Unknown Pleasures
by Joy Division

Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division
Year: 1979
Release date: 1979-06-15
Overall rank: 39th   Overall chart history
Average Rating: 
86/100 (from 2,351 votes)
  Ratings distribution   Average rating history
Accolades:
Award Top 5 albums of 1979 (3rd)
Award Top 10 albums of the 1970s (9th)
Award Top 50 albums of all time (39th)

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Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures+ [New Vinyl LP] 180 Gram
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Joy Division Unknown Pleasures Vinyl LP Record Album 2015 Reissue
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Joy Division bestography

Unknown Pleasures is ranked as the best album by Joy Division.

Joy Division album bestography « Higher ranked
-
This album (39th)
Unknown Pleasures
Lower ranked (80th) »
Closer

(N.B. Bestographies include all albums by an artist (and their variations), but do not include albums ranked outside the top 100,000).

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Unknown Pleasures track list

  Track ratings The tracks on this album have an average rating of 87 out of 100 (all tracks have been rated).

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Track
Rating/Comments
1.
Track pick (920 - 676 votes)
Average Rating: 92 (676 votes)Comments: View 14
6.
Track pick (910 - 597 votes)
Average Rating: 91 (597 votes)Comments: View 10
7.
Track pick (900 - 562 votes)
Average Rating: 90 (562 votes)Comments: View 11

Track pick (1000 - 100 votes) Top-rated track as rated by BestEverAlbums.com members.

Unknown Pleasures rankings

Rankings summary
Overall rank: 39th | 1970s rank: 9th | 1979 rank: 3rd

Unknown Pleasures collection

Unknown Pleasures ratings

Average Rating: 
86/100 (from 2,351 votes)
  Ratings distribution Help Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AV
where:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.

Showing latest 5 ratings for this album.  | Show all 2,351 ratings for this album.

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RatingDate updatedMemberAlbum ratingsAvg. album rating
 
100/100
 
3 days ago evo  Ratings distribution  24371/100
 
95/100
 
05/05/2026 16:36 Steve_Emmett  Ratings distribution  11867/100
 
50/100
 
04/30/2026 17:02 Pavloss  Ratings distribution  40150/100
 
65/100
 
04/29/2026 00:51 oilnoilnoilnoil  Ratings distribution  26778/100
 
100/100
 
04/25/2026 07:56 Leonard  Ratings distribution  6,56570/100

Rating metrics: Help Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
(*In practice, some albums can have several thousand ratings)

This album is rated in the top 1% of all albums on BestEverAlbums.com. This album has a Bayesian average rating of 86.0/100, a mean average of 85.0/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 86.1/100. The standard deviation for this album is 15.0.

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Unknown Pleasures comments

Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 191 comments |
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Rating:  
90/100
From 01/25/2026 12:38 | #312800
I remember hearing this one for the first time coming back at night from a karting race. A new world was opening up!
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
80/100
From 04/21/2025 12:07 | #308664
My knowledge of Joy Division is limited to the movie Control, and hearing Love Will Tear Us Apart on the radio. It turns out, every album I love owes a bunch to this.

Great vibes, great writing, a precursor to modern punk, it's stupid it took me this long.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
75/100
From 04/20/2024 08:29 | #303076
Ian Curtis (1956 - 1980), the musician, lead singer and lyricist of post-punk Joy Division is the mind and voice of this, the band's, debut album.
The music is of a high quality and the message in the lyrics are well-stated and apparently sincere. Not to appreciate the album's importance, so close to its mentor´s passing, would therefore be callous and insensitive.

Despite its unquestionable excellence, however, not being a record of my particular favourite genres, I won't be going out to buy it. Not right now, anyway.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 02/22/2024 21:12 | #302149
I've been listening to this album for the last 40 years now from a young boy to a middle-aged dad and it has never lost it's impact in all these years. What would Ian think I don't know? He'd probably frown and crack open another can.

This is simply the greatest album ever produced in my opinion from one of the best environments for music- Manchester, Factory records, Tony Wilson and finally the genius that was Martin Hannett who was largely responsible for much of the 'sound' of Joy Division.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 02/12/2024 16:57 | #301949
Relate way too much to the "sound" of this album if that makes sense
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 01/03/2024 15:18 | #300873
Un álbum Badass!

Escuchar "Unknown Pleasures" me hizo sentir como si fuera el antihéroe de una película de acción ochentera.

Tiene un sonido directo, oscuro y potente, básicamente es todo lo que esperarías de un álbum Post-Punk.

Además, tiene excelentes canciones como: "Disorder", "Day of the Lords", "New Dawn Fades", "Shadowplay" y mi favorita del disco "Interzone" creo haberla escuchado en un videojuego de Tony Hawk cuando jugaba en el ps2 hace muchos años, aunque no recuerdo bien, pero qué más da, es una gran canción y simplemente no puedo dejar de escucharla
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 05/18/2023 10:58 | #297056
A heavy and dark record that doesn't offer any rest from the gloom which can overpower a lot of new listeners. If you enjoy a tense atmosphere, just like I do, then this record will be a perfect match for you. It is unrelenting with its atmosphere than can so easily smother anyone that listens to it. Every member of the group contributes to this environment with each one giving a fantastic performance. The guitars are distorted and the drum pattern provides a brilliant foundation to build upon. The vocal technique and style is one of the most unique I have ever heard and gives an extra feeling of uneasiness especially on songs such as She's Lost Control and I Remember Nothing. When it all comes together it creates a moody and distinct atmosphere that I love to get lost in time and time again. Overall, this album might not be for everyone but the dark tone and atmosphere works brilliantly for me making it one of the most enjoyable experiences I have had with a record.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
25/100
From 03/16/2023 17:07 | #295062
Surprised I didn't like this given I like some of Joy Division/New Order's singles. Disorder and New Dawn Fades are great, but I found the rest of the album very monotonous and boring. Massively overrated for me.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -2 votes (1 helpful | 3 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 10/08/2022 18:35 | #290293
So ahead of their time. Especially with unknown pleasures. Sounds like an album that could’ve been made in AT LEAST the early 90’s. Truly one of the best ever
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 08/31/2022 03:23 | #289069
Great album
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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Best Albums of 1979
1. London Calling by The Clash
2. The Wall by Pink Floyd
3. Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division
4. Fear Of Music by Talking Heads
5. Off The Wall by Michael Jackson
6. Breakfast In America by Supertramp
7. Entertainment! by Gang Of Four
8. Highway To Hell by AC/DC
9. Rust Never Sleeps by Neil Young & Crazy Horse
10. Reggatta De Blanc by The Police
11. Tusk by Fleetwood Mac
12. Damn The Torpedoes by Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
13. Ambient 1: Music For Airports by Brian Eno
14. Metal Box by Public Image Ltd.
15. Armed Forces by Elvis Costello And The Attractions
16. The B-52's by The B-52's
17. Specials by The Specials
18. Setting Sons by The Jam
19. Singles Going Steady by Buzzcocks
20. 154 by Wire