Top Alternative Songs (Fred Essentials on XM Radio)

1. Just Like Heaven – The Cure
2. London Calling – The Clash
3. How Soon is Now? – The Smiths
4. I Wanna be Sedated – The Ramones
5. Lips Like Sugar – Echo & The Bunnymen
6. Mirror in the Bathroom – English Beat
7. Blashphemous Rumours – Depeche Mode
8. Blue Monday – New Order
9. Lust for Life – Iggy Pop
10. I Melt With You – Modern English
11. Rock the Casbah – The Clash
12. Burning Down the House – Talking Heads
13. Town Called Malice – The Jam
14. Love Will Tear Us Apart – Joy Division
15. With or Without You – U2

Over the New Year holiday XM Radio’s Fred held their 2044 top alternative countdown. Listed above are the top 15 alternative songs from the late 1970s to early 1990s!! Linked below are their videos

Just Like Heaven – The Cure

London Calling – The Clash

How Soon is Now? – The Ramones

I Wanna be Sedated – The Ramones

Lips Like Sugar – Echo & the Bunnymen

Mirror in the Bathroom – English Beat

Blue Monday – New Order

Lust for Life – Iggy Pop

I Melt With You – Modern English

Rock the Casbah – The Clash

Burning Down the House – Talking Heads

Town Called Malice – The Jam

Love Will Tear Us Apart – Joy Division

With or Without You – U2

Love Will Tear Us Apart – Joy Division

One of the greatest songs every written – not to mention one of the greatest “love” songs ever written!   A “love” song like R.E.M’s “The One I Love” is a “love” song.  This Joy Division classic has been a favorite of mine for a couple of decades now but not until recently did I discover the video for it.  

There is no question that this is a dark song – especially considering Ian Curtis killed himself shortly thereafter – but this video makes it ever darker for me.  I’ve seen New Order live over the years after their reformation but never saw them looking as young as they do in this video.  I also don’t think I ever saw a picture of Ian and was shocked to see how young, innocent & naive he looked.