New Order

Following the suicide of lead singer Ian Curtis in 1980, the remaining members of Joy Division decided to continue with 'a new order'. Guitarist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris were joined by Gillian Gilbert on keys and, by fusing guitar-based indie-rock with electronic dance music, together they became one of the most successful and influential bands of the 80s.

New Order didn't start off so well with their 1981 debut Movement, which was an underwhelming follow-up to Joy Division's Closer. It was a transitional stage for the band who were still figuring out how to adjust to the new group configuration (not to mention overcoming their own grief at Curtis' death). A trip to New York was important in influencing the future musical direction the band would take - enjoying what they heard of italo-disco, house and electro, New Order returned home with club-oriented singles "Everything's Gone Green" and "Temptation". Along with their label bosses at Factory Records, New Order then opened a nightclub in Manchester called the Hacienda that would go on to become hugely influential in the British music scene, particularly in its promotion of house music, the 'Madchester' scene, and rave music. Meanwhile, the band's second album Power, Corruption & Lies (1983) used more synths and drum machines and was accompanied by a single that would become the biggest selling 12" of all-time: "Blue Monday". More cutting-edge singles arrived - "Confusion" (co-produced by hip-hop innovator Arthur Baker), "Thieves Like Us" and "The Perfect Kiss" - to establish New Order as a pioneering force in dance music. Low-Life (1985) and Brotherhood (1986) followed, and the essential singles compilation Substance (1987) which featured another hit in "True Faith".

Influenced by the acid house nights being hosted at the Hacienda, New Order's next move was Technique (1989), which became known as one of the seminal albums of the genre. Sumner then teamed up with The Smiths' Johnny Marr to form Electronic, while Hook formed Revenge, before the band reconvened for Republic in 1993. After an eight-year break, New Order returned with the guitar-oriented Get Ready, before taking only four years to come up with Waiting for the Sirens Call. In 2007 Peter Hook announced that New Order had split, although this announcement seemed to catch Sumner and Morris by surprise.