The Innocents is the third studio album by English
synth-pop duo
Erasure, released on 10 April 1988 by
Sire and
Reprise Records in the United States and on 18 April 1988 by
Mute Records in Germany and the United Kingdom. Produced by
Stephen Hague, it was the release that made Erasure superstars in their home country of the UK and gave them their breakthrough in the US.
The Innocents became the first in a string of number-one albums by Erasure in the UK, turning double platinum with sales over 600,000. Thanks to heavy exposure on
MTV, it also spawned two major
Billboard Hot 100 hits, a Top 50 placing on the
Billboard 200 and
Platinum album certification in the US. According to
Nielsen SoundScan, 23 years after its release the album has sold a total of 5 million copies worldwide. It is their best selling album to date.
The album was remastered and re-released on 26 October 2009 to celebrate its 21st anniversary. Prefaced by an EP of remixes led by album track "Phantom Bride", the 21st Anniversary Edition came in a couple of flavours including a limited edition two CD/DVD set, packed inside a CD-sized 20-page hardback book that includes interviews with
Vince Clarke and
Andy Bell about the making of the record and their thoughts on all the tracks.
The second CD includes various rarities, including the 7″ version of the duo's take on "River Deep, Mountain High" and US-specific remixes of "Chains of Love" and "A Little Respect" that were not released in the UK singles box set.
"The Innocents Live" (BBC 35-minute TV special – first broadcast 12 December 1988)
The Innocents – Promotional videos
"Ship of Fools"
"Chains of Love"
"A Little Respect"
The Innocents Live – Downloads
MP3 files of The Innocents Live
2016 "Erasure 30" 30th anniversary BMG reissue LP
Subsequent to their acquisition of Erasure's back catalog and in anticipation of the band's 30th anniversary, BMG commissioned reissues of all previously released UK editions of Erasure albums up to and including 2007's Light at the End of the World. All titles were pressed and distributed by
Play It Again Sam on 180-gram vinyl and shrinkwrapped with a custom anniversary sticker.
^Lazell, Barry (1997).
"Erasure". Indie Hits 1980–1989: The Complete U.K. Independent Charts (Singles & Albums).
Cherry Red Books.
ISBN0-95172-069-4. Archived from
the original on 21 November 2009. Retrieved 29 December 2021.