The emotional vocals of Depeche Mode's David Gahan were a large part of the band's sorrowful and complex sound. The British band was an underground phenomenon in the 1980s and were part of the New Romantic rock period. Their most successful album Violator, released in 1990, spawned hits like "Personal Jesus," "Enjoy the Silence" and "Policy of Truth." One of the many bands to popularize the use of synthesizers and keyboards (thus helping to launch a synth-pop genre), Depeche Mode was among the most prosperous and popular of the set.