Courtesy of depechemode.com

Flashback to the 80s: Depeche Mode is setting trends again. The electronic New Wavers will be back this April with their TWELFTH studio album, “Sounds of the Universe,” but don’t expect just a simple CD release. Announced today, Depeche Mode is the first band to be participating in Apple‘s newest music venture, iTunes Pass. It’s a snazzy little feature perfect for the ultimate digital music fan: for just $18.99, you can get exclusive singles, videos, remixes and more along with the new album right on the day it hits streets — all without having to stand in line or even leave your house. For Depeche Mode, iTunes Pass already has the first single off of “Sounds” entitled “Wrong” and a Black Light Odyssey Dub remix of new track “Oh Well,” with other exclusives coming soon.

But of course, with the advent of a new digital music service brings the ever-controversial issue of the future of music. It’s probably not an understatement to say that most people haven’t stepped into a true record store in months, years. But is this iTunes Pass the way to go? How important are ‘special exclusives’ versus price? Or is paying for digital music just for suckers?