NME has named Joy Division’s Love Will Tear Us Apart the greatest track of the last 60 years.
The masterpiece, released in 1980, tops the list of the 100 greatest tracks of NME’s lifetime, compiled by NME staff as part of the magazine’s 60th birthday celebrations.
Peter Hook says: 'It still sends a shiver down my spine, especially because I knew the people involved. It masquerades as this cute little pop song, which is one of its delightful ironies. But I would’ve hated it to be written about me.'
Love Will Tear Us Apart is closely followed by Pulp’s 90s hit, Common People, at number two on the list. Written by Jarvis Cocker about a girl he met at art school, the track became an instant hit at a time when Britpop was snowballing.
Jarvis Cocker says: 'I’m quite proud of that song. If I didn’t feel excited about playing it, that’s how I’d know it was time to get rid of the high heels and call it a day.'
The third greatest track of the last 60 years according to NME is David Bowie’s 'Heroes'. It turned out to be the most unrestrainedly cinematic piece of melodrama he’d ever written and, although the single release stalled in the charts, it has since become one of his most covered songs.
NME editor Krissi Murison says: "Influential, era-defining or just plain anthemic, the 100 tracks in this list aren't just the soundtrack to NME magazine's 60 year history, they're the soundtrack to pretty much every key moment in pop music full stop - from Elvis Presley to Azealia Banks, via The Stones, The Smiths, David Bowie and Dizzee Rascal!"
The list contains big-name classics, as well as more recent hits, all of which NME believe deserve a spot.
Tracks include Good Vibrations by The Beach Boys (4), She Bangs The Drums by The Stone Roses (6). Fix Up, Look Sharp by Dizzee Rascal (9), Wonderwall by Oasis (10), Billy Jean by Michael Jackson (13) and Boys Don’t Cry by The Cure (16).
The full list of 100 is published in this week’s issue of NME.
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