Erasure is an English synthpop duo formed in London in 1985, consisting of singer and songwriter Andy Bell with songwriter, producer and keyboardist Vince Clarke, previously known as co-founder of the band Depeche Mode. From their fourth single, 'Sometimes' (1986), Erasure established themselves on the UK Singles Chart, becoming one of the most successful artists of the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s. From 1986 to 2007, the duo achieved 24 consecutive top 40 entries in the UK. By 2009, 34 of their 37 chart-eligible singles and EPs had made the UK top 40, including 17 climbing into the top 10. At the 1989 Brit Awards, Erasure won the Brit Award for Best British Group. Beyond this mainstream commercial success, Erasure is also popular within the LGBT community for whom the openly gay singer Andy Bell has become an icon in the UK.