Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart (12", 40th Anniversary Edition)

Joy Division's Love Will Tear Us Apart arrived in June 1980 as a non-album single, and its timing has always been inseparable from the band's story: it was released shortly after Ian Curtis' death and became Joy Division's highest-charting single. The song's lyrics are often linked to Curtis' failing marriage, but what gives it such lasting force is the tension between private collapse and the band's newly sharpened sense of melody. NME named it Single of the Year in 1980, and it still stands as the clearest example of how Joy Division could turn post-punk severity into something immediate and unforgettable.

Musically, this 12-inch pairs that famous A-side with These Days and a second version of the title track, preserving the shape of the original three-track Factory single. The contrast is part of the appeal: Love Will Tear Us Apart balances Stephen Morris' tight, mechanical pulse, Peter Hook's unmistakable bass line and a cool wash of synths against one of Curtis' most exposed vocals. Even heard now, it feels less like a period piece than a moment when the band briefly touched pop form without giving up its emotional unease.

This 2020 anniversary edition matters because these classic Joy Division singles had not been repressed or reissued since the end of Factory Records. It restores Peter Saville's original artwork on heavyweight board and brings the single back to vinyl in a form that makes sense for collectors as well as anyone building out the band's essential releases.

Features

• 12″ single, 180g, 2020 Remaster, Anniversary Edition
• Original artwork on heavyweight board

Reviews

• A chilling tale of love set adrift with an equally cool, precise accompaniment - AllMusic.com