Throwback: Happy 70th Birthday, Bernard Sumner!

It’s 2026 y’all. May it be a kinder, better year for all of us. January is a busy month for music birthdays. 

• Gang of Four co-founder and guitarist Andy Gill was born 70 years ago on January 1
• The pioneering and legendary Grandmaster Flash celebrated his 68th birthday on January 1
• French touch pioneer Thomas Bangalter, best known for his work in Stardust and the multi-Grammy Award-winning duo Daft Punk celebrated his 51st birthday on January 3
• The legendary Stephen Stills, known for his work with Buffalo Springfield, Crosby Stills and Nash, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, as well as for being a solo artist, celebrated his 81st birthday on January 3
• Led Zeppelin‘s John Paul Jones celebrated his 80th — yes, 80th — birthday on January 3
• Denise Katrina Matthews, best known as Vanity was born on this day 67 years ago

Joy Division and New Order founder Bernard Sumner celebrates his 70th — yes, y’all, 70th! — birthday today. Sumner is considered a pioneer in the genres of post-punk, synth pop and synth pop — and an instrumental member of the Manchester scene that would inspire the “Madchester” movement of the late 80s and early 90s.

Sumner has either been behind or influenced a ton of music that I’ve just been absolutely mad about. So let’s celebrate Sumner’s life and work today. 

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