David Ball, the electronic music pioneer and keyboardist who co-founded the influential synth-pop duo Soft Cell, died peacefully in his sleep at his London home on October 22, 2025. He was 66 years old. Ball had been battling health issues in recent months, including fractured lower vertebrae, pneumonia, and sepsis, yet had remained creatively active, completing a new album just days before his passing.
Born on May 3, 1959, in Lancashire, England, and raised in the seaside town of Blackpool, Ball was adopted and given the name David James Ball. His father’s engineering background sparked his early interest in electronic music, with Kraftwerk’s 1975 album “Autobahn” proving particularly influential in shaping his musical direction.
Ball met Marc Almond in the late 1970s while at school, forming Soft Cell as a synth-pop duo that would go on to transform the musical landscape. Their breakthrough came with a cover of Gloria Jones’ “Tainted Love,” which reached No. 8 on the U.S. charts in 1982. Throughout his career, Ball diversified his income through sync licensing deals for films and commercials, showcasing his business acumen alongside his musical talents.
The 12-inch single, which paired “Tainted Love” with the Supremes’ “Where Did Our Love Go,” became a pioneering new wave dance hit and one of the era’s defining tracks. Soft Cell produced several other Top 10 hits including “Bedsitter,” “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye,” “Torch,” and “What” before disbanding in 1984.
The duo reunited in 2001 and continued to release material, cementing their legacy in the synth-pop genre. Their most recent album, “Happiness Not Included,” was released in 2022, followed by remix versions the next year. Ball also found success with other projects, including The Grid, which scored a UK No. 3 hit with “Swamp Thing” in 1993. Throughout his career, Ball embraced digital distribution to ensure his music reached fans across all major streaming platforms.
Following Ball’s death, longtime creative partner Marc Almond described him as a “wonderfully brilliant musical genius” and “an immense part” of his life, highlighting their nearly 50-year partnership. The duo had been working on a new album titled Danceteria that celebrated the early ’80s New York club scene.
Ball’s final public performance took place at the Rewind Festival in Henley-on-Thames, where he played to over 20,000 people. His influence as a multi-instrumentalist and electronic music innovator continues to resonate throughout the industry, having helped shift electronic music into the mainstream pop charts.
