I think Strangeways here we come is MASSIVELY underrated, I think it's the smiths at their musical and lyrical peak, and I think it's their best album, with "Last Night I dreamt that somebody loved me" being top 3 smiths songs, if not the best
Me too! Every line in that song is a corker. "He does the military two step down the nape of my neck." Immediately stuck in your head for the rest of time. And that guitar work! Absolutely astonishing.
Thanks for your Smith’s ranking. Funny thing I put “Louder than bombs first”. Being almost 50 and from the U.S. (Seattle), they never played The Smiths on the radio or MTV. In fact I got into Morrissey first when I was 20 1991 and had to back track into The Smiths. So glad I did! Now my 17 year old son who plays guitar is now getting into them. Thanks again for your video!! P.S. My favorite song has to be “London”.
I love most everything by the Smiths, besides the Beatles I can't think of another band that I like almost 100% of their output... TOP TEN... 10… Vicar In A Tutu, 09… Shakespeare's Sister, 08… Shoplifters Of The World Unite, 07… A Rush And A Push And The Land Is Ours, 06… Reel Around The Fountain, 05… This Charming Man, 04… Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want, 02… London, 02… Girlfriend In A Coma, 01… Cemetry Gates... On a different day, a different top ten...
Love this list and how you talk about the albums and the songs, the feelings they gave (and give) you and how some of Morrissey's lyrics just enter your mind sometimes. Very recognizable. Meat Is Murder is my favourite The Smiths album too.
Thanks for your thoughts. As an American the Smiths are my favorite band. I got into them in 85 after seeing How Soon is Now on a late night MTV show hosted by Iggy Pop. I would love to spend a week in Manchester and drink tea in a coffee shop playing Smith's tunes and discuss the Smiths w other Smiths fanatics😎🌻🥰🦋🐕
I surely remember my first Smiths record and carry those warm memories with me. For me it wasnt even a studio album but the ...Best II compilation. Still to this day when I hear songs that are on it, my mind expects the next song from that compilation to come next. It's a brilliant mix of songs that feels like an album
I absolutely agree with Meat is Murder being number one. For me, you’re right, there are no skips, and every single tracks counts. There’s not a track I wouldn’t listen to ten times in a row!
Well, it takes guts to rank "The Queen is dead" at 5th, I'll give you that xD Best record of all time for me. As usual with your videos here's my list from best to worst, which in the Smiths case would be "from absolute greatness to just great": - The Queen is Dead - Strangeways here we come - The World Won't listen - Hatful of Hollow - Meat is Murder - The Smiths 'Louder than Bombs' for me was always just an expanded "TWWL" so I'm not counting that one and I prefer The World Won't listen, anyway.
Good list. I agree that The Smiths is absolute greatness to great. Nothing below 4 stars on this list. And I absolutely agree with your assessment of Louder Than Bombs. I think The Smiths are so consistent and awesome that any one of their albums can be acceptable as #1. With the possible exception of Louder Than Bombs. Unless you're an American, in which case I get that too.
@@tokyochuchu Yeah, absolutely. It's strange about Louder than Bombs because the collection of songs is fantastic, the content is impeccable, but, for some reason, it's just not that good; maybe it's the pacing like you said in the video or the fact it's a bit too long, I don't know, but something about it makes me not want to listen to it as often as the others. Sometimes less is more. I also agree that if you're American your perception of the album might be completely different, for them The World Wont Listen is probably the weird album and not the other way around.
My order is 7. The Smiths 6. Louder than Bombs 5. The World Won’t Listen 4. Strangeways Here We Come 3. The Queen is Dead 2. Hatful of Hollow 1. Meat is Murder
100% agree with Meat Is Murder as the best. It’s flawless. Strangeways last for me, just feels flat compared to the rest. Still bloody good though. RIP Andy xxx
1. Meat Is Murder 2. The Queen Is Dead 3. Hatful of Hollow 4. Louder than Bombs 5. The Smiths 6. Strangeways (I also don’t have “world”in my upbringing)
I too believe meat is murder is the best. It is the best!!! I love how you can so clearly see what morrissey means by “The Smiths was when he was in his darkest time”, the record is so full of emotion! Great video
01. The Queen Is Dead - because it has three absolute jewels that make up for the weaker tracks: Thorn, Bigmouth and Light. 02. Strangeways Here We Come - because it's their most consistent album in my opinion. 03. Meat Is Murder - because it's a bit to harsh in the lyrics for me and it lacks some slower more laid back tracks. 04. The Smiths - because the band was still struggling to find their sound both lyricall and musicaly. I like both later compilations (World and Bombs) more than Hatful Of Hollow where I still have an issue with some of the earliest compositions.
1,. Hatful of Hollow 2. Queen Is Dead 3. Meat is Murder 4. The Smiths 5. Louder Than Bombs (it was my first) 6. Strangeways (I won't rank "The World" since it was not a part of my Smiths upbringing). But like tokyochucu says, there's not a bad album among these.
The Smiths albums ranked: 1. The Queen Is Dead (1986) 2. Strangeways, Here We Come (1987) 3. Hatful of Hollow (1984) 4. Meat Is Murder (1985) 5. Louder Than Bombs (1987) 6. The Smiths (1984)
My favorite compilation it's Louder than bombs, Some girls are bigger than others it's one of my favorite Smiths songs and I don't believe That the Queen Is dead could possibly be overrated, agree to disagree hahah. I love the album cover from Louder than bombs and also the tracklist order ending with Asleep and even though it's 1hour 13 minutes I don't feel like it's that long because of how good the songs are and the flow of the compilation. 1.The Queen Is Dead 2. Meat is Murder 3. Hatful of Hollow 4. Louder Than Bombs 5. The Smiths 6. Strangeways (I like it a lot still).
I like everything from The Smiths too. Louder than Bombs is simply ranked low because I prefer the original UK compilations it's based on. But it's still a 5 star package.
All personal opinion, obviously..and I DO disagree ;-) Meat is Murder number 1? Nah! I'm a Queen is Dead man.. the opening track The Queen is Dead is such a wild awesome groove (the bass alone makes me stand up and salute)...and Some Girls are Bigger than Others a totally fantastic track (the live version from their last gig is even better). Overall, I'd put Strangeways and QiD as equal first Studio albums.. though they are very different in style and sound..the former is lusher and more orchestral, but I prefer the rawer heavier sound of early Smiths. Hatful of Hollow was the entry level drug for many listeners..the acoustic version of Back to the Old House on HoH is beautiful, and the version of This Night has Opened My Eyes is soo poignant and melodic: my teenage daughter demands I put it on when she's in the car (hey, we agree on something!).
Ps I should say I told her 'This night...' was about a mother abandoning or killing her baby, and she said "Really? Why did you have to tell me that.. It sounds a happy song" :-)
Cool. Have you ever listened to The Kinks? Recently they went back and remastered their older records because this year is their 60th anniversary. Just in case you've never dug into The Kinks, go listen to the album 'Preservation Act 1' (1973). I promise you that you will love it. And that's my good deed for the day. Keep on ranking my friend. 😉
Also, hot take time: I don’t really like There is a Light That Never Goes Out; idk why, but it’s just so plain and ordinary and boring and too conventional (when it comes to The Smiths) for me lol
I will say I really love Hatful Of Hollow as well… 4: Strangeways, Here We Come 3: Meat Is Murder 2: The Smiths I prob would’ve put Hatful Of Hollow here 1: The Queen Is Dead Also, R.I.P Andy Rourke. 😔 Found out that he died from pancreatic cancer. Oh pancreatic cancer, since you asked… You are a flatulent pain in the arse…
It's just because I'm from the UK and we have different compilations that cover the same ground, so I just don't listen to it. I'm not saying it's bad at all.
@@tokyochuchu Hello, just thought I would point out I'm from the UK, Newcastle-upon-Tyne actually and for me LtB is a much better compilation than The World Won't Listen, better songs imo, also I believe Strange ways is the number 1 album if not Meat is Murder both of which are fantastic but like I dais its only imo, edit said not dais
@@colleennoble1756 Cool. The perfect example of subjectivity right there. I still like Hatful and WWL over LTB. But Louder is still a great compilation no matter which way you slice it.
I'm right there with you in regard to The Queen is Dead. However, the debut album is always the SMITHS record I will grab first. It sounds under produced, and recorded at the wrong speed. Many years later all sorts of bands wanted that "lo-fi" sound. This record sounds like the demo tapes of a friends band before they making it big, you can hear the promise of potential . Finally, in 1982 , NOTHING sounded like that sonically, the cover looks homemade, and lyical content about a murdered children, if you purchased the album without any reference points, one would surely claim, " what the hell is with this band?"
Strangeways is extremely overrated imo, too poppy and overproduced, the worst album by a long shot Hatful of Hollow just sounds like demos to me, I prefer the album versions The Queen is Dead is quite possibly the greatest album ever made with all hits and no misses, the Smiths at their creative peak
For me The queen is dead is best Smiths álbum. After 30 years I’m still ill with it
I think Strangeways here we come is MASSIVELY underrated, I think it's the smiths at their musical and lyrical peak, and I think it's their best album, with "Last Night I dreamt that somebody loved me" being top 3 smiths songs, if not the best
God I love the headmaster ritual
Me too! Every line in that song is a corker. "He does the military two step down the nape of my neck." Immediately stuck in your head for the rest of time. And that guitar work! Absolutely astonishing.
@@tokyochuchu 100%, the guitar work on meat is murder in general is incredible, particularly with this song and barbarism begins at home
Thanks for your Smith’s ranking. Funny thing I put “Louder than bombs first”. Being almost 50 and from the U.S. (Seattle), they never played The Smiths on the radio or MTV. In fact I got into Morrissey first when I was 20 1991 and had to back track into The Smiths. So glad I did! Now my 17 year old son who plays guitar is now getting into them. Thanks again for your video!! P.S. My favorite song has to be “London”.
I can totally understand putting Louder than Bombs top if you're from the US. The amount of awesome material on that compilation is insane!
*LONDON* is a phenomenal song: The lyrics and *that guitar* - AMAZING
I love most everything by the Smiths, besides the Beatles I can't think of another band that I like almost 100% of their output...
TOP TEN...
10… Vicar In A Tutu,
09… Shakespeare's Sister,
08… Shoplifters Of The World Unite,
07… A Rush And A Push And The Land Is Ours,
06… Reel Around The Fountain,
05… This Charming Man,
04… Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want,
02… London,
02… Girlfriend In A Coma,
01… Cemetry Gates...
On a different day, a different top ten...
I love pretty much everything by The Smiths as well. Truly a band with no weak spots. I'm not sure the band even have a single track I dislike... 🤔
@@tokyochuchu There are a few I will skip from time to time but only in eagerness to get to the cream...🙂
Love this list and how you talk about the albums and the songs, the feelings they gave (and give) you and how some of Morrissey's lyrics just enter your mind sometimes. Very recognizable. Meat Is Murder is my favourite The Smiths album too.
Thanks for your thoughts. As an American the Smiths are my favorite band. I got into them in 85 after seeing How Soon is Now on a late night MTV show hosted by Iggy Pop. I would love to spend a week in Manchester and drink tea in a coffee shop playing Smith's tunes and discuss the Smiths w other Smiths fanatics😎🌻🥰🦋🐕
Come over! Plenty of tea shops and record shops sprawled across the city centre
@@finnmccarthy4005 i definitely plan to very soon
"NeVer Had No One Ever" is a great song that helps to put My mind at ease~~~and "Strange Ways" is a phenomenal album...
I surely remember my first Smiths record and carry those warm memories with me. For me it wasnt even a studio album but the ...Best II compilation. Still to this day when I hear songs that are on it, my mind expects the next song from that compilation to come next. It's a brilliant mix of songs that feels like an album
1. The Queen is Dead
2. Louder Than Bombs
3. Strangeways Here We Come
4. Hatful of Hallow
5. The Smiths
6. The World Won't Listen
7. Meat is Murder
The Smiths - The Smiths sounds like it was recorded in a cave, but I like it. There are no bad albums.
It's one of my all time favourites. I think it's The Smith's best album.
I absolutely agree with Meat is Murder being number one. For me, you’re right, there are no skips, and every single tracks counts. There’s not a track I wouldn’t listen to ten times in a row!
Well, it takes guts to rank "The Queen is dead" at 5th, I'll give you that xD
Best record of all time for me.
As usual with your videos here's my list from best to worst, which in the Smiths case would be "from absolute greatness to just great":
- The Queen is Dead
- Strangeways here we come
- The World Won't listen
- Hatful of Hollow
- Meat is Murder
- The Smiths
'Louder than Bombs' for me was always just an expanded "TWWL" so I'm not counting that one and I prefer The World Won't listen, anyway.
Good list. I agree that The Smiths is absolute greatness to great. Nothing below 4 stars on this list. And I absolutely agree with your assessment of Louder Than Bombs. I think The Smiths are so consistent and awesome that any one of their albums can be acceptable as #1. With the possible exception of Louder Than Bombs. Unless you're an American, in which case I get that too.
@@tokyochuchu Yeah, absolutely. It's strange about Louder than Bombs because the collection of songs is fantastic, the content is impeccable, but, for some reason, it's just not that good; maybe it's the pacing like you said in the video or the fact it's a bit too long, I don't know, but something about it makes me not want to listen to it as often as the others. Sometimes less is more.
I also agree that if you're American your perception of the album might be completely different, for them The World Wont Listen is probably the weird album and not the other way around.
Every time I go to a Morrissey concert there's always a song that I always say I can't believe I've never heard the song before?
My order is
7. The Smiths
6. Louder than Bombs
5. The World Won’t Listen
4. Strangeways Here We Come
3. The Queen is Dead
2. Hatful of Hollow
1. Meat is Murder
100% agree with Meat Is Murder as the best. It’s flawless. Strangeways last for me, just feels flat compared to the rest. Still bloody good though. RIP Andy xxx
1. Meat Is Murder 2. The Queen Is Dead 3. Hatful of Hollow 4. Louder than Bombs 5. The Smiths 6. Strangeways (I also don’t have “world”in my upbringing)
The Smiths
The Queen Is Dead
Strangeways, Here We Come
Hatful of Hollow
Meat Is Murder
Strangeways, Here We Come
Meat is Murder is also my favourite Smiths album, and I for sure agree that The Queen is Dead is overrated. Nice list!
The Smashing Pumpkins and Manic Street Preachers are to be ranked!
This is exactly my order! I was suprised!
I too believe meat is murder is the best. It is the best!!! I love how you can so clearly see what morrissey means by “The Smiths was when he was in his darkest time”, the record is so full of emotion! Great video
01. The Queen Is Dead - because it has three absolute jewels that make up for the weaker tracks: Thorn, Bigmouth and Light.
02. Strangeways Here We Come - because it's their most consistent album in my opinion.
03. Meat Is Murder - because it's a bit to harsh in the lyrics for me and it lacks some slower more laid back tracks.
04. The Smiths - because the band was still struggling to find their sound both lyricall and musicaly.
I like both later compilations (World and Bombs) more than Hatful Of Hollow where I still have an issue with some of the earliest compositions.
The question is what weaker tracks are on The Queen Is Dead ? I can’t think of a single track on that record that I don’t adore in some way or other.
Mine would be 1. Meat Is Murder 2. Strangeways 3. First 9 songs of Louder Than Bombs 4. Hatful 5. The Smiths 6. The Queen..( find it overrated too).
1,. Hatful of Hollow 2. Queen Is Dead 3. Meat is Murder 4. The Smiths 5. Louder Than Bombs (it was my first) 6. Strangeways (I won't rank "The World" since it was not a part of my Smiths upbringing). But like tokyochucu says, there's not a bad album among these.
I have a hard time ranking them since it’s a nearly unassailable discography but here goes:
1 Louder Than Bombs/ Hatful (Tie)
2 the rest
No compilation album should really be in the running.
So:
#4 The Smiths
#3 Strangeways Here We Come
#2 Meat is Murder
#1 The Queen is Dead
The Smiths albums ranked:
1. The Queen Is Dead (1986)
2. Strangeways, Here We Come (1987)
3. Hatful of Hollow (1984)
4. Meat Is Murder (1985)
5. Louder Than Bombs (1987)
6. The Smiths (1984)
Queen is dead is not only their best album, but one of the best albums ever recorded in general
Meat Is Murder exactly right
My favorite compilation it's Louder than bombs, Some girls are bigger than others it's one of my favorite Smiths songs and I don't believe That the Queen Is dead could possibly be overrated, agree to disagree hahah. I love the album cover from Louder than bombs and also the tracklist order ending with Asleep and even though it's 1hour 13 minutes I don't feel like it's that long because of how good the songs are and the flow of the compilation.
1.The Queen Is Dead
2. Meat is Murder
3. Hatful of Hollow
4. Louder Than Bombs
5. The Smiths
6. Strangeways (I like it a lot still).
I like everything from The Smiths too. Louder than Bombs is simply ranked low because I prefer the original UK compilations it's based on. But it's still a 5 star package.
All personal opinion, obviously..and I DO disagree ;-) Meat is Murder number 1? Nah! I'm a Queen is Dead man.. the opening track The Queen is Dead is such a wild awesome groove (the bass alone makes me stand up and salute)...and Some Girls are Bigger than Others a totally fantastic track (the live version from their last gig is even better). Overall, I'd put Strangeways and QiD as equal first Studio albums.. though they are very different in style and sound..the former is lusher and more orchestral, but I prefer the rawer heavier sound of early Smiths. Hatful of Hollow was the entry level drug for many listeners..the acoustic version of Back to the Old House on HoH is beautiful, and the version of This Night has Opened My Eyes is soo poignant and melodic: my teenage daughter demands I put it on when she's in the car (hey, we agree on something!).
Ps I should say I told her 'This night...' was about a mother abandoning or killing her baby, and she said "Really? Why did you have to tell me that.. It sounds a happy song" :-)
Cool. Have you ever listened to The Kinks? Recently they went back and remastered their older records because this year is their 60th anniversary. Just in case you've never dug into The Kinks, go listen to the album 'Preservation Act 1' (1973). I promise you that you will love it. And that's my good deed for the day. Keep on ranking my friend. 😉
TQID is no. 1 no cap
"Some Girls..." is my favorite Marr moment. And one of my least favorite Moz moments. That song deserved better.
Also, hot take time: I don’t really like There is a Light That Never Goes Out; idk why, but it’s just so plain and ordinary and boring and too conventional (when it comes to The Smiths) for me lol
I will say I really love Hatful Of Hollow as well…
4: Strangeways, Here We Come
3: Meat Is Murder
2: The Smiths
I prob would’ve put Hatful Of Hollow here
1: The Queen Is Dead
Also, R.I.P Andy Rourke. 😔 Found out that he died from pancreatic cancer.
Oh pancreatic cancer, since you asked…
You are a flatulent pain in the arse…
OK, I know its subjective but you lost me at the beginning, Louder than bombs at number 7!
It's just because I'm from the UK and we have different compilations that cover the same ground, so I just don't listen to it. I'm not saying it's bad at all.
@@tokyochuchu Hello, just thought I would point out I'm from the UK, Newcastle-upon-Tyne actually and for me LtB is a much better compilation than The World Won't Listen, better songs imo, also I believe Strange ways is the number 1 album if not Meat is Murder both of which are fantastic but like I dais its only imo, edit said not dais
@@colleennoble1756 Cool. The perfect example of subjectivity right there. I still like Hatful and WWL over LTB. But Louder is still a great compilation no matter which way you slice it.
Imagine your weaker songs being william and heaven knows
He knows he's unlovable. After 12 solo albums on 8 different labels, he's probably right!
I'm right there with you in regard to The Queen is Dead.
However, the debut album is always the SMITHS record I will grab first.
It sounds under produced, and recorded at the wrong speed.
Many years later all sorts of bands wanted that "lo-fi" sound.
This record sounds like the demo tapes of a friends band before they making it big, you can hear the promise of potential .
Finally, in 1982 , NOTHING sounded like that sonically, the cover looks homemade, and lyical content about a murdered children, if you purchased the album without any reference points, one would surely claim, " what the hell is with this band?"
Amazing... But I would argue that Hatful of Hollow did it better. After all, a lot of those radio sessions pre-date the debut.
@@tokyochuchu , no arguing. However, I will stand about with you in the drizzles in our overcoats, staring at the ground.
@@DEVOn.A.Skertic Fantastic! Let's say Wednesday somewhere around Stretford?
Meat is murder (the song) made me a vegetarian
Hey some girls are bigger than others is one of my fav!!! What are you on ??? 😂
Strangeways is extremely overrated imo, too poppy and overproduced, the worst album by a long shot
Hatful of Hollow just sounds like demos to me, I prefer the album versions
The Queen is Dead is quite possibly the greatest album ever made with all hits and no misses, the Smiths at their creative peak
Just ranking the studio albums, I would have:
1. Strangeways
2. Meat
3. Queen
4. debut
...way off - 1 and 2 are Strangeways and Queen, respectively - it's not even subjectively questionable - "Chuchu" has terrible taste...
Beutiful
You lost me when you said you’ve never liked “some girls are bigger than others” haha
As Anthony said to Cleopatra as he opened a crate of ale.... Oh I say!
William and Heaven Knows some of the smiths weakest singles!!!!!!!!!!! Are you sure you actually like the smiths?
gtfo the queen is dead ranked 5th is trolling.