Joy Division

575,957 listeners (17,426,268 plays)

Listening now: c5on, vivaa

post-punk, new wave, 80s, alternative, indie… see all

Salford, Greater Manchester, UK (1976 – 1980)

Joy Division were a post-punk band formed in 1976 in Manchester, UK. The band dissolved in May 1980 after the suicide of its lead singer, Ian Curtis. The remaining members reformed as New Order and they have gone on to achieve much critical and commercial success.

With their dark, cavernous sound and their use of synthesizers and electronics, Joy Division are considered the pioneering band of the post-punk movement of the late 1970s and the early 1980s.

Though they found only modest success during their career, and released only two studio albums, Joy Division have since been acclaimed as one of the most inventive, evocative and influential groups of their era; Thom Jurek writes “They left just a small bit of music and an echo that still rings”.

1976
Inspired by a Sex Pistols gig at the Manchester Lesser Free Trade Hall on July 20, 1976, Bernard Sumner (also credited as “Bernard Dicken” and “Bernard Albrecht”) and Peter Hook formed a band with friend Terry Mason. Sumner bought a guitar, Hook purchased a bass, and Mason a drum kit. The band placed an advertisement in a Manchester record store and recruited Curtis as their singer. Curtis knew Sumner, Hook and Mason from previous gigs and was also in attendance at the Sex Pistols concert with his wife, Deborah. Richard Boon and Pete Shelley of Buzzcocks suggested the name “Stiff Kittens” for the band. Although “Stiff Kittens” appeared on some gig flyers, the band didn’t like the name and never officially accepted it.

1	Love Will Tear Us Apart full track	10,668
2	She's Lost Control full track	6,988
3	Transmission full track	5,434
4	Disorder	5,034
5	Shadowplay full track	4,199
6	Dead Souls full track	3,767
7	Isolation	3,738
8	New Dawn Fades full track	3,639
9	Atmosphere	3,490
10	Digital full track	3,368
11	Insight full track	3,070
12	Heart and Soul full track	2,714
13	Day of the Lords	2,629
14	Colony full track	2,465
15	Passover full track	2,426

Top Albums

Substance
Joy Division
Buy
- Amazon
- eBay
Download
Unknown Pleasures
Joy Division
Buy
- Amazon
- eBay
Download
Closer
Joy Division
Buy
- Amazon
- eBay
Download
Still
Joy Division
Buy
- Amazon
- eBay
Download

Shoutbox

Leave a comment. Log in to Last.fm or sign up (it’s free).

Fabian_Reckoner wrote:
yesterday afternoon

Dance Dance Dance Dance Dance To Radio

View Profile | Leave Fabian_Reckoner a shout
storvikarn wrote:
yesterday morning

For Those Who Probably Will Die While Listening To Music

View Profile | Leave storvikarn a shout
vitoblackeyed wrote:
yesterday evening

this is it, damn boy,,,

View Profile | Leave vitoblackeyed a shout
vicious_woman wrote:
Friday afternoon

domjl17_: i'm sure they're parents like joy division

View Profile | Leave vicious_woman a shout
daxphonic wrote:
Friday afternoon

lol, jay davison... :D

View Profile | Leave daxphonic a shout
iKeldon wrote:
Friday morning

Emo kimo seems like so.

View Profile | Leave iKeldon a shout
ticklemynausea wrote:
Friday morning

that made me laugh out loud, seriously

View Profile | Leave ticklemynausea a shout
amymillard wrote:
Thursday morning

haha domjl17 you just made my day

View Profile | Leave amymillard a shout
domjl17 wrote:
Wednesday evening

theres a guy in my school called jay davison. which sounds like joy division.

View Profile | Leave domjl17 a shout
chain74 wrote:
Wednesday afternoon

is voll geil das lied

View Profile | Leave chain74 a shout
boxingbull wrote:
Wednesday afternoon

unique! everytime i see the famous pic of curtis' grave, my eyes drown in tears :(

View Profile | Leave boxingbull a shout
nicoinfurs wrote:
Wednesday morning

YELLOW COVER GAHHHHHH

View Profile | Leave nicoinfurs a shout
Shy-Guy wrote:
Tuesday morning

I'll be the first in line to get mon tickets.

View Profile | Leave Shy-Guy a shout
valentinemazur wrote:
Monday afternoon

On tour??? Aaaa, wtf?

View Profile | Leave valentinemazur a shout
Mrssm wrote:
Monday afternoon

zapraszamy wszystkich na muzycznego bloga! tę strone musisz dodac do zakładek :D:D http://www.the-rainbowarriors.blogspot.com (~new music blog. )

View Profile | Leave Mrssm a shout
Do_Not_Kill wrote:
last month

awesome!

View Profile | Leave Do_Not_Kill a shout
No_diggity wrote:
last month

a classic! awesome..!

View Profile | Leave No_diggity a shout
Timbo93 wrote:
last month

http://www.last.fm/music/Weekend+Revolutionaries/Trouble+in+Paradise

View Profile | Leave Timbo93 a shout
harmonynolonger wrote:
last month

they will live forever, just one of those bands that will never be forgotten.

View Profile | Leave harmonynolonger a shout
St_Unknown wrote:
last month

to the radio, matey

View Profile | Leave St_Unknown a shout

12…103 Next

Listeners

Nikoox
Listening now
to Transmission
victorlundstrom
Listening now
to Transmission
Kayla--
Listening now
to She's Lost Control
fonce
Top Listener
fixxman
Top Listener
ironmax
Top Listener

Recent Activity

yago2003, concilio and sarajevo071 added Joy Division to their libraries. 8 minutes ago
Evil_Meow connected Joy Division to the group We Hate Crappy Headphones\earphones. 3 hours ago
timid_heathen, dejump, JackLoveFool and 6 other people added Joy Division to their libraries. 3 hours ago
PeriodRevival tagged Joy Division with ‘post-punk’. 6 hours ago
weareleeds1, nannersandjizzz, fightmedenyme and 13 other people added Joy Division to their libraries. 6 hours ago
fabu666 tagged Joy Division with ‘english lyrics’. 11 hours ago
acidentado97, siouxsiedolly, siriusjoy and 3 other people added Joy Division to their libraries. 11 hours ago
june4th1976 added Joy Division to the lineup of Joy Division at Winter Gardens. yesterday evening
Kamambaa added Joy Division to Kamambaa’s library. yesterday evening
elcieloesazul connected Joy Division to the group Begotten. yesterday evening