The discography of English post-punk band Joy Division consists of two studio albums, five live albums, twelve compilation albums, three extended plays, and five singles. The list does not include material performed by former members of Joy Division that was recorded as New Order (formed by the surviving members of the band after the death of singer Ian Curtis) or related side projects.
Joy Division was formed in 1976 by Bernard Sumner and Peter Hook after attending a June 1976 Sex Pistols concert. The first official release as Joy Division was an extended play, An Ideal for Living (1978). After releasing four singles, they released their debut studio album, Unknown Pleasures (1979). It entered the national charts of New Zealand, United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Italia, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland, and was certified silver by Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana, Recorded Music NZ, and British Phonographic Industry.
On 18 May 1980, the eve of the band's first North American tour, Curtis was found dead in his home. The band's second and final album, Closer (1980), was released two months later to critical acclaim, charting in New Zealand, United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, German, Ireland, Italia, Poland, Portugal, Scotland, Spain and Switzerland. The band re-formed as New Order, with Sumner on vocals; they later recruited Stephen Morris's girlfriend Gillian Gilbert as keyboardist and second guitarist.
Albums
Studio albums + List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and certificationsTitleDetailsPeak chart positionsCertificationsUKPeak chart positions in the United Kingdom: All except The Complete BBC Recordings: The Complete BBC Recordings: UK IndieAUS GERNZ Unknown PleasuresReleased: 15 June 1979 Label: Factory Formats: CD, LP, cassette 5 1 82 20 1BPI: Platinum CloserReleased: 18 July 1980 Label: Factory Formats: CD, LP, cassette 6 1 23 13 3 BPI: Gold
Live albums Title Details Preston 28 February 1980Released: 22 June 1999 Label: NMC Formats: CD, LP Les Bains Douches 18 December 1979Released: April 2001 Label: NMC Formats: CD, LP Fractured BoxReleased: August 2001 Label: NMC Format: 2-CD set Re-fractured BoxReleased: January 2004 Label: NMC Format: 3-CD set Eternal: LiveReleased: September 2026 Label: Warner Format: 14 CD and 2 DVD box set
Compilation albums + List of compilation albums, with selected chart positions and certifications Title Details Peak chart positions Certifications UK UK Indie AUS BEL (FL) CANRPM https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/home/record?IdNumber=7980&app=rpm Retrieved June 18, 2025 NLD NZ SWE US StillReleased: 9 October 1981 Label: Factory Formats: CD, 2xLP, cassette 5 1 73 —— — 3 33 —BPI: Gold SubstanceReleased: 11 July 1988 Label: Factory Formats: CD, LP, cassette, DAT 7 1 53 —88 25 15 — 146BPI: Gold The Peel SessionsReleased: September 1990 Label: Strange Fruit Formats: CD, LP 96 — — —— — — — — PermanentReleased: 19 June 1995 Label: London Formats: CD, 2xLP, cassette 16 — — —— — — — — BPI: Gold Heart and SoulReleased: December 1997 Label: London Format: 4-CD set 70 — — —— — — — — The Complete BBC RecordingsReleased: August 2000 Label: Strange Fruit Format: CD 188 — — —— — — — — The Best of Joy DivisionReleased: 24 March 2008 Labels: London, Rhino Format: 2-CD set 63 — 97 45— 100 — — —BPI: Gold +− Singles 1978–80Released: 6 December 2010 Labels: London, Rhino Format: 10× 7", 10× 7" + 2× CD, digital download — — — —— — — — — Total: From Joy Division to New OrderReleased: 6 June 2011 Labels: WEA UK, Rhino Format: CD 51 — — —— — — — — BPI: Gold "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Extended plays +List of extended plays, with selected chart positionsTitleDetailsPeak chart positionsUKUK Indie An Ideal for LivingReleased: 3 June 1978 Label: Enigma Formats: 7", LP — — The Peel SessionsReleased: November 1986 Label: Strange Fruit Format: LP 96 4 The Peel SessionsReleased: September 1987 Label: Strange Fruit Format: LP 98 3 "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Singles +List of singles, with selected chart positions and certificationsTitleYearPeak chart positionsCertificationsAlbumUKUK IndieIRENZUS Dance"Transmission"1979—4—2—rowspan="5" "Licht und blindheit"1980—————"Love Will Tear Us Apart"13119142 BPI: 2× Platinum RMNZ: Platinum"Komakino"—————"Atmosphere" / "She's Lost Control"341271— "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. Other certified songs +List of songs, with selected certificationsTitleYearCertificationsAlbum "Disorder" 1979 BPI: Silver RMNZ: Gold Unknown Pleasures
Video albums Title Details Certifications Here Are the Young MenReleased: August 1982 Label: Factory Format: VHS Their Own Story in Their Own WordsReleased: 2007 Label: Universal Format: DVD BPI: Gold
Other appearances Song(s)YearAlbumComments"At a Later Date"1978Short Circuit: Live at the Electric CircusLive version from an Electric Circus, Manchester concert in 1977."Digital"A Factory SampleLater released on Substance."Glass""Auto-Suggestion"1979Earcom 2: Contradiction"From Safety to Where...?""Shadowplay"2017Silhouettes and Statues: A Gothic Revolution 1978–1986
See also List of songs recorded by Joy Division
Notes
References
External links