"Licht und Blindheit" | ||||
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Single by Joy Division | ||||
A-side | "Atmosphere" | |||
B-side | "Dead Souls" | |||
Released | 18 March 1980 | |||
Format | 7-inch single | |||
Genre | Post-punk | |||
Length | 4:09 | |||
Label | Sordide Sentimental | |||
Songwriter(s) |
Bernard Sumner Peter Hook Stephen Morris Ian Curtis |
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Producer(s) | Martin Hannett | |||
Joy Division singles chronology | ||||
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"Atmosphere" | ||||
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1980 UK release
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Single by Joy Division | ||||
B-side | "She's Lost Control" | |||
Released |
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Format | ||||
Length | 4:05 | |||
Label | Factory | |||
Songwriter(s) |
Bernard Sumner Peter Hook Stephen Morris Ian Curtis |
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Producer(s) | Martin Hannett | |||
Joy Division singles chronology | ||||
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1988 release | ||||
Music video | ||||
"Atmosphere" on YouTube |
"Atmosphere" is a song by English post-punk band Joy Division. It was originally released in March 1980 by the Sordide Sentimental label 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 Factory Records with "She's Lost Control" as the B-side.
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.
The song was originally released on 18 March 1980 by the 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.