10 Rock Bands That Quit At The Top

10. The Smiths

No one can really trace back the beginnings of alternative music. Though the era of off-kilter rock music tends to have its inception in the '90s, its real start was a decade earlier with bands like R.E.M. and the Pixies making waves on the indie scene. If there were any indie gods though, it would have to have been the Smiths.

Throughout the age of synths and hairspray, these lads from Manchester were creating some of the beautiful pop music ever made, fitting somewhere between the poetic lyricism of someone like Joni Mitchell while also being rooted in the uptempo jangle coming from Johnny Marr's guitar. Through albums like The Queen is Dead and Meat Is Murder, Marr's chemistry with frontman Morrissey led to songs that felt like they could touch your soul from the minute you heard them.

On the contrary, those open-hearted songs don't always equate to the most pleasant professional relationships. With Morrissey getting more and more involved with political matters and the rest of the band feeling restless, they soon parted ways after their 4th album Strangeways Here We Come. Even though the guys are still making quality music on there own these days, it's best to leave their legacy secure as one of the greatest indie bands to ever grace the stage.