Depeche Mode | People Are People

On July 2nd, 1984, Depeche Mode released their compilation album People Are People. The record was issued in North America by Warner Music imprint Sire (as opposed to the band’s EuropeanMute), who sensed they needed a new approach in promoting Depeche Mode in after their import of 1983’s Construction Time Again had failed to chart in the stateside.

Two of the nine tracks on People Are People were new to the American audience, such as the title track, which was the band’s most recent single, and “Now, This Is Fun”, the B-side of the non-American 7 inch single “See You“.

Construction Time Again’s album version of “Love, in Itself” was also included for this compilation, as well as the track “Pipeline”. It was also the first time that the 7″ versions of “Leave in Silence” and “Get the Balance Right!” were released in the United States.

Also included was the 12-inch or long version of “Everything Counts (In Larger Amounts)“, and its b-side “Work Hard”, and “Leave In Silence” from the band’s second album A Broken Frame.

People Are People was released in July 1984 to moderately little fanfare. It did, however, re-enter the charts and sold well, when the title track became a summer hit in 1985.

People are People the album would later become a gold record shipping over half a million copies, and along with its success would encourage another compilation album for release in late 1985: Catching Up with Depeche Mode.