It’s been 29 years and 364 days since the enigmatic genius that was Ian Curtis passed away. While fellow band member Peter Hook will play Unknown Pleasures from start to finish at his Manchester club, we shall do what we do best to honor the man who made synth-driven rock what is it now, a good ole’ top 5!
Yours Truly would also like to tell anyone who hasn’t already seen Anton Corbjin’s incredible Control, that it’s seriously about time that you do so!
May your blissful soul rest in peace…
#1 Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart
Joy Division’s most well-known hit is a shoe-in at #1 and went on to become the anthem of a whole genre. I’m deeply sorry for every Depeche Mode fan out there that thought that they were trend-setters… they weren’t!
#2 Joy Division – She’s Lost Control
Written for a young unemployed woman who couldn’t live a normal life due to epilepsy that he met while working, She’s Lost Control describes one of her crisis. Proving once more that life is deeply ironic, he discovered, only a few days later, that he suffered from the same condition. Obviously concerned by the situation, Ian went on to call the said young woman only to find out that she had died during a seizure.
#3 Joy Division – Atmosphere
Few songs manage to teleport you in a totally different universe, but this one definitely does! Even if you’ve never really payed attention to Joy Division’s legacy, you will recognize this single once it enters its pre-chorus. It doesn’t hurt either that the video is absolutely stunning!
#4 Joy Division – Transmission
Released as a single only a year before Ian Curtis’ suicide, it is, in Yours Truly‘s opinion, one of Joy Division’s most accessible songs. I managed to find the amazing performance featured in Control for your enjoyment and to convince you that it should be the next movie to make it into your DVD collection!
#5 Joy Division – Disorder
One of Joy Division’s most emblematic recordings, it could have ended up anywhere in this Top 5!
