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Soft Cell
English synthpop duo
Soft Cell are an English synth-pop band who came to prominence in the early 1980s. They consisted of vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist David Ball until the latter's death in 2025.
The band are primarily known for their 1981 hit version of "Tainted Love" and their platinum-selling debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret.
The group cited David Bowie, Marc Bolan and Suicide as primary influences. Almond also named Siouxsie Sioux as a major influence for his early performance style, as well as Peter Hammill of Van der Graaf Generator.
English synthesizer duo, who came to prominence in the early 1980s. They had a huge world-wide hit in 1981 with a cover version of Tainted Love (a northern soul classic originally sung by Gloria Jones), which they followed up with more charting singles and one of the first remix albums (Non-Stop Ecstatic Dancing). Their self-penned non-album single 4349 missed the No.1 spot of the UK charts by a hairbreadth.
The Art Of Falling Apart followed in 1982, produced with Mike Thorne with Dave Ball using the then new CMI Fairlight synthesizer. It spawned 2 singles chosen against the will of the record companies; Where The Heart Is and Numbers ; neither sold too well. The commercial pressure finally collided with their artistic ambitions which led to solo and side projects and two farewell shows in January 1984 even before their 3rd album This Last Night... In Sodom was released. (Their lyrics often focused on love and romance as well as the darker side of life, with subjects such as the nightlife, sex, transvestism, drugs, murder or youthful frustration.)
Almond & Ball reunited in the early 2000's and toured, with a 4th studio album Cruelty Without Beauty following in 2002. Once again th
Also known as: Sofet Cell, Soft Cell Featuring Marc Almond, Soft Cell*, Soft Sell, Softcell
From Discogs (free to use). Their entry
Liner notes
Soft Cell, the records, oldest first
Mutant Moments EP
1980 ep
Non‐Stop Erotic Cabaret
1981 album
wanted
Loving You, Hating Me
1983 ep
The Art of Falling Apart
1983 album
This Last Night in Sodom
1984 album
Pink Culture
1987 album
Cruelty Without Beauty
2002 album
Magick Mutants EP
2019 ep
Tainted Love
2021 ep
*Happiness Not Included
2022 album
*Happiness Now Completed
2023 album
Memorabilia / A Man Could Get Lost E.P.
2024 ep
*Happiness Now Digital
2024 album
First Hand Experience In Second Hand Love
2025 ep
The Rainbow Room
2026 ep
Danceteria
2026 album
In Heaven (When I Dance With You)
2026 ep
The Space Inside
2026 ep
Futurama II 1980
year unknown album
Records from MusicBrainz; covers from the Cover Art Archive.
"Tainted Love" is a song composed by Ed Cobb, formerly of American group the Four Preps, which was originally recorded by soul musician Gloria Jones in 1964. In 1981, the song attained worldwide fame after being covered and reworked by British synth-pop duo Soft Cell for their album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret.
The song has since been covered by numerous groups and artists.