Interesting looking at the ones they've already done. I can't believe that the REM No.1 was Fall On Me.
I mean yeah I know it, but honestly I barely even like it (could it be one of those tunes that everyone voted for but it's no one's favourite?). One of the joint No. 2s: Radio Free Europe is much better IMHO, and always makes me think "they were listening to Joy Division". They're just about to re-release Automatic For the People as a deluxe fancy thing. It must be what, 25 years old now??

I don't listen to the Smiths much these days, mostly because despite what my teenage self might say, Morrissey sounds a bit miserable. But looking through the list I'm reminded of the overall high quality of their stuff.

As for Depeche Mode, I have never described myself as a fan of the band, but looking back, I have owned at least four of their albums at some point in my life (Some Great Reward, Black Celebration, Music For the Masses, Violator) which is almost as many decent albums as NO have made. Looking through their tracks I must admit I'm quite fond of...well, all of the top 5 along with Stripped, Behind The Wheel, Personal Jesus. In fact pretty much all of the top 14. Loved the grainy B&W Anton Corbjin videos for tracks like Never Let Me Down again in 1987, nice moody vibes. The bluesy I Feel You, and Walking in My Shoes are probably the last things by them that I liked which leads me to think that Songs of Faith & Devotion may have been their last good LP. Can any Depeche Mode fans confirm?

As for NO, I kinda went through the albums chronologically, and then the stand-alone singles. I suspect there are a couple on my list that people may baulk at.
Incidentally I think splitting Run and Run2 will split the vote on what should be a high ranking track. And it's a bad idea.

Age Of Consent
YSF

Love Vig
TPK 12"
Sub Culture
Elegia

BLT
All Day Long

Run
Vanishing Point
Dream Attack
All The Way

Regret

Crystal

WFTSC

Singularity
Nothing But a Fool
Academic

Ceremony
EGG
Temptation
Blue Monday
True Faith
1963
TBTHOG

Can’t remember what the final top ten was for R.E.M. but if Pretty Persuasion, So. Central Rain and Boxcars weren’t in there, I’d be annoyed.
Anything after the IRS years with R.E.M. kind of left me a little cold. I think they became a little too mainstream. Green has some good moments though.

I’m a massive Depeche fan and would state that anything after SOFAD really isn’t worth listening to. There’s a handful of reasonable tracks on the remaining 6 albums but, to be honest, I’m struggling to name them.
‘Wrong’ is great. That’s probably the only really decent thing they’ve done in over twenty years. All IMHO, of course.

Fall on Me is Johnny Marr's favourite R.E.M. track.

I was too mean to the cure, so here are
All cats are grey
Caterpiller
Charlotte Sometimes?
I"'ll run away with you
Plainsong
Pictures of you

And Rem- radio free europe, and songs from the gargoyle first album

Depeche- just can't get enough, but honestly ,
Je Vais a la Peche , by the flying pops is better.

I think this is more difficult and made all the more so due to the occasional 'messing about' tracks (e.g. the Hacienda flexi) that the band did. I think some of these were just experimental and, probably in the case of the Xmas tracks, they're meant to be a bit terrible.

The soundtrack work is also problematic. I mean, who really wants to listen to 'Get Out'? There's nothing wrong with it, per se, but if you were listing tracks by New Order that you'd skip through on a 'complete playlist', this one would probably be on the list. If you include all the soundtrack stuff in your list, you'd get to 10 before you'd get around to including some of the proper songs you disliked.

That being said, I'll give it a go. Here is my list of 'proper' New Order tracks that I think are the worst (in no particular order):

1) Chemical (just plain terrible)
2) Rock The Shack (probably not as hated by me as it is by others, but still fairly awful)
3) Liar (too cheesy)
4) Slow Jam (boring; terrible lyrics - "the sea was very rough; it made me feel sick. But I like that kind of stuff; it beats arithmetic")
5) Superheated (far too nice; sugary-sweet)
6) Run Wild (bleuurrgh! Sappy lyrics "when Jesus comes to take your hand, I won't let go")
7) Vietnam (can we consider this, seeing as if it's a cover?)
8) Krafty (never sure why this was a single; 'Guilt' would've been a far better choice)
9) Working Overtime (...I'm struggling to get to 10 at this point)
10) I Told You So (bit boring, but not terrible)

Just for information, here are the ones I excluded from my listings before I even started to try to pull this together:

1) Ode To Joy
2) Rocking Carol
3) Are you ready, are you ready, are you ready for this?
4) Theme (Hommage à MGM)
5) Get Out
6) Exit
7) Hypnosis
8) Sputnik
9) Skullcrusher
10) Salvation Theme
11) Video 586 (which would never make my list of worst tracks; it's awesome)
12) The Happy One (again, see above; great tune)
13) Peter Saville Soundtrack

There's probably at least 5 or 6 of these that, if included, would supplant some of the tracks in my main list. It just didn't feel right / fair including these 'throwaway' / 'soundtrack' type pieces.

I don't believe it.

I think Chemical, Liar and Rock The Shack would be on most people's 'worst' list.

As regards 'Face Up', I've always thought that it's a bit of a mess. I've grown to accept it over the years but, back in the day, I felt it really let down 'Low Life' and was the only weak track on there (yeah I like Sooner Than You Think which, I know, isn't to everybody's taste).

I was quite surprised when Steve said in a recent interview that he 'thought it was a fantastic, fantastic song'. I think it works better performed live than on the record.

Probably just stuttering.
Sorry to repeat myself but LowLife goes WAY downhill after the midway mark.
I seem to remember a RaiseThePressure Marr being asked what his least favourite NO track was and his responding STYT.
PS I was right https://imgur.com/TmAiqjz

Edited by user 13 November 2017 10:38:38(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Yeah - 'hate' is all relative. I don't 'hate' any New Order like I 'hate' say, Simply Red / The Lighthouse Family etc.

I love 'Hurt'. Adore it even. Magnificent, bonkers stuff.

Face Up I find a little bothersome but, again, I think that's relative; the rest of Low Life is wonderful, IMHO, so it kind of sticks out like a sore thumb.
Still, it's infinitely better than Chemical.

But, but, but... Elegia and Sub-Culture.
That bass coming in at 3 minutes 20 seconds in the latter is EASILY one of the greatest bits of music ever consigned to vinyl.
FACT!

I beg to differ.

He also says he doesn't particularly like This Charming Man! FFS. Having said that I agree on Sooner Than You Think. My other least fave Low Life track is Sunrise (although the intro is cool) , so that's one from each side.




Exactly.


"This video contains content from BBC Worldwide, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds." UK that is.


Nice try! Directors use music any way they want in a film. Most songs don't get played in full in any film. I remember being thrilled to hear Elegia and TLU in Pretty In Pink as I only expected Shellshock in there. The way Elegia was used to convey tumoil/upset was excellent. Hughes wasn't dismissing NO, he was embracing them.


Referring back to that 'Lec interview, I would suggest that's better than the sacharine lyrics of say, Celine Dion. And regardless of the subject matter it's a great tune.

LowLife's a strange one for me. It's considered a classic, not only by the fans, but by journos (so it must be true). In those 'Best LPs ever' - if they include NO at all, it's always Technique. And if they include a second NO one, it's always LowLife. But for me, it only boasts 4 awesome tracks (including a PK edit that makes Razormaid sound like Trevor Horny). Give me the joy, experimentation and sense of renewal of PCL any day.