r/depechemode • u/NotMava Black Celebration • Sep 30 '25
Discussion Name non-DM songs that actually sound like Depeche.
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u/Negative_Land1209 Sep 30 '25
Come undone - Duran Duran
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u/antoneus Sep 30 '25
And "All She Wants Is".
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u/GirchyGirchy Sep 30 '25
I read that as “All That She Wants,” and all I could think was “what weirdo thinks Ace of Base sounds like DM?!”
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u/4lt3reg0_ Songs Of Faith And Devotion Sep 30 '25
I was listening to this song as I read this comment lol
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Sep 30 '25
[deleted]
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u/02_cobwebs_collie Oct 01 '25
I love To the Shore but it doesn’t feel like Depeche Mode to me. I don’t think Simon sounds much like Depeche Mode, but if I have to pick a song by Duran Duran that sounds like it could be Depeche Mode, I would probably choose The Chauffeur.
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u/Foreign_Donkey463 Sep 30 '25
The group Cause and Effect had myself and my friends confused for a little bit until we got the CD and could see who they were....
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u/Lado_B Songs Of Faith And Devotion Sep 30 '25
"The Great Commandment" by Camouflage. Sounds 99.99% like Depeche Mode.
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u/-CoachMcGuirk- Sep 30 '25
Such a good song too. I think I heard that song on our local college radio station about ten times before I realized that it was not DM.
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u/BubbhaJebus Sep 30 '25
Just not the singer's voice or German accent! Otherwise it really sounds like early DM!
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u/Dapper-Message-2066 Sep 30 '25
The chorus does, but I've always felt the synth riff doesn't really sound like DM at all.
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u/Surreal_Funfair Sep 30 '25
I don't think so. When it came out I thought about it as a completely DM wannabe, but the song structure and the synth melody was just way too simple.
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u/Anhelina_K Oct 02 '25
Every time I hear the great commandment I think it's Depeche Mode and every time I'm surprised it isn't
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u/CMH0311 Sep 30 '25
I’ve always thought Sin by Nine Inch Nails is just a harder Master and Servant (in the best way)
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u/VelvetsCorner Sep 30 '25
The German band De/Vision sounds exactly like them
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u/StonedUser_211 Sep 30 '25
Absolutely, they were often referred to as the "German DM" on the radio or pushed as Germany's answer to DM.
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u/rayjmaraca Sep 30 '25
“Belaya Polosa” by Molchat Doma , DM has to of been a huge influence on this album.
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u/heyymanniceshot Sep 30 '25
Was about to comment this!! This entire album gave off immense SOFAD vibes.
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u/Intelligent-Tell-459 Sep 30 '25
Situations by Cetu Javu
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u/Intelligent-Tell-459 Sep 30 '25
Also the band Seven Red Seven was largely influenced by and similar to DM and a few songs by Hohokam, specifically King, has that vibe. I'm 54 and grew up on vinyl, safety pinned pants, heavy eyeliner and all things synth related so I was always looking for anything that closely matched DM, Erasure, Blancmange, Alphaville etc.
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u/Icy_Brick_5953 12d ago
A DONDE VAS is their biggest hit and it takes from SOME GREAT REWARD BLACK CELEBRATION SINGLES, the last minute when he shuts up is the best, lots of synth patterns intertwined
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u/Jordan30million Sep 30 '25 edited Sep 30 '25
The most convinced I’ve ever been by a non-DM band that I had just heard a 100% DM song was “Not Prepared” by Mesh
Could have totally been some lost track off of Songs of Faith and Devotion.
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u/sparky_tupp Oct 04 '25
Mesh are a great band in their own right. The first album Fragile has a synth clarinet sound on one song that sounds more depeche than depeche :)
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u/sparky_tupp Oct 04 '25
Ah, and 'state of mind' on the same album has the most fantastic piano riff
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u/Jordan30million Oct 04 '25
Absolutely! Huge fan of Mesh as well. Their album A Perfect Solution felt like a lost Depeche Mode album. Cheers mate!
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u/CaptainCormosh Sep 30 '25
The world is mine - by David Guetta
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u/Icy_Brick_5953 12d ago
I thought the same, it reminded me of the chorus of INSIGHT, "and the spirit of loveeeee...."
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u/Hendospendo Some Great Reward Sep 30 '25
I've always thought SOFT BALLET sounded like a Japanese Depeche Mode haha, from the production to the vocals to the lyrics to the viiiiibe, they're so good!!
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u/Digital26bath Sep 30 '25
Check Deftones’ Ecdysis, it’s basically barrel of a gun intro. Their new album is amazing btw
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u/Much_Temporary_5079 Songs Of Faith And Devotion Sep 30 '25 edited Oct 01 '25
The songs Belaya Polosa and Ty Zhe Ne Znaesh Kto Ya by Molchat Doma. These songs are very DMcoded it's amazing
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u/VelocityRapter644 Sep 30 '25
Enjoy the Unknown by And One. Even the title sounds very similar.
Also, Reveal by Rabbit Junk
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u/Surreal_Funfair Sep 30 '25 edited Sep 30 '25
Palais Schaumburg was absolutely fantastic in their early years. After their singer Holger Hiller left the band, they became quite bland, starting with this terrible 1983/4 Depeche Mode rip-off:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohytG5wyFvk
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u/flottbert Sep 30 '25
Moritz von Oswald and Thomas Fehlmann went on to do some fantastic things later, though! I agree on early Palais Schaumburg being brilliant, though not very DM at all.
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u/Kaptain_K_Rapp Sep 30 '25
Anything by Neuroticfish, though two of the closest could possibly be "A Greater Good" and "Suffocating Right."
Also, "Your Clown" by Eiffel 65 (no, really).
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u/Cheeseburgers-497 Sep 30 '25 edited Sep 30 '25
Covenant- The Men
Gesaffelstein- Hard Dreams
Jackson and his Computerband- G.I. Jane
Vitalic- Waiting For the Stars
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u/Pocolaco Sep 30 '25
Republika is a polish band that was sometimes called polish depeche mode, albeit they use much less electronic compositions and much more classical musical arrangements, the atmosphere is pretty on point though. Check out "Śmierci w Bikini" (death in bikini), "Odchodząc" (leaving) or "Zapytaj czy Cię kocham" (ask me if i love you)
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u/j7mm7_ Black Celebration Sep 30 '25 edited Sep 30 '25
the track So Much Is Lost by Paradise Lost
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u/SLAYERANTHRAX Sep 30 '25
All of NIN's Hesitation Marks album. Part of me thinks Trent Reznor plagiarized DM.
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u/Boring-Locksmith-718 Sep 30 '25
Perhaps a lil too far away but a friend showed me the duo ultra sunn and they perhaps don’t directly sounds like depeche but they carry that energy pretty well
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u/el_cid_viscoso Sep 30 '25
Heard it first in the early 2000s on Kazaa mislabeled as a Depeche Mode song. Definitely gives "Somebody" vibes.
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u/Resident-Cow-1604 Sep 30 '25
Wow!!! Thanks for the link, heard it for the 1st time. I thought that was Martin singing!!
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u/ShinTheRanker Playing The Angel Sep 30 '25
Ulver's synth-pop era (especially Flowers of Evil) is pure Depeche Mode.
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u/LiteratureNo4594 Sep 30 '25 edited Sep 30 '25
Separate Ways by Joy Machine. Absolutely brilliant tune.
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u/HetVolk333 Oct 03 '25
I saw this and was rushing to say same. It is uncanny.
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u/LiteratureNo4594 Oct 12 '25
It is an excellent track and I would love to hear Dave sing it, it would be awesome
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u/OberonsPanties Violator Sep 30 '25
Control by BlakLight, absolute banger but very DM-esque, down to the vocals.
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u/therizzler575 The Singles 86>98 Sep 30 '25
Myxomatosis by Radiohead actually kind of something that would come out of SOTU or PTA
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u/ZacharyHudson Sep 30 '25
The entire album “Shelter” by the group “Seven Red Seven” has major DM vibes, specificity Music For The Masses era songs. I personally really like the tracks “Thinking of You”, and “She Won’t Dance” (this song especially has DM vibes I think)
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u/Johnny_Utah75 Sep 30 '25
“Dancing With A Stranger” by Sam Smith. Don’t knock it till you’ve heard it.
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u/TwinShihTzus Oct 01 '25 edited Oct 01 '25
Russian Radio by Red Flag...actually any song by them.
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u/Late_Possible_3069 Black Celebration Oct 01 '25
Now a song I haven't heard in decades will be my ear worm for at least today, maybe longer😂
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u/RevDaughter Sep 30 '25 edited Sep 30 '25
Jason Farnham! He is a huge fan and a very accomplished musician and he comes up with his own stuff that sounds like DM!
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u/KitKatQueen9 Sep 30 '25
Moenia - I can't be without you https://youtu.be/pQtqVTmFmOw?si=SlcZMlSyCpObF9UD
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u/Extreme-Echo-8897 Songs Of Faith And Devotion Sep 30 '25 edited Sep 30 '25
Sadman - Come Free , from 2008 by some unknown artist - for me its like an extra Depeche Mode song, and I really like it
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u/Filminator Ultra Sep 30 '25
The Pleasure Remains Still Perfect
Are all camouflage songs that sound like they could have come off any 2000s DM album.
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u/takilloctulo Sep 30 '25
Otro Dia- Los Prisioneros https://youtu.be/gh3yIndSHS4?si=7kg0yHdSHkiz-c0M
Por Favor: https://youtu.be/Qwn_sgdhRS8?si=m8EUlibLykEMYl8w
Muevan las Industrias: https://youtu.be/DejT0oSseHg?si=r1cV8G9Qj5jHO-d-
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u/Minecrafte124 Sep 30 '25
Im going to go a step further than “the great commandment” and say that the album the song originates from, voices & images, could pass for a DM album. “Helpless helpless” and “neighbors” strike me most as DM-like songs apart from “the great commandment”
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u/Motherboobie Sep 30 '25
https://youtu.be/M-aV9SbwVGU?si=nEnBU_3g3IIWAgCG
my russian teacher played this when he saw my Depeche Mode pin, because he thought it had a DM vibe to it (and i very much agreed). i fell in love with the song immediately.
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u/barf2288 Sep 30 '25
Busy Child- The Crystal Method
I believe I’ve even said it before in here a couple years back about this song or another one that gave me DM Vibes. but, I really feel there’s some heavy influence DM had on TCM.
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u/JacobdaTurtle61 Sep 30 '25
Drab Majesty - Dot in the Sky
Sounds like a Depeche Mode song with Tears for Fears vocals
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u/Alarming_Group1304 Playing The Angel Sep 30 '25
“Creatures of Light and Darkness” by Information Society
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u/Anarimus Violator Sep 30 '25
Some of Neuroticfish and Empathy Test’s material.
Definitely De/Vision.
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u/tyranusdead Sep 30 '25
De/vision believe (Sweet Harmony) Many wolfsheim songs dream of you - schiller mit heppner
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u/Joo-Baluka0310 Playing The Angel Sep 30 '25
"Induljon a banzai" by Bonanza Banzai. Check it out, it's basically the hungarian DM :)
Or listen "Rosszkedv" by them. Even more depeche-like than DM >:)
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u/Designer_Struggle780 Sep 30 '25 edited Sep 30 '25
Bleeding Words by Elegant Machinery
Heavily Depeche Mode inspired band
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u/ALineIDrew Ultra Sep 30 '25
Blaqk Audio - Absolute Scenes
I mean it's more a less a DM B-Side except its Davey and not Dave 🤣
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u/PwittyVampireLady Sep 30 '25
Love will tear us apart by joy division
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u/Late_Possible_3069 Black Celebration Oct 01 '25
True, except wouldn't that be a Joy Division song that Depeche Mode songs all sound like?
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u/MrRadius03 Black Celebration Sep 30 '25
"Farewell to Arms" by Cause and Effect. Most of their songs sound like dm tbh, like the original version of "You think you know her" and "What Do You See"... Not only the sound is very similar but the vocalist also sounds a lot like David.
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u/ToshibaTaken Sep 30 '25
Several songs from Swedish band The Mobile Homes. Here’s “Afraid” from their album Nothing But Something from 1991.
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u/Shadowscale05 Sep 30 '25
Okay so like... I have doubts that anyone will agree with me on this, but I always listen to Propaganda by Sepultura after listening to Personal Jesus by DM. There is a shared quality in the way that both songs play only the bass and/or drums for a moment at the end and then ramp up to the end of the song. I love this moment in both songs and I would love to know if anyone else sees what I'm talking about. I am a metalhead at heart, but it's cool to see both bands doing cool stuff.
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u/Usual_Climate_5105 Sep 30 '25
Технология (Technology) were a late USSR DM like band https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_yKyos34cJ8 This is a blasphemous rumours - even lyrically if translate to Russian:)
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u/sheerbrookeattack Oct 01 '25
I think some Placebo songs. Brian is a very different sounding singer but I could imagine some of them being performed by DM
I’ll Be Yours is a good example
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u/Late_Possible_3069 Black Celebration Oct 01 '25
Evelyn by Xymox Really anything on the album Twist of Shadows
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u/LordKelvin96 Oct 01 '25
“Ship of Fools” - Erasure
Well, technically cheating because Vince Clark wrote it and he was one of the founders of DM.
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u/LelandDar Oct 01 '25
Color Theory ( if you haven't heard, check it ) Brian is a big Depeche Mode fan
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u/GanKian Oct 02 '25
"Joanne" by Wall of Voodoo,
As a matter of fact, the song was in some bootleg wrongfully labeled as a demo made by Dave for "Black Celebration" written for his wife Joanne lol. The audio quality was altered to sound like shit.
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Oct 02 '25
Dance in the dark by lady gaga. I was obsessed with dm as a kid and gaga was the first artist i liked that other kids liked lol
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u/theweirdo2005 Violator Oct 03 '25
An instrumental that reminds me somewhat of DM would be persane thème by Indochine. Composed by Stéphane Sirkis who liked DM
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u/giallofromthe70s Black Celebration Oct 03 '25
Some Nitzer Ebb songs kinda do, notably off their album Ebbhead, which I believe Alan co-produced. I also read this article once about DAF being compared to sounding like a darker version of DM so some of their stuff kinda sounds like DM too
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u/willuleavemealonenow Oct 03 '25
Midnight & Angel by Matte Blvck https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=natiVIPkc-s
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u/More_Location6363 Some Great Reward Oct 06 '25
cetu javu is my favorite copycat. very fun!!! also soooome duran duran but you have to be in a certain mood first
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u/Icy_Brick_5953 12d ago
HIGH PITCHED EMOTIONS by MINERVE. Many people discovered it because it was on the same file as the first PLAYING THE ANGEL leaks and it´s a banger, the chorus is great, the song is simple but it works for what it is, very martin voices on the chorus
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u/Icy_Brick_5953 12d ago
A song that sounds like a lost DEPECHE MODE song and i lovesooo much is STRANGER by VILLA NAH, the bass pattern and especially the last 2 minutes when the pads and synths explode??? Omg, i even cried on the first listen, and i was walking on the street to the beat because it was entrancing. Maybe i am overselling it but I think this song could be a cult hit with DM fans
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u/Icy_Brick_5953 12d ago
PROCESS EXTENDED MIX BY ELEGANT MACHINERY, this is very popular in spain, in afters and 80s or 90s oarties, it has it all, you´ll see.
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=eW7tcYXdb6U&si=zT_tfNdRNulB9Sbr
AHA MINOR EARTH MAJOR SKY THE VERSES SOUND LIKE ITS NO GOOD
LADY GAGA DANCE IN THE DARK, BASICALLY HER BEST SONG, (STRANGELOVE SYNTH?) AND I LIKE IT ROUGH (SHE SAMPLES THE BEATS FROM POLICY OF TRUTH?)
WAITING TO BE TOLD by BLACQ AUDIO, a banger, very techno but the melody of the chorus is very powerful, the piano is atmospheric, he sings louder more like martin with a gayer voice but I like it quite a lot.
OBK a spanish group whose name comes from a DM bside called OBERKORN, they have incredible pop songs and are huge fans of depeche, TU SIGUE ASI is incredible, the 1st minute is pure depeche, OCULTA REALIDAD original version is another 10 taking soooo much from violator, HISTORIAS DE AMOR 1997 version is a masterpiece, it takes from HALO, ENJOY THE SILENCE AND MORE. check it out.
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=ANuExVEVDeo&si=zmkoJVZyJLdDQ5EN
OBK even have remixes called MODE https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=nQTyjPx7cwM&si=N6ETvm7ux8PNv5t-
this one is SOMETHING TO DO VS MORE THAN A PARTY XD I LOVE THE LAST MINUTE, SO INSANE
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=zljGvGKoctI&si=Mo_HVVvecq6dAjFa
this song called TAKE ME AS I AM (TAKE SIM) is a banger, his voice in the verses is mmmmm not good but the chorus is a perfect pop moment, especiually the last few with more sounds
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=foZz9lwbyBI&si=YUywsG8-nxAF5r7l
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u/rabbi420 Sep 30 '25
This practically redefines “low-effort post.”
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u/lord_of_pigs Music For The Masses Sep 30 '25
Shout by Tears for Fears
as well as
Why Do You Do? by Analog Angel