The Queen Is Dead

One of the greatest post punk albums, with humorous yet genius lyrics from the frontman, I see why NME gave them the no.1 spot 👍

Amazing!

Wow, these The Smiths blokes make some great music. I sure hope that Morrissey isn't an insufferable prick and ruins an otherwise perfect album composed by Marr by smashing on bloody awful lyrics on 'Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others'. Oh well.

Indie rock, 1986. An incredibile record full of great performances by every member of the band and with an amazing tracklist. Every song is fantastic and it's almost impossible to pick a favourite one, from The Queen Is Dead" to "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others". This is easily one of the best 3 albums of the 80s and so an incrdible masterpiece.

You already know

"And if a double-decker bus crashes into us To die by your side is such a heavenly way to die And if a ten-tonne truck kills the both of us To die by your side, well, the pleasure, the privilege is mine" Such emo glory - The Smiths make emo fun and romantic. I've never listened to the Smiths before the 1001 albums and I know there are some polarizing views about them. My overall impression: this album is a lot simpler in style than their previous album Meat is Murder - I liked the music on Meat is Murder better - but, it's still a great album, with depressing yet amusing lyrics and good songwriting. The title song is a straightforward driving rocker. Good stuff. Frankly Mr Shankly is an amusing ditty aimed at the guy who ran their label. I Know It's Over sounds like an old timey rock and roll ballad about heartbreak and wanting to die. Loved the part where he repeatedly asks "Then why are you on your own tonight?" Then we get even more emo with Never Had No One Ever which moves to the jarringly upbeat emo song Cemetry Gates (really liked this one - good chorus). Bigmouth Strikes Again is a good track (and pretty prophetic as Morrissey became more of an asshole bigmouth as the years went on). Vicar in a Tutu is an amusing song that again sounds like old timey rock and roll. There is a Light That Never Goes Out is pretty straightforward and is the big classic from the album. Good simple tune that gets stuck in your head. The album ends on Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others which feels like a throwaway song with kind of stupid lyrics. It's a shame that they didn't just end with There is Light, but maybe too many listeners would jump off a bridge if they ended there. Instead, it ends on a song that makes you go "huh?" and maybe even laugh a little. Absurd, like life. Excellent album.

Rating: 10/10

Another one of these huge pop-albums that shows how big the difference is between a true classic and the average, very good 1001-album (like these Morrissey solo albums that are included in the list as well). Contains non-stop Smiths classics: I Know It's Over, Bigmouth and There's a Light etc.

So much better than Meat is Murder. Was edging towards 4 stars, but a second listen made me realise this deserves full marks.

Brit pop portat a la seva sublimació. Morrissey amb les lletres més increïbles de la seva carrera, Johnny Marr amb unes guitarres que fan fiblar d'emoció i unes cançons que no tenen escletxa per on poder trobar febleses. Perfecte en tot el seu minutatge

I had a hard time accepting that I liked the Smiths and can never go back.

Quelle journée.....

pas le choix c'est trop bien

banging album. overall, a masterpiece.

I mean Fuck Morrissey. But also, this is like top 5 album of all time for me. So sucks I fucking guess. But it's so solid.

Gave it two spins in a row cause it’s been a while and it’s so refreshing. It was better than I remembered it being, and I remembered it being very good.

She said “i know you and you cannot sing”, I said “you should hear me play piano”.

Ha, excellent timing to give me this during Jubilee week. Not listened because I played this to death growing up so it's indelibly marked upon my psyche, I can play it to myself whenever I want.

A damn near perfect album. And yet not my favourite Smiths album, Meat is Murder wins that distinction. This album rocks; The Queen is Dead & Bigmouth. This album is gorgeous lyrically; I know it's Over & There is a Light that Never Goes Out. This album has tongue in cheek humour; Vicar in a Tutu & Frankly Mr. Shanklin. This album is solid from beginning to end. 5 🌟

Not going lie: I was totally disinterested in The Smiths because of Morrisey's (and by extension, The Smith's) rep for depression-centric music. And I only knew "How Soon Is Now", so my thoughts were flavoured with that. But wow was a surprised with "The Queen is Dead"! Lyrically, musically really interesting and inventive. I loved this album and have gladly added it to my collection.

Totally understand why people dislike The Smith's, but I throughouly enjoyed it, "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" and "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others" are my favourite tracks and a great choice to end the album on.

Una joya Soberbio Perfecto Sin duda tenía que estar en la lista Excelente álbum

Classic love the smiths

Anthems for incels. Knowing, relatable lyrics and fantastic music. Morrisey is still twat.

Fuck Morrissey, but damn this is a good album. It is so impressive to me that the music and lyrics are completely separate creative processes within The Smiths and still manage to be so damn cohesive. This album is a fantastic sound that keeps you encapsulated the entire way through. I just can't really put into words that make sense how good I find this album.

one of the great

Nie moglo zabraknac tej bandy na liscie, the smiths z ich trzecim studyjnym krazkiem the queen is dead to jeden z najbardziej influencyjnych brytyjskich materialow lat 80, polaczenie dancingowo synthowych melodii z gloomerowymi lirykami traktujacymi o zyciu ktore pozbawione jest sensu i nadziei na lepsze jutro, bo jutro przynosi tylko wiecej dzisiaj, wiec pradziady dla gloomerowej filozofii zycia, smithsy dostaly drugie zycie z rozwojem tej subkultury w wirtualnym webie, a utwory z tej plyty staly sie prawdziwymi hymnami niezliczonych rzesz umeczonych czlekow, a za sukcesem bandy kryje sie potezne ego pana Morrisseya, ktory juz mial wlasnego picka na liscie wczesniej, natomiast za aranzacje muzyczne odpowiedzialny w tym wypadku byl multiinstrumentalista i kompozytor zesplu Johnny Marr, reszte skladu stanowi Andy Rourke na basie i Mike Joyce na drumsach, niewiele jest chyba plyt ktore kreuja tak nierealnie przerysowanych bohaterow, a jednoczesnie brzmia tak autentycznie i czuc z nich zarowno ego poczucia wyzszosci nad reszta z jednoczesna zaloscia nad swoim losem, jak dla mnie to wlasnie stanowi o brzmieniu smithow, ale jednak czlowiek musi byc w odpowiednim nastroju zeby naprawde przezyc ten odsluch, moze nie teraz, ale kiedys tego doswiadczylem, wiec zarowno plyte jak i bande trzymam gdzies w specjalnym miejscu bibliteczki muzycznej, wiec nie ma co dodawac na plejke, bo z dziesieciu utworow ktore tworza ten zwiezly trzydziestoszescio minutowy krazek cztery juz sa dodane, poza hymnem gloomerowym, czyli there is a light that never goes out znalazlo sie miejsce takze dla otwierajacego utworu kawalka tytulowego te queen is dead, frankly, mr shankly i the boy with the thorn in his side, dobre bylo sobie odswiezyc takiego klasyka, ktory jest dobrym wytrychem do wyspiarskiej sceny indyjsko rokowej

Onhan tää mielettömän kova. Aika monta kertaa tullut kuunneltua ja aina ihastuttaa uudestaan. Musapuoli on ihan priimaa ja Morrisseyn tavassa laulaa angstisia ja paikoin hupsuja tekstejä on myös jotain kumman vetoavaa.

Goog

Petica

Savršenstvo. Neću trošiti riječi. Znaju ljudi šta ja mislim o ovom albumu.

What if we met…. 😳🙈 at the cemetery gates?!?? 👉👈🥺

Fav songs: - The Queen Is Dead - Bigmouth Strikes Again

Right. There are a few duds on this album but god damn if Johnny Marr isn’t one of the best guitarists from the 1980s. Cannot rate it lower.

I really enjoyed the full album.

Yes. This. Just. Yes! This is one these albums that have defined my taste in music. It might no be flawless. It might sound dated to some. But for me it is a walk down memory lane. And what a pleasant walk it is.

one of my favorite albums

Best. Alltaf.

Never really had the Smiths on my radar, but I'm glad they now are. Great album~

Loved this. I was a kid when The Smiths were on Top of The Pops, and Morrissey was swinging about his gladioli. I didn't really get it then. Now I absolutely fucking get it.

I had a roommate who liked Morrissey. We don't speak anymore. But ii do love the Smith's

Quite simply one of THE greatest albums of all time!!!

Very good

this will always be a favorite. it doesn't have some of my all-time top smiths tracks, but that doesn't matter - it's as much of a time capsule of 1986, complete and whole in itself, as skylarking, by xtc, is at times forgettable in its 1986-ness

Near faultless (particularly the 2nd side). Morrissey at both his black humour best on the title track and ‘Big Mouth’ and most poignant (I Know It’s Over). It’s a cliche but ‘There is a Light’ remains one of the greatest 3 minutes ever committed to tape.

Listened to this album while I walked Jake to Grams. Love this one.

I danced down to the knees

I prefer Meat Is Murder but this is arguably their peak.

Love The Smiths, love this album.

Amazing! Loved it from the first second to the last

Frankly Mr. Shankly - favorite I know it's over reminds me of a depressing prom song.

Great pop record

Nearly perfect blend of Smiths style rock and roll and there knack for beautiful melodies and poignant t ballads. Has some of The Smiths best songs. I loved this album when it was released and still do today. 5 🌟

5.0 + "Oh, mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head..."

An acerbic indie classic

10/7 Incredible pop album.

Pure talent y'all.

The Smiths. Sí que es para tenerlo en vinilo, sí...

Masterpiece.

Funny sadness. Clever lyrics.

Excelent album. Perfect in all sense

Oh Mozza, why did you have to go and ruin it? Ya silly racist.

Music sounds good when people play good but then when people are bad sometimes music sounds bad but morrisey is bad and sounds good so that is good and not bad. 5 star for me please Mr Vegan

Probably the best album ever…it does not get much better than this.

Really enjoyed this album when I’m usually into more intense albums! Don’t even know what makes it so good. Maybe the vibes. 9.5/10.

The anthem of gymnasiet. Visste innan att det såklart är en femma. Vill dö av Johnny Marrs gitarrslingor för att sedan begravas i Morrisseys röst. Att han är ett rasistiskt as väljer jag att skita i. Jag kan inte uppskatta hur många gånger jag fantiserat om mig ståendes i skolans aula, med öm röst sjungandes "OH MOTHER, I CAN FEEL THE SOOIL FAALLING DOOWN ON MY HEEEEEEAAD, AAAHAAAH AHHH YEAH" samtidigt som alla skolans tjejer imaginärt kastar sina trosor upp på scenen. Bästa låt: Alla, egentligen. Men går inte att komma ifrån There Is A Light

5/5 - It's The Smiths!

Really nice album Good voice, warm sound 5/5

I absolutely love this album! Melancholy and funny with a delivery that only Morrissey could pull off.

Listened loved

Beautiful melodies and storytelling through lyrics. Wonderful listen throughout

Debo escuchar más temas de esta banda

I like! Songs dieses Albums höre ich immer wieder gerne und werde das auch in 30 Jahren noch tun.

Three great tracks here

Poesie pur

Geniaal..

I avoided this one for ages because Morrissey is a racist wanker. I know it’s good, but I’m just sick of the guy and for better or worse I hear it in the Smiths’s music. Well, I saw The Killer a week or so ago and had a hankering. Great album, shitty dude.

Wow, and to think I only ever knew them for one song. What an incredible album.

S/O Matt Hammel ❤️

Zalig stemgeluid. Voldoende variatie in de nummers. Fijne ontdekking.

The queen is dead, long live the smiths

Classics

Delighted to be reacquainted with this gem of an album. A blend of all there is to love about the Smiths and side 2 contains some magnificent singles. The chorus of ‘ there is a light’ is one of the greatest of all time.

Despite the Morrisey of it all, this remains an absolutely excellent album.

I think this is an excellent album. I feel like most of the tracks are different enough from each other to be recognizable but similar enough to have the same vibe throughout the album. Of course, we see their classic The Light Never Goes Out and one of my favorites by them. A couple of my other favorites of this album are Frankly, Mr. Shankly, and Bigmouth Strikes Again. This is a classic Smiths album and definitely worth a listen.

Excellent

Made me vote for Brexit

Had heard before but an absolute classic - probably their best album with 3 or 4 all time great songs (TIALTNGO, Cemetery Gates, Bigmouth, Frankly, TBWATIHS)

Best album of the 80's shirley? 6 out of 5. Cemetery Gates the highlight. Tend to skip Never Had No One Ever but the rest makes up for it

Characteristic, precise, memorable-- a really good band hitting the peak of their creativity.

Great Album. Loved "Cemetry Gates" and "Big Mouth Strikes Again" "The Queen is Dead" Overall unique songwriting and sounds

so fucking good wtf

Always great to listen to.

How have I not explored this band yet?! 🤤 Beyond the beautiful album, I found a forever favorite song - Cemetry Gates.

This album doesn’t need any more words written about it. So there’s 10. Fuck 13. FUCK

Most Excellent, Bigmouth Strikes Again is a bop

Esse eu conheço de cor, hoje em dia eu não me identifico tanto com algumas letras, mas são muito boas e o instrumental é perfeito.

This is one of the best albums of my life. Absolute masterpiece

Efsane

9.5/10 FT: Tie between Bigmouth and There is a Light

well of course this is here <3

Fav song: I Know It’s Over

Pretty good

I ❤️ the smiths

Was expecting to hate this given how much I disliked Meat is Murder. Very impressed

Didn't recognize a single song from the album, totally new to me though I've heard of the band before. Was worried when I saw post-punk as a genre but this seems much more indie rock to me, very cohesive from front to back and doesn't meander off into dark alleyways but does have ups and downs emotionally. Just felt like really solid songs that could be a part of a rock collection with ease. Vocals are clear and convey a good emotion to pair with the instruments very well. I can see coming back to this album/ band regularly in the future.

Ironically, I really have never listened to this record, although I have heard most of this material as represented on the band's live album. The opening track is really fantastic and sets the album on the right foot. It's big and anthemic. The next few tracks feel oddly anemic as opposed to the live versions that I am used to. The worst of the bunch is Frankly Mr Shankly, which feels stiff and considerably less appealing to the live version. The songs that follow are better and are generally better songs, but I again would prefer to hear the live versions, which just feel more alive. That streak breaks with the boy with a thorn in his side, which is fantastic here. Vicar in a tutu is okay, but there's a light that never goes out is perfect, as is the last song. Overall, this isn't really as strong as I thought it was going to be. The songs are here, but I wish the sound were a little rawer and more immediate. The highlights on the other hand are to strong for this to receive merely three stars, but its close.

In my youth I always thought Morrisey was too whiny and this was depressing music. I was wrong, and as I have grown and become a fan of more music especially post-punk and Britpop I can admit it. The musicianship is awesome, Marr is a great composer. Morrisey does have a kind of whiny falsetto singing style but it fits with their music and he is a witty lyricist. The album is full of big hits, even the ones I don't really like are decent songs. My SO will hate it but this is one I will be adding to my collection.

I'm the opposite of James because I really like Morrissey's voice and that's a big part of the reason I enjoy this album. I think if it was any other singer it wouldn't capture me quite as much. There's something about Morrissey's vocal tone/timbre that I find so appealing. I tend to like melancholy music so this is right up my alley. It has that slightly imperfect sound that I'm often drawn to with indie rock.

Real neat, though the lyrics are strange as heck. Dark humor i guess?

This is so British

Sounded quite good something I would imagine downloading and listening to more often

Excellent and the best Smiths album with Frankly Mr Shankly, Cemetery Gates, Big Mouth etc

There Is a Light That Never Goes Out absolutely steals the show here, and is arguably the greatest track in the whole Smiths catalogue, and arguably one of the best tracks of the 80s. Because of that, the other tracks here do pale in comparison. That said, there are no bad tracks here, and a number of other great tracks too such I Know It’s Over and Bigmouth Strikes Again, making for a really enjoyable listen across the board.

Love the album but hate morrissey as a person

This is an absolute classic. Listening to it felt like the perfect mix of sadness and beauty that only The Smiths could pull off. The energy is unique, melancholy but never heavy in a way that drags you down. It just sits in that special place where the songs feel both personal and larger than life. Morrissey’s lyrics here are the best of his career. Sharp, witty, emotional and full of character. Johnny Marr’s guitar work is equally outstanding. The melodies and arrangements are inventive without ever losing their emotional punch. The whole album has a clear identity and a strong sense of direction. The production is clean and well balanced, giving both the voice and the guitars plenty of space. It sounds like a band completely locked in and confident in what they were doing. The Queen Is Dead still feels like their peak, the moment where everything came together in the strongest way.

Morrisey's crooning is not unpleasant, nice actually. Despite him being something of a twat I enjoyed this one. Heard several songs before but never the whole album. Will be back for sure.

This album sounds pretty cool; it’s cohesive

I love frankly mr shankly.

It's a hell of a record. Sounds amazing and Morrissey hasn't lost his mind yet. I could probably give it 4 stars just for "Bigmouth Strikes Again" Marr sounds excellent and Andy Rourke is a very talented bass player. It's worth a re-listen to just his bass parts. Seriously underrated talent.

I can't deny my love for the Smiths anymore! Only thing that would make this album better would be to have Panic on it!

Really strong album. Morrissey's whine got a little tiresome by the end, and a couple tracks just didn't work for me. Some really great stuff, though.

ALBUM FAMOSO E ACCLAMATISSIMO, FORSE SONO PARTITO CON UN LEGGERO BIAS. POCO IMPORTA. GRANDE CRITICA VERSO UN PO' TUTTO: CHIESA, MONARCHIA, SOCIETA', SE STESSI... FATTA CON UN'IRONIA NON BANALE. LA MIA TOP 3 E' "I KNOW IT'S OVER","NEVER HAD NO ONE EVER" E "THERE IS A LIGHT THAT NEVER GOES OUT". L'OUTRO DI CHITARRA E' UN ALTRO MOMENTO SALIENTE. A UN PAIO DI CANZONI DEVO ANCORA ABITUARMI, ARRIVERA' COL TEMPO. PER ORA DO 4 MA PUO' AUMENTARE COL TEMPO. 4/5

I don't what it is, but there is something in the music of The Smiths that just.... resonates with me. It's melancholy that is being elevated almost to an art form. Ah, yes, mandatory clarification: fuck Morrissey

Pas mal frchm

"I want to go down in musical history . . ." and so you shall! Solid album - great lyrics, punchy music, bopping my head the whole time.

Love the smiths. Love their sound

Damn, en un viernes. ¿Acaso pretende que me suicide el fin de semana? Al final fue más divertido de lo que pensaba, creo que lo volvería a escuchar.

I enjoyed this album, some of to lyrics caught me off guard. I didn’t listen to The Smiths back in the day, but I enjoy their music now.

Not quite the untouchable masterpiece that many view it as, but I can't ignore its influence and status. This takes a little while to properly get going for me after a promising start packed with energy – I'm not really keen on "I Know It's Over" or "Never Had No One Ever" at all, both of which very much err on the dirging, self-pitying side and threaten to grind the album's early momentum to a halt, but Side 2 is much more my speed. Everything else about this album has already been said before.

Anything making fun of monarchs and people in power is good with me. Title track was awesome. Track 2 is a little slow and almost folksy in it's composition. I'd personally focus a little more on the punky side of this music, but I also understand that Morrissey is like, an idol of post-punk. There's a lot of indie influences in this, and I don't love indie. But I can see (hear?) that this was likely groundbreaking forty years ago. Lyrically though, this is right up my alley. It's political and it's depressed. Interestingly, I liked the second side a lot more than the first. Wikipedia indicates that's where all the singles came from anyways. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out was excellent.

Definitely will put it in my library, some great songs. Needs more than one listen.

8.5/10, overall very solid album, not my go to from The Smiths, but good. Highlight tracks: - Frankly, Mr. Shankly - Bigmouth Strikes Again - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

Loved it. Great hearing the electronic experimentation. The album has a great mix of humor and seriousness. Good beat in each and excellent vocals.

Honestly, the album is great in a vacuum. I am not sure its the best album of all time as NME ranked it, but its good. The production it is incredible, and iconic. Johnny Marr is fantastic on guitar. On repeat listenings the vocal stylings of Morrissey grow on you, no matter how pretentious he is. *outside of a vacuum and in the context of the pretentious hipsters I went to college with, its a hard listen.

Have listened to it multiple times so I skip it 9/10 though

4/5

good album cant say anything more

- the queen is dead: good opening, i just really like the vibes of the smiths mostly when I was younger, now I sometimes just hear a man complaining. But hey, I still get those autumn vibes. - Frankly, Mr. Shankly: definitely something else to what I’m used to from the smiths, good vibes. - I know it’s over: I usually only listen to Jeff Buckley’s cover from this song, I didn’t realise this shit was just as sad. - never had no one ever: okay I love this, the lyrics and the music. 15 years old me would’ve loved this. - cemetery gates: I love how the smiths can talk about the most depressing shit and then make it sound like it’s a shits and giggles. - bigmouth strikes again: I’ve listened to this song many times before and I love it so much like genuinely. - the boy with the thorns in his side: as someone with only genuine intentions this song is so so so relatable. - Vicar in a tutu: what a silly little song - there is a light that never goes out: obviously heard this before, so cute. - some girls are bigger than others: yeah okay lil bro.

Me ha hecho cambiar la opinión que tenía sobre las canciones de The Smiths.

already listened to this one

I enjoyed a lot of these lyrics and while the sound is a bit moody and repetitive for me, it’s certainly not bad. 3.5 but I also am not sure that I really understand all the hype that this album gets.

The middle to end of this album is as good as anything that's been recorded but the opening third is middling to outright bad--I Know It's Over and Never Had No One Ever are automatic skips anytime I play this album. That said the highs are so damn good and are as good as a British band had sounded since the Beatles.

Référence absolue même si certains morceaux sont un peu en-dessous du reste de l'album.

begrudgingly great

DAVE's original rating was a 4.

I just like the Smiths in general.

- Word

7.5/10

There are so many Smiths albums on this list. Certainly they were all good, I prefer others, but this one is great as well except some odd choice here and there (why do we need a chipmunk sound on Morissey in that one track?).

Very enjoyable and solid listen from this artist

Really good to be fair they were in their bag

Oh yes old but with power!

8.5/10

Good album. A few bangers but very long and samey at times.

Some songs were popular on social medias and I knew quite a range of songs already. But listening to it again really was a blessing. The intro track, Bigmouth strikes again, There Was a Light That Never Goes Out were my favorite tracks.

Always important to remember that Morrisey was once merely irritating rather than the modern day gobshite. Still, this is a pretty excellent album. Some of the dated production knocks it down from a 5. Call it a 4 because of modern Morrissey. Johnny Marr still seems like a good egg.

re-listen

Classic. Not my favorite from them though.

I love Jangle Pop, and this is one of the best in the genre. However, it's maybe my 3rd favorite album of The Smiths. I love Johnny Marr's guitar playing. There's plenty of humor along with the darkness of the lyrics, and it's a solid mix of upbeat and downbeat songs.

already listened

Morrissey is questionable, but I do love The Smiths as a musical artist. Favorite on this album is Frankly, Mr. Shankly. Love a good 80’s indie vibe for sure!

He’s a bit grumpy but superb lyrics and riffs.

As relevant today as in 1986, probably The Smiths at their peak. The trademark interplay of Johnny Marr's layered guitar playing and Morrisey's witty, self-deprecating lyrics. And the Queen is dead.

I have a difficult relationship with the Smiths. They make me invest heavily. Sometimes the rewards are fantastic sometimes not.

9/10 no notes

Honestly I hate that I liked this as much as I did

Pretty good album

I like the smiths

Dreading the fact that i have to listen to 4 Morrissey albums over the course of this project. This would be a 5 if there weren’t so many joke-esque tracks, the jangle-pop post-punk sound stays consistently amazing throughout no matter the subject of big-breasted girls or dying from a bus. The highlights of the album signify the potential that this could’ve had if it just took itself a lot more seriously, it just leaves a lot less filler to be desired after listening to it. Highlights: There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, Never Had No One Ever, I Know It’s Over Lowlights: Viscar In A Tutu, Cemtry Gates (because i can’t even figure out what the song means), Frankly Mr. Shankly, The Boy With The Thorn In His Side

Really enjoy this album. good variety and some catchy tunes

Mooi, maar moet ik vaker naar luisteren. Zitten nog bangers tussen ook

oh how i love whiny man music

This album is absolute proof of Johnny Marr's status as a bona fide musical wizard. He's made me actually enjoy an entire 37 minutes of Morrissey's singing. I want to be angry about this but I'm too busy trying to get the bassline from Cemetry Gates out of my head.

-1 for racism

Indie rock, car suitable, mood melancholy-happy

Bigmouth strikes again and my favourite smiths song in there is a light. The rest of it is jangly guitar with moping self interest over the top. Enjoyed.

The Smiths second best album.

this is consistently great, song-for-song

7:16 AM I’m working my way through the first listen. Immediate standout tracks: Frankly, Mr.Shanty/ Cemetery Gates/ Bigmouth Strikes Again. 7:30AM finished first listen, I need to revisit the lyrics and maybe watch a video about the album. I ended up listening to the album 5 times at least. It’s a predecessor and an influence to a lot of my favorite artists. I found out that the lyric “it takes strength to be gentle and kind” from the song “I Know It’s Over” inspired a lyric on Olivia Rodrigo’s song “the grudge”. It is interesting given how cure-centric her new album is. I feel that I need to sit with this album more and I will definitely be revisiting it. Overall, I like how concise and sharp it is.

This the fun version of The Smiths. Going from new wave synth to rockabilly guitars, the riffs are instantly recognizable. Morrisey has an amusing voice to play with his lyrics, whether it's attacking their greedy manager or describing feeling like a stranger in his hometown. While the lyrics can be pretty morose and violent, like getting hit by a double-decker bus, it sounds like Moz is winking at us at the absurdity of it (or at least I think he is).

06/15 Pretty good

ayooooo

Genuinely have some of the greatest and most fundamental songs of my adolescence on it.

This was my first time listening to The Smiths, and I have to say that I enjoyed listening to them more than I thought I would.

I love it

ok

In a run of quite unbeatable albums this smiths album is possibly the best and one of the albums of the 80s. Cemetery gates is a delight both tuneful and poignant. Bigmouth strikes again is funny and unforgettable. Capped with there is a light that never goes out which stands the test of time. Morrissey and marr never sounded as good as this again.

so good

I think I’m starting to understand how fans of Kanye West feel on liking music made by controversial people. This is the first album I got from the Smiths but I’ve heard most of their stuff before. I really enjoyed it despite Morrissey’s laundry list of reasons why he’s an horrible human being. Why does this guy have a nice voice? It’s fits so well with the melancholic nature of the album. Weirdly, my big criticism is that it’s maybe a bit too similar to their other albums… specifically Strangeways, Here We Come… which was after this album. I know, it’s weird. But other than that, this is another good slice of 80’s alternative and another building block to the approaching existential crisis I’m going to have when I get to Morrissey’s solo albums. God help me.

Aangenaam, rustgevend

Unexpectedly enjoyable. Guitar is excellent. Opening song bringing the beat

if a double-decker bus crashes into us <3

The main criticism I have is this type of music all sounds similar to me. Maybe the melodies are similar or the voice does that to my brain. That said, it's catchy and artistic music. I enjoy listening to it and find interesting things in it. I'm not going to find myself rocking out energetically to any of these songs.

I liked this album even though this is not my preferred genre. The singer is a bit of a one trick pony though.

there is no way this mf knows how joan of arc felt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! good album, i like how the lyrics sound sad but the music sounds happy. favourite song: cemetry gates

Nostalgia for me.

Already listened to this and this was good.

It's a cool album, even though I know it's even cooler to hate Morrissey. I love his cadence when he sings, it’s playful.

The best Smiths album I’ve listened to so far on this journey of discovery. Every song is catchy, even Frankly, mister Shankly had me humming along. My only problem with the Smiths is whatever Morrissey sings I just can’t relate to him because he’s so awful. My favourites were Bigmouth Strikes Again and There is a Light

8/10 loved most of the songs, some weren't my jam

Rad

This isn't normally an album that would have any significance to me, but my freshman year college roommate played it a lot (hi Pete). It's not particularly my style, but there are several songs that are just plain catchy ("Frankly, Mr. Shankly", "Cemetry Gates", "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others") and the album as a whole is funnier than you'd expect from a band like the Smiths ("She said, ''Ey, I know you, and you cannot sing'; I said, 'That's nothing, you should hear me play piano'" - an old joke, but unexpected in a place like this). It's well-written and well-produced, and Morrissey's voice (which I'm not normally a fan of) is modulated well enough to work. Maybe it's just nostalgia, but I kinda like this one.

Thursday May 28th, 2026. I enjoy the variety of the album, as well as the lyrics. This album manages to have great lyrical complexity while also having variety in instrumentation and the overall sound of songs, which is cool. I also do like the theming of the album. 8/10.

Superb instrumental pop spoiled by overwrought personal twaddle from a care home crooner

This, I think, is my favorite album of the Smiths. Exceptional recording/mixing/mastering only adds to my enjoyment. In so many recordings of a multi-piece ensemble, the acoustic guitar gets buried in the mix, and you almost never have the bass guitar featured so prominently in rock-adjacent music. I don't need to add this to my personal collection, because it's already there I'll spin this more than once today, guaranteed ⭐⭐⭐⭐.49

4.5

One of my favs. Forever. For sure.

Slightly worse than Meat Is Murder, which admittedly is a very high bar. I like Morrissey, even at his most navel-gazey, but I think The Smiths generally sound a little better when it's less ballad and more rock. Still, that one famous bit from I Know It's Over... you really can taste the treacle-thick self-loathing. That heart-wringing, lung-crushing isolation from the world as a whole. Very ironic that Morrissey of all people would write a line like: "It's so easy to laugh, it's so easy to hate. It takes strength to be gentle and kind." or perhaps not ironic at all, and instead a recognition of how own abject failure. He's always been good at seeing the worst of himself and channelling that into his music, I suppose. Fav tracks: The Queen Is Dead, I Know It's Over, There Is a Light That Never Goes Out

I don't like the frontman voice, but in "There's a light that never goes out" it really shine.

I find Morrissey annoying. But I do have to say this record is pretty good.

A nice listen. Was familiar with a few of the songs, but found a few more I liked.

It's easy to hate Morrissey these days for being a racist, right-wing twat, so it's also easy to forget what an influence The Smiths had on the 'alternative' scene in England in the mid-80s. Moz is in peak mope mode here, but Johnny Marr, Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce provide a brilliant backing track for the end of the world. Although his wordy lyrics can drive me batty at times (anyone else think 'Frankly, Mr Shankly' is a bit piss-weak??), there is some fabulous wordplay at work in other parts of the album, with beautiful descriptions of scenes and emotions that conjure up something in your mind's eye. What other group could take a song about being killed by a double-decker bus with your beloved and make it a hit???!?! Probably the best Smiths album IMHO. 'Bigmouth', 'Cemetry Gates' and 'There is a Light' amongst their best songs.

I think The Smiths must have inspired a host of 90s bands through their sound, irreverence, and wit. I’ll leave it to the long term fans to rank “The Queen” in comparison to their other albums. This one had several strong tracks, but the lyrics from “Frankly, Mr Shankly” are why I raise my glass: “Fame, Fame, fatal Fame It can play hideous tricks on the brain But still I'd rather be famous Than righteous or holy, any day But sometimes I'd feel more fulfilled Making Christmas cards with the mentally ill…” 4/5 with my condolences concerning the Queen.

I wish Morrissey and Marr had kept it all together. Not my favorite Smiths album, but still an excellent entry with several standout songs... I particularly enjoy "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" "Bigmouth Strikes Again," and "There's a Light and It Never Goes Out."

Pretty good, one great one

We all know Morrissey is a prick but this album is pretty solid. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out is an all-timer.

Nice atmosphere and feeling. Took a sec to really get involved, but I understand the appeal.

some great tunes, very melancholic

Really great album. Vocals and lyrics are great. Just a good album to relax to from start to finish.

I always associated the Smiths with slower songs, so the upbeat ones really surprised me! I also didn't realize this album was so popular when it came out.

Ookal voelt dit soms nogal zagerig, moet ik wel erkennen dat deze mannen er wat van kunnen. Blijkbaar zit er ook meer humor in de tekst dan op het eerste gezicht zou gedacht worden? Anyways, nu weet ik opzenminst hoe Jeanne d'Arc zich heeft gevoeld.

Bigmouth Strikes Again is one of my fave Smiths songs! This was nice! Not perfect but very nice!

I KNOW IT'S OVER ES LITERALMENTE DESGARRADORA DIOS MIO Morrissey es un circo pero esa canción es un temazo (este álbum es la cosa mas the smiths que Los smiths han hecho, lit las dos primeras canciones me suenan igual me meo) tiene temones y luego canciones que suenan todas igual

Damn, I think I like The Smiths and that Morrissey is pretty funny

Rating: 9/10 Obviously one of the greatest popular rock albums ever made, Johnny Marr's songwriting on this one is at full power, and despite a couple weaker tracks in my eyes like Never Had No One Ever and Vicar in a Tutu, this album is the 80's jangle pop sound done to near-perfection. To me, it's not as beloved as some of the classic 5's albums though, and I would not love seeing this be my group's #1 album with a solid 5 average

Awesome album with awesome songs it's the smiths bro we already know this. The emo songs are great, the fun songs are great, a lot of the lyricism is hilarious, but I think this album is way less of a solid unit than Strangeways Here We Come. It's still great propped up by the fact that the smiths make great sounding music, but you could shuffle the songs in The Queen is Dead and I would mostly get the same effect from it 8.2/10

Favourite song: - Big mouth strikes again

2017 Master

i hate Morrissey of course but this album was important to me when i was 15

Muy buena instrumental. Sonido de una época, con sus chorus, sus delay y reverbs. Cada instrumento suena bien definido y le brinda una personalidad distinguible. Después está Morrisey que bueno, aporta lo suyo para bien y para mal. Su rango no es el mejor, su lírica es simple pero efectiva. Es como Lars en Metallica, la banda no sería lo mismo sin él.

Ive learned I like the smiths

I don't really remember much. No moment stuck with me I guess, but I do know that I enjoyed pretty much every second of it.

37 minutes of misery and despair. It was a cloudy and windy day and I was on a walk when I listened to it which was perfect.

Why is the only Smiths' album not on the list their best one?(Self-titled) This is a close second though. High 4

A very good melancholy rock album that was very introspective.

Great album from a terrible person

I said I love the Smiths!!!! (En revanche j'aimerais comprendre pourquoi ils baissent le son pour le remonter ensuite dans Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others j'y pense à chaque fois)

buen album obviamente peak de lso smiths la verdad ya lo habia escuchado clasico el mejro album para matarse fr

Fun and funny are not adjectives with which I associate The Smiths. But they apply here: there is levity in their very British wryness on this album, plus an unerring pop sensibility. My teenager discovered The Smiths on his own, and it is apparent why.

4.5/5 An excellent album. Morrisey's lyrics and delivery are fantastic, unique, and massively influential. The musical styling is impeccable. Rating 4.5 because I don't know that it fully crosses my 5-star threshold. 5 stars = an iconic or superlative album that I recommend any music lover will enjoy and gain from listening to, at least once, even if it's not one of their usual styles/genres. 4 Stars = Excellent album. If you like this style, you'll love it. If you are getting interested in exploring a genre, a good work to listen to.

I just can’t hate this album. In my mind this is how sad all British people are.

Enjoyed this a surprising amount, there’s quite a few good songs on here

Sobgood

old time peak

Buena música y buenas letras. Música difícil hecha fácil. Una joya.

Pretty music.

riff psychédéliques, tempo rapide, underground : super cool

Yes. I love this album. K, so there are some amazing songs on this. It is uneven. Fame, Fame, fatal Fame It can play hideous tricks on the brain But still I'd rather be famous Than righteous or holy, any day, any day, any day But sometimes I'd feel more fulfilled Making Christmas cards with the mentally ill To all the people who don’t want to listen because they hate Morrissey, they forget that the magic of the Smiths is just as much Johnny Marr and also isn’t it great that we can hear and see art from people we don’t agree with in a free society? 4 stars

I know it's over. 3.5 ⭐

Amazing album.

my friends like the smiths so i have heard this a bunch of times, i think it has grown on me, initially i thought it was just okay, now it's pretty good.

Great Album

Yes Morrissey is annoying and a lot of the songs end up kinda sounding the same but I will admit, they are an iconic band

Devastated that I really liked it

Great!

Love, love, love. Angsty Favourite track: I Know It's Over

diva down

I know it’s over is the best smiths song, and i just adore this album, one of their best!

Generally I think the Smiths work better as a singles band than an album band but this is a good one

[The Queen is Dead] There's something vampiric about the feeling it gives. Like I imagine the lead singer dressed like Dracula. The first song provides about as strong of a start to an album as you could imagine. [Frankly, Mr. Shankly] Both songs so far feel oddly familiar but incredibly true to the group's unique sound. They capture a rare form of sarcastic existential dread. [I Know It's Over] "And if you're so clever, then why are you on your own tonight?" There is this uncomfortable feeling of being frozen in a kind of existential paralysis -- exemplified well by the photo on the cover. Triumphant pain. Purpose and meaning in suffering. [Never Had No One Ever] [Cemetery Gates] It's a sunny day.. so I'll meet you at the cemetery gates. [Bigmouth Strikes Again] The album in one word: Sardonic. [The Boy with the Thorn in His Side] [Vicar in a Tutu] [There Is a Light That Never Goes Out] [Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others]

For all of the shit that I give The Smiths, this is actually a pretty solid album and is easily my favorite that the band ever put out (as if they have so many to choose from). Morrissey's vocals and woe-is-me lyrics to get grating after so long, whether he's being serious or not, but the saving grace here is the fact that the other three members of the band were operating on a whole other level that allowed the band to transcend the shortcomings and limitations of their frontman.

Of the 3 on the list, this is the one where they have the best tunes and wordplay and the least preachiness.

Couple of great songs, 1980s punk CD. Enjoyed listening through it

I love this album. I know that people don't like Morrissey's singing but I really do. My dad is a big fan of The Smiths so maybe it's just familiarity that makes me like it so much. This album has a bunch of the songs that I grew up hearing, and the songs I was less familiar with I also loved. Honestly I would probably give this a 5, but I can't listen to The Smiths anymore without thinking about how awful Morrissey is and that ruins it a bit. Fav song: Bigmouth Strikes Again Least fav: Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others

Some good songs in this to be fair, but that’s mainly when you can’t hear morrissey as much Specific rating - 3.7 Fav song - bigmouth strikes again Least fav - I know it’s over

It's so easy to laugh, it's so easy to hate, it takes strength to be gentle and kind. Favourite song: Bigmouth Strikes Again Least: Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others

Me recontra gusto, no lo conocía y me encantó

Ok, obligatory Morrissey sucks ass. Anyways, that out of the way, this album is really great. I'd never actually listened to the full thing, but I've had 2-4 of the songs saved on Spotify for years. When these songs connect, they hit hard. That happens to be The Smiths issue in a certain sense, though. I'm giving this album a 4 right now, but I think if I had ONLY heard it today, it would get a 3. It's sad music for sad people, but that just happens to be its strength. It connects with you when you're a melodramatic teenager, or when you're feeling melodramatic in general.

I find the lyrics ridiculously pretentious, but that voice is so absolutely silky and the musical arrangements are luscious. No denying it’s a vibe. I can’t decide if I think it’s gorgeous or ridiculous. But no way I’m giving a middle of the road score of three stars to this album, so I’ll have to make up my mind.

I LOVE THIS ONE!

9/10 Favoritas: the queen is dead, vicar in tutu y I know it's over. Entiendo el hype

morrissey's voice always gets stuck in my head. good but not really relistenable for that reason.

DE NOVO, parece que é a quinta vez que vem Smiths. Mesmo sentimento da banda inteira, o que é um elogio, deles conseguirem se manter tão únicos e estáveis. Todas as músicas parecem soundtrack de filme indie de amor de adolescente. Mas tem 2 músicas que tavam na minha playlist, famosas. Eu queria dar 3*, mas parei pra pensar, eu realmente curti a vibe do álbum e tinha música pica que me traz lembranças, então merece um 4.

The vibe? Check Less sad, more upbeat than expected. Liking the reverby vocals. As a major fan of Taylor Swift's "The Tortured Poets Department" album which is influenced heavily by The 1975, who are clearly influenced by 80s sounds like The Blue Nile and The Smiths, I can hear the influences in a clearer way on Taylor's work and appreciate the original. And even if I'm not spinning "The Queen is Dead" as often as "The Tortured Poets Department", I very much enjoyed the poetic lyrics, delivery, and history lesson. Side note about this album journey so far: I have never listened to so many 1980s albums in my life, btw. Idk if the repletion is wearing down my general distaste for the era, or if the 80s albums I've liked on this list so far are just… built different, ya know? "Big Mouth Strikes Again" frantic guitar and bouncy lyrics got me boppin. Does it sound like he says "bigmouth florida", or is that just me? "There is a Light That Never Goes Out" angsty emo teen mode activated & hearts ; <3 <3 <3 xo

This was enjoyable enough

I'm a bit hungover today, this is quite a great album to listen on the days like these.. But I have already rated this as 4.0 on RYM so probably 4 stars here as well, 2nd side is much stronger than the 1st one.

Johnny Mars is brilliant, Morrisey is a whiny bitch, but they came together for this solid album.

8.7/10

Great album, its unique

Another wonderful band I did not know about before. So energetic!

Really sad to listen to on the subway at 6am. Also they’ve gotta have a term for Morrisey’s vocal scoop, right?

Reading up on The Smiths, I didn't realize Morrisey was such a problematic figure. Like this style of music and most of their songs though, particularly the well known "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out". 1/5 lead singer, 4/5 album.

I know this album already. But i think i didnt listen to it carefully. Its time to do it. Good listening, good songs, good impressions.

Great songs, short listen, just a little too dad rock for my taste

Nothing to add.

Rockerito y movidito, y aunque no entienda del todo las letras suena bastante sad.

This is prob my favorite smiths album, ngl ive always found them to be a bit overrated, not bad just overrated. I will say I really like bigmouth strikes again. 7/10

Liked: The Queen Is Dead, I Know It's Over, Never Had No One Ever, Bigmouth Strikes Again, The Boy With the Thorn in His Side, Vicar in a Tutu, There is a Light That Never Goes Out Disliked: Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others, Frankly, Mr. Shankly Added: The Queen Is Dead, I Know It's Over(already), Never Had No One Ever(already), Bigmouth Strikes Again(already), The Boy With the Thorn in His Side, Vicar in a Tutu, There is a Light That Never Goes Out(already)

Excelente muestra de la transición del post punk a la nueva ola de bandas de la Inglaterra de esos años

Невероятно красивый альбом. Некоторые треки попали полностью в меня, особенно мальчик с шипом-чудо этого альбома для меня. Явно не кажется, но я не раз вернусь к этому альбому. Мне очень нравится то, что группа хочет донести, их отсылки, и что самое главное-это одна из давних групп, у которых мне нравится также и музыкальная подача. Супер!

Odd parallel to The Joshua Tree with this one - hated it in college, grew to like it more and more over the years and now ... sorta see what I was thinking in college. It's great but really, really whiny.

8/10 - Favorite song: I know it’s over

There Is a Light That Never Goes Out is the best song on this album. lyrical masterpiece and beautifully emotional. “And if a double-decker bus / crashes into us, / to die by your side / is such a heavenly way to die.” The melodrama might bother you. But think of what it takes to write that line: A strong identification with the other person, brought about by a sense of near-total aloneness. A powerful, heart-wrecking love. A feeling that life is worthless enough that, sure, let a double-decker bus take it. Isn’t the melodrama fitting? Can’t you just let it compel you?

7 / 10 - chilliger British indie-rock - interessante Lyrics, trauriger Inhalt oftmals, aber ironisch/sarkastisch rübergebracht - Ziemlich guter Vibe durchs Album hindurch, wie aus einem Guss Favs: - Frankly, Mr. Shankly - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

I came to The Smiths at the end. They had released Strangeways Here We Come and then Rank. Shortly after they would break up. I would eventually start in earnest listening to their music in the late 90s. That’s when I realized how much I could relate to the lyrics. I bought the whole discography and it’s amazing. The Queen is Dead is probably the highlight of that. The writing. There is wit with one liners. There is some sadness and longing for love. But with all the great lyrics you have the amazing guitar work from Johnny Marr.

. So many people swear by The Smiths. I never listened; and Morrissey never made sense to me. His solo work that I had listened to was not impressive and his later-day comments certainly not. I This album makes sense and I get why they might be a big deal. I enjoyed it a lot.

Better than Meat is Murder. Morrisey sings better here, though still not good. The playing is good, the lyrics are ok. 3.5/5 Still nothing special, but a step up.

It's alright, I like the melody, and the Queen Elizabeth reference in other reviews.

fire ya