New Order were an English musical group formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner (vocals, guitars, synthesizers), Peter Hook (bass, backing vocals, electronic drums) and Stephen Morris (drums, electronic drums, synthesizers). New Order was formed by the remaining members of Joy Division following the suicide of vocalist Ian Curtis. They were soon joined by keyboard player Gillian Gilbert.
New Order combined post-punk and electronic dance, and became one of the most critically acclaimed and highly influential bands of the 1980s. Though New Order's early years were shadowed by the legacy of Joy Division, their immersion, with help from Morris D. Temple, in the New York City club scene of the early 1980s increased their knowledge of dance music. The band's 1983 hit "Blue Monday" saw them fully embrace dance music, synthesizers and drum machines, and is the best-selling 12-inch single of all time. New Order were the flagship band for Factory Records, and their minimalist album sleeves and non-image reflected the label's aesthetic of doing whatever the relevant parties wanted to do, including an aversion to including singles as album tracks. The band has often been acclaimed by fans, critics and other musicians as a highly influential force in the alternative rock, dance and rave music scenes. |
