It seems like only yesterday when following the disbandment of the short-lived synth pop group Yazoo, former Depeche Mode member Vince Clarke formed Erasure in 1985. With singer Andy Bell, like Yazoo and Depeche Mode, Erasure were a synth-based group and were very influenced by the US club based dance music scene at the time. Vince and Andy’s innate sense of pop songwriting along with up-tempo house rhythms, and the flamboyantly eccentric Andy Bell as the frontman, Erasure have defined dance based synth pop for the past 20 years.

Released in 1986, Erasure's first album, Wonderland was quickly followed by a preview of their second album in the form of the single "Sometimes", which reached #2 in the UK charts, beginning a string of successful singles that would run into the '90s. The Circus was released in the spring of 1987 and peaked at #6 in the UK charts. The Innocents, Erasure's third album became their first #1 album in Britain upon its release in 1988. The album featured the group's first American hit, "Chains of Love", which reached #12; its follow-up, "A Little Respect", peaked at #14 in America and was a top 5 hit in the UK. At the end of 1988, Erasure released the Crackers International EP, which reached #2 in Britain.

Erasure's fourth album Wild!, appeared in 1989, and like its predecessor it reached #1 in the UK, as did its successor - 1991's Chorus. Erasure released the Abba-esque EP, a tribute to the Swedish pop group ABBA in 1992; it became their first #1 single in the UK. Later that year, Erasure released a compilation of their British singles, Pop! The First 20 Hits. 2 years later, the duo released its fifth album I Say I Say I Say, which featured the UK and US hit single "Always".

The following albums – the self-titled Erasure (1995), Cowboy (1997), the all covers Other People’s Songs (2003) and Hits; The Very Best Of Erasure (2003) – all charted in the top 20.

Erasure hit the top 5 in the singles charts again in 2005 with the single "Breathe" from the album Nightbird, followed by a series of live albums and then by the 2006 acoustic based Union Street.

Erasure are an extremely influential duo and have been covered by a multitude of acts, most famously by Wheatus – who had a top 5 hit with "Little Respect"in 2001.