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Smiths in "NME writers' best 100 albums"

posted by davidt on Saturday March 08 2003, @11:00AM
writes:

Just got this from "nme.com":
NME writers' best 100 albums of all time unveiled

They did this list again for the first time in 10 years.
Look at # 8 ......

1. The Stone Roses "The Stone Roses'
2. Pixies 'Doolittle'
3. The Beach Boys 'Pet Sounds'
4. Television 'Marquee Moon'
5. The Beatles 'Revolver'
6. Love 'Forever Changes'
7. The Strokes 'Is This it'
8. The Smiths 'The Queen Is Dead'
9.The Velvet Underground 'The Velvet Underground & Nico'
10. The Sex Pistols 'Never Mind The Bollocks...'
---
English Martyr writes with more details from the print edition:


The 8 March issue of NME features their best 100 albums of all time. Here are The Smiths selections and what they had to say about them;

8) The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead (Sml picture taken outside The Salford Lads Club.)
Influenced: The Stone Roses, Doves, The Libertines (and anyone gloomy)
Why it's great: Long time before Radiohead and Coldplay became miserable for a living, The Smith's did the job with a grace and wit which made them the inevitable victors in our round up of NME's 50 greatest artists last year. Their third LP remains their masterpiece. With Morrissey's lyrics forever on the knife edge of heartbreak and hilarity, Johnny Marr - the first indie guitar God - matches him with carefully plucked tunes to brighten up even the gloomiest halls of residence. The six minute title track showed the iconoclastic intent ("Pass the pub that wrecks your body/ And the church all they want is your money.") but it is "There is a Light That Never Goes Out" that crystallises The Smith's' place in rock history. The ache of unrequited love has never sounded so cruel, or so funny.
Best track: There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

25) The Smiths - Strangeways Here We Come (Sml picture of the cover)
Influenced: Belle and Sebastian
Why it's great: It's Morrissey and Marr's swansong: sad, acerbic, unmissable.
Best track: Paint A Vulgar Picture

51) The Smiths - Hatful of Hollow (no picture)
Influenced: Tatu
Best track: Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want

54) The Smiths - The Smiths (no picture)
Influenced: Pretty Girls Make Graves
Best track: What Difference Does It Make?

The number 1 was, The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses... so what's your favourite album?

Email your rants to [email protected] and they'll print a selection of the best.
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  • storms in (Score:0, Troll)

    first comment get in

    no suprises, except for radiohead absence
    ManchesterMoz -- Saturday March 08 2003, @11:06AM (#55523)
    (User #4642 Info)
    keep two chevrons apart
  • What were they thinking? I'm not saying it's a bad album, but seriously, the best album ever? Erm... what? It's another case of the NME talking complete shite, I'm afraid. The Stone Roses starts on a high and works downwards progressively. Once again the NME have elected to champion something that nobody expected in the vain hope that it will stir up some debate and increase their pitiful, and declining, reader base.

    NME: go away.
    Mr_Biffo -- Saturday March 08 2003, @11:36AM (#55524)
    (User #2843 Info)
    "Lies are no comfort when there are tears in your eyes"

  • Top Ten (Score:2, Insightful)

    The Stone Roses self titled is a cracking piece of work you buffoon. Although i wouldnt personally put it at number one in my list, Its still a deserved winner and I can see why the NME put it there.

    Good to see Queen is Dead in there, but we always knew it was going to be in there. And Strangeways, although i'd have to disagree with Paint a Vulgar Picture being the best track. I'd say I Wont Share You, or even Death of a Disco Dancer are far better. But thats just me...
    mozismurder -- Saturday March 08 2003, @12:04PM (#55526)
    (User #7294 Info)
    Mind your bleedin' own you two bob c-nt
    • Re:Top Ten by Mr_Biffo (Score:1) Saturday March 08 2003, @12:51PM
      • Re:Top Ten by joans_walkman (Score:1) Sunday March 09 2003, @08:55PM
        • Re:Top Ten by simonm66 (Score:1) Tuesday March 11 2003, @10:09AM
  • OK, I like this top 10 for once, but #'s 4, 6 and 7 are great but not historical & impacting enough to warrant top 10 status. Maybe top 30? At any rate, at least Eminem is not on this list.
    Asleep -- Saturday March 08 2003, @01:28PM (#55530)
    (User #2464 Info)
    "Figures won't lie, but liars will figure."
    • Re:Not a horrible list by Anonymous (Score:1) Saturday March 08 2003, @01:33PM
      • Re:Not a horrible list by Asleep (Score:1) Sunday March 09 2003, @06:26PM
        • i'm glad someone besides me doesn't understand eminem's appeal to intelligent people. there are plenty of black rappers who sing on similar themes (although they are largely overshadowed by the rappers who wax philosophical on the joys of courvoisier and bling bling) and don't get mad props from the press. i guess being a whiney white guy who writes hateful songs about women and gays and who sings a ton of songs about his own badness makes him a cool guy and a real poet.

          seriously. how much talent does it take to make up shit like "i'm the real slim shady, all the other slim shadies are just imitating."

          and i hope no one gives me that shit about how he changed his tune with that song off of 8 mile and how now he's so inspirational. that's just eminem trying to attract a new demographic. oh wow, he sang a hackneyed song about opening the door when opportunity knocks. well that just changes everything! he's no misogynist or homophobe. *sarcasm, sarcasm, sarcasm*

          eminem is also a huge fake and a hypocrite. he bitches about how mtv is so evil and how he hates popstars. what the fuck is he? how many times has he appeared on TRL again? damn, he's so rebellious.

          don't even get me started on people who try to compare eminem with morrissey. that "this charming man" vs. "without me" atrocity was bad enough.

          i think the music critics and the jackasses who give eminem a truckload of grammies are just trying to earn street cred -- to appeal to a new, younger audience. either that, or they have some mommy issues. calling doctor freud...
          joans_walkman -- Sunday March 09 2003, @08:31PM (#55606)
          (User #6238 Info)
    • Re:Not a horrible list by rhenanus (Score:1) Monday March 10 2003, @05:48AM
  • i could have sworn that this list already appeared on this site -- maybe at the general forum? anyway, the list is complete bullshit. come on, the strokes in the top ten -- above the smiths no less? the strokes suck. all of their songs sound exactly the same. i've said it before and i'm sure i'll say it again, but the strokes are nothing but untalented poor little rich kids who borrow a little too much from their influences instead of bothering to create a new and interesting sound.

    anyway, this list is old news and what's worse, it's bad news. the NME is worthless.
    joans_walkman -- Saturday March 08 2003, @03:23PM (#55535)
    (User #6238 Info)
  • hey u can vote for Morrissey and Johnny Marr in the 6music fantasy band so go and do it;
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/artists/fantasy_vocal.shtml

    i know the people who visit this site can be very influential!
    (p.s. dave gahan is touring! woo hoo! although id rather it was morrissey obviously!)
    ok much love!
    sPANS -- Saturday March 08 2003, @04:58PM (#55537)
    (User #6020 Info)
    There are fewer more distressing sights than that of an englishman in a baseball cap!
  • Why did they list The Velvet Underground twice? Except the second time they called them "the strokes".
    Anonymous -- Saturday March 08 2003, @05:04PM (#55538)
    • a-frigging-men by joans_walkman (Score:1) Saturday March 08 2003, @06:35PM
    • Re:Huh? by hand in glove (Score:1) Saturday March 08 2003, @11:49PM
    • Re:Huh? by Anonymous (Score:0) Wednesday March 12 2003, @10:35AM
  • Another predictable poll, but not too bad:

    Although they didn't get #1, it was some consolation that The Smiths got the most albums in the top 100 (they got 4, Bowie and The Stones got 3). And they did better here than in the last NME poll 10 years ago, where TQID was #10, HOH #41, and The Smiths #69. Wonder why Hatful is allowed since it's a compilation. Nice to see Strangeways re-appraised, at first that was my least fave Smiths album, but it's a grower and Meat Is Murder is probably the weakest (though still a classic). Should have been room for Morrissey solo, either Your Arsenal or Vauxhall And I. I also agree that "There Is A Light" is what cemented The Smiths place in rock history, it's the best song ever.

    The Stone Roses are completely overrated and the epitome of indie wank, those of us who value old-fashioned things like competent singing, decent lyrics and non-simian frontmen wonder what the fuss is about.

    The omissions - why isn't there anything by Prince, he has more talent than the other two 80s superstars Madonna and Michael Jackson put together. Also no Bjork, Talking Heads, Eno, Costello, PiL, Gang Of Four, Pavement, Fall, Hendrix, Doors, Bunnymen, solo Nico, Suicide, Soft Cell, Human League, Portishead etc. The sudden critical reevaluation of Duran Duran who NME always hated is surprisng, maybe now they're back in favour because they're an influence on new bands? good pop maybe but surely those other 80s English bands who were big in America, The Cure and Depeche Mode are more deserving of a place.

    Less domination of classic rock - pleased there's only 2 Beatles albums, the best two, I only like Rubber Soul, Revolver and The White Album (well, half of it), Sgt Pepper and Abbey Road are overrated. Never understood the fuss for Astral Weeks so good that's lower down. For The Stones, Exile On Main Street is too bluesy and muso and should have been kicked out and replaced with Beggars Banquet. And Forever Changes is the best album of the 60s.

    Way too many recent albums - While The Streets deserve to be there, putting in Andrew WK is surely taking the piss. The Vines and White Stipes are fucking awful, surprised they didn't complete the set by putting in the Hives. That Coldplay album is way-overrated too and is patchy to say the least. The Strokes have cribbed quite a few tricks from The Smiths bag of tricks - signing to Rough Trade, 35 min long album, and 'Someday' and 'Last Nite' are clearly based on 'This Charming Man'. They are good, but it's hardly anything new and they don't rewire your brain like MBV or The Pixies. Or maybe I'm just getting old. The high placing of Loveless (album of the 90s and Isn't Anything should be in there too) and Doolittle (even better than Surfer Rosa) were the best things about this list.
    Anonymous -- Saturday March 08 2003, @06:43PM (#55543)
  • Enemy. 'nuff said.
    hand in glove -- Saturday March 08 2003, @11:53PM (#55553)
    (User #827 Info)
    "Sometimes things fall apart so that better things can fall together" - Marilyn Monroe
  • Meat is Murder?

    IMHO their best album, and the only [studio]
    album that isn't in the list.
    Celibate Cry <[email protected]> -- Sunday March 09 2003, @12:00AM (#55555)
    (User #220 Info)
    and the hills are alive with celibate cries
  • "Viva Hate" and "Vauxhall and I" should have made the list.
    English Martyr -- Sunday March 09 2003, @01:20AM (#55558)
    (User #655 Info | http://website.lineone.net/~smilingontim/timstwin.htm)
  • This list is most pointless and makes no sense. first off, is this their choices of best albums of all time? if so, how sad.
    Second, no matter what list this is , The Strokes "This is it" above Queen is Dead???? I feel i dont need to comment on this list anymore.
    Blackontheinside -- Sunday March 09 2003, @03:36AM (#55559)
    (User #5829 Info)
  • I love about half of the albums on this list and The Smiths are on there 4 times (more than any other artist). Lists don't get any better than this. The only thing that is missing is a Morrissey album. Surely "Viva Hate" or "Vauxhall and I" were deserving of a place on there.
    Anonymous -- Sunday March 09 2003, @03:45AM (#55560)
  • Where is "Meat is Murder"? This is, bar TQID (for me anyway), far and away their best album. How can they rate "The Smiths" higher than MIM? Very strange.
    And how can HOH be in there? It's a compilation album. Why not put Singles in there too?
    And was it too much to ask to put "Your Arsenal" in?
    Spineless Swine <[email protected]> -- Sunday March 09 2003, @05:17AM (#55561)
    (User #4968 Info)
    Leave your future behind you.
  • NME journalists are a bunch of cunts. That list is a total abortion.

    So, not only has this NME become a magazine for bastards, but this site is for the retarded. Just look at the current poll.

    Jesus Fucking Christ what is the world coming to.
    Anonymous -- Sunday March 09 2003, @01:10PM (#55577)
  • I can`t believe there``s no Corrs on the list,it`s an outrage.
    Anonymous -- Sunday March 09 2003, @03:27PM (#55585)
  • I wish Frank Blank would get them back together, but it would be the same.... just like The Smiths. I don't know if I would like The Smiths to have a reunion. Marr looks like hell and all!
    Anonymous -- Sunday March 09 2003, @11:37PM (#55617)
  • I adore Jimmy Somerville. And Suede's Dog Man Star.
    Tadzio -- Monday March 10 2003, @01:20AM (#55621)
    (User #7236 Info)
  • The Only other album in that top 10 that I agree that should be there is Pixies - Doolittle, which is a masterful album, The Queen is Dead also deserves to be higher then that in my opinion.
    But what im supprised in is that Meat is Murder didnt poll did it?
    Thats my favorite album by The Smiths after The Queen is Dead.
    herzeleid316 -- Monday March 10 2003, @04:15AM (#55625)
    (User #7475 Info)
  • I hate the way everyone proclaims the queen is dead as the best smiths, strangeways is far superior and i wish every one could realise cos my throat is getting sore
    Anonymous -- Monday March 10 2003, @06:30PM (#55675)
  • What's the beach boys doing on that list???????
    Anonymous -- Tuesday March 11 2003, @07:22AM (#55702)
    • Re:Sheesh! by Lemmy (Score:1) Tuesday March 11 2003, @08:28PM
      • Re:Sheesh! by mozzergirl (Score:1) Wednesday March 12 2003, @02:48AM
    • It's too bad... by K.J.B. (Score:1) Wednesday March 12 2003, @04:23PM
  • surely the writer's poll should be compiled with stuff that was actually 100% written by those artists in the listing.
    C'mon the Pistols didnt write much of that album.

    echoes of Milli Vanilli.
    inlovewiththepast -- Thursday March 13 2003, @02:05AM (#55825)
    (User #1028 Info)
    truth rest your head there is more than a life at stake here..she may well sell sanctuary but she'll also sell your soul

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