10 Best Alternative Rock Bands Of All Time

3. The Smiths

Quintessential Lyric: (From 'Still Ill')

"And if you must go to work tomorrow / Well, if I were you I wouldn't bother / For there are brighter sides to life / And I should know because I've seen them / But not very often"

Anthem: How Soon Is Now?

The Smiths are predominantly known for two elements; the masterful misery of Morrissey and the guitar brilliance of Johnny Marr. Though originally a b-side for the single release of William, It Was Really Nothing, this offering sees The Smiths at their very best. Marr's guitar whines as the chords ring out rapidly. Morrissey's unique voice that has captured generations of admires (as well as detractors) heaps more feeling on top of the already evocative lyrics that depicts the inner struggle between one's crippling shyness and the longing for love.

Defining Album: The Queen Is Dead (1986)

Over it's ten tracks The Queen Is Dead shows all sides of The Smiths; the counter culture defiance, the at times over-the-top melancholy, the wry humour, and the ability of the often contentious Morrissey/Marr partnership to create anthemic masterpieces that hold the test of time. The album also boasts There Is a Light That Never Goes Out, considered an all time great in the indie and alt rock scenes.

Contributor

An English Lit. MA Grad trying to validate my student debt by writing literary fiction and alternative non-fiction.