History Music / UnknownPleasures

Upon release, the album was massively acclaimed by the majority of critics, who praised its cavernous, enigmatic sound that lent to it a distinctly labyrinthine quality not previously heard in British rock. Its acclaim would only further grow after Ian Curtis' suicide, being near-unanimously upheld today as one of the greatest albums ever made. Fan favourites from this album include "Disorder", "Day of the Lords", "Insight", "She's Lost Control", "Interzone" and "Shadowplay". While the album failed to chart on initial release in the U.K. Official Albums Chart, it peaked at No. 2 on the U.K. indie chart when it was first published in January 1980. Later, the album peaked at No. 71 on the standard U.K. Albums chart when it was reissued following Ian Curtis' suicide, as well as [[DeadArtistsAreBetter topping the indie chart]] at the same time. The album completely missed the Billboard album chart when it was released stateside in October 1980, but received wide critical acclaim. The album would later go on to be placed at No. 40 on ''Magazine/{{NME}}''[='s=] [[UsefulNotes/NME500GreatestAlbumsOfAllTime 2013 list]] of the 500 greatest albums of all time, and currently sits at No. 67 on ''WebSite/AcclaimedMusic''[='s=] [[UsefulNotes/AcclaimedMusicAllTimeTopAlbums dynamic list]] of the 3000 most critically lauded albums.

* EverythingIsAnInstrument: According to the liner notes of the 2007 Collector's Edition, Martin Hannett incorporated processed samples of bottles smashing, backwards guitar, a Leslie speaker paying inside the studio building's elevator, and even a person eating crisps into the album.

* EverythingIsAnInstrument: According to the liner notes of the 2007 Collector's Edition, Martin Hannett incorporated processed samples of bottles smashing, a Leslie speaker paying inside the studio building's elevator, and even a person eating crisps into the album.

* RealLifeWritesThePlot: "She's Lost Control" was inspired by a woman with epilepsy at Ian's day job attempting to find employment for her, as well as Ian's own experiences with epilepsy. When the woman stopped showing up, he called her home to find she'd died after a seizure.

''Unknown Pleasures'' is the debut studio album by Music/JoyDivision, released in 1979 as the very first album from Creator/FactoryRecords. It would be the only full musical album front singer Ian Curtis lived to see released, as he hanged himself in 1980; a posthumous album, ''Music/{{Closer}}'', was released following Ian's suicide. Fan favourites from this album include "Disorder", "Day of the Lords", "Insight", "She's Lost Control", "Interzone" and "Shadowplay". While the album failed to chart on initial release in the U.K. Official Albums Chart, it peaked at No. 2 on the U.K. indie chart when it was first published in January 1980. The album peaked at No. 71 on the album chart when it was reissued following Ian Curtis' suicide, as well as [[DeadArtistsAreBetter topping the indie chart]]. The album completely missed the Billboard album chart when it was released stateside in October 1980, but received wide critical acclaim.

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!! Bonus Disc (2007 Remaster) (Live):

''Unknown Pleasures'' is the debut studio album by Music/JoyDivision, released in 1979. It would be the only full musical album front singer Ian Curtis lived to see released, as he hanged himself in 1980. A posthumous album, ''Music/{{Closer}}'', was released following Ian's suicide. Fan favourites from this album include "Disorder", "Day of the Lords", "Insight", "She's Lost Control", "Interzone" and "Shadowplay". While the album failed to chart on initial release in the U.K. Official Albums Chart, it peaked at No. 2 on the U.K. indie chart when it was first published in January 1980. The album peaked at No. 71 on the album chart when it was reissued following Ian Curtis' suicide, as well as [[DeadArtistsAreBetter topping the indie chart]]. The album completely missed the Billboard album chart when it was released stateside in October 1980, but received wide critical acclaim.

* ShoutOut: The Music/ArcticMonkeys album ''AM'' has an album cover that resembles ''Unknown Pleasures''.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/1_unknown_pleasures.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Tears of sadness for you. More upheaval for you. Reflects a moment in time, a special moment in time."'']]

[[AC: Side One ("Outside")]]

[[AC: Side Two ("Inside")]]

''Unknown Pleasures'' is the debut studio album by Music/JoyDivision, released in 1979. It would be the only full musical album front singer Ian Curtis lived to see released, as he hanged himself in 1980. A posthumous album, ''Music/{{Closer}}'', was released following Ian's suicide. Fan favourites from this album include "Disorder", "Day of the Lords", "Insight", "She's Lost Control", "Interzone" and "Shadowplay". While the album failed to chart on initial release in the U.K. Official Albums Chart, it peaked at No. 2 on the U.K. indie chart when it was first published in January 1980. The album peaked at No. 71 on the album chart when it was reissued following Ian Curtis' suicide, as well as [[DeadArtistsAreBetter topping the indie chart]]. The album completely missed the Billboard album chart when it was released stateside in the summer of 1980, but received wide critical acclaim.

''Unknown Pleasures'' is the debut studio album by Music/JoyDivision, released in 1979. It would be the only full musical album front singer Ian Curtis lived to see released, as he hanged himself in 1980. A posthumous album, ''Music/{{Closer}}'', was released following Ian's suicide. Fan favourites from this album include "Disorder", "Day of the Lords", "Insight", "She's Lost Control", "Interzone" and "Shadowplay". While the album failed to chart on initial release in the U.K. Official Albums Chart, it peaked at No. 2 on the U.K. indie chart when it was first published in January 1980. The album peaked at No. 71 on the album chart when it was reissued following Ian Curtis' suicide, as well as [[DeadAristsAreBetter topping the indie chart]]. The album completely missed the Billboard album chart when it was released stateside in the summer of 1980, but received wide critical acclaim.

''Unknown Pleasures'' is the debut studio album by Music/JoyDivision, released in 1979. It would be the only full musical album front singer Ian Curtis lived to see released, as he hanged himself in 1980. A posthumous album, ''Music/{{Closer}}'', was released following Ian's suicide. Fan favourites from this album include "Disorder", "Day of the Lords", "Insight", "She's Lost Control", "Interzone" and "Shadowplay".

* EchoingAcoustics: Martin Hannett's production used a lot of reverb, courtesy of then-new digital delay.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/89163ba90dbbd527bc8494850213ffeb.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350: ''"Tears of sadness for you. More upheaval for you. Reflects a moment in time, a special moment in time."'']]

!! ''Control losing tropes'':

* RealLifeWritesThePlot: "She's Lost Control" was inspired by a woman with epilepsy at Ian's day job attempting to find employment for her, as well as Ian's own experiences with epliepsy. When the woman stopped showing up, he called her hoem to find she'd died after a seizure.

* EpicRocking: "I Remember Nothing", which is almost six minutes long.

* AMindIsATerribleThingToRead: Assuming that the lyrics reflect Ian Curtis's thoughts.

* NonIndicativeName: This gloomy album is not about "unknown pleasures" at all. Or, in a sense of FridgeBrilliance, it is, since those feelings are "unknown".

* YouCannotKillAnIdea: Subverted in "Wilderness":

Where will it end? Where will it end?"''\\
-- '''"Day of the Lords"'''

* StrawNihilist: This album could be the trope's soundtrack.

''Unknown Pleasures'' is the debut studio album by Music/JoyDivision, released in 1979. It would be the only full musical album front singer Ian Curtis lived to see released, before he hung himself. A posthumous album, ''Music/{{Closer}}'', would be released in 1980. Fan favourites from this album include "Disorder", "Day of the Lords", "Insight", "She's Lost Control", "Interzone" and "Shadowplay".

* AccentuateTheNegative: It isn't exactly known for being upbeat.

* DeliberatelyMonochrome: The black album cover. I mean, what other colour (apart from blue) could summarize the feelings you get from listening to those songs?

* DrivenToSuicide: It may be easier to name the lyrics that don't refer it in some way.

* EpicRocking: "I Remember Nothing" is almost six minutes long.

* LettingTheAirOutOfTheBand: At the end of "Candidate".

* AMindIsATerribleThingToRead: Most of the lyrics are disturbing if you think this is what might have gone through Curtis' head in the days before he committed suicide.

* StrawNihilist: Need to explain this one?

* TearsOfRemorse: "Shadowplay" where Curtis feels guilty of letting the assassins "use you for their own ends".

* WretchedHive: The entire world seems to be this in Curtis' lyrics.

'''''Unknown Pleasures''''' is the debut studio album by Music/JoyDivision, released in 1979. It would be the only full musical album front singer Ian Curtis lived to see released, before he hung himself. A posthumous album, ''Music/{{Closer}}'', would be released in 1980. Fan favourites from this album include "Disorder", "Day of the Lords", "Insight", "She's Lost Control", "Interzone" and "Shadowplay".

[[caption-width-right:350: ''"Tears of sadness for you. More upheaval for you. Reflects a moment in time, A special moment in time."'']]

* DenOfIniquity: "Day of the Lords".

* DespairEventHorizon: Most songs would apply, most strikingly in "New Dawn Fades" where Curtis sings he's not afraid any-more to make an end to his life.

* HumansAreBastards: "Wilderness".
--> ''"I travelled far and wide through prisons of the cross''

* InnocentBystander: The protagonist in "Shadowplay".

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: "Shadowplay"

* ReligionIsWrong: "Wilderness" (though to be fair, it's mostly about atrocities committed in the name of Christ)

--> ''(...)The blood of Christ on their skins''
* ShoutOut: The Music/ArcticMonkeys album ''[=AM=]'' has an album cover that resembles ''Unknown Pleasures''.

* SuicideIsPainless: "Insight".

--> ''I'm not afraid any-more''
--> ''I'm not afraid any-more''
--> ''I'm not afraid any-more''
--> ''Oh, I'm not afraid any-more''

* TimeTravel: "Wilderness", in which Curtis sings as if he's an ancient traveller who saw nothing but mankind's misery and despair around him.

'''''Unknown Pleasures''''' is the debut studio album by Music/JoyDivision, released in 1979. It would be the only full musical album front singer Ian Curtis lived to see released, before he hung himself. A posthumous album, ''Music/{{Closer}}'', would be released in 1980. Fan favourites from this album include "Disorder", "Day Of The Lords", "Insight", "She's Lost Control", "Interzone" and "Shadowplay".

# "Day Of The Lords" (4:49)

!!Principal Members:

!! ''Control losing tropes''

* AllForNothing: "Candidate"
--> ''I campaigned for nothing, I worked hard for this''
* AwfulWeddedLife: "Candidate".

* TheBadGuyWins: "Day Of The Lords"

* DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife: "Disorder".

* MaddenIntoMisanthropy: "She's Lost Control".

* MindScrew: "She's Lost Control"

* AccentuateTheNegative: This is a very gloomy album. But then again, its a Joy Divison album, after all.

* ContinuityNod: "Leave Me Alone" from Music/NewOrder's ''Music/PowerCorruptionAndLies'' (1983) uses the same chord progression (on bass, at least) as "Shadowplay" from "Unknown Pleasures", albeit in a different key and slowed down a little.

* AccentuateTheNegative: This is a very gloomy album.

* NonIndicativeName: This gloomy album is not about ''"unknown pleasures"'' at all. Or, in a sense of FridgeBrilliance, it is, since those feelings are ''"unknown"''.
* PostPunk: Cornerstone of the genre.

* ShoutOut:
** The Music/ArcticMonkeys album ''[=AM=]'' has an album cover that resembles ''Unknown Pleasures''.

[[caption-width-right:350: ''Tears of sadness for you. More upheaval for you. Reflects a moment in time, A special moment in time.'']]

->''This is the car at the edge of the road,\\

Where will it end? Where will it end?''\\

--> ''I travelled far and wide through prisons of the cross''

--> ''The blood of Christ on their skins''

--> ''As the assassins all grouped in four lines, dancing on the floor,''

--> ''But I could only stare in disbelief as the crowds all left.''