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One of the most de-pressing albums ever made, with droning guitars and synthesizers, chilly bass lines, stentorian vocals and drums that sound as if they're steadily beating out the rhythm of doom. And that's not even considering the lyrics, which are about singer Ian Curtis' failing marriage and how he suffered from epilepsy. (Curtis hanged himself on May 18th, 1980, at the age of twenty-three -- the rest of the band regrouped as New Order; see No. 361.) Though Joy Division fully earned their reputation as England's most harrowing punk band, they weren't always gloomy; on trips from Manchester to London, they'd pass the time by mooning other cars.
Total album sales: Under 500,000
Peak chart position: N/A