Forty years ago this summer, Joy Division released their debut EP, kickstarting a musical saga still unfolding today. Although An Ideal For Living failed to impact the sales charts, it laid the foundation for the Manchester four-piece who would inadvertently create a template for the British post-punk and goth scenes with their first full-length, 1979's seminal Unknown Pleasures.
Seemingly on the brink of mainstream success, Joy Division's course was irreparably altered the following year when singer-songwriter Ian Curtis committed suicide on the eve of the band's first American tour. Such tragedy would understandably lead to the dissolution of many bands, but drummer Stephen Morris, bassist Peter Hook, and guitarist Bernard Sumner surprised many when, with the latter assuming vocal duties, the trio released a new single less than ten months after Curtis' passing.
Rechristening themselves New Order, it wasn't long before Morris' then girlfriend Gillian Gilbert joined the threesome on keyboards, completing the group's classic lineup. Debut album Movement arrived in late 1981, and could be characterized as a logical musical progression, albeit not a huge one, from the Joy Division material.
Weary of the British music press' preoccupation with Curtis' death, the band sought anonymity in America, where they became inspired by time spent in New York City's gay and Black dance clubs. Incorporating their electronic influences in ways previously unexplored, New Order became a pioneering act in terms of narrowing the previously unbridgeable gap between the worlds of rock and dance music.
With the essential Power, Corruption & Lies and Low-Life records, and a string of equally necessary non-album singles (in particular, 1983's "Blue Monday"), the group dispelled any notion they were a mere epilogue to any main act. Projecting a sort of faceless cool through a series of textless album sleeves, arty music videos, and a low press profile, New Order became mainstays of the eighties underground before breaking through internationally with the second single lifted from 1986's Brotherhood, "Bizarre Love Triangle."
High times continued with the Technique and Republic albums before the group parted ways in 1993, ostensibly to spend time working on side projects. They'd reunite five years later in a live setting, adding Joy Division songs to the setlist for the first time since becoming New Order.
The tour dates for first post-reunion album, Get Ready, marked the first shift in the band's lineup in two decades, with Gilbert opting out to care for her and Morris' two young children. New keyboardist Phil Cunningham joined for 2005's Waiting For The Sirens' Call, which would prove to be the final New Order album before the group seemingly split again in 2007.
Contradictory reports regarding the status of the band would emerge, eventually culminating in 2011 with the news that the group was reuniting, Gillian Gilbert was back in, and founding member Peter Hook was out. Attempts by Hook to slag the group for reconvening without him were largely shrugged off when Hook himself formed a new band dedicated exclusively to performing the Joy Division and New Order discographies.
Legal disputes between the two camps resulted in the delayed release of Lost Sirens, a compilation studio album constructed from recordings made during the ...Sirens' Call sessions. (The matter was eventually settled in late 2017.)
Finally, new bassist Tom Chapman's playing would prove to be one of the highlights of New Order's to-date most recent studio album, Music Complete. Widely considered the group's strongest in decades, the record triggered a resurgence in the group's popularity. Three years on, they're still touring the world, playing sold out venues around Europe, North and South America this fall.
What follows is a commemoration of the group's impressive 40-year run (in one form or another) by way of this survey of Wet Thud's 40 favourite songs in the New Order and Joy Division repertory. Look for a Spotify playlist of the entire countdown following number one below.
WET THUD'S TOP 40 NEW ORDER / JOY DIVISION SONGS
040. "Shellshock"
New Order
(single from the 'Pretty In Pink' Original Soundtrack, 1986)
UK 28 US -- CAN -- AUS 23 NZ 8
039. "5-8-6"
New Order
(album cut from Power, Corruption And Lies, 1983)
038. "Twenty Four Hours"
Joy Division
(album cut from Closer, 1980)
037. "Every Little Counts"
New Order
(album cut from Brotherhood, 1986)
036. "Sixty Miles An Hour"
New Order
(single from Get Ready, 2001)
UK 29 US -- CAN -- AUS 37 NZ --
035. "Nothing But A Fool"
New Order
(album cut from Music Complete, 2015)
034. "Run 2"
New Order
(remixed single from Technique, 1989)
UK 49 US -- CAN -- AUS -- NZ --
033. "Slow Jam"
New Order
(album cut from Get Ready, 2001)
032. "Elegia"
New Order
(album cut from Low-Life, 1985)
031. "Dead Souls"
Joy Division
(b-side from the Licht Und Blindheit single, 1980)
030. "Love Vigilantes"
New Order
(album cut from Low-Life, 1985)
029. "World (The Price Of Love)"
New Order
(single from Republic, 1993)
UK 13 US 92 CAN 49 AUS 87 NZ --
028. "Face Up"
New Order
(album cut from Low-Life, 1985)
027. "Your Silent Face"
New Order
(album cut from Power, Corruption And Lies, 1983)
026. "She's Lost Control"
Joy Division
(album cut from Unknown Pleasures, 1979)
025. "Round And Round"
New Order
(single from Technique, 1989)
UK 21 US 64 CAN 81 AUS 67 NZ 13
024. "Thieves Like Us"
New Order
(single, 1984)
UK 18 US -- CAN -- AUS 84 NZ 14
023. "Digital"
Joy Division
(from the A Factory Sample compilation EP, 1978)
022. "Confusion"
New Order
(single, 1983)
UK 12 US -- CAN -- AUS 72 NZ 7
021. "People On The High Line"
New Order
(single from Music Complete, 2015)
UK -- US -- CAN -- AUS -- NZ --
020. "1963"
New Order
(b-side from the "True Faith" single, 1987)
019. "Touched By The Hand Of God"
New Order
(single from the 'Salvation!' Original Soundtrack, 1987)
UK 20 US -- CAN -- AUS 15 NZ 5
018. "Regret"
New Order
(single from Republic, 1993)
UK 4 US 28 CAN 6 AUS 26 NZ 19
017. "Leaders Of Men"
Joy Division
(from the An Ideal For Living EP, 1978)
016. "The Perfect Kiss"
New Order
(single from Low-Life, 1985)
UK 46 US 109 CAN -- AUS 85 NZ 10
015. "Shadowplay"
Joy Division
(album cut from Unknown Pleasures, 1979)
014. "Isolation"
Joy Division
(album cut from Closer, 1980)
013. "Fine Time"
New Order
(single from Technique, 1988)
UK 11 US -- CAN -- AUS 20 NZ 3
012. "Everything's Gone Green"
New Order
(single, 1981)
UK -- US -- CAN -- AUS -- NZ 29
011. "Sub-culture"
New Order
(remixed single from Low-Life, 1985)
UK 63 US -- CAN -- AUS -- NZ 29
010. "Atmosphere"
Joy Division
(single, 1980)
UK 34 US -- CAN -- AUS -- NZ 1
009. "Crystal"
New Order
(single from Get Ready, 2001)
UK 8 US -- CAN 3 AUS 53 NZ --
008. "Bizarre Love Triangle"
New Order
(single from Brotherhood, 1986)
UK 56 US 98 CAN 51 AUS 5 NZ 19
007. "Age Of Consent"
New Order
(album cut from Power, Corruption And Lies, 1983)
006. "Ceremony"
New Order
(single, 1981)
UK 34 US -- CAN -- AUS -- NZ 7
005. "Temptation"
New Order
(single, 1982)
UK 29 US -- CAN -- AUS -- NZ --
004. "Love Will Tear Us Apart"
Joy Division
(single, 1980)
UK 13 US -- CAN -- AUS 26 NZ 1
003. "Blue Monday"
New Order
(single, 1983)
UK 9 US -- CAN -- AUS 13 NZ 2
002. "True Faith"
New Order
(single from Substance, 1987)
UK 4 US 32 CAN 53 AUS 8 NZ 4
001. "Transmission"
Joy Division
(single, 1979)
UK 49 US -- CAN -- AUS -- NZ 2
***** text-only version of the list *****
###. "Song Title" Artist (format, Album Title, release date)
WET THUD'S TOP 40 NEW ORDER / JOY DIVISION SONGS
040. "Shellshock" New Order (single from the 'Pretty In Pink' Original Soundtrack, 1986)
039. "5-8-6" New Order (album cut from Power, Corruption And Lies, 1983)
038. "Twenty Four Hours" Joy Division (album cut from Closer, 1980)
037. "Every Little Counts" New Order (album cut from Brotherhood, 1986)
036. "Sixty Miles An Hour" New Order (single from Get Ready, 2001)
035. "Nothing But A Fool" New Order (album cut from Music Complete, 2015)
034. "Run 2" New Order (remixed single from Technique, 1989)
033. "Slow Jam" New Order (album cut from Get Ready, 2001)
032. "Elegia" New Order (album cut from Low-Life, 1985)
031. "Dead Souls" Joy Division (b-side from the Licht Und Blindheit single, 1980)
030. "Love Vigilantes" New Order (album cut from Low-Life, 1985)
029. "World (The Price Of Love)" New Order (single from Republic, 1993)
028. "Face Up" New Order (album cut from Low-Life, 1985)
027. "Your Silent Face" New Order (album cut from Power, Corruption And Lies, 1983)
026. "She's Lost Control" Joy Division (album cut from Unknown Pleasures, 1979)
025. "Round And Round" New Order (single from Technique, 1989)
024. "Thieves Like Us" New Order (single, 1984)
023. "Digital" Joy Division (from the A Factory Sample compilation EP, 1978)
022. "Confusion" New Order (single, 1983)
021. "People On The High Line" New Order (single from Music Complete, 2015)
020. "1963" New Order (b-side from the "True Faith" single, 1987)
019. "Touched By The Hand Of God" New Order (single from the 'Salvation!' Original Soundtrack, 1987)
018. "Regret" New Order (single from Republic, 1993)
017. "Leaders Of Men" Joy Division (from the An Ideal For Living EP, 1978)
016. "The Perfect Kiss" New Order (single from Low-Life, 1985)
015. "Shadowplay" Joy Division (album cut from Unknown Pleasures, 1979)
014. "Isolation" Joy Division (album cut from Closer, 1980)
013. "Fine Time" New Order (single from Technique, 1988)
012. "Everything's Gone Green" New Order (single, 1981)
011. "Sub-culture" New Order (remixed single from Low-Life, 1985)
010. "Atmosphere" Joy Division (single, 1980)
009. "Crystal" New Order (single from Get Ready, 2001)
008. "Bizarre Love Triangle" New Order (single from Brotherhood, 1986)
007. "Age Of Consent" New Order (album cut from Power, Corruption And Lies, 1983)
006. "Ceremony" New Order (single, 1981)
005. "Temptation" New Order (single, 1982)
004. "Love Will Tear Us Apart" Joy Division (single, 1980)
003. "Blue Monday" New Order (single, 1983)
002. "True Faith" New Order (single from Substance, 1987)
001. "Transmission" Joy Division (single, 1979)
