On this day in 1983, New Order released one of the most important tracks in the alternative music history: “Blue Monday”.
“Blue Monday” is the best-selling 12-inch single of all-time, serving as the “Big Bang” for modern electronic dance music (EDM), bridging the gap between the late-’70s post-punk gloom and the club culture of the ‘80s and beyond.
New Order are also regarded as technologic pioneers. They immersed themselves in synthesizers, drum machines, and sequencers, creating a sound that was groundbreaking for its era. They even famously sampled Kraftwerk. This inventive use of technology redefined production standards and heavily influenced the development of genres like house and techno.
Its impact is still felt today, inspiring innumerable musicians ranging from The Chemical Brothers and The Prodigy to Arctic Monkeys, and its rhythms can still be heard in modern electronic and pop music. DJs are still playing, remixing, and sampling it.
The veteran music producer Arthur Baker (New Order, Afrika Bambaataa, Pet Shop Boys, Tommy Boy Records) believed that without New Order’s willingness to work with remixers, acts like The Chemical Brothers likely wouldn’t have emerged, suggesting their sound was a direct beneficiary of New Order’s trailblazing in legitimizing dance music for a broader audience. It strongly implies that “Blue Monday” has influenced the Chemical Brothers’ sound.
This specific concert at Switch, a British TV show on Channel 4, is frequently recognized by fans as one of the best “live” recordings of “Blue Monday” from that era. At the time, New Order notably struggled to execute the song live due to the temperamental technology—massive sequencers and early drum machines.
I do care if Monday’s blue! (Sorry, Robert Smith.)
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Featured image via The Guardian.
