Matt Berninger covers New Order’s ‘Blue Monday’ for Amazon Music Originals

It was inevitable that the man who sang the song “New Order T-Shirt” would eventually release a cover of a New Order tune.

The National‘s Matt Berninger has been covering “Blue Monday” by the British post-punk icons on his current solo tour. Now he’s released a studio version of the song for Amazon Music Originals, recorded with the same musicians featured on his solo album, Get Sunk. 

Berninger’s version is much more of a rock take on the legendary song, which is the bestselling 12-inch single in history. There are actual drums, for example, rather than synths. However, Berninger’s usual deadpan vocals are arguably a perfect match for Bernard Sumner‘s on the original track.

“New Order T-Shirt” is from The National’s 2023 album, First Two Pages of Frankenstein. To promote it, they sold an actual T-shirt that looks like the cover of New Order’s 1987 album, Substance.