2. The Smiths
In at second best is the band's debut, which still stands to this day as an example of just how good a debut album can be. It wasted no time getting the listener adjusted to The Smith's unique style with opening track "Reel Around The Fountain" wearing that grim humour, of which Morrissey has made a living off of, like a badge of honour. It's tale of teenage desperation and angst unraveling gradually without ever seeming bleak or depressing due to lyrics such as "I dreamt about you last night, and I fell out of bed twice" ensuring that it remains a lighthearted affair. This level of excellence continues throughout, with tracks such as "Miserable Lie" in which Morrissey tests the flexibility of his vocal chords by attempting to achieve pitches that no man should, "This Charming Man" which highlighted Johnny Marr's remarkable skill on guitar via one of the most instantly recognisable introductory riffs ever backed with a powerful bass line from Andy Rourke and "Hand In Glove" which served as the band's first single as well as a fan favourite still to this day, and with some of the best lyrics on an already impressive album paired with Johnny Marr, Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce all performing at exemplary levels, it's not hard to see why. Also the album showed that these darkly comical tracks were not all there was to the band, that they could show a real maturity in their writing when they wanted to. This is most noticeable in the final two songs on the record "I Don't Owe You Anything" and "Suffer Little Children" both fairly melancholic affairs. With the latter's repeated line of "Manchester, so much to answer for" feeling like a plea for help from Morrissey as he tries to convey his desperation to escape the town he felt trapped within during his youth to the listener without interrupting the main narrative of the song. It's moments like these that cause the record to stand out as one of the most impressive by the band, which is narrowly kept from the top spot.