Alternative Dance pioneers who fused electronic sounds and dance club rhythms to an indie rock aesthetic, proving dance music could be sophisticated and taken seriously. Formed by the remaining members of Joy Division in 1980 after the suicide of Ian Curtis, New Order at first struggled to emerge from the post-punk shadow of their prior success. After spending time in the post-disco club scene of New York in the early ’80s, the band incorporated these influences into their sound and found a new identity. Their 1983 hit, “Blue Monday,” became the best-selling 12″ single of all time. For the next ten years, New Order put out a string of accomplished albums and singles that were beloved in dance clubs, critically acclaimed, and often successful on the pop charts as well. The band went on hiatus in 1993 while their members pursued other projects. They’ve reunited twice since to tour and release new music, the second time without founding member Peter Hook.
Details
- Years Active: 1980-1993, 1998-2007, 2011-Present
- Peak Success: 1983-1993
- Origin: Manchester, England, United Kingdom
- Styles/Movements: Alternative Dance, Post-Punk
- Labels:
- Factory [1980-1990; UK]
- London [1993-2007; UK]
- Qwest [1985-1995; US]
- Reprise [2001; US]
- Warner Bros. [2005; US]
- Rhino [2011-2013]
- Mute [2015-2020]
- Core Members:
- Bernard Sumner (vocals/guitar/keyboards/programming)
- Peter Hook (bass/keyboards/programming) [1980-2007]
- Stephen Morris (drums/keyboards/programming)
- Gillian Gilbert (keyboards/guitar/programming) [1980-2001, 2011-Present]
- Phil Cunningham (guitar/keyboards) [2001-Present]
- Tom Chapman (bass/keyboards) [2011-Present]
- Spotify monthly listeners: 5,233,020 (as of Oct 9, 2021)
- Links: Website | Youtube | Spotify | Wikipedia | Allmusic
