I'm an '80's kid & am a big fan of New Order; lesser fan of Joy Division. However, the bands are inextricably connected, so there's no way you can discuss one without mentioning the other.  I.e., after the lead singer of JD (Ian Curtis) died in 1980, the remaining members of JD formed NO.

That being said, while I find Joy Division's sound/music somewhat dismal & dark (which I know was intentional), New Order's music is, overall, fresh & hopeful; they're my all-time favorite rock/pop band. I also consider NO to be one of the first (if not the first) early fore-runners of techno music.

Re: NO, I have too many favorite songs - but, among them are:

Bizarre Love Triangle extended version - this is possibly my favorite rock/pop song of all time. This song truly moves me, even 30+ years after first hearing this.

Temptation - my second favorite NO song. Really liked the way this song was used in one of my favorite films, Trainspotting. Superb!

True Faith

Ceremony - amazing sound.

Round and Round

Regret

Shellshock

Confusion

Fine Time

State of the Nation

Dreams Never End

Vanishing Point

Love Vigilantes

Brutal (from The Beach soundtrack - 2000) - great song, which I think was originally supposed to be a JD song?!

Crystal (2001) - Excellent sound, and brings to mind their '80's music, while still being "fresh".

Slow Jam

Thieves Like Us

And many others...

To all NO fans, I would also recommend the boxed set Retro (2003) - if you can get this for a good price. This got mixed reviews & can be expensive on the secondary market, but I really enjoy this set:

http://www.popentertainment.com/neworder.htm

New Order has a realtively new album that was released in Fall 2015, Music Complete. And, it's excellent! I think it's their best one of the 21st century, and really brings to mind their '80's songs. I feel like I'm discovering their music for the first time when listening to this. Favorite songs on this album include: Restless, Singularity, Plastic, Tutti Frutti, Academic, and others. Fantastic.

Also, these two movies are highly recommended to fans of JD, though NO fans will probably like them as well:

24 Hour Party People (2002) - great portrait of the music "scene" in Manchester, England back in the late '70's - late '80's.

Control - very powerful, depressing, and dark b&w bio-pic focusing exclusively on Joy Division. Though I'm more of a NO fan, Control gave me a much greater appreciation of JD's relatively small body of work (and it was only small because they weren't around for that long). I would also say that Control is quite possibly the best bio-pic. I've seen about a rock group (if you want to consider JD a rock group).....we'll always wonder what would have happened with JD if Ian Curtis had lived; he passed on just before they were going on their first U.S. tour.

New Order. Their music is better.  8)

New Order. Their music is better.  8)

Agree 100%, for the reasons I posted above. 

New Order. Their music is better.  8)

Agree 100%, for the reasons I posted above. 

Very much so. :)

For the record, the only Joy Division song I know is "Love Will Tear Us Apart", which was popular shortly before frontman Ian Curtis took his own life. :\'(

I liked both but definitely prefer New Order. In fact that are probably my favorite band. Them, or Depeche Mode.

My favorite New Order songs (subject to change on a daily basis):
1) Bizarre Love Triangle
2) Regret
3) Blue Monday
4) Confusion
5) Dream Attack
6) The Perfect Kiss
7) Guilty Partner
8.) Here to Stay
9) World
10) subculture
11) True Faith
12) Round & Round
13) Run
14) Shellshock
15) Love Less
16) Vanishing Point
17) Paradise
18) Ceremony
19) All the Way
20) Fine Time
21) Mr. Disco
22) guilt is a Useless Emotion
23) Young Offender
24) Liar
25) Temptation

Favorite Album: Technique

Don't sleep on Joy Division. They were never as popular as New Order, but they put out some really good music. Check out songs like "Warsaw","Transmission" and "She's Lost Control". It's a different sound from New Order--definitely more of a punk influence--but it works well.

Definitely New Order for me!