"Transmission" is a song by post-punk

Post-punk

Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...

 band Joy Division

Joy Division

Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...

, released on Factory Records

Factory Records

Factory Records was a Manchester based British independent record label, started in 1978 by Tony Wilson and Alan Erasmus, which featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Joy Division, New Order, A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, Happy Mondays, Northside and James and...

 in November 1979 on 7" and re-released as a 12" single with a different sleeve in December 1980.

The single charted twice in New Zealand, debuting at number two in September 1981, and re-appearing again at number 24 in July 1984.

In May 2007, NME

NME

The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...

magazine placed "Transmission" at number 20 in its list of the 50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever, one place below "Love Will Tear Us Apart

Love Will Tear Us Apart

"Love Will Tear Us Apart" is a song by the British post-punk band Joy Division. It was written in August and September 1979, and debuted when the band supported Buzzcocks on their UK tour in September and October 1979. It is one of the few songs in which singer Ian Curtis played guitar...

".

It was played on-stage in the film 24 Hour Party People

24 Hour Party People

24 Hour Party People is a 2002 British film about Manchester's popular music community from 1976 to 1992, and specifically about Factory Records. It was written by Frank Cottrell Boyce and directed by Michael Winterbottom...

, a scene in which Ian Curtis

Ian Curtis

Ian Kevin Curtis was an English singer and lyricist, famous for leading the post-punk band Joy Division. Joy Division released their debut album, Unknown Pleasures, in 1979 and recorded their follow-up, Closer, in 1980...

 suffers an epileptic fit.

It has been covered by Low

Low (band)

Low is an American indie rock group from Duluth, Minnesota, formed in 1993. As of 2010, the group is composed of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker , both founding members, and Steve Garrington ....

 (on its EP

Extended play

An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...

 Transmission

Transmission (EP)

Transmission EP is an EP by Duluth, Minnesota slowcore group Low, released in 1996. The title track is a cover of the classic Joy Division song.-Track listing:#"Transmission" – 6:14#"Bright" – 3:55#"Caroline 2" – 4:41#"Hands" – 4:29...

), Indiana band ...revel in the morning (on the God Less America EP), Bauhaus

Bauhaus (band)

Bauhaus was an English rock band formed in Northampton in 1978. The group consisted of Peter Murphy , Daniel Ash , Kevin Haskins and David J . The band was originally Bauhaus 1919 before they dropped the numerical portion within a year of formation...

 (as well as by frontman Peter Murphy

Peter Murphy (musician)

Peter John Murphy is an English rock vocalist. He was the vocalist of the rock group Bauhaus, and later went on to release a number of solo albums, such as Deep and Love Hysteria...

 on his solo tours) and Innerpartysystem

InnerPartySystem

Innerpartysystem is an American electronic rock band. The group consists of Patrick Nissley, Jared Piccone and Kris Barman. The band is also well known for their live performance lighting largely by Andrew Nissley and videos directed by Stephen Penta....

, and Girl in a Coma

Girl in a Coma

Girl In a Coma is a rock band from San Antonio, Texas on Joan Jett's Blackheart Records' label. The band is made up of Mexican-American sisters Nina and Phanie Diaz and long-time friend, Jenn Alva . The name is a reference to The Smiths' song Girlfriend in a Coma...

. A version by Hot Chip

Hot Chip

Hot Chip are an English electronic indie band. They have released four studio albums—Coming on Strong, The Warning, Made in the Dark and One Life Stand.-Formation:...

 is on the War Child

War Child (charity)

War Child is a non-governmental organisation founded in the UK 1993, which focuses on providing assistance to children in areas of conflict and post-conflict. They use their film and entertainment background to raise money for aid agencies operating in former Yugoslavia...

 charity album, Heroes

Heroes (2009 album)

War Child Presents Heroes is a 2009 charity album devoted to the War Child charity's aid efforts in war-stricken areas, such as Iraq, Uganda, Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo...

, released in February 2009.

It was also played by The Smashing Pumpkins

The Smashing Pumpkins

The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. Formed by Billy Corgan frontman and James Iha , the band has included Jimmy Chamberlin , D'arcy Wretzky , and currently includes Jeff Schroeder Mike Byrne , and Nicole Fiorentino The Smashing...

 on the Adore Tour in 1998, with performances of the song usually lasting from 15 to 25 minutes.

Track listing

All tracks written by Joy Division.
7" vinyl (Factory FAC 13)

1. "Transmission" – 3:36
2. "Novelty" – 3:59

12" vinyl (Factory FAC 13.12)

1. "Transmission" – 3:36
2. "Novelty" – 3:59