The Smiths were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982, composed of Morrissey (vocals), Johnny Marr (guitar), Andy Rourke (bass) and Mike Joyce (drums). Morrissey and Marr formed the band's songwriting partnership. The Smiths are regarded as one of the most important British bands and one of the pioneers of 1980s independent music.
The Smiths signed to the independent label Rough Trade Records in 1983 and released their debut album, The Smiths, in 1984. They focused on a guitar, bass and drum sound, fusing art rock and post-punk, which was a rejection of the synth-pop sound predominant at the time. Several of the band's singles reached the top 20 of the UK singles chart, and all their studio albums reached the top five of the UK Albums Chart, including the number-one album Meat Is Murder (1985). The Queen Is Dead (1986) and Strangeways, Here We Come (1987) both entered the top 20 of the European Albums Chart.
In 1986, the Smiths briefly expanded to a five-piece with the addition of guitarist Craig Gannon, but internal tensions eventually led to their breakup the following year. The split was followed by heavily publicised lawsuits over royalties, and the band members have rejected numerous offers to reunite in the years since. Rourke died in 2023.
