Synthpop Starter Pack

[@josephblumenberg6574]

Do a Mongolian throat singing starter pack

[@edgarcmtz]

Joseph Blumenberg just listen to Kid Cudi humming and there u go

[@willyjohnson2362]

Listen to Huun Huur Tu

[@breakbearrr]

jokes aside check out the new All Seeing Hand album, vocalist is trailed in mongolian throat singing

[@Vacuumorph2]

Ancestors call and Orphan’s lament by Huun Huur Tu are pretty good starting points

[@mateosebastian8555]

Hanggai

[@DaFuqBoom]

Still waiting for classic reviews for Tears For Fears & Depeche Mode albums. I'm pretty sure they deserve atleast one.

[@Little_yuerand]

You`re the best

[@Kenshi_nellacuki]

Stole the words from my mouth

[@CentralPALocos]

I would like to see a Classic Review of The Seeds of Love or The Hurting as well

[@puchkoo1999]

Anthony be sleeping on so many great 80s and 90s bands man

[@tedguijt]

True true

[@DerangedManiac12]

>Synthpop list >starting with YMO 10/10 Fantano list. New Order, Depeche Mode, Tears for Fears being on the list is just the cherry on top. Kraftwerk not being on the list is a crime tho

[@薔薇-k2m]

calypsis Recommending Kraftwerk to someone who wants to listen to synthpop is like recommending Beatles to someone who wants to listen to rock. They have definitely heard it.

[@tomaszpawlak4001]

A real crime in not putting Duran Duran's self titled on the list

[@etalex7074]

Also respect for OMD being on here

[@zackzallie8735]

Don't forget the forerunner of synth-pop: Low - David Bowie

[@mira_spacemoth]

I hajjjte kraft

[@nathanisobal5470]

Do more of these for different genres!

[@DammitBobby]

Check out the channel Deep Cuts. He does starter packs for tons of genres

[@brucewhite3310]

@@DammitBobby holy shit thank you

[@DammitBobby]

@@brucewhite3310 Deep Cuts is the shit

[@peanutbutterpikachu]

Nathan Isoballer also, Anthony did.

[@dead_kennedys7870]

Nathan Isoballer As opposed to more of the same genre?

[@rxse]

anthony wearing a lot of wife beaters lately

[@mitchellgass4141]

Get FADER on the phone.

[@fuzzydunlop4513]

+Turtles he had to take off the flannel cause he's tryna catch that FADE

[@user-ih2uc2ji8i]

Why the hell are they called "wife beaters"??

[@muumipeikkomahtava4927]

@@user-ih2uc2ji8i It comes from a stereotype of white southerners living in trailers. Who would wear these "wife beaters" and beat their women.

[@notyurrealdad8743]

Cause its hot

[@callumclarke4506]

Songs From the Big Chair was the pinnacle of, not just synth-pop, but 80s pop.

[@codeblack9407]

Synth pop is 80s pop

[@callumclarke4506]

sanguis m ahh yes, The Smiths, Pretenders and Dexy’s Midnight Runners we’re famed for their use of synths.

[@darexdarex]

The Hurting is TFF's seminal album, not that one!

[@josh44026]

@@codeblack9407 not every 80s pop is synth pop

[@mystikgleam9541]

Cumpleaños chica, no hay que preocuparse

[@blossomingbeelzebub]

Solid State Survivor is one of the greatest albums ever, I honestly cant believe that album came out in 1979

[@april3534]

I fucking love that album so much.

[@goncalomarques2711]

Songs From The Big Chair is a damn underrated album!! A lot of people only want to know about the singles, but the album flows like water

[@fantanofanfiction5451]

Deepthony Cutstano here

[@analazovic441]

ye

[@thevellocet]

Just went to post this. Kudos

[@-k-b-]

Patch(thony) Es(tano) here

[@rockkiller124]

ikr

[@awesomeuio]

5 ALBUMS to Get You Into CAL CHUCHESTA

[@antonarcane93]

Gary Numan. Wow what an artist. His first three albums are all classics of the genre. Even his earlier Tubeway Army stuff still rules. One of the biggest influencers to the coming best artists of post punk and goth. Legend.

[@Kunoichify]

the pleasure principle will always be a favourite of mine, almost 40 years old and still manages to sound futuristic

[@Trifleoftrife]

That Soft Cell is incredible I picked up a used vinyl copy a few years ago and it's easily in my top 3 most played records. It's so simple, raunchy, and catchy

[@M0torsagmannen]

Songs from the big chair is an amazing powerhouse of an album. love it so much

[@perryryan1618]

Awesome shouting out Behaviour. Ultra-underrated album from an ultra-underrated group.

[@monodeuramain]

YES

[@scenesroland3424]

Glad to see Songs From The Big Chair - what a monster of an album!

[@Cloudmaker2814]

Yellow Magic Orchestra - Solid State Survivor one of the greatest albums of all time. glad to see it get more love

[@mhaze210]

I used to hear a lot of Tears For Fears (mainly "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" and when they were on GTA: Vice City). but it wasn't until I was driving home recently and 'SHOUT' came on the radio, and as soon as the verse starts and the background Synth kicks in, it made me feel like I was in an old 80's movie or at least "Drive" even though it came out in 2011. I just never noticed until then how BEAUTIFUL it was and I can't stop listening to it now.

[@jake2879]

The opening bass line on Power, Corruption and Lies will stay with me forever

[@itstyypical3908]

Thought that was guitar?

[@alphalax7747]

You mean age of consent

[@itmightbe]

@@alphalax7747yeah the starting song

[@jofall91]

@@itstyypical3908it is indeed a bass. Peter hook loved to play melodically so it’s easy to mistake it tbh…

[@PhilippeLandryPhilippeALandry]

Pretty good picks. Really surprised and pleased you chose Pet Shop Boys!

[@francesmay8182]

carly rae jepsens emotion is the only album in this genre?

[@IanPaiva15OFFICIAL]

Honestly, like Little Dark Age, Emotion can really go toe to toe with the classics of the genre. It is that good!

[@francesmay8182]

@@IanPaiva15OFFICIAL sorry i don't know what you mean since emotion would be considered a classic since it created the genre itself

[@theplourde]

Wrong. Synth pop has clearly been around before Carly was born.

[@hung2583]

Prove it. Name one pop album that used synths before Emotion

[@francesmay8182]

emotion is, in fact, the only album and this guy is clearly creating these imaginary albums fueled by intense delusions that other albums have been made it's really sad actually

[@prosecutorgodot519]

This is probably my favorite of all your starter packs. I want to hear all of the selections that I haven't heard. I think ABBA deserves a little bit of credit in this genre too.

[@brandone346]

Yellow Magic Orchestra - Solid State Meloner MGMT - Little Dark Melon Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Architecture & Melony New Order - Power, Corruption & Melons Gary Numan - The Melon Principle Simple Minds - New Gold Melon (81-82-83-84) Pet Shop Boys - Melon Behaviour Soft Cell - Non-Stop Erotic Melon Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Melon Depeche Mode - Melon Violator

[@smaurf2499]

So creative, you should just make them all Melon - Melon

[@TheDirge69]

I feel a light 4-4.5 for this comment

[@alexs-mind]

For anyone who wants more Japanese synthpop (a little more new wave, but also synth pop), give P-Model's "In A Model Room" album a shot.

[@lunahlulah6772]

yes, I love solid state survivor, new gold dream and non-stop. a lot of people say that soft cell were most definitely a successor to punk (also, tainted love wasn't their own song! it was a cover of a song from the 60s). for fans of ymo I would recommend tin drum by japan.

[@nicoloop156]

Early Gary Numan is great!, also check out ‘Replicas’ by Tubeway Army (Gary’s band before going solo); such a great synth record

[@bswalem]

I'm a huge fan of Telekon too, probably my favourite Gary Numan

[@evanprice2737]

I prefer the tubeway army stuff

[@Belihoney]

I loooovve Gary and TA omg

[@noiselabproject9659]

recent Gary Numan is also great

[@rigoleum3273]

That's one of my favorite records... memories for sure on that album!

[@Kyoko_]

One of my personal favourites: Pet Shop Boys - Behaviour Edit: YES! HE MENTIONED IT!

[@girllionness5944]

DO A NEW WAVE STARTER PACK PLEASEEE

[@girllionness5944]

oh but don't bother doing it if you're not gonna put duran duran in tbh

[@rileyschmedeman652]

this is new wave

[@owenzhub]

New Wave = Synthpop

[@judewebb965]

@@owenzhub no, new wave is not the same thing as synthpop. There is so much more to New Wave than just synthpop.

[@owenzhub]

@@judewebb965 Synthpop is a subset of new wave but it is still new wave. I should have written it the other way around.

[@tammyr.5203]

So glad you mentioned Tears for Fears and Gary Numan, I got into Synthpop back in middle school and my early highschool days, which was around the time Dubstep got super popular. I was kind of interested in the different electronic styles and these were the artists I loved so much! The album I'm most curious about by Yellow Magic because I really need something refreshing to listen to.

[@alicestocklistockli8394]

So happy to see Little dark age

[@WiloPolis03]

ME AND MICHAAAEEEELLLL

[@davcuts2897]

The Human League's album Dare should be on this list. As well as the Eurythmics albums Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) and the Naked Eyes self-titled album.

[@Peem_pom]

He doesn't know this genre as well as you think but thank god he got DM

[@daneleslie9534]

Dare is impeccable

[@talbrott]

old bastard here, I remember when Dare came out, what a huge album. I saw them do it live!

[@Protolamna]

Devo should get some credit for synth pop although I suppose a lot of their good stuff was '70s. I suppose going back to the '70s Autobahn was the first great synth pop song

[@danielbernas2293]

Tainted Love is a cover btw

[@OurFoundingLiars]

Anthony just recommended New (world) Order. Investigate the melon. Keep asking questions

[@mostatease6466]

New World Order *_P o w e r & C o r r u p t i o n_*

[@moving9071]

New Gold Dream is actually my favorite on this list. Some of the best bass in rock or pop.

[@croatiangroyper5195]

underrated album

[@sparrowcount1]

Kraftwerk, Erasure, Human League, The Psychedelic Furs. Fad Gadget

[@Garliky]

the first Naked Eyes album

[@ohglubbits6649]

Also heartland by real life is good

[@doctypepublic]

Yazoo... Uostairs at Eric's is a masterpiece. Alison Moyet's laugh on "Situation" is one of the most widely-used samples in the world.

[@SaabSurpemacy]

Psychedelic Furs are great but they are not Synthpop

[@grouchung3273]

YES My favorite band YMO gets some recognition. They are what I think of when I think of Synthpop, so ahead of their time.

[@hiepnguyen6746]

Anthony skiptano 2:58

[@dc9067]

Bye 💀

[@MeowCatters]

ok this is late but I just wanna say Behaviour is a fuckin masterpiece, and really inspired me to pursue production. Both the production being so full and gorgeous and giving so much warmth to electronic instruments, and the songwriting covering a huge variety of topics and emotions paired with Neil's gorgeous voice, and every single track having so much effort and love poured into it makes it altogether just an absolute banger.

[@tutubism]

better late than never also i agree, behaviour is indeed classic dancepop/sophisti-pop record from the 90s

[@isaacmcginn7923]

Even with a deep love for many genres of music I still hold synthpop the closest to my heart for opening me to all the music I love today.

[@th3giv3r]

"Architecture and Morality," one of the best album titles ever.

[@rbsk999]

Shit Robot is pretty good too

[@evapalma9899]

It was in the background during the Angelic 2 the Core review

[@etalex7074]

And a great album too

[@cobeyc.b5946]

Alphaville - Forever Young The Rentals - Return of The Rentals Tubeway Army - Replicas Give these a chance too!

[@HotStrange]

Cobey C.B not synthpop but Tubeway Army’s first album is great, too!

[@darexdarex]

Alphaville's Forever Young is brilliant, pure art, and every single song is great. Don't forget Propaganda's "A Secret Wish" - another brilliant album.

[@maxmalarkey1132]

Hearing Melon speak with genuine affection for Gary Numan has taken me from a bad mood to a good mood in three minutes.

[@dooshmagee2165]

From the lions mouth by the sound is one of my favorites in the style. The synths and guitars are used in such a texture based approach that is so refreshing on my ears. Great sound environments all over the record, skeletons, judgment, and new dark age

[@paulmarsh972]

Guess not strictly synth pop but they used synths heavily like Comsat Angels. A marvellous album however and 2 fantastic and under appreciated bands in terms of sales. Heads and Hearts is great too.

[@joelakat]

Happy to see Pleasure Principle on there, but it's tough to see a synthpop starter pack as being complete without a contribution from founding Depeche Mode member, Vince Clarke. Yazoo's "Upstairs at Eric's" would be a good inclusion... or Erasure's "Chorus." One could argue Human League's "Travelogue," Men Without Hats' "Rhythm of Youth" and Thomas Dolby's "Golden Age of Wireless" deserve a spot here too. A few of my personal faves once you've digested the starter pack: Apoptygma Berserk - Soli Deo Gloria Agnes Poetry - Leave The Light On The Nine - Dreamland Cause & Effect - Trip Erasure - I Say I Say I Say Project Pitchfork - Inferno And One - Bodypop Wolfsheim - Spectators Solitary Experiments - Advance Into Unknown Neuropa - The Blitz

[@kenlee5509]

You have just enhanced my grandchildren's lives forever. The links provided will become a new playlist on my page. Never stop. In 50 years I want see you doing this from a comfy bed.

[@johnoconnell8393]

This is your best series melon

[@Hevvvyyy]

Upvote if u think anthony should cosplay as geddy lee for his next bass intro

[@HollowGolem]

Then as Flea. Then as Charles Mingus (though I think the blackface might be divisive) Then as Adam Neely.

[@Hevvvyyy]

@@HollowGolem wow well played tho

[@ricochetsixtyten]

Chris Check or a combination of all of them

[@zackzallie8735]

@@HollowGolem Then as Les Claypool.

[@BuckeyeExpat]

For any fans of this genre I highly recommend Drab Majesty - The Demonstration if you haven't heard it yet, you are missing something special

[@joelakat]

That was the best album of 2017.

[@BuckeyeExpat]

+shortbuspileup I will see Deafheaven next week but unfortunately they are not touring with Drab anymore...

[@Superisr]

Careless is my favorite of their albums.

[@googlesaurusrex]

Fantano killed Ian Curtis

[@HotStrange]

Google are you fucking kidding me why would you let me pick such a retarded username .

[@StuderSSL]

No John Foxx, but he might be little known by young Americans. And New Musik. Leader Tony Mansfield also produced great albums for other artists.

[@ohglubbits6649]

Can I suggest another starter pack for this genre although I have every album you mentioned I feel that there are better albums for people to get into synth pop, Firstly the greatest ever synth pop album, dare by the human league, I'd also mention other human league albums, reproduction, travelogue and octopus, are also worth a listen, The metamatic by John foxx is great, Telekon by Gary numan, again other numan albums worth a listen for me are I assassin and dance From omd I'd choose, the omd album, organisation and the brilliant new album punishment of luxury Lament by ultravox, into the gap by the thompson twins, computer love by kraftwerk, wonderland, chorus and a violet flame by erasure, Difficult shapes and passive rhythms by China crisis, The party's over and its my life by talk talk, Depeche mode, construction time again, some great reward and violator Yazoo, upstairs at erics Propaganda, secret wish Alphaville, forever young and afternoons in utopia

[@raym1477]

YES. New Gold Dream is amazeballs, as is Songs From the Big Chair. But where is "Hunting High and Low" or "Scoundrel Days" by A-ha?

[@KrimsonApoLLo]

'Preciate the recommendations, Melon. You're the one who put me on to Little Dark Age so I'm super excited to check all these out!

[@oziku1816]

Thank you so much for introducing me to behaviors by psb, that album is a masterpiece

[@Meervo]

I'm recently getting into Synth Pop, so thank you very much for making this video, melon!

[@Meervo]

what about Welcome to the pleasure dome? That album's pretty good as well

[@DaddyPants]

I was really surprised when I heard little dark age. I didn't give mgmt a chance at first but that album is really beautiful and front to back. Instant classic. Pet shop boys was kind of unexpected but I always loved their hit song west end girls. Now I want to go back and listen to some of their other albums. Lol

[@TheRealBlueSwan]

You should. Their first four albums are all 10/10.

[@brandonmcleod9182]

I love how much praise you give to little dark age! I think that album is a classic I remember when I first heard it I thought it was not necessarily a game changer but definitely felt it could go toe to toe with the bests in the genre and definitely the best in their discography

[@TheRoyalOrora]

Would have put an Erasure, Duran Duran and Human League album in there, but otherwise, great list! Also an underrated band that should be mentioned as well is Anything Box. Their album "Peace" is amazing, and should have been more popular

[@btrixlestrange]

super glad you did a synthpop video! my favorite genre of music.

[@nicholasr9892]

damn i've been wanting this thank you mr. fantano

[@CliffConway]

Yellow magic orchestra! Yessss! First heard of them when the drummer of Tool recommended them in an interview! Very cool group

[@Max-fb5bm]

Since New Order is in this list i demand a Best To Worst vid. Cheers Antonio Mandango.

[@tss3393]

Literally just discovered Violator in the past week! Loved it!

[@apislapis]

Thinking about my 80s vinyl album collection, other good examples of synthpop are Howard Jones - Human's Lib, New Musik- From A to B, Talk Talk - Talk Talk, Blancmange - Happy Families, The Human League - Dare, Kissing The Pink (aka KTP) - Naked, Book of Love - Book of Love, China Crisis - Difficult Shapes & Passive Rhythms, Yazoo - Upstairs at Erics, Depeche Mode - Speak and Spell, Men Without Hats - Rhythm of Youth, Thompson Twins - Quick Step and Side Kick & Into The Gap, Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams Are Made of This, The Buggles - The Age of Plastic, Ultravox - Vienna & Rage in Eden & Quartet, Visage - Visage & The Anvil, A Flock of Seagulls - A Flock of Seagulls, Icehouse - Primative Man (aka Love In Motion in the UK), a-ha - Scoundrel Days, Kraftwerk - Computer World, Fashion - Fabrique, Peter Gabriel - So (at a push).

[@ohglubbits6649]

I've got most of these, great choices

[@cocanoharevan736]

Thanks you so much

[@paulmarsh972]

Excellent choices there

[@Akirakirakirakiraa]

No lie but seeing YMO in a video by you with your platform makes me really happy. They’re so underrated in the west. Much love.

[@Dethmaster64]

Yellow Melon Orchestra

[@jm7725]

you should definitely look more into Soft Cell's early discography, there are two excellent demo compilations called Demo Non Stop and The Bedsit Tapes which sound a bit like the poppier side of Throbbing Gristle or synthpunk projects like Fad Gadget. Also worth noting that Marc Almond had a ton of ties to groups like Foetus and Coil

[@cypresscempr3s399]

That's minimal synth pop😎🎹

[@snugglesnacks3112]

I recommend the album 'Innerworld' by Electric Youth.

[@monsirto]

10/10 for mentioning YMO. I'd also recommend checking out Jean Michele Jarre, Throbbing Gristle, Freur/Underworld, Cabaret/Voltaire and the Residents.

[@tutubism]

more experimental art music & electronica than synthpop but those are great recommendations especially underworld & jean michel jarre

[@jonathanhill6928]

yellow magic orchestra is so fucking good, thank you mister Melon

[@13StJimmy]

YASSS the pleasure principle is one of the greatest albums ever! I saw Numan in December and it was absolutely amazing

[@ghstbrry]

Literally every song on Solid State Survivor sounds like a Sonic the Hedgehog tune.

[@larkstonguesinaspic4814]

Omg Anthony these starter pack is absolutely fantastic

[@croatiangroyper5195]

he could do one JUST for King Crimson

[@giuseppemancino366]

i love this "starter pack" video type

[@depeszTOja]

Anthony im so glad you put " New Gold Dream" its one of the albums I would take to the island to die alone.

[@theworldscoolestloner]

YMO's "BGM" is another amazing synthpop record of theirs, too! :)

[@ImpendingRiot83]

Absolutely. 'Cue' in particular is the fucking jam, I can't _not_ sing along to that one.

[@SonicCircuitry]

Thank you for including Yellow Magic Orchestra! What an amazing band.

[@villepalmu348]

Alphaville Forever Young should be here imo its such an underrated album, and also soft cells best album by far is the art of falling apart in my humble opinion.

[@peanutbutnovember1237]

do a starter pack for my parents arguing. some albums id put on there: “my birth” - collab between my mum and dad, really a pivotal moment in starting the genre “dad cheated” - another key album that began to form the genre “money struggles” - one of the most experimental albums in the genre “i’m taking the kids” - a more modern release in the genre, really captures the vibe of the earlier albums “throwing stuff” - very noise influenced but still has the genres spirit at its core

[@sergioortiz574]

De esta lista quien sigue vigente al día de hoy...solo 3...New Order...Pet Shop Boys.... Depeche Mode...las tres mejores bandas!!!

[@mybirthwrite]

:10 seconds in and I'm already geeking out over the row of DM albums

[@mikeexits]

Little Dark Age is unironically 10/10, best album I've ever heard.

[@talbrott]

old bastard here to say its a copy of the real stuff

[@Benadryl_Submarine]

That shit definitely rips though i could do without tslamp

[@user-jq4yl1lw5g]

@@Benadryl_Submarine best on the album tf u on

[@KeepItMarvelous]

i (re)discovered my love for synthpop after listening to LDA and now MGMT has become one of my fave bands

[@monikaradzaj7407]

Great list, but where's Erasure? Their album "The Innocents" would have been a great pick for this list in my opinion.

[@lurvigw]

Honestly did not expect to see "New Gold Dream", Great record!

[@juliopiotti8807]

Ik ministry is mostly known for their industrial stuff. But their debut album was synth pop and I think it was a very underrated synth album.

[@RayEttler]

the word underrated is absolutely underrated on yt!

[@cypresscempr3s399]

Minimal synth album 😎🎹

[@Keziapurrs]

Awesome list!!! These were albums I listened to first hand back in the 80s. A pinnacle of my teenage years. They will always be my most prized vinyl records. Along with awesome 12" remixes. Thanks for focusing on the genre in such an eloquent way. You are a superb music reviewer!

[@TheZooropaBaby]

its not a synth pop technically but Kraftwerk's Computer World could have been included, I guess

[@croatiangroyper5195]

Computer World is quintessentially synthpop.

[@zackzallie8735]

Kraftwerk invented synth-pop and techno.

[@al_6229]

Great video man. I loved that u did this video. Not many people giving enough recognition to these artists or the genre itself

[@InstitutoYeBrasil]

You missed out the human league's Dare! Fundamental synthpop and overall 80's album

[@danceswithfairies]

Thank you Mr.Fantano for the recommendation on the New Order album!! I am listening now and it is AMAZING!

[@diocchiato710]

This was a amazing starter pack, thank you 🙏🏻

[@saturnjr9136]

YMOs first two albums are so good, they came up with some amazing melodies

[@tomasjanak4113]

Finally Anthony covers Depeche Mode

[@Connor-ui5sf]

Tomáš Janák I guess I wasn’t the only one waiting for him to finally cover their work😂

[@acttragic]

My fav band

[@Peem_pom]

He doesn't understand genius

[@cinemalights2625]

New Order, Pet Shop Boys, and Depeche Mode = the dynamic trio.

[@PresidentHeartbeat]

A great 2000s synth pop album is Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours

[@leonardotube]

Also Ladytron, specially Witching Hour.

[@kefkapalazzo1]

These videos are such a great idea

[@eliassadaq4370]

La Roux makes great synthpop

[@GreenShark4]

Thanks so fucking much for mentioning YMO, so many people leave them out in the discussion of 80s music.

[@mcgrane1234]

Bill Nelson, Japan, Yukihiro Takahashi...

[@eclectic-kitty]

SONGS FROM THE BIG CHAIR - MY BABY IS FINALLY GETTING THE RECOGNITION IT DESERVES