New Order Albums vs Foo Fighters Albums: From Joy Division to Nirvana’s Legacy
Mike BellNew Order vs Foo Fighters - a brace of unique discographies; New Order has 10 albums, and Foo Fighters has 11. Lineup changes impacted their sound. Foo Fighters sold over 32 million albums globally compared to New Order’s 3.79 million, showing a wider market reach.
Studio Albums
New Order’s 10 albums (as plotted in my music map) , starting with Movement in 1981 and ending with Music Complete in 2015, highlight their shift from post-punk to electronic influences, with key releases like Power, Corruption & Lies (1983) and Technique (1989).
Foo Fighters 11 albums (shown across my Nirvana/Foo Fighters tube map), from their 1995 self-titled debut to But Here We Were in 2023, maintain a rock foundation, with notable albums like The Colour and the Shape (1997) and Wasting Light (2011).
Lineup Changes and Session Artists
New Order began with Joy Division members Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, and Stephen Morris, later adding Gillian Gilbert, but saw a major change with Hook’s 2007 departure, replaced by Tom Chapman.
Foo Fighters started as Dave Grohl’s solo project, expanding to include Nate Mendel, William Goldsmith, Pat Smear, Taylor Hawkins, Chris Shiflett, Rami Jaffee, and Josh Freese. Hawkins’s death in 2022 led to Freese’s addition. Both used session artists, with Foo Fighters integrating them permanently, an unexpected detail given New Order’s core focus.
Sales Performance
Foo Fighters’ over 32 million album sales, led by Greatest Hits (2009) at over 3 million, contrast with New Order’s over 3.79 million, with Substance (1987) at 1.1 million. Foo Fighters dominate globally, while New Order’s sales are UK-centric, reflecting their niche appeal.
Transformations
New Order’s shift from Joy Division’s dark post-punk to electronic dance music, influencing Madchester, contrasts with Foo Fighters’ move from Nirvana’s grunge to mainstream rock, with Dave Grohl’s frontman role driving their success.
Detailed Comparison of New Order and Foo Fighters
New Order vs Foo Fighters - both are pivotal bands in rock music, each with unique trajectories in studio albums, lineup changes, session artists, sales performance, and transformations from their predecessors, Joy Division and Nirvana. This analysis provides a comprehensive examination, drawing on detailed discographic and commercial data to highlight their similarities and differences.
Studio Albums: A Tale of Two Discographies
New Order has released 10 studio albums, beginning with Movement in 1981, which reflected their post-punk roots from Joy Division and reaching Music Complete in 2015. Key albums include Power, Corruption & Lies (1983), featuring the iconic “Blue Monday,” which became the best-selling 12-inch single ever, and Technique (1989), which embraced acid house and influenced the Madchester movement, peaking at number one in the UK and 17 in the US. Their discography showcases a blend of post-punk, synthpop, and electronic dance, with albums like Low-Life (1985) and Brotherhood (1986) bridging these styles.
Foo Fighters, in contrast, have released 11 studio albums, starting with their self-titled debut in 1995, recorded mostly by Dave Grohl alone, and ending with But Here We Are in 2023, their first without Taylor Hawkins. Their evolution is marked by albums like The Colour and the Shape (1997), which reached number 10 in the UK and 10 in the US, and Wasting Light (2011), topping charts in both markets. Albums like In Your Honor (2005), a double disc with acoustic and electric tracks, and Sonic Highways (2014), tied to a TV miniseries, reflect their rock versatility, from grunge roots to alternative and pop-rock.
A table summarizing their studio albums and peak chart positions is provided below:
|
Band |
Number of Studio Albums |
Debut Album (Year, UK Peak) |
Notable Album (Year, UK Peak, US Peak) |
Latest Album (Year, UK Peak, US Peak) |
|
New Order |
10 |
Movement (1981, 30) |
Technique (1989, 1, 17) |
Music Complete (2015, 2, 5) |
|
Foo Fighters |
11 |
Foo Fighters (1995, 3) |
Wasting Light (2011, 1, 1) |
But Here We Are (2023, 1, 1) |
This comparison highlights Foo Fighters’ greater chart consistency and broader appeal compared to New Order’s more niche cult following.
Lineup Changes: New Order vs Foo Fighters
Both bands have navigated significant lineup changes, reflecting the challenges of maintaining a creative unit over decades.
New Order formed in 1980 from Joy Division after Ian Curtis’s suicide, with Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris, and later Gillian Gilbert joining on keyboards and guitar. Their classic lineup remained stable until Hook’s acrimonious departure in 2007 due to personal disputes, replaced by Tom Chapman on bass. Gillian Gilbert left in 2001 to care for her children, with Phil Cunningham filling in and returning in 2011. The band disbanded in 1993, reformed in 1998, and faced hiatuses, reflecting their turbulent history.
Foo Fighters began as Dave Grohl’s solo project in 1994, with Grohl recording the debut album alone. He recruited Nate Mendel and William Goldsmith from Sunny Day Real Estate and Pat Smear, a Nirvana touring guitarist, forming the initial band. Goldsmith quit during The Colour and the Shape (1997) recording, with Grohl re-recording drums, and Smear left soon after, replaced by Taylor Hawkins and Franz Stahl, respectively. Stahl was fired before There Is Nothing Left to Lose (1999), and Chris Shiflett joined post-recording, forming the core lineup with Grohl, Mendel, Hawkins, and Shiflett. Smear returned in 2005, Rami Jaffee joined as a full member in 2017 after years as a session keyboardist, and Josh Freese replaced Hawkins in 2023 after his death, marking a significant shift.
The key difference lies in Foo Fighters’ frequent changes and integration of session musicians into permanent roles, while New Order maintained a more stable core until Hook’s exit, reflecting their different approaches to band dynamics.
Session Artists: Enhancing the Sound
Both bands have relied on session artists to augment their recordings, particularly during periods of lineup changes.
For New Order, their core members handled most recordings, but they occasionally used session musicians, such as for live performances or specific tracks. For instance, Phil Cunningham joined as a live and later studio member in 2001, replacing Gillian Gilbert during her absence, and Tom Chapman filled in after Hook’s departure. Their use was more sporadic, reflecting their focus on core members.
Foo Fighters have extensively used session musicians, with Rami Jaffee contributing keyboards from 2005 before becoming a full member in 2017, and Josh Freese, a prolific session drummer, joining in 2023 after Hawkins’ death, recording drums for But Here We Are. Greg Dulli of the Afghan Whigs played a guitar part on “X-Static” from their debut, highlighting their openness to external contributions. This integration into permanent roles, especially with Jaffee and Freese, is an unexpected detail given New Order’s more insular approach.
Album Sales and Market Performance: Global Reach vs. Niche Appeal
Commercial success reveals a stark contrast in this New Order vs Foo Fighters analysis.
Foo Fighters have sold over 32 million albums worldwide. Greatest Hits (2009) is their best-seller at over 3 million copies, reaching number 11 in the UK and charting strongly in the US, Australia, and Europe. Albums like Wasting Light (2011) and Concrete and Gold (2017) topped charts in multiple markets, reflecting their broad appeal. Their sales are driven by mainstream rock hits and global tours, with strong performances in the US (9.065 million) and UK (5.66 million).
New Order, in contrast, has sold over 3.79 million albums, with Substance (1987), a compilation, selling 1.1 million copies, and studio albums like Technique (1989), reaching number one in the UK but only 17 in the US. Their sales are more concentrated in the UK (1.74 million) and the US (1.5 million), and they have a cult following globally, reflecting their niche appeal in alternative and dance music scenes.
A table summarizing sales and market performance is provided below:
|
Band |
Total Album Sales |
Best-Selling Album (Sales, Year) |
UK Market Strength |
Global Market Reach |
|
New Order |
Over 3.79 million |
Substance (1.1 million, 1987) |
Strong, Top 10 peaks |
Niche, cult following |
|
Foo Fighters |
Over 32 million |
Greatest Hits (3 million, 2009) |
Strong, multiple #1s |
Extensive, global mainstream appeal |
This comparison underscores Foo Fighters’ broader commercial success and global market penetration compared to New Order’s more specialized, UK-focused appeal.
Transformations: From Past to Present
Both bands emerged from the shadows of influential predecessors, transforming their sounds and identities. New Order vs Foo Fighters as a consideration has its mirrored histories across many aspects.
New Order’s transformation from Joy Division was profound. They shifted from the dark, post-punk sound of albums like Unknown Pleasures (1979) to electronic dance music, influenced by New York club scenes in the early 1980s. This is evident in albums like Power, Corruption & Lies (1983), with its synth-driven tracks, and Technique (1989), recorded partly in Ibiza, embracing acid house. Their evolution influenced genres like Madchester, with bands like The Stone Roses citing them as an influence.
Foo Fighters rose from Nirvana’s grunge legacy, with Dave Grohl transitioning from drummer to frontman after Kurt Cobain’s 1994 death. Their debut album (1995) was a solo project, but they evolved into a full band, maintaining rock roots while incorporating pop and alternative elements. Albums like There Is Nothing Left to Lose (1999) and In Your Honor (2005) showcase this, with hits like “Learn to Fly” and “Best of You” achieving mainstream success, reflecting their journey from grunge to global rock stardom.
In conclusion, New Order and Foo Fighters represent two distinct yet parallel paths in rock music. New Order’s innovative blend of post-punk and electronic music has left a lasting impact on alternative and dance genres, while Foo Fighters’ consistent rock sound and mainstream appeal have made them one of the most successful bands of their generation. Together, they illustrate the diversity and enduring power of rock music as of March 20, 2025.
