Anniversary, Milestones, Video — March 7, 2013 at 1:21 am

New Order’s ‘Blue Monday’ turns 30 today — an audiovisual retrospective, 1983-2013

New Order, 'Blue Monday'

On March 7, 1983 — exactly 30 years ago today — New Order released its monumental single “Blue Monday,” cementing its full transition from the moody post-punk of Joy Division to club-ready synthpop. And, in the process, the band delivered what has, ever since, been bestowed with the crown of best-selling 12-inch single of all time.

The song, for all its automation (it was designed to basically be played on autopilot), turned out to be something of a blank canvas for New Order, as the band, in the intervening years, has remixed it, re-released it and morphed it every which way while performing the song live.

Still, “Blue Monday” always retains its signature elements: that stuttering drum machine, Peter Hook’s ominous, thudding bassline and Bernard Sumner’s deadpan lyrical delivery.

Below, we’ve traced the history of the song, from its original 12-inch version (that’s Peter Saville’s iconic floppy disk-inspired sleeve above) and accompanying music video up through early TV performances and concert airings in the late ’90s and early 2000s, ending with footage of the band — now sans Hook — playing the latest arrangement of the song onstage last fall in the U.K.

Check ’em out:

 

New Order, “Blue Monday” — original 12-inch version, 1983

 

New Order, “Blue Monday” — original music video, 1983

 

New Order, “Blue Monday” — live on “Top of the Pops,” 1983

 

New Order, “Blue Monday” — live on Channel 4’s “The Switch,” 1983

 

New Order, “Blue Monday” — live on “Veronica’s Countdownn,” Dutch TV, 1983

 

New Order, “Blue Monday” — live at BBC Radio 1 studios, 1984

 

New Order, “Blue Monday” — live in Barcelona, 1984

 

New Order, “Blue Monday” — live in Tokyo, 1985

 

New Order, “Blue Monday” — live in Belgium, 1985

 

New Order, “Blue Monday ’88” — music video, 1988

 

New Order, “Blue Monday” — live at Reading, UK, 1998

 

New Order, “Blue Monday” — live at Finsbury Park, UK, 2002

 

New Order, “Blue Monday” — live at New York City, 2005

 

New Order, “Blue Monday” — live in Glasgow, 2006

 

New Order, “Blue Monday” — live at Bestival, UK, 2012

 

PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS

 

 

10 Comments

  1. Awesome summary of the greatest song ever!

  2. Great list but missing the live “comeback” version (no Hooky but with Gillian) at The Troxy in London 10/12/2011 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUdqIzJmGCw&feature=share&list=PLC688C4504633F7BF

  3. One of my all-time favorite bands, but one of the WORST live acts I have ever witnessed. Sad, but true.

    • Absolutely agree. First time I got to see them was the Monsters of Alternative Rock tour they did around Technique, and P.I.L. absolutely stole the show right out from under them!

  4. I had just the opposite experiences, one of the top 5 live shows I have ever been to

  5. depends on the show. I have many bootlegs and some are amazing, other are just OK. I only got to see them for Technique and that show was wonderful.

  6. Wow I feel old, 30 years!!! Great band live…

  7. This is not just a retro ’80s classic song….NOT that there is anything wrong with that, but this song is still relevant, still so unique and hip.

    LOVE it! I hope New Order are enjoying some champagne right now to celebrate 30 years!

  8. I have one of Hooky’s drumsticks from the Hammerstein video!!! Great memories!!!!

  9. good song and a great band, what more can you ask for.

    New Order “Blue Monday” John Digweed & Nick Muir’s FAC 73 – 13 Mix

    http://soundcloud.com/bedrock_rec/new-order-blue-monday-john

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