The Singles 86-98

The correct title of this article is The Singles 86>98''. The substitution of any brackets is due to technical restrictions.''

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
Main article: 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
All tracks are written by Martin Gore.

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

Depeche Mode

 * Alan Wilder
 * David Gahan – lead vocals (disc 1: tracks 1, 3–10; disc 2: 1–6, 8–11)
 * Martin Gore – lead vocals (disc 1: track 2; disc 2: track 7)
 * Andy Fletcher

Technical

 * Depeche Mode – production (disc 1: all tracks; disc 2: 1–4, 10, 11); mixing (disc 1: track 10; disc 2: tracks 1, 2)
 * Daniel Miller – production (disc 1: tracks 1–3, 5, 8; disc 2: track 10)
 * Gareth Jones – production (disc 1: tracks 1–3)
 * Phil Harding – remix (disc 1: track 3)
 * Dave Bascombe – production (disc 1, tracks 4–6; disc 2, track 10)
 * Shep Pettibone – remix (disc 1: track 6)
 * Flood – production (disc 1: tracks 7–10; disc 2: tracks 1–4)
 * François Kevorkian – mixing (disc 1: tracks 7, 9, 10)
 * Phil Legg – mixing (disc 1: track 8)
 * Mark Stent – mixing (disc 2: tracks 1, 2)
 * Alan Wilder – additional production, remix (disc 2: track 3)
 * Steve Lyon – additional production, remix (disc 2: track 3)
 * Butch Vig – additional production, remix (disc 2: track 4)
 * Tim Simenon – production (disc 2: tracks 5–9); mixing (disc 2: tracks 5–7, 9)
 * Q – mixing (disc 2: tracks 5–7)
 * Alan Moulder – remix (disc 2: track 8)
 * 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
Coming soon