Crackers International EP
| 97
| 19
| 4
| -
|
| 1989
| "Drama!" 5
| Wild!
| -
| 11
| 10
| 4
|
| 1989
| "You Surround Me"
| Wild!
| -
| -
| -
| 15
|
| 1990
| "Blue Savannah"
| Wild!
| -
| -
| 44
| 3
|
| 1990
| "Star"
| Wild!
| -
| -
| 4
| 11
|
| 1991
| "Chorus (Fishes In the Sea)"
| Chorus
| 83
| -
| 14
| 3
|
| 1991
| "Love To Hate You"
| Chorus
| -
| -
| 17
| 4
|
| 1992
| "Breath Of Life"
| Chorus
| -
| -
| -
| 8
|
| 1992
| "Take A Chance On Me" 7
| Abba-esque EP
| -
| -
| 10
| -
|
| 1992
| "Who Needs Love Like That" (remix)
| Pop! The First 20 Hits
| -
| -
| -
| 10
|
| 1994
| "Always"
| I Say I Say I Say
| 20
| -
| 6
| 4
|
| 1994
| "Run To the Sun" 8
| I Say I Say I Say
| 124
| -
| 14
| 6
|
| 1994
| "I Love Saturday"
| I Say I Say I Say
| -
| -
| 20
| 20
|
| 1995
| "Stay With Me"
| Erasure
| -
| -
| -
| 15
|
| 1995
| "Fingers and Thumbs (Cold Summer's Day)"
| Erasure
| -
| -
| 10
| 20
|
| 1996
| "Rock Me Gently" 9
| Erasure
| -
| -
| -
| -
|
| 1997
| "In My Arms"
| Cowboy
| 55
| -
| 2
| 13
|
| 1997
| "Don't Say Your Love Is Killing Me"
| Cowboy
| -
| -
| 5
| 23
|
| 2000
| "Freedom"
| Loveboat
| -
| -
| -
| 27
|
| 2003
| "Solsbury Hill"
| Other People's Songs
| -
| -
| -
| 10
|
| 2003
| "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)"
| Other People's Songs
| -
| -
| -
| 14
|
| 2003
| "Oh L'amour" (remix)
| Hits! The Very Best Of Erasure
| -
| -
| -
| 13
|
| 2005
| "Breathe"
| Nightbird
| -
| -
| 1
| 4
|
| 2005
| "Don't Say You Love Me"
| Nightbird
| -
| -
| -
| 15
|
| 2005
| "Here I Go Impossible Again" 12
| Nightbird
| -
| -
| -
| 25
|
| 2005
| "All This Time Still Falling Out Of Love" 12
| Nightbird
| -
| -
| -
| 25
|
Notes
- "Who Needs Love Like That" and "Heavenly Action" charted together on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart as a double-sided hit.
- "Oh L'amour" charted with B-side "March On Down the Line" on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart as a double-sided hit.
- "Sometimes" and "It Doesn't Have To Be" charted together on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart as a double-sided hit.
- Crackers International EP ("Stop!" / "The Hardest Part" / "She Won't Be Home" / "Knocking On Your Door"): EPs enter the singles chart in the UK and the album chart in the US. "Stop!" was released as a stand-alone single in the US, and on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, it was a double-sided entry along with "Knocking On Your Door".
- "Drama!" and its B-side "Sweet, Sweet Baby" charted together on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart as a double-sided hit.
- Am I Right? EP ("Am I Right?" / "Let It Flow" / "Waiting For Sex" / "Carry On Clangers")
- Abba-esque EP ("Lay All Your Love On Me" / "S.O.S." / "Take a Chance On Me" / "Voulez-Vous"): EPs enter the singles chart in the UK and the album chart in the US. "Take A Chance On Me" charted on its own on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. Although never released as a single in the US, "Take A Chance On Me" hit #51 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart.
- "Run To the Sun" hit position #24 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.
- Czech single, not eligible for UK or US charts.
- Rain: Plus EP released in the UK only. Because of its extended running time (including a new track and remixes of "Rain" and several older hits) it was not eligible for the UK singles chart.
- Moon & the Sky: Plus EP released in the UK only. Because of its extended running time (including remixes and live acoustic versions of several hits) it was not eligible for the UK singles chart.
- "Here I Go Impossible Again" / "All This Time Still Falling Out Of Love" released in the UK and the US as a double A-side.
DVD
- 2003 Sanctuary - The EIS 2002 Christmas Concert
- 2003 Hits! The Videos
- 2004 The Tank, The Swan & The Balloon
- 2005 Greats Hits Live - Live At Great Woods (Australia)
- 2005 The Erasure Show - Live in Cologne
Compare to
- A-Ha
- ABBA
- Alphaville
- Björn Again
- Depeche Mode
- Eurythmics
- Kraftwerk
- Level 42
- OMD
- Pet Shop Boys
- New Order
- Simple Minds
- Soft Cell
- Tears For Fears
- Yazoo
See also
- List of best-selling music artists
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart
External links
- Erasure's official site
- German Erasure Tribute Page
- Russian bilingual fan site - contains the most extensive Erasure discography, frequently updated news and other stuff
- erasure.tk - news, rumours, pictures, links...
- http://www.erasuregig.com - Gig-ography listing of all Erasure's concert dates - including photos, set lists, souvenirs, reviews, etc
- http://www.erasure.se/ A Swedish Fan Site!cs:Erasure
da:Erasure
de:Erasure
es:Erasure
fr:Erasure
it:Erasure
nl:Erasure
pl:Erasure
pt:Erasure
ru:Erasure
fi:Erasure
sv:Erasure
tr:Erasure
Categories: British musical groups | New Wave groups | Electronic music groups | Mute Records artists
