Back in 2020, legendary punk frontman Henry Rollins placed Joy Division among the greatest rock acts of all time. It’s a bold declaration, but Rollins is not alone in it. In an interview with The Sound of Vinyl, Rollins gives Joy Division their due credit. “When they finally write the real book on rock ‘n’ roll,” Rollins declares, “When the dust settles, and the truth is finally told, when they finally get it right, one of the bands at the top of the mountain along with all of your David Bowies and Rolling Stones will be Joy Division.” As he makes this declaration, he holds up a copy of Joy Division’s debut album.
Rollins doubles down: “They are easily as great as any band that has ever existed. Their first album, Unknown Pleasures, is an absolute masterpiece. I can not recommend this record to you more strongly. It is the introduction to what will be your long and very happy relationship with Joy Division’s music.”
He isn’t wrong, as many defining artists throughout the years have been influenced by this 1979 album. Even more recently, actor and musician Keanu Reeves went viral for his love of Joy Division. On September 21, 2026, Reeves introduced former Joy Division guitarist Peter Hook & The Light at The Warfield in San Francisco. After the introduction, a video emerged of Reeves on the balcony of the venue, enthusiastically dancing around while the band performed the Joy Division track “Love Will Tear Us Apart”.
Other Artists Who Have Praised Joy Division
This praise for the post-punk doesn’t stop there. In January 2026, Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins spoke on Joy Division’s influence in an interview with Track Star. Corgan stated, “I’ve argued for a good 20 years that probably outside of The Beatles, Joy Division is the most influential rock band. I think it speaks for itself. They sort of crystallized post-punk in a way that few bands ever did, and they became the template for so many bands that have followed.”
Their influence was so captivating that one major defining artist of the 1990s avoided listening to the band. That artist was Kurt Cobain of Nirvana. In an interview, Cobain stated, “I stayed away from Joy Division because I heard a few of their songs and I know that I would probably really like it, and just the mystique about it and the stories I’ve heard. I know that’s the band to listen to.”
Joy Division’s lasting effect is unique, as the band only released one studio album while vocalist Ian Curtis was alive. Curtis committed suicide the night before the band was set to embark on a North American tour, following the release of Unknown Pleasures. Ahead of this tragedy, the album peaked at No. 2 on the first publication of the Indie Albums Chart in January 1980. Just one month after Curtis’ death, Joy Division released the single “Love Will Tear Us Apart” in June 1980. In July, they released their second and final studio album, Closer. The remaining members later formed New Order.
Photo by Rob Verhorst/Redferns
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