Depeche Mode have announced the release of a massive download-only "box set". The career-spanning retrospective, appropriately titled 'The Complete Depeche Mode', is available now for download on US iTunes. Following on the heels of a more modest 'Best Of' collection released last November, the mega-retrospective contains 644 tracks. The set features all 11 of their studio albums, all of their singles and B-sides, and two live albums, as well as rare and previously unreleased material. In addition to album tracks it features rare and deleted recordings, 19 digital-only remixes, and previously unreleased rehearsal recordings. It comes packaged with a 62-page downloadable booklet featuring images by renowned photographer Anton Corbijn.

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This behemoth collection will set you back $169.99 off of iTunes which really isn't a bad deal considering there are 644 tracks. Now I wouldn't spend the money but there are enough nutballs out there that will. If any of them read this, you are not really a crazed lunatic if you give me a copy of those tracks. If not, then the charge sticks. This is the first of its kind and I think we will see other bands setup a deal with iTunes. If the Cure does this, I think the tracks will be over 1000.

The era of box sets is waning, I still love them but in digital format you can give more and charge less. with Apple selling over 2 billion tracks so far, this trend will only continue.....