The Smiths

The Smiths emerged from Manchester in 1982, turning post-punk introspection into something distinctly British and devastatingly quotable. Morrissey's literary lyrics, soaked in kitchen-sink melodrama and Oscar Wilde wit, collided with Johnny Marr's jangly, Byrds-influenced guitar work to create a sound that refused the era's synthetic gloss. Their four studio albums, particularly The Queen Is Dead (1986), documented working-class alienation and sexual ambiguity with unprecedented honesty. Songs like "How Soon Is Now?" and "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" became anthems for the misunderstood, while Andy Rourke's bass and Mike Joyce's drums provided a rhythm section that swung harder than critics acknowledged. Splitting acrimoniously in 1987, they left a permanent mark on British guitar music, influencing everyone from Radiohead to The Libertines. Their refusal to reform, despite lucrative offers, has only amplified their mystique. The Smiths transformed melancholy into defiance, proving that sadness could be both articulate and galvanising.