10 Perfect Albums That Will Make You Love Alternative Rock

5. The Queen is Dead - The Smiths

Around the time that college rock was picking up in America, there was also a completely different scene happening right across the pond. In the midst of the synth rock era of music, we also had the Smiths carrying the torch for the alternative spectrum, with Morrissey's intense wordplay bouncing off of Johnny Marr's guitar breaks. Although they were already indie pop darlings at the time, The Queen is Dead is what solidified them as legends of the decade.

While there haven't been any major changes to the band's style on here, this is the most concentrated version of what the band had been working towards, taking the jangle pop sounds of the '60s and some of the most emotional lyrics ever written to back them up. Across every song, Morrissey is looking more to dissect the darker side of love, like questioning why someone so interesting lives alone on I Know It's Over or finding the ideal date spot amongst the graves on Cemetery Gates.

Then again, this isn't all just goth style poetry either, going so far as to take aim at the monarchs directly on the title track and going for a drive with the one you love on There Is a Light That Never Goes Out. There's definitely a dark sheen behind every one of these songs, but the music gives you a bit of a break from all the heaviness. Even though it might seem sad, this album is almost like having a friend to help you get through your darkest days.