A-side "Atmosphere" Format 7-inch single Length 4:09 | B-side "Dead Souls" Genre Post-punk | |
Released 18 March 1980 (1980-03-18) | ||
"Atmosphere" is a song by English post-punk band Joy Division. It was originally released in March 1980 by record label Sordide Sentimental as "Licht und Blindheit" (German for "Light and Blindness"), a France-only limited edition single featuring the track "Dead Souls" as the B-side. Following Ian Curtis's death two months later, it was re-released as a 12" single by record label Factory with "She's Lost Control" as the B-side.
Contents
The single was re-released in 1988 to coincide with the release of the compilation album Substance, and a music video was produced for the song.
Release
The song was originally released on 18 March 1980 by record label Sordide Sentimental as a France-only single under the title "Licht und Blindheit" (German for "Light and Blindness"). It was limited to 1578 copies and featured the track "Dead Souls" as the B-side. John Peel played "Atmosphere" for the first time on his show on 11 March 1980 and "Dead Souls" the following night.
Following the death of lead singer Ian Curtis in May 1980, "Atmosphere" was released as a single along with "She's Lost Control". "Atmosphere" was the A-side for the UK release but the B-side for the USA release. "She's Lost Control" is an alternative version of the one that appears on the band's debut album Unknown Pleasures. The single peaked at number 1 in New Zealand in August 1981, and it would later re-chart there in July 1984 (number 17) and when it was reissued in August 1988 (number 5). "Atmosphere" also hit number 34 in the UK Singles Chart during June 1988, and pick the number 2 spot on the uk indie chart in July 1988.
The single was re-released in 1988 to coincide with the release of the compilation album Substance.
Music video
A music video was released for the song with the single's re-release in 1988. It contains characters wearing black-hooded cloaks and white burial shrouds. It was directed by Anton Corbijn (Responsible for much of the early Joy Division photography, and who later directed the Ian Curtis biopic Control).
Reception
Ned Raggett of AllMusic wrote, "'Atmosphere' is another one of those prime Joy Division songs, like 'Transmission' or 'Love Will Tear Us Apart', where Martin Hannett's production becomes so essential to the end result that it couldn't have been heard otherwise", noting that, in regards to Ian Curtis's mental state and subsequent death, "there's a feeling of a requiem here, an awesome musical farewell."
Joy Division bassist Peter Hook has said he regards the song as the band's greatest.
Legacy
NME voted the song number 1 in its list "The 20 Greatest Goth Tracks".
The song featured in the film 24 Hour Party People just after Ian Curtis's suicide is portrayed. The song is also used at the end of the Ian Curtis biopic Control. It was also played at Tony Wilson's funeral.
The song was used in Episode 2 of the British TV series Misfits.
The song was used in Episode 4 of the Netflix series Stranger Things.
Track listings
All songs written and composed by Joy Division (Ian Curtis, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris and Bernard Sumner).