Soft Cell are an English synth-pop band who came to prominence in the early 1980s. They consisted of vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist David Ball until the latter's death in 2025. The band are primarily known for their 1981 hit version of "Tainted Love" and their platinum-selling debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret.
In the United Kingdom, Soft Cell had twelve top 40 hits, including "Tainted Love" (number 1), "Torch" (number 2), "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye", "What" (both number 3), and "Bedsitter" (number 4). They also had four top 20 albums between 1981 and 1984. The duo split in 1984 but reformed in 2001 to tour and release a new album. They held a reunion concert in London on 30 September 2018, stating it would be their last live UK performance as a duo but that they may still perform abroad and record together.
Soft Cell's songs have been covered by several artists, including David Gray, Coil and Nine Inch Nails. Their track "Memorabilia" earned recognition for the band as pioneers of the synth-oriented techno genre. The duo have sold in excess of ten million records world-wide.
