The Smiths were an English rock band active from 1982 to 1987. The group was based on the songwriting partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr and were signed to the independent record label Rough Trade Records. Considered by some critics to be the most important alternative rock band to emerge from the British indie scene of the 1980s, the Smiths have had a major influence on subsequent alternative music, including the Britpop movement and bands such as The Stone Roses, Radiohead, Blur, Suede, Oasis, The Libertines, The Verve and Doves. At the time, the group was notable in particular for two things: Morrissey's unusual, witty, ambiguous, and sometimes controversial lyrics; and Marr's complex, dense music, which helped return guitar-based music to popularity after it had fallen somewhat out of favour in the UK charts. The group released four studio albums and several compilations, as well as numerous non-LP singles.
Although they had limited commercial success outside the UK while they were still together and never released a single that charted higher than number 10 in their home country, The Smiths won a growing following both at home and overseas in the closing years of the twentieth century, and they remain cult and commercial favourites to this day.
