Editing Depeche Mode (section)

===''Playing the Angel'' (2005–2007)===
[[File:Bremen 2006 Depeche Mode by-RaBoe.jpg|thumb|[[Touring the Angel]] concert in [[Bremen]], June 2006]]{{See also|Playing the Angel|Touring the Angel: Live in Milan|The Best of Depeche Mode Volume 1}}
In October 2005, the band released their 11th studio album ''[[Playing the Angel]]''. Produced by [[Ben Hillier]], the album peaked at No. 1 in 18 countries and featured the hit single "[[Precious (Depeche Mode song)|Precious]]". This is the first Depeche Mode album to feature lyrics written by Gahan and, consequently, the first album since 1984's ''[[Some Great Reward]]'' featuring songs not written by Gore. "[[Suffer Well]]" was the first ever post-Clarke Depeche Mode single not to be written by Gore (lyrics by Gahan, music by Philpott/Eigner). The final single from the album was "[[John the Revelator / Lilian|John the Revelator]]", an up-tempo electronic track with a running religious theme, accompanied by "Lilian", a lush track that was a hit in many clubs all over the world.{{citation needed|date=October 2017}}

To promote ''Playing the Angel'', the band launched [[Touring the Angel]], a concert tour of Europe and North America that began in November 2005 and ran for nine months. During the last two legs of the tour Depeche Mode headlined a number of festivals including the [[Coachella|Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival]] and the [[Wireless Festival|O<sub>2</sub> Wireless Festival]]. In total, the band played to more than 2.8 million people across 31 countries and the tour was one of the highest grossing and critically acclaimed tours of 2005/2006.<ref name="Mason"/> Speaking about the tour, Gahan praised it as "probably the most enjoyable, rewarding live shows we've ever done. The new material was just waiting to be played live. It took on a life of its own. With the energy of the crowds, it just came to life."<ref>{{cite press release|title= "Depeche Mode: Touring the Angel, Live in Milan", to Premiere Nationwide in a One-Night Big Screen Concerts(SM) Event |agency= [[Business Wire]] |date= 11 September 2006 |url= http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060911005891&newsLang=en |archive-date= 16 March 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120316084326/http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060911005891&newsLang=en}}</ref> Two shows at [[Milan]]'s [[Forum di Milano|Fila Forum]] were filmed and edited into a concert film, released on DVD as ''[[Touring the Angel: Live in Milan]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title= Depeche Mode – Touring The Angel: Live in Milan |website= Liveinmilan.depechemode.com |url= http://liveinmilan.depechemode.com/ |archive-date= 4 March 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160304131231/http://liveinmilan.depechemode.com/}}</ref>

A "best-of" compilation was released in November 2006, entitled ''[[The Best of Depeche Mode Volume 1]]'' featuring a new single "[[Martyr (song)|Martyr]]", an outtake from the ''Playing the Angel'' sessions. Later that month Depeche Mode received the [[2006 MTV Europe Music Awards|MTV Europe Music Award]] in the Best Group category.<ref>{{cite web|title= 2006 MTV Europe Music Awards – Best Group |website= DepecheMode.com |date= 2 November 2006 |url= http://www.depechemode.com/video/television/110206_mtv_ema.html |archive-date= 15 February 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130215044112/http://www.depechemode.com/video/television/110206_mtv_ema.html}}</ref>

In December 2006, [[iTunes]] released ''The Complete Depeche Mode'' as its fourth ever digital box-set.<ref>{{cite web|title= The Complete Depeche Mode |date= 19 December 2006 |website= Thecomplete.depechemode.com |url= http://thecomplete.depechemode.com/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160303171149/http://thecomplete.depechemode.com/ |archive-date= 3 March 2016}}</ref>

In August 2007, during promotion for Gahan's second solo album, ''[[Hourglass (Dave Gahan album)|Hourglass]]'', it was announced that Depeche Mode were heading back in studio in early 2008 to work on a new album.<ref>{{cite web|first= B. |last= Van Isacker |title= New Depeche Mode album in the pipeline for 2008 |website= Side-Line |date= 27 July 2007 |url= http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=24791_0_2_0_C |archive-date= 22 June 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100622072440/http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=24791_0_2_0_C}}</ref>