Song Clearance Sheet
3 sources citedBlue Monday
Synth-Pop1980s130BPM
D minKey
More around 130 BPM → · More in D minor →
Tempo/key via GetSongBPM →, Deezer →
The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed songwriters of record (the full band), no dispute found — the candid “ripped off from a Donna Summer B-side” drum-pattern admission is documented factually, not a litigated matter. Connects to Kraftwerk’s “Tour de France” in this catalogue.
Quick Facts
Released1983
GenreSynth-Pop, Dance, Post-Punk
LabelFactory Records
ProducerNew Order
Recorded atBritannia Row Studios, Islington
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriters of record — Gillian Gilbert, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris & Bernard Sumner
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — originally Factory; needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Unknown · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
The best-selling 12-inch in UK history; cited as a direct influence on Kraftwerk’s own later “Tour de France” (already in this catalogue).
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; confirmed songwriters of record and no dispute found.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
Cited as a direct influence on that later Kraftwerk track (already in this catalogue)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Gillian Gilbert, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris & Bernard Sumner (full band)
The absurd commercial-disaster storyDespite its huge sales, the single reportedly lost Factory Records around $100,000. Designer Peter Saville, fascinated by a computer floppy disk, designed the now-iconic sleeve to resemble one — complete with three die-cuts. The packaging cost more to manufacture than the record sold for, so the label lost money on every copy even as it became a hit. Stephen Morris reportedly found it hilarious that they were essentially “paying for the bits you didn’t get.”
A candid admission about the drum patternPeter Hook has directly stated the drum pattern was “ripped off from a Donna Summer B-side.” He’s also recounted a real mishap where Stephen Morris accidentally kicked out the drum machine’s power lead partway through, forcing them to redo the whole pattern from scratch — Hook noting it was “never as good” the second time. Presented as a candid admission, not a litigated matter. No lyrics reproduced.
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
A direct connection to Kraftwerk’s Tour de France
This song has been cited as having influenced Kraftwerk’s own later “Tour de France” — a reciprocal connection given Kraftwerk’s extensive presence elsewhere in this catalogue.
Yahoo Entertainment · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
The best-selling 12-inch single in UK history
Covers
—
First flip
Who to Contact
BM
New Order (Factory Records)
The confirmed songwriters of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 13)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass