With New Order set to play Trinity College tomorrow evening, we're counting down of their greatest and most recognisable tracks.
Although born out of Joy Division and somewhat overshadowed by that band's legacy, New Order began to distinguish themselves as a more upbeat, rhythm-driven act by the mid-'80s with the success of the likes of 'Blue Monday', 'True Faith' and beyond.
In the subsequent years and various lineups, New Order's impact and legacy hasn't dimmed and only gotten brighter. Acts like Arcade Fire and even then-contemporary acts like Pet Shop Boys were all influenced by their work.
Here's a quick rundown of ten of their best tracks.
10. 'World In Motion'
Yes, the one with the John Barnes rap. Yes, it might be horribly dated to some extent, but the fact is that it remains New Order's only number one hit in England and it still gets a play on radio whenever England have something going on with football. Fun fact - it was nearly called 'E Is For England', but was vetoed by the English FA due to the belief that it was a drugs reference.
9. 'Vicious Streak'
Easily one of the most underrated songs in New Order's latter work, 'Vicious Streak' is a sweet electro-pop track in an album that, among other things, featured the work of the likes of Billy Corgan. While it might somewhat dismissed as a callback, it still has a beautiful chorus and a gentle melody that carries it through.
8. 'Age Of Consent'
As much as any song in New Order's arsenal, 'Age Of Consent' feels the closest in DNA to something they'd have produced as Joy Division. There's the blisteringly fast drum work, the high-strung vocals, Peter Hook's rippling bass lines throughout and the blast of synths here and there.
7. 'Elegia'
Although 'Elegia' is now more closely associated with its appearances in media, such as 'Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain' or Netflix's 'Stranger Things', the song itself has much more deeply personal connection for New Order. Written as an elegy - hence the name - for Ian Curtis, the emotions are clearly written across every note.
6. 'Tutti Frutti'
There are precious few music groups that can define and then improve a genre as effectively as New Order have. Listening to something like 'Tutti Frutti', taken from their tenth album, it has all the slickness and efficiency of a group with half their baggage. It's so deeply cool and knowing, effortlessly demonstrating how New Order hasn't missed a beat once.
5. 'Bizarre Love Triangle'
Fun fact about the music video for 'Bizarre Love Triangle' - it was directed by American conceptual artist Robert Longo, who also did Megadeth's music video for 'Peace Sells...' and REM's 'The One I Love'. As ever with New Order, it's an upbeat track that hides a bleak message beneath its charming melodies.
4. 'Thieves Like Us'
Again, like 'Elegia', 'Thieves Like Us' probably has a certain amount of resonance for its association with John Hughes' teen-dramedy, 'Pretty In Pink'. Yet, beyond that, there's a fantastic intro and a cracking guitar riff that plays in and out of the synths and the driving beat. The lyrics might be a little schmaltzy, but the fact is that it's aware of itself means you can't not acknowledge it.
3. 'Temptation'
Few groups could catch that sense of urgency of emotion like New Order were able to, and 'Temptation' - with all of its neediness and pleading - is just that. Again, the upbeat tempo and the joyful guitars mask something deeply sad just beneath the surface and a desperation that could go from joy to sadness at any moment.
2. 'True Faith'
'True Faith' might be somewhat overlooked or dismissed by purists - much like the top pick on this list - as a pop hit and nothing more, but like so much of New Order's work, there's an earnestness in it that can't be ignored. On top of that, this was during the phase where New Order was boldly moving into dance and embracing it fully - and it shows, as the song is bound to get any dancefloor full in a matter of moments, just like...
1. 'Blue Monday'
If you ever had to DJ, you could throw on 'Blue Monday' and have the crowd go nuts and then quickly nip out to use the loo and be back in time and never lose a beat. The intro is so instantly recognisable and the lyrics so easily roared out in a night club that you can't help but dance along to it. The joke, of course, was that the band originally wrote 'Blue Monday' almost as a joke. The story goes that New Order didn't want to play encores, but felt pressured to do so. The idea was that they could write a song that could be played on a programmed synthesiser which they could come out, hit start, and then walk off. To this day, 'Blue Monday' often acts as their encore song.
