Top 10 Synthesizers That Shaped Modern Music

The Juno-106 is the most-sampled synthesizer in history. Its lush chorus effect, simple one-oscillator-per-voice architecture, and instant patch recall made it the default pad and bass machine of the 1980s. Depeche Mode, OMD, and a thousand synthwave artists owe their sound to it. When producers say "analog warmth," they're usually describing the Juno chorus. Used prices have gone from $300 in 2010 to over $3,000, making it the synth equivalent of a vintage Porsche.

The DX7 killed analog synthesis overnight when it launched in 1983. FM synthesis produced sounds no subtractive synth could — electric pianos, metallic bells, glassy pads, and that bass slap heard on every mid-80s pop record. It sold over 200,000 units and became the best-selling synthesizer of all time. The preset "E.PIANO 1" is arguably the most famous synth patch ever created. Brian Eno, Phil Collins, A-ha, and Whitney Houston records all drip with DX7.

Roland designed the TB-303 as a bass guitar substitute for solo performers. It was a commercial failure — discontinued after 18 months. Then Chicago DJs started cranking the resonance and filter cutoff, and acid house was born. Phuture's "Acid Tracks" (1987) unleashed the 303 squelch on the world and spawned an entire genre. A machine that retailed for $395 in 1982 now sells for $5,000+. No other instrument has so completely failed at its intended purpose and so completely succeeded at something else.

The MS-20's semi-modular patch bay and aggressive, screaming filter made it the punk rock synthesizer. Where Moog was warm and fat, the MS-20 was raw and nasty. The Korg 35 filter distorts beautifully when pushed, producing textures that sound genuinely dangerous. Aphex Twin, The Prodigy, Radiohead, and Goldfrapp all used it. Korg's 2013 MS-20 Mini reissue proved the demand never died — it sold out globally within weeks of release.

ARP built the Odyssey in 1972 as a direct competitor to the Minimoog, and in some ways it won. The duophonic architecture, ring modulation, and sample-and-hold gave it a wilder, more experimental character. Herbie Hancock's "Chameleon" — one of the most important bass lines in music history — was played on an Odyssey. George Duke, Joe Zawinul, and Chick Corea also made it a jazz-fusion staple. Three different filter revisions (white, black, orange face) each have their own cult following.

Dave Smith's Prophet-5 was the first fully programmable polyphonic synthesizer — five voices with patch memory, meaning you could save and recall sounds for the first time ever. Before 1978, every synth performance required manually setting every knob. The Prophet-5 changed that overnight. John Carpenter used it to score horror films. Talking Heads, Radiohead, Dr. Dre, and MGMT all leaned on its thick, creamy analog polyphony. It also helped create MIDI — Dave Smith co-invented the standard.

The OB-Xa is the sound of 1982. Van Halen's "Jump," Prince's "1999," and Styx's "Mr. Roboto" all feature its massive, detuned oscillators and Curtis filter chips. Tom Oberheim designed it as a more reliable successor to the OB-X, and it delivered one of the fattest polysynth sounds ever produced. Eight voices of pure analog excess. The prices have skyrocketed — clean units fetch $15,000-20,000 — but nothing else sounds quite like stacking all eight voices into a unison brass patch.

Roland's flagship analog polysynth from 1981 was a direct assault on the Prophet-5 and OB-Xa, and many producers consider it the most beautiful-sounding synthesizer ever made. Eight voices, two oscillators per voice, cross-modulation, and Roland's legendary IR3109 filter chips produce pads so lush they border on spiritual experiences. Duran Duran, Howard Jones, Tangerine Dream, and Underworld all used it extensively. Mint units now command $30,000+.

Dave Smith came back to the Prophet line in 2017 with the Rev2, proving that modern analog polysynths could be affordable and deep. Sixteen voices, four-layer sound stacking, a deep modulation matrix, and a street price under $1,500 made it the go-to polysynth for working musicians. It doesn't chase vintage — it's a modern analog workhorse with patch memory, USB, and a build quality that laughs at vintage reliability nightmares. The Rev2 proved the Prophet legacy isn't just about nostalgia.

The Juno-106 is the most-sampled synthesizer in history. Its lush chorus effect, simple one-oscillator-per-voice architecture, and instant patch recall made it the default pad and bass machine of the 1980s. Depeche Mode, OMD, and a thousand synthwave artists owe their sound to it. When producers say "analog warmth," they're usually describing the Juno chorus. Used prices have gone from $300 in 2010 to over $3,000, making it the synth equivalent of a vintage Porsche.

The DX7 killed analog synthesis overnight when it launched in 1983. FM synthesis produced sounds no subtractive synth could — electric pianos, metallic bells, glassy pads, and that bass slap heard on every mid-80s pop record. It sold over 200,000 units and became the best-selling synthesizer of all time. The preset "E.PIANO 1" is arguably the most famous synth patch ever created. Brian Eno, Phil Collins, A-ha, and Whitney Houston records all drip with DX7.

Roland designed the TB-303 as a bass guitar substitute for solo performers. It was a commercial failure — discontinued after 18 months. Then Chicago DJs started cranking the resonance and filter cutoff, and acid house was born. Phuture's "Acid Tracks" (1987) unleashed the 303 squelch on the world and spawned an entire genre. A machine that retailed for $395 in 1982 now sells for $5,000+. No other instrument has so completely failed at its intended purpose and so completely succeeded at something else.

The MS-20's semi-modular patch bay and aggressive, screaming filter made it the punk rock synthesizer. Where Moog was warm and fat, the MS-20 was raw and nasty. The Korg 35 filter distorts beautifully when pushed, producing textures that sound genuinely dangerous. Aphex Twin, The Prodigy, Radiohead, and Goldfrapp all used it. Korg's 2013 MS-20 Mini reissue proved the demand never died — it sold out globally within weeks of release.

ARP built the Odyssey in 1972 as a direct competitor to the Minimoog, and in some ways it won. The duophonic architecture, ring modulation, and sample-and-hold gave it a wilder, more experimental character. Herbie Hancock's "Chameleon" — one of the most important bass lines in music history — was played on an Odyssey. George Duke, Joe Zawinul, and Chick Corea also made it a jazz-fusion staple. Three different filter revisions (white, black, orange face) each have their own cult following.

Dave Smith's Prophet-5 was the first fully programmable polyphonic synthesizer — five voices with patch memory, meaning you could save and recall sounds for the first time ever. Before 1978, every synth performance required manually setting every knob. The Prophet-5 changed that overnight. John Carpenter used it to score horror films. Talking Heads, Radiohead, Dr. Dre, and MGMT all leaned on its thick, creamy analog polyphony. It also helped create MIDI — Dave Smith co-invented the standard.

The OB-Xa is the sound of 1982. Van Halen's "Jump," Prince's "1999," and Styx's "Mr. Roboto" all feature its massive, detuned oscillators and Curtis filter chips. Tom Oberheim designed it as a more reliable successor to the OB-X, and it delivered one of the fattest polysynth sounds ever produced. Eight voices of pure analog excess. The prices have skyrocketed — clean units fetch $15,000-20,000 — but nothing else sounds quite like stacking all eight voices into a unison brass patch.

Roland's flagship analog polysynth from 1981 was a direct assault on the Prophet-5 and OB-Xa, and many producers consider it the most beautiful-sounding synthesizer ever made. Eight voices, two oscillators per voice, cross-modulation, and Roland's legendary IR3109 filter chips produce pads so lush they border on spiritual experiences. Duran Duran, Howard Jones, Tangerine Dream, and Underworld all used it extensively. Mint units now command $30,000+.

Dave Smith came back to the Prophet line in 2017 with the Rev2, proving that modern analog polysynths could be affordable and deep. Sixteen voices, four-layer sound stacking, a deep modulation matrix, and a street price under $1,500 made it the go-to polysynth for working musicians. It doesn't chase vintage — it's a modern analog workhorse with patch memory, USB, and a build quality that laughs at vintage reliability nightmares. The Rev2 proved the Prophet legacy isn't just about nostalgia.