The Groove

The greatest synth-pop artists of all time

177 artists ranked by the Groove — music.nw’s own measure of renown. Not an opinion, a fact computed from the record. Why?

No. 1

Depeche Mode

United Kingdom · 1980– · electronic

40.494

Why this number?

The full board · page 2

25 Eurythmics

United Kingdom · 1980–2005 · new wave 3.509

Katy Perry

United States of America · 1984– · pop 3.213

The Cure

United Kingdom · 1977– · new wave 3.114

Genesis

United Kingdom · 1967–2022 · progressive rock 2.994

Duran Duran

United Kingdom · 1978– · new wave 2.815

30 La Roux

United Kingdom · 2006– · synth-pop 2.590

31 Halsey

United States of America · 1994– · pop 2.543

Nine Inch Nails

United States of America · 1988– · industrial 2.528

Peter Gabriel

United Kingdom · 1950– · rock 2.515

The Killers

United States of America · 2001– · alternative rock 2.490

35 Annie

Norway · 1977– · electronic 2.240

36 The Postal Service

United States of America · 2001– · electronic 2.197

The 1975

United Kingdom · 2002– · pop rock 2.156

38 MGMT

United States of America · 2002– · neo-psychedelia 2.146

39 Magdalena Bay

United States of America · 2016– · synth-pop 2.012

40 Glass Animals

United Kingdom · 2010– · electronic 1.962

Kylie Minogue

Australia · 1968– · pop 1.849

42 AURORA

Norway · 1996– · art pop 1.781

Ulver

Norway · 1992– · black metal 1.773

44 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

United Kingdom · 1977– · electronic 1.737

45 TR/ST

Canada · 2010– · electronic 1.720

46 Goldfrapp

United Kingdom · 1999– · electronic 1.697

David Bowie

United Kingdom · 1947–2016 · rock 1.679

Prince

United States of America · 1958–2016 · funk 1.657