The Smiths were a British Indie Rock band formed in Manchester, UK and consisted of members Morrissey, Andy Rourke, Johnny Marr, and Mike Joyce.

In 1982, member Johnny Marr approached Morrissey and asked him if he was interested in forming a band together, and after a couple of lineup changes, the final lineup was finally born. In October of 1982 the group gave their first public performance at The Ritz in Manchester after recording their first demo. Two months later, the band recorded their second demo which was a song called “What Difference Does It Make?” After getting rejected from the record label EMI, the band continued to practice and eventually was signed by an independent label called Rough Trade Records.

In February 1984, the group released their first album The Smiths, which was an immediate success. The album shot up to number two on the UK Albums Chart. The band continued to see success throughout their career with the songs Bigmouth Strikes Again, Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now, and There Is A Light That Never Goes Out. In 1987, conflict emerged within the group, and due to a dispute regarding performance royalties, the band decided to split. After disbandment, each member continued to have a solo career and made it clear that the group would never reunite. The Smiths have made a lasting impact on the music industry, with artists such as The Weeknd, Blur, and Arctic Monkeys, listing the band as one of the artists who influenced them to get into music.

The Smiths are my favorite artist because of the uniqueness of their sound and lyrics. Some of my favorite songs by The Smiths are “Unloveable,” “Still Ill,” and “The Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore,” and their album The Queen Is Dead is easily one of my favorite albums of all time.