“…the Morrissey of 1986 is getting what he wanted — NME is ensuring that The Smiths ‘go down in musical history.’” —Alana Pedalino
British music magazine NME recently named The Smiths’ The Queen Is Dead the greatest album of all time.
Being a fan of The Smiths, I rejoiced. One of my favorite bands beat out David Bowie, Bob Dylan and The Beatles for the coveted spot — The Queen Is Dead was ranked No. 1 out of 500 albums.
Naturally, after reading this news, my next step was to listen to the album. Though I found that it was totally deserving of the title, I could not help but wonder three things: Why this album? Why this year? As far as The Smiths albums go, why did NME select the obvious choice, the fan favorite?
I do not intend to refute The Smiths’ musical genius. I am truly happy for their recent success. Furthermore, The Queen Is Dead is popular for a reason — the album draws influence from a variety of genres; the lyrics are superb and borderline poetic; and the band’s sound is developed and identifiable. “The Boy with a Thorn in His Side,” the seventh track on the album, is even lead singer Morrissey’s favorite Smiths song.
However, Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr cite their favorite Smiths album as Strangeways, Here We Come. I agree with them to a certain extent;The Queen is Dead’s opening and final tracks, “The Queen Is Dead” and “Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others” are anticlimactic in comparison toStrangeways, Here We Come’s “A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours” and “I Won’t Share You.” Plus, at least three tracks off The Queen Is Dead consist purely of The Smiths’ acerbic wishes for retribution against the music industry, overshadowing some of the band’s more insightful works. Though the band compensates with other catchy tracks and the beautifully tragic “I Know It’s Over,” The Queen Is Dead has its shortcomings.
I also suspect that (500) Days of Summer factored into NME’s decision. Though the hipsters behind the music magazine may deny ever liking the now mainstream romantic comedy, the film pays tribute to the ninth track off The Queen Is Dead, “There is a Light that Never Goes Out,” in one iconic scene. Ever since, the song has been ringing in fans’ ears as a result of an indie film trickle-down effect.
Thus, I’m a bit disappointed with NME’s choice. Though The Smiths deserve such accolades, The Queen is Dead is not quite the band’s peak. I’m surprised NME didn’t choose the band’s 1984 debut album The Smiths, which introduced their characteristic depressive nature, clever lyricism and penchant for storytelling that can be found on further albums.
On the bright side, at least the Morrissey of 1986 is getting what he wanted — NME is ensuring that The Smiths “go down in musical history.”
