Unknown Pleasures

This was a surprising treat. Reminded me of the Doors and I love the Doors. Good music, and lyrics that say something.

One of the most iconic albums, and covers, of all time. The blueprint of post-punk to come, and when the list of bands you've influenced include U2 and The Cure, you know you've hit it big.

The shape of post-punk to come.

A stone cold classic at the birth of the Manchester sound and New Order.

Una joya de disco Me gustó todo

a clasic

Yep, that's pretty much how it feels. It hurts, but there's so much beauty in it too.

Great start I've listened to this album before. It's great!

Nothing I write about this album is going to be cohesive so here goes: Ian Curtis and dancing - darkly interesting. A favorite album of a close and deceased friend I feared listening to this and hating it. This album grew on me over time. This album seems like a dark veil that I want to remove but I'm afraid of what hides behind it. This album is like walking in quicksand and the deeper you sink, the less you panic and accept what lies beneath JD and New order are like night and day where New Order is a terrible sound (except for Ceremony and Age of Consent) and JD is darkly original. Artwork on this is a classic I'd much prefer this to punk or any New Wave Highlights: Shadowplay, Day of the Lords, Disorder Lowlights: Nothing. Unless you count the depression that comes along with it.

Cracking from start to finish. Phased me that Atmosphere is included in the playlist and jolted me out of my listening, but great always.

Yep

Star ratings suck

I wish I could have seen them play a live show

One of the most iconic album covers of all time. Can't go wrong with this one, will be hard to not give it a perfect score. Love the variability of the emptiness that each instrument uses; there is always sound to listen to, but the back-and-forth between each part of the music makes it very interesting to pay attention to. The music videos paired with these songs are very 80's but in the good way; feel very fitting to the music being portrayed. Hard to believe this was made in 1979, has an extremely modern feel even by today's competitive standards. The number of other bands that this album influenced must be uncountable, it is so familiar. Wow, the last song, 'I Remember Nothing' is AMAZING. Sounds extremely similar to Swans. Loved it. Great album, nothing else to say.

Absolutely amazing album. One of my all time favorites. 5 stars easily.

Heard many times. Truly a classic. Aged very well. Dark, danceable and genre creating. Ahead of it's time really. This reminds me of the Velvet Underground where a band proved all you need is good core songs and interesting instrumentation and you can define a unique sound. This on top of the fact that these guys had better chops than the velvet underground IMO. Ian curtis's very unique vocality. The reverbed/washed out instrumentation. Upon relistening, I found deeper cuts like "Insights" weird synth passages or "She's Lost Control" ear worm bass line more compelling on top of what I think are the better know songs such as "Disorder" which is one of my favorite opening tracks of any album or "New Dawn Fades" rocking guitar passages. The album really is the cover. A straight grid of white lines that turn into mountains. In the sense that you recognize all that went into this album in term so instrumentation and style but the way it's done makes the songs gargantuan in comparison to other acts still to this day.

Insane album. First 5/5

made me wanna smoke a cigarette and call the 4 corners

ian curtis i get you...

seminal work for the goth girls and i get it! somehow, existential dread feels good in a place like this!

i will not listen to slander

reminded me of my goth club days

First note....so many current bands attempting this same sound today. And failing. The Depeche Mode/Joy Division for me, has been settled. Joy division all the way. Added 6 of 10 tracks to 1001 Playlist. Could've been more.....

Loved it. Totally awesome album. The percussion was complimentary to the whole album.

Heard before: Yes Favourites: Disorder, New dawn fades, she's lost control Great stuff. Dark sound but dancey at the same time. Guitar and bass riffs so good and drums are unique.

Un grand classique, très efficace, du post-punk glacé et sophistiqué comme une dépression à Manchester, 5/5

Ah ben c'était top. Fait partie comme d'autres de cette liste d'albums que j'ai dû écouter littéralement plusieurs centaines de fois, mais à raison. C'est super de bout en bout, c'est dark et gloomy comme Manchester dans les années 1980, et pour autant ça reste de la très bonne musique. 5/5, et sans surprise ça sera pareil pour le deuxième s'il est bien sur cette liste (y'a intérêt)

Classic. One of the best Joy Division albums.

This is dark. This is beautiful gloom laced with an ounce hope. I have plenty of favorite moments on this fantastic record. My one and only issue is sequencing on side 1. I've seen the movies and documentaries suggesting it was all experimental production at Factory Records in the late 70's, etc - and for the most part it captures a feeling very well. Disorder - a great opener. You can feel the darkness, but see light in the distance - then you get slapped in the face with: Day Of The Lords - Too gloomy for a track 2 in my opinion. You've hooked the listener with a great opener and pull the rug right out from under them with this slow doom number. And then you have Candidate - talk about darkness. Light is no longer in the room and the chains are getting wrapped around your wrists at this point. All hope is lost. Insight - which I think would have benefitted the album at track 2 (only my opinion) It's a great step into the darkness, while light is still in the room - but you can feel it fading during the course of this song. New Dawn Fades - a perfect side 1 ender. Slow and interesting guitar chords underneath (actually on top of) typical and gloomy vocal delivery. Side 2 She's Lost Control - probably Joy Division's best song. hollow, dark and minimal with a fantastic build up at the end. A perfect S2 opener. Shadowplay - a song where the rhythm section stands out the most. The cymbal-heavy drums and opening bass riff (that continues throughout) make for the heaviest song on the album. I imagine metal bands like to cover this one. Wilderness - dark and kinda playful, both lyrically and (again) with that rhythm section. Repetitive guitar chords weigh this one down a bit, but it sets a great post-punk tone that the band would be forever known for. Plus, the song has a perfect ending. Interzone - the "punkiest" song on the record. Feels like they wrote and recorded this one while they were still called "Warsaw". Finally - I Remember Nothing. - Definitely an experiment in the studio. Ian Curtis is actually "singing" on this one (and not well). It is a great ender, due to the dark, minimal tone. Overall - put INSIGHT before DAY OF THE LORDS and it's a perfect album. the ART - I can't think of an album cover that sets the stage for the music within as perfectly as this world famous photo of Radio Waves (out of an Encyclopaedia of Astronomy) reverse engineered by Peter Saville. A very important album which I believe more people in the world are familiar with the cover art than the actual music... which is a shame. 10/10

Deep and brooding masterpiece

I would give this 6 stars if I could!

listened to this a long time ago and couldn't get into it this time around it's solid disorder new dawn fades she's lost control shadowplay transmission dead souls interzone

One of my all time favorites already!

RIP Ian Curtis

I've always had a block on Joy Division. I've never listened to them until today. I had only read about them and every description includes the phrase "post-punk". To me that meant they were just like the Cure, Talking Heads, or The Smiths or something. I REALLY dislike those bands and that kind of music. I couldn't have been more wrong. I would give this album 5 stars just for Day of the Lords. It's the second track and I didn't even bother moving past it until I listened to it 4 times in a row. Awesome song! The entire album is now in my rotation and I'm a new fan.

I was born in 1979 when this came out and never really got this album until I got way older. It was groundbreaking and I realized that some of my favorite artists today wouldn't be around if it wasn't for this album.

The cooler Daniel 😎

Always have loved this. Most seminal of seminal albums!

I just really like Joy Division. It's the atmosphere, the rhythms, the sound of the instruments. It all just comes together for me even though I generally do not care much about the genre.

Lucid feelings make me feel heavy, screaming into my steering wheel as I drive I just wanna go home

/ Disorder - one of the greatest, if not the greatest, post punk songs. The drums, bass, and guitar will never not hit. / Day of the Lords- such a slick but bleak sound. Sounds like the moonlight reflecting off an oil stain on the pavement, like black paint running down a brick wall. /Candidate- the drum fills are cool. Extremely moody, make man wanna wear a suit and walk down an alley. Nice subtle yet unbelievably dark sound /Insight - the video game lasers going into the drums and chord progression were too good. Painful nostalgia vibe on it. Drum buildup in the last 45 seconds is heavy but I wish it would’ve had an explosive ending. /New Dawn Fades- dirty bass off the jump. Very cinematic. Preparation for war. Almost hypnotic guitar throughout the whole thing. Peter Hook and that bass are sumn else /She’s Lost Control- never been one of my favorites, but I get why it’s popular. Song does have a good drive on it, always moving forward. The middle instrumental section is really good, maybe I been sleeping on it. /Shadowplay- sounds like liberation but still has restraint. Damn good riffs on this. sounds like the shadows of a crowd on a dark wall. /Wilderness - crazy driving bass. Gives me slaughterhouse 5 vibes for whatever reason. /Interzone- super energetic, probably the most punk sounding one on here. Song feels like speed, driving on a dirt road in the dark /I Remember Nothing - Starting off slow, controlled, and dark. Super angsty yet cute vocals. I can feel the isolation and loneliness dripping off this track. Very subdued and angry closing track. >I can definitely see why and how this album is so influential. Every member brought their own aspect to the mood of the album and played off eachother beautifully. It perfectly captures the angst, anguish, and isolation of adolescence, but with some interesting political/societal lyrics. The album sounds like taking a stroll through the dark, wet city streets. Favs: disorder, day of the lords, insight, shadowplay Least fav: candidate Overall: 97/100

joy division is fucken awesome

Brilliant album, brilliant band.

Chill vibes, good background music

Fantastic. Maybe goth is my new genre? Who knows. Much more subdued then what I'm used to, but the vibes were there.

Hubris alert. This reminds me of every garage band I started when I was at University. But in a good way. Wish I stuck with that. Maybe I could have been the next Joy Division.

Dark and brooding, UP is a masterclass in post punk. Every track is dominated by both the drumming and the crooning of the late Ian Curtis, to brutal effect. A must listen album

Rating: 10/10

Favourite tracks: disorder; day of the lord's; she's lost control

A great album 5/5 I love the melancholic atmosphere created by the bass and electronic drum sound.Ian Curtis’ vocals are amazing and the guitar licks are simple and memorable just like the album art.I love this album

10 out of 10, delightful record.

Sweet deep dark bliss!!

I could here so much influence on bands I listen to and love.

Love this. Read the 33 1/3 and also the oral history of Joy Division. Strongly recommend.

а что вы ожидали от меня?

Yks maailman hienoimmista äänitteistä! 5/5

mora biti baš taj trenutak da ovaj album bude top topova, inače meni je Closer draži, ali opet ne vidim razlog zašto bi dao manje od 5, iako bi dao negdje 4+.

What makes this album so great is that the full on desperation is kept on a tight leash. Constantly threatening to explode but just keeps desperately pulsating. Make sure not to miss the amazing live version of Shadowplay on the collectors edition.

I don’t know which I like more, this or Closer. Both are classic post-punk albums, I got nothing critical to say about either. Listening to Joy Division, I’m always so impressed with how tight they are, the drums are so clean. The whole record is great, Interzone is an under appreciated track of theirs. This is another easy 5 for me

What an amazing album!

What an album. Disorder is one of the strongest debut songs of all time. Those drums, the live wire bass line, the lyrics - outstanding. New Dawn Fades, She’s Lost Control, and Shadowplay is a killer sequence. The only thing you can ding this album for is its bleakness - it’s not something you want to listen to on a sunny day. But that’s part of the fun. Essential listening, easy 5.

One of the all-time rock tragedy stories. But this is all about the music and this is magnificent. Dark, brooding, post-punk doesn't get any better than this. The heavy influence of Bowie's Berlin work (and by association, Iggy Pop) is apparent, but Joy Division amps up the sense of dread and closed in feelings to 10. It all works and the second greatest tragedy (after Ian Curtis' death) is where they would have gone after this.

I love this album entirely

Dark, poetic, silencing. Pure beauty. Album reflects the days of Thatcher and Reagan and their croonies. Youth unemployment, nuclear arms race, social welfare being slaughtered, trickle down economy.

Cliche to say but there's no skips here. Easiest 5/5

I own this on Vinyl! Now that I've established my superiority, this is such a fucking great album. Also Peter Hook is a fantastic bass player, New Order's "Age of Consent" was one of the first songs I was able to figure out on bass without any sort of chart. It just so happened to be by complete accident trying to come up with some cool riffs and it caught my ear because I recognized it. Now that is technically a different band, but my connection to the music stands. I have heard the songs on this album so many times that nothing on it surprised me in how good it was. But it just holds up so much better than most of the post-punk albums of the late 70s. I will say the same as I did on my review of Joy Division's Closer, it should be a crime that "Love Will Tear Us Apart" was never released on an album. This is just such a fucking good listen! 5 stars every day of the week and twice on Sundays.

If I could vote 6/5 I would

I like it a lot. Not much to be said that hasn’t already been beat to death. Not my favourite genre typically but this album excels. Certifies classic.

album notes got deleted >:( but great atmosphere created 5/5

Instant 5 stars.

Warsaw in manchester

W album listened to some of it while running 🤪

what’s left to say? A masterpiece from start to finish - production, the driving bass and guitar, brilliant drumming and an amazing vocal performance. Best tracks: disorder, new dawn fades, she’s lost control

- Heard this album many times before - Classic - Not ideal for a Monday morning, but perfect for this type of music - Fav songs: Disorder, She's Lost Control, Shadowplay

Undeniably one of the most influential and one of the best albums ever made. Perfect album cover as well 10/10

I'm deligthed by this record! Now, I'm listening to it while I work and it calms me down a lot.

Brilliant

- There's something in the production of Joy Division I just don't hear in anything else. It's so dark in tone but so light in weight. I don't even know if that makes any sense. Joy Division might be what you get if you went through a list of what I love in music and created a band from it. Yearning vocals; production which simultaneously sounds like they've spend hours crafting the perfect sound but also sounds like they've just struck up a bunch of shit instruments in the house next door and you're hearing it through the walls; clever use of repetition; over a shifting background; careful use of effects but basically still four people with guitars and drums singing about their lives. I've talked a lot on albums that the context of the album sometimes makes it more important than the music itself. This is one of the albums where both things are huge. Everything about this music and the context and story behind it feels huge. Sitting in here in my adopted city of Manchester it feels even bigger. There was no way this was ever gonna be less than 5 stars.

Kanskje karakteren er påvirket av to dager på rappen med Joy Division? Jeg likte godt Closer, jeg liker dette enda bedre. Instrumentene er enkle, men aldri kjedelige; hovedvokalistens stemme er monoton, men fortsatt interessant. Jeg nikket i takt i 40 minutter, heldigvis er nakken ikke støl. Mine høydepunkter: Shadowplay og She's Lost Control

faggot shitter

I don't have much to say about this one, it's an incredible album but obviously quite dark! I have to be in the right mood to listen to it the whole way through.

Love this album, Want the t shirt. Love the emotional intensity and brooding darkness. Just brilliant stuff.

Post-punk immortality. Cold, callous, cunning, claustrophobic. Perfect.

This is another album that I was introduced to by the No Dogs in Space podcast, and if you like this album, I would recommend checking out their series on Joy Division. This is one of those albums that seems weird at first, but gets more comfortable the more that you experience it, at least in my experience. It's an absolutely revolutionary album for 1979, and is one of the many great albums that marks the close of that decade. The slow fusion of punk rock and electronica that occurs through out this album is so interesting. The drumming sounds like a drum machine at so many points. The raw emotionality of the lyrics bring real depth to the album, and provide the perfect compliment to the music 5/5, an absolutely iconic album in so many ways

Excellent excellent album. Only listened to a very small amount of Joy Division before. What i learnt listening to this is that so many bands i like that came after Joy Division borrowed so much of their style. Just everything here is great. The singing, the heavy atmosphere. Just great

The songs are amazing, the album cover iconic, and the band at it's height. What's not to love? This is Joy Division at it's best and the beginning of punk/new wave's transformation into what the 80s will be.

One of my favorites

5 Come on, it’s Unknown Pleasures. I’m not sure that I have much to say about this one that hasn’t already been said a million times already, but I’ll take a stab at it. This album isn’t like anything else I’ve heard, nor something I think anyone else had heard prior to its release, yet its influence is still felt in music today. You could argue artists like Siuoxsie Sioux and Kraftwerk helped pioneer the bass-driven gothic sound we associated with post-punk today, but Joy Division was truly the band that popularized and expanded it, and I think much of new wave and even modern indie has them to thank for that (if you want say New Order too, sure, but same diff). And much of that success and influence I think can be chalked up to the sheer talent of the band - Ian Curtis, brilliant lyricist, and while not everyone’s cup of tea, iconic vocalist. At the forefront of the goth and emo subcultures, I think it’s fair to credit Ian as among the first frontmen to sincerely utilize melancholy and personal anguish into popular music (yeah yeah Brian Wilson whatever). Sadly, we all know where that story goes - if you haven’t seen his biopic Control, I’m going to plug it again here, but know what you’re getting into. Continuing on, Bernard Sumner is also an incredibly talented composer and frontman by his own merit, and I think a large chunk of New Order’s identity and success comes from him. Peter Hook is an absolutely insane bassist, and his development to the aforementioned bass-driven sound really helped lay groundwork for numerous genres and artists even today, with his recent contributions to Gorillaz being a case in point of that. And finally, shoutout to Stephen Morris for a technical ability so good it almost sounds like a drum machine (though it may actually have been on later New Order releases…) Not just a great album, but probably one of the most important ones out there. Disorder is one of the greatest songs ever written, though She’s Lost Control, Interzone, and Shadowplay are also personal favorites here - if you haven’t heard The Killers’ cover of that last one, I would strongly recommend giving it a listen. Honestly though, every track is great and flows perfectly into the next, creating an immersive and broody atmosphere unlike anything else. Like it or not, this is a mandatory listen for any music fan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-KvyKNSV7U

Post punk New Wave classic short and punchy right to the point

I've always really loved this album and Joy Division in general. Really solid songwriting and sound, though I see the band's issue with the production not being a powerful as they'd like compared to their live sound. I was waffling between a 4 and 5 on this one but since there's no 4.5, I'm gonna have to round up to 5. New Order is great but I wish we could have heard more from Ian Curtis and Joy Division as well because I feel like they were just getting started. Bonus: some of the coolest album art out there. Standout Tracks: Disorder, Day of the Lords, Insight, She's Lost Control, Shadowplay, Interzone

they should put this album cover on a t-shirt

A masterpiece, one of my favourite albums of all time.

Seminal album

ntm guillaume PREFS : TOUT MOINS PREF : RIEN

Interestingly I got this album straight after a New Order album, praise be the 1001 Gods. The template for new wave, you can almost feel the cold walls in the room this would have been recorded in, filled with smoke and an old rug stopping the drumkit slipping around. This sounds like what all the early bands I was in wanted to sound like, but of course couldn't because we weren't actually Joy Division. It's one of those albums that everyone knows the cover from it cos it's been on a million t-shirts but I'd have struggled to name most of these songs as being the tracklist. Anyway, I loved it.

best pair of oven gloves i've ever owned.

Washing hot piss through my hair I realise that this is the most joy I've felt since the time I found my dad getting a tit wank off my mum in the back of our old vauxhall nova. I was 12 at the time and it was my first sexual awakening. Listening to this Joy Division record and being pissed on by my friends is the only thing that has come close to that wonderful afternoon. I miss them dearly.

Known pleasures. Better than Little Man Tate.

Classic

5/5 big into the gothic vocals and subdued punk sound

Terrific album. Joy Divisions debut album really hit the high notes and delivers a well produced album that epitomize gothic rock. It's atmospheric and gloomy but never gets dull. I feel like their follow up album Closer doesn't get the same attention as this one but they're equally marvelous.

One I already know about, but great to re-listen. Clearly a precursor to 80s/90s alternative and grunge

The second best Joy Division album.

An obscure indie album you've probably never heard of Masterpiece

Classic post punk

FACT 10!

THE BEST DEBUTE ALBUM EVER ALONG WITH PEARL JAM TEM.. INCREDIBLE MUSIC AND LYRICS.....MASTERPIECE..A GAME CHANGER OF AN ERA.. YOU LEFT TOOOO SOON IAN FROM THIS PLANET.....ALL SONGS ARE POEMS...UNREAL...A MUST LISTEN ALBUM

Known pleasure

Very influential album. I imagine that nothing else sounded like this when it was released. The singer's struggles with mental health are relatable.

JD mean a lot to me. Their two albums are untouchable bedrock post punk classics Some people will complain that it is too depressing. They have not lived. This, the first of their two albums, is bleak, haunting and essential. "Here are the young men....the weight on their shoulders." These songs are born from despair. Utterly brilliant. Five

Does the term "space punk" exist? That's the only way I could describe how Joy Division's music is like. This album was basically a perfect debut, and marked the start of the post-punk movement alongside many other contemporary and previous albums. I love this record, it is accessible and funky while also being 100% punk and borrowing from experimental genres like industrial. Definitily has a place on this list.

Intense, dark but also varied and melodic. This is another album that I listened to a lot when I was a kids but haven't in a while, and I'm happy to say that it still holds up for me.

This still sounds so fresh. Love the bass lines. The slashing guitars. Floating synths. The vocals and lyrics. Excellent.

Fajne

4.5

I was 10 when this album was released so it fell through the listening cracks I suppose, but wow it is good. Everything about it is wonderful. The sound, feel, lyrics, performances, mixing, and the rest. Love it.

Very good. Drums sound amazing. It’s post punk but you can see the start of the evolution to that 80s synth sound.

Dark, moody, intense. One of my favorite albums of all-time.

Talk about an iconic album cover! My love of Joy Division got its start from the moment I first heard Disorder. That opening riff just does so much for me. It's such a shame that because of tragedy, we didn't get more Joy Division. I mean, I love New Order, but still.

Perfect. No notes.

This album meant so much to 16 year old me lol

Yesssssssss. So much better than Morrissey. One of my favorite albums ever.

Absolute quality, sombre, melancholic but with driving beats and intense guitars. This is music at it's finest.

Iconic band, iconic cover, iconic sound. Loved this and still do

really enjoyed this

Amazing album.

One of my favourite albums of all time

Oozing influence one of the best ever

1979! Listened to the Sex Pistols and said we’re going to do something just as subversive but totally different. Really at 4.5 album, but giving it 5 stars for the goth in me.

Absolutely legendary album. Shadowplay is one of the best songs ever written and The Killers cover of it is phenomenal. I prefer "Closer" to this one but only because I'm a sad little emo kid.

On dirait qu'il est meilleur à chaque fois que je l'écoute. Définitivement un album landmark

The laser percussions are cool and the guitar rythms are infectious. The distortions are gritty. Very cool album and so ahead of its time. 4.5⭐

Wow, what an album! It starts very strongly with the up tempo Disorder, then takes on a mellow tone before springing back to life with She's Lost Control. Disorder, Wilderness & Interzone being particular highlights. A post-punk album that can be considered one of the founding fathers of indie rock. 92/100 gecs

They have only made two albums, but it was two perfect ones.

Exquisite. This album stands proudly in my top 20 of all time, without a doubt.

Masterpiece, this album right after Pet Shop Boys gave me my smile back even if it's uppose to be a downer album ;)

Reminds me of Love and Rockets

Somehow it´s very appealing and addictive, u just gotta keep listening once u got into it.

TDK D90: Side A: Unknown Pleasures Side B: Closer Both, very obviously, 5 stars, just like all the other JD material on Still and Substance.

Curtis' not quite hitting the high notes is a little annoying for me, but I nevertheless enjoyed the hell out of this album.

bIt's the most famous album by Joy Division innit. A classic.

This one really grew on me. On first listen, I'd probably have given it a six. However, after falling in a love with New Order, revisiting this one gave me a greater appreciation of the sheer musicality of this record. This is a masterpiece. 9-10/10

Absolutely love this album ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I just love the way this album feels from start to finish.

blassic

Who do you think you are to give this album less than five stars? You better have, I don't know, some kind of award you won somewhere for curing cancer through music or something.

Si es que es más que imposible no decir que este álbum es bueno, por dios.

Iconic

La obscuritat feta disc. Gairebé impermeable, opac, dur, amb la producció tan característica de Martin Hannett, que és un dels protagonistes principals del so i del disc, que regnaria com a millor símbol d'un génere, postpunk i d'una ciutat i el seu moment, Manchester. Una obra mestra més pel seu significat, so i valentia que per les seves cançons

Love this album, one of the greatest debuts of all time. So ahead of its time it can still give you chills over 40 years later. An absolute masterpiece.

Menacing and cool as fuck

frábær plata!!!

That was good.

Classic. Redefining. Cover art 5/5

Music is emotion. And there's a lot of that on this album. Of the darker kind. The album isn't perfect, but almost there. 4.5*

Such an important and influential album. A pre-cursor to so many different artists. Mythical

Good sound waves. A candy to my ear canals.

Þyngsli. Gott stuff samt

Discazo

JOY

One of the great and dark rock albums. This album sound is so influential (mainly the bass lines) that youu can trace it in almost every post punk album of the last 40 years.

A classic. The only track I don't care for much is Candidate, but its at least ok. This album is so influential, so emotional, just so damn good.

A classic. Teenage angst listening at its finest.

Pioneers.

genuinely one of the greatest albums of all time. in modern rock music, you don't hear the beatles or the rolling stones, you hear this album and the velvet underground

Incredible. Classic. Withstands the test of time. A godsend. Rope.

best album all time excellent

Excelente marca de ropa 👍

Absolutely brilliant album!

Red Starr, writing for Smash Hits, gave the album a generally positive review, describing it as a "bleak nightmare soundtrack". Starr described the lyrics as "mysterious" and "doomy."

Post-Punk Classic. 5

Tremendo

Топ

One of the best albums post-punk albums of all time.

One of my favorite albums

One of the best albums ever in rock music!

One of the best albums of all time.

The perfect darkness

Solid solid album She's lost control is best

Fantastic vibes on some Great Scott stuff

a flawless desolate post-punk classic

Already listened. Amazing album

one of the best albums on earth, A post punk masterpiece

5/5

Das sind einfach krasse Texte.

Great album

Beautiful seminal cold amazing post punk

Listen to this one a lot already.

*****

Manc misery never sounded so good. Best Tracks: Disorder, She's Lost Control, Interzone

Great album

LOVE LOVE LOVE this. Goosebumps every time I hear the start of "Disorder".

Not much comes close to joy Division.

Hey guys which JD album had love will tear us apart on it

One of my alltime favorites.

Excellent

it was okay

This album is amazing. Now I really want to read the book you suggested John!

ian curtis was god damn brilliant

amo mas mt dark

A great album. Wonderful stuff.

Love it. So moody, so alternative, so unique. Does this mean I should've been a grunge kid?

Hard 5. Where da 6 at?

5 vermezsem hanım beni keser

Know it, love it

Not as good as the follow up

This is one of those albums that I've never been obsessed with but I 100% understand the hype. It's so dark and haunting. The gold standard for post-punk. Favorite track: New Dawn Fades 4.5/5

iconic cover

It sometimes suffers from being so sparse and plodding, but most of the songs are downer bangers. Stick around for Control where they actually perfect their sound though.

Great album, I love everything joy division does. New dawn never fades is such a banger

yeah, this is obviously an influential beast of an album, though my goodness it's gloomy. one can only goth so much. the other thing is they were better live.

A couple of these tracks changed modern music forever, the rest is the most depressing sad music ever put out. I really like the bass forward and cymbal-centric sound

One of the most influential albums in the annals of rock music, essentially launching the whole of 80s and 90s alternative music from the ashes of punk.

I liked how the songs sounded because of how sad it sounded and I also. Like how the album is waves mixed with some mountains in the middle. Of the album and it looks like the waves are taking. Over the mountains and I would recommend it to people who are sad and what not and tell. The person of who I shared it with of how living is better than being dead. :D

It was pretty good, I like punk, and the drums were really good.

I'm more of a Closer guy but still what a fucking great album.

Sounded good, but would it kill him to show a little emotion?

What is this? I've seen it on Tumblr.

It's the album cover from all the shirts! This music isn't really my jam but it's getting an extra star for just how awesome this album cover is.

incredible debut, joy division doesn't have a single bad song (that I've heard), this is a solid 9/10. first listen tracklist ranking: 1. New Dawn Fades 2. She's Lost Control 3. Day of the Lords 4. Disorder 5. I Remember Nothing 6. Shadowplay 7. Wilderness 8. Interzone 9. Candidate 10. Insight

It was a massive influence on the Crow comic book, so all the praise it gets is deserved

Very good. It was gray and rainy outside when I came home from work and put this on over my speakers. I had gotten Closer a month or two ago and really liked it. I think I like Unknown Pleasures slightly more.

This is one of those albums that I’ve been meaning to listen to for forever. And perhaps because it’s been so hyped, I didn’t find it quite as good as expected. I did love the bass lines, moodiness, and gloomy vibes and plan to revisit. This feels like an album that takes time to settle in.

4/5

Strong 4

Este disco fue una decepción. Después e descubrir a Joy Division en los 80 me compré Closer pensando que ahí estaba "Love will tear us apart" y no era así. Luego junté ahorros y compré este disco con su icónica portada ... y tampoco estaba. ¿Qué broma era esta? ¿Quién se rie de mí? Esa decepción me hizo no disfrutar el disco, y sinceramente me parece interesante y muy diferente de Closer y además obnubilado por su hit no vi ese brillo por ninguna parte. Con el tiempo este disco puntúa muy alto, pero en mi opinión Closer es su magna obra.

This would have been groundbreaking gothy post-punk even if it had released five years later. By late ‘70s standards, this feels like a miracle, even if it’s not exactly a Feel Good album.

i like it

Better than expected. Would give further listens

i love this album

7.5/10

I enjoyed this a lot

Depressing and dark stuff. I dig.

If I had just heard this album I’d maintain that Joy Division is one of the great 80s bands. But I heard that other album. So at least they had one album that was iconic

Joy Division was certainly an interesting band. A good album.

Very good record, undeniable influence and music, it's heavy and it's personal.

OMG, the meme album! Super droning, post-punk ambience. Kind of not my thing though.

i was really excited for this one, i don’t think there’s many highs as high as disorder but it is still such an awesome sound

I’ve been torn with this one. It’s good but not quite up there with Closer for me. I think I prefer the darker more gothic sound and I feel Clioser is more cohesive, this one has its moments but is a bit uneven. Iconic cover too

Really enjoyed this album. Great listen for the whole album. Reminded me a bit of The Doors.

Sulty and moody rock, with a haunting, echoey quality to it. I'd heard this album before, and never really 'got it', but I enjoyed it this time, even if I didn't fall head over heels. The tinny atmosphere and urgency of the instruments and Curtis' vocals are undoubtedly compelling, and it's not boring.

I love this album. It really was the template for post-punk. Some of the songs drag a little, but overall it’s a classic.

One of the great post-punk albums in history - brooding, eerie, and unnerving but also tuneful. A classic

I really like this album for a couple of reasons……cool album art and it was a hint of things to come, sans their lead singer. The music is decent and I’ve listened to it many times.

great!

This is a seminal album in my music learning experience. Post-punk is my favorite rock subgenre by far and it all starts here. In my mind, there's no bigger music "what if" than Joy Division. If this is how they started and continued to Closer, I can't imagine where they would go, I definetly dont' think they would transition as easily toward the synth dance rock that Bernard and Peter helmed after Ian's passing, maybe they would've continued a similar path as NIN or Gary Numan, embracing the dark by uplifting others around them. Disorder, She's Lost Control and Shadowplay are easily some of the songs i've heard the most in my life, although the rest are mostly contained within the album listening experience, and for that i'll have to deduct a star. Shame that Dead Souls, Transmission and Digital are separate releases, those would've made it a sure 5.

Honestly very good and clearly influenced a lot of what was to come. rip ian curtis

Can’t believe they made an album out of the t-shirt?! It’s definitely slightly overrated but I do really enjoy this album and think it’s a fun listen

Didn’t focus too much but pretty good. Maybe three star but I’m feeling generous. 7/10

One of those albums that I knew I was going to like but had never listened to.

Hvad er det her for en algoritme? Matrixen glitcher, new order og så Joy Division???? Der er ikke engang transmission eller atmosphere på den her mand wth Når man hører New Order kan man godt forstå, hvordan bandet mpske har været glad for at komme væk fra den dystre lyd. Men det holder altså også det her, vi er jo næsten ovre i håndspillede triphop-vibes med hypnotiserende dystre tendenser. Light 4

This one was a little weird at times, but in a good way. I enjoyed listening to most of it and I think if I listened to it more, then it would grow on me.

Heavy drums, solid bass/guitar lines, solid album.

Oh hell yeah

Awesome record. The moods and sounds they produce are very progressive and distinct. Had me engaged the entire time. Great sequencing as well.

It's not my favorite style of music, but I appreciate the artistry. I also understand that they were sort of pioneers in bringing this sound mainstream, which adds some significance to this album. I enjoyed it, but I don't see myself eagerly coming back to it time and time again.

Intense, taut and emotive. Does it get a little repetitive at times? Well, yes, but that's really just part of its miserablist charm.

Of all the albums on this list, this is the most directly influential on artists I love, where a lot of the music I listen to is simply an impression of this

Starts from the point where Bowie's Low, Talking Heads Fear of Music and The Velvet Underground and Nico intersect and then gets morose about it. As strange as it is poetic, it's a memorable, if not entirely pleasant experience.

I love the guitars and bass but the words don't speak too much for me. I loved this album when I was younger but I think I've grown out for it.

Une, deux, trois fois… après c’est comme une drogue. Très bon!

Unique album. Not always the vibe but when it is, it hits. Dull at parts but overall it's a good listen when you want it

Didn’t expect to like this as much as I did

A seminal recording. One of the post punk movement's first recording that changed a generation. I love this record.

Great album! Classic band always liked them

As dark and mystifying as the first time I heard it a decade ago. That last track always gives me shivers.

Very good but I like Closer a little more

An absolute classic. Have never listened to the whole thing.

Major quibbles with this record are fair. Ian Curtis has trouble holding a tune; Martin Hammet’s production that layers in all kinds of sounds that were not part of the band’s vision or performances; and rather thin songs overall. But man, the overall effect. Haunting, catchy, spiky guitar tones that are just iconic. It’s not universally song but the tracks that hit - like Shadowplay, New Dawn Fades and of course She’s Lost Control - are so fucking captivating. Four stars

Deliciously synthy and industrial. Loved when Ian's voice went up an octave in certain songs. Was great to hear this in full as only really knew Disorder.

Joykkari toimii hyvin. Hieman masis mutta hyvä setti silti.

Definitely an album I kind of need to be in a particular mood to enjoy. The songs are pretty strong, and for the most part the music is solid. The vocals leave a lot to be desired at times, but his delivery adds to the overall feel and moodiness of the album.

Am I going back to it though. 3.5

A cultural monolith - as bleak, scary, cold, inviting and inspiring as 2001's otherworldly entity. It's a beautiful album of juxtaposition, both mechanical and human. Personal yet anthemic. There's a great deal of beauty in personal suffering and Curtis' haunting low vocals are the perfect vessel for his downtrodden observations, set off against the sharp stabs of drums, droning synths, scratchy guitar and THAT FUCKING BASS. This sound wouldn't work without Peter Hook - his melodies and massive tone both enable and elevate Joy Division. Favourite tracks: Disorder, She's Lost Control, New Dawn Fades

A couple of the songs blue into eachother but a class act

HEHE. Simplesmente um pós punk DIGNO de estar nessa lista. Conhecia apenas a música mais famosinha do disco, que é “Disorder” e já achava a ambientação incrível, por acompanhar o sentimento da música e nos colocar na situação exata que a banda é o produtor queria passar. Um álbum que tem sua pegada melancólica, fria e até metálica acompanhada da estética, que é o que mais me deixa UoU das ideias, de como conseguiram transportar isso da época exata que estavam vivendo. Manchester em 1979 estava passando pela grande era industrial, fábricas abandonadas e sensação claustrofóbica, em que tudo parecia ser cinza e triste. A capa icônica já virou uma estampa de blusa de tão clássica quanto a do smiley do Nirvana, tanto que nem precisa do nome do disco nem da banda pra reconhecer que é de alguma banda. Mesmo com equipamento barato e não reconhecimento imediato, Unknown Pleasures se tornou o que hoje em dia chamamos de música de beber vinho no cemitério ou de só curtir a melancolia num dia frio com neblina. E em sua melhor forma, acompanhar até os menos ecléticos pro estilo de música, minhas favs além de “Disorder” foram “New Dawn Fades”, “She’s Lost Control” e “Interzone”.

Feels nice to finally get and like this album. I listened to it for the first time about 5 to 7 years ago, can't remember exactly when. What once was a friend of mine, who was really into this album, recommended it to me, but by then, I was a very close-minded metalhead, so I couldn't appreciate it, because it sounded too soft for my ignorant ears. Now it is a different story, and I understand and love the dark approach of this album. All of the elements contribute in creating this very moody and somber atmosphere. From the lyrics, Ian Curtis' very deep and expressive voice, the incredibly powerful and sad bass lines, the little details and sound effects in the background... everything works really well together. Not only this album is cold, but it also have a little dance aspect to it, thanks to the catchy melodies and infectious rhythms. Best examples are the two starting tracks, "Disorder" and "Day of the Lords", both having some of the most memorable melodies of the whole album and both ending with some of the most emotional singing, when Ian starts to increase his projection and comes across as incredibly emotional. Another highlight would be "Shadowplaying" and its fantastic guitar lines. The majority of the rest of tracks would fit in the same category of dark and dancable tunes, with just a handful of exceptions: "Candidate", "Interzone" and "I Remember Nothing". "Interzone" is very directly influenced by punk rock, with fast rhythms, a very punk riff and a more lively delivery from the voice, which sets itself apart as maybe the brightest (but not necessary the best) part of the record. The other two songs "Candidate" and "I Remember Nothing" are very minimalist and most probably the darkest moments, as they are incredibly eerie, slow and intense, playing with a lot of noises. However, I also think they are the weakest cuts, as they aren't as memorable and I would say that the singer doesn't really fit in the aesthetics of these pieces, specially in the closer, where his voice sound quite forced. Another aspect I didn't really like about the album is a particular thing about the production. I can't exactly describe what it is, but sometimes the voice and drums sounds like they were inside a tube or recorded with a low quality microphone. Maybe there are people that would argue that it makes the album sound more particular and cold, but for me, I wish it sounded just a little bit clearer. Just a tiny spark of clarity. In the end, still a fantastic album and quite unique.

Dark and cold like a brutal winter, baby, with bass and guitar lines you can dance to. Slap this bad boy on a t-shirt and you’ve got a classic on your hands. The commercialization of this album cover does bum me out, not for any stupid “name three songs by that band” reasons, but because I think it cheapens a great, earnest, bleak piece of art. And they made a debut album this iconic and sturdy! That’s fucking cool!

Un album cohérent qui s'écoute très bien L'ambiance est conservée tout au long de l'album et ne donne pas l'impression d'écouter toujours la même chanson Pour un premier album ça s'applaudi

The album that launched a million shirts.

Liked the song not used to this way of singing though.

turned out the cult favorite album is a cult favorite for a reason. Would I listen again: yes Deserves to be on this list: yes 3.5

dare i say this album did more for graphic t-shirts than it did music

Fun listen but miss the low bass 3.5/5

This album has a legend status partly just on the album cover alone. I'm one of many who'd seen the cover and never listened to the album. I'm glad I did. It's a heavily atmospheric album that has some very good songwriting and instrumentation. I highly recommend listening with good headphones. While I liked it, though, I don't think it totally lived up to the hype I imagined it having. It's a good album nonetheless, though.

Still packs a punch after 45+ years. At its core is the metallic, echoed, and amateurish sounds of the band and Curtis’s baritone. It embodies emotional disenfranchisement despite IC’s attempts to bridge the gap with words that seem to conflict.

Favourite Songs: Day Of The Lords She's Lost Control Shadowplay Interzone

Dark and moody album standout songs: Disorder Insight Wilderness

Ingen glädjespridare kanske, men i rätt stämning så är det bra!

4.5. This is a great album. Still love it.

Renowned as a classic groundbreaking album, well, yeah, I guess. Haven't heard it for ages, having lost my copy, but enjoying a nostalgic revisit today. Might rebuy it.

Liked this. Wasn’t ever going to be anything different.

escuchar con precausión, alto riego de recaer en el porrito.

While a bit overrated due to their singer's death, as it is common in such cases, this is without question a quality album. Reborn as a completely *other* band (and arguably better) should not be overlooked when talking about their musicianship and skill. You can tell that the seeds of what is coming are planted here. While the songs/lyrics are depressing, the music is *never* boring and quite more energetic than expected.

Very eccentric but influential band whose music still has a strong cult following which is well deserved.

Damn, dog I've already listened to this. But hey, I think it brought some strange different energy that had never been heard of at the time, and it was very cool in that sense. The bass parts are so unconventional but it works somehow and that's what makes it so interesting. But there are some filler tracks on this album too, so it's definitely not a perfect album.

Pues no soy fan pero los sonidos industriales don muy buenos

Heel aangenaam! Ik word er heel rustig van

"Disorder" is my favorite off the album, and it's one I like to sing in the car with the window rolled down. But I can't listen to Joy Division without feeling a sense of melancholy, no matter how much I like the music. I like this album, I like the heartbeat drums of Wilderness and the exciting synth in Insight that gives you a lovely little preview of how the band will mature when they become New Order. For how short-lived the band was they're more than just a footnote in the history of post-punk, at least for me, I think this album and the band itself is proof that no matter how bad things get, there is still the music, and there is still dancing, and there can still be joy. I hope Ian Curtis is somewhere peaceful and beautiful.

I had to listen to most of this album twice just to really get the full experience, and I really liked it. This is probably gonna get me crucified, but I honestly thought the only thing I didn't particularly care for was Ian Curtis' vocals... distinctive and influential? Yes, however, I felt they detracted from the otherwise very cool baselines and guitars. Fave Songs- New Dawn Fades, Insight and She's Lost Control