Phoenix DaRonco

Truly a product of its time. In the early 80s, '1999' was a source of chart success, but in the era of the #MeToo movement, this album didn't age well. 'Lady Cab Driver' especially promotes toxic behavior in a relationship, and the song only exists to give listeners a glimpse into Prince's disturbing thought processing. I'm mentally disturbed too, and I find this devastating. "This is for [blank]", obviously, is what narcissists say as they punish their partners for their own issues. The only reason '1999' gets so much praise is because it perfectly summarizes the oversaturation of lust in the 80s, and the Black community at the time. Speaking as a Black man, it's pretty sad how these issues are sidestepped in favor of party hits. When a musician promotes toxicity, all their talents go to waste, and there will be consequences for those who encourage it.

With 'Closer,' Joy Division evolved from the dark punk sound of their debut to an unorthodox, ominous territory that later came to be known as gothic rock. My top song picks are 'Isolation,' which is basically a Minneapolis sound song with much better lyricism, and 'Heart and Soul,' an uptempo, existential out-of-body experience that positively challenged everything I know about rock music. One thing I will always appreciate about Ian Curtis is that despite his bleak and nihilistic worldview, he's kind-hearted enough to be in my position instead of being encouraging of my own suffering. We come from different walks of life, but we both share trauma and possess a strong love that isn't reciprocated. Ian's untimely passing was a huge loss for the alternative rock world. His songwriting gave the struggling lyricists of tomorrow the courage to tell their own story. He encouraged me to approach my life struggles with literacy. Ian's poetry is not therapy, but it feels more effective with how heavy the emotional weight is, an emotional weight that I continue to search for in today's music. The band's unique, boldly realistic spinoff of punk rock continues to serve as a template for countless indie bands across the globe. Yes, post-punk still exists, but on a smaller scale. While there were only 2 studio albums, they remain among the best albums I've ever come to listen to, and some of the most important and influential in indie history.

As a 21 year old, I really mean it when I say that 'Unknown Pleasures' has made a profound impact on my life. When I first listened to this album, I found a singer, Ian Curtis, who thinks the same as me. I find it difficult to relate to most singers today, even past singers like Prince, because of their steamy, hedonistic nature. However, when I listen to Ian, it feels like I'm listening to my own thoughts through someone else's words. In his time, he faced a cold, disconnected environment in Manchester. In my own time in Minnesota, I can feel what he did. Despite technological advancements, it's still cold most of the time, and it even smells like Manchester because of car pollution. People are still disconnected, except that social media now plays a role in this like beans on toast. Through Ian's melancholy, nostalgic storytelling, he taught me the dark secrets of the world with a gentle, yet firm aura. When Ian sings about his failing marriage, it always reminds me of my own failed friendship with an old friend; she ghosted me, then started a family with someone else. When Ian sings about his epilepsy, it reminds me of my own autism because I'm also affected by loud noises and blinding lights. Sensory overload and epilepsy go hand in hand, yet have different outcomes. 'Unknown Pleasures' is a timeless historical piece, considering it's one of the albums that gave post-punk its identity, and one of the earliest examples of gothic rock with a little bit of industrial and heavy metal sprinkled in. Ian had this raw honesty and mental health awareness in a time where most people didn't care about listening to that, let alone contribute. This man inspired me to turn my dark thoughts into goth poetry, and Barney and Hooky's playing styles made me rethink the way I approach electric guitar and bass. If you're in Heaven, Ian, I hope to meet you there! Top 2 song picks: 'Shadowplay' and 'Disorder.'

This album, along with '1999,' is pretty much the reason why hypersexuality is everywhere in pop music, even today. I don't hate the concept of sexuality, but as they say: too much of a good thing is bad. Female objectification, inceldom, thirst trap lyricism, misogyny in general, it's Prince's fault that we have to deal with these issues now. Perhaps Tipper Gore was trying to warn us this whole time.