Is Retro a good place to start with New Order?

Yes, Retro is recommended as a starting point for new New Order listeners. A vibrant compilation that blends electronic beats with post-punk melodies, showcasing New Order's unique fusion of dance and rock. By the time Retro was released in 2002, New Order had solidified their status as pioneers in the electronic dance music scene since their formation in 1980. This compilation served as a retrospective collection of their influential tracks, following their previous studio album, Get Ready, which had marked a successful return after a lengthy hiatus.

Retro works well if you're into dynamic journey with varied intensity, wave-like pacing for exploration and nostalgic anthems for reflection.

How many songs are on Retro?

Retro has 66 tracks, running approximately 359 minutes.

Retro

New Order · 2002

359 min · 66 tracks · new wave

A vibrant compilation that blends electronic beats with post-punk melodies, showcasing New Order's unique fusion of dance and rock.

Spotify Apple Music

YouTube Music YouTube Deezer Bandcamp SoundCloud

Own it: Amazon eBay

Top tracks — play these first

→
Fine Time Start here — accessible entry with immediate hook
→
Blue Monday — As one of the best-selling 12-inch singles of all time, this track exemplifies New Order's pioneering approach to blending dance music with rock influences.
→
Temptation — This track stands out for its infectious energy and lyrical themes of longing, capturing the essence of New Order’s unique blend of emotional depth and danceability.
→
True Faith — The song features an iconic synth line and explores themes of existential uncertainty, marking it as a hallmark of their artistry during the height of their popularity.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

dynamic journey with varied intensity
wave-like pacing for exploration
nostalgic anthems for reflection
danceable tracks for social settings
headphone detail hunting throughout

Maybe skip if you

prefer concise single experiences
dislike extended listening sessions

Where this album fits

In the catalog: Deep Cut — A compilation that reflects the band's evolution without being a primary entry point.
Themes: post-punk nostalgia· dance floor longing· electronic revolution
Career context: By the time Retro was released in 2002, New Order had solidified their status as pioneers in the electronic dance music scene since their formation in 1980. This compilation served as a retrospective collection of their influential tracks, following their previous studio album, Get Ready, which had marked a successful return after a lengthy hiatus.
Stylistic neighbors: Depeche Mode· Pet Shop Boys· The Cure

New to New Order? Find your way in →

Moments worth listening for

Where the writing does something specific.

True Faith

The narrative shifts from introspection to a desperate plea for clarity amidst chaos.

This transition reflects a poignant conflict between disillusionment and hope, demonstrating the complexity of emotions that characterize New Order's songwriting.

Tracklist

Disc 1

1 Fine Time Start here 4:42
2 Temptation 8:42
3 True Faith 5:53
4 The Perfect Kiss 4:49
5 Ceremony 4:24
6 Regret 4:08
7 Crystal 6:49
8 Bizarre Love Triangle 4:21
9 Confusion 8:13
10 Round and Round 4:31
11 Blue Monday 7:28
12 Brutal 4:49
13 Slow Jam 4:52
14 Everyone Everywhere 4:25

Disc 2

1 Elegia 4:55
2 In a Lonely Place 6:15
3 Procession 4:28
4 Your Silent Face 5:59
5 Sunrise 6:00
6 Let’s Go 3:53
7 Broken Promise 3:45
8 Dreams Never End 3:12
9 Cries and Whispers 3:25
10 All Day Long 5:10
11 Sooner Than You Think 5:12
12 Leave Me Alone 4:40
13 Lonesome Tonight 5:11
14 Every Little Counts 4:28
15 Run Wild 3:56

Disc 3

1 Confusion (Koma and Bones vocal mix) 6:01
2 Paradise (Robert Racic mix) 6:40
3 Regret (Sabres Slow ’n’ Low mix) 6:41
4 Bizarre Love Triangle (Shep Pettibone extended dance mix) 6:42
5 Shellshock (John Robie mix) 6:28
6 Fine Time (Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley mix) 6:16
7 1963 (’95 Arthur Baker mix) 5:04
8 Touched by the Hand of God 3:42
9 Everything’s Gone Green 5:31
10 Blue Monday (Jam & Spoon Manuela mix) 6:39
11 World in Motion (Subbuteo mix) 5:08
12 Here to Stay (extended instrumental) 5:55
13 Crystal (Lee Coombs mix) 7:03

Disc 4

1 Ceremony (Studio 54, Barcelona 7.7.84) 4:49
2 Procession (Polytechnic of Central London 12.6.85) 3:34
3 Everything’s Gone Green (Tolworth Rec. Centre, Kingston, London 3.12.83) 5:14
4 In a Lonely Place (Glastonbury Festival 6.20.81) 5:32
5 Age of Consent (Spectrum Arena, Warrington 3.1.86) 5:02
6 Elegia (Glastonbury Festival 6.19.87) 4:46
7 The Perfect Kiss (Glastonbury Festival 6.19.87) 9:43
8 Fine Time (Poplar Creek Music Theatre, Hoffman Estates (Chicago) 6.30.89) 5:02
9 World (Starplex Amphitheatre, Dallas 7.21.93) 4:48
10 Regret (Reading Festival 8.29.93) 4:01
11 As It Is When It Was (Reading Festival 8.29.93) 3:47
12 Intermission by Alan Wise (Olympia, Paris 11.12.01) 1:20
13 Crystal (Big Day Out, Gold Coast (Australia) 1.20.02) 6:51
14 Turn My Way (Olympia, Liverpool 7.18.01) 4:57
15 Temptation (Big Day Out, Gold Coast (Australia) 1.20.02) 7:47