The Smiths discography

The Smiths discography
The Smiths discography
	Morrissey (left) and Johnny Marr (right) post-The Smiths
Studio albums	4
Live albums	1
Compilation albums	10
Video albums	1
Music videos	14
EPs	1
Singles	23

The English alternative rock band the Smiths released four studio albums, one extended play (EP), one live album, ten compilation albums, twenty-three singles, one video album and fourteen music videos on the Rough Trade, Sire and WEA record labels. The band was formed in 1982 in Manchester by vocalist Morrissey, guitarist Johnny Marr, bass player Andy Rourke and drummer Mike Joyce.^[1]

The Smiths' debut single was "Hand in Glove" (May 1983); it failed to chart. Its follow-up, "This Charming Man" (October 1983), met with critical approval and reached number 25 on the UK Singles Chart.^[2] In 1984 the band reached number 12 in the UK with the single "What Difference Does It Make?" and went to number two on the UK Albums Chart with their debut album, The Smiths. Their next three singles all went into the top 20 of the charts in the UK, helping to consolidate their previous chart success. The next studio album, Meat Is Murder (1985), reached the top of the British charts; the only single to be released from the album, "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" (1985), failed to break into the UK Top 40. The Smiths' next six singles all made the top 30 in the UK, and their third album, The Queen Is Dead (1986), climbed to number two in the UK.^[3]

Despite the Smiths' chart success, Marr left the group in August 1987 because of a strained relationship with Morrissey.^[4] Failing to find a replacement, the Smiths disbanded by the time of the release of their final studio album, Strangeways, Here We Come, in September that year. Strangeways, Here We Come climbed to number two in the UK and became the band's highest-charting release in the United States when it reached number 55 on the Billboard 200. In early 1992 WEA acquired the entire back catalogue of the Smiths and produced two compilations – Best... I and ...Best II – the first of which went to the top of the UK Albums Chart. WEA released two further singles compilations in 1995 and 2001, with a further compilation, The Sound of The Smiths, released in November 2008.^[3]

Studio albums[]

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions									Certifications (sales thresholds)
Title	Album details	UK ^[5]	AUS ^[6]	CAN	GER ^[7]	NL ^[8]	NZ ^[9]	SWE ^[10]	US Cash Box ^[11]	US ^[12]	Certifications (sales thresholds)
The Smiths	Released: 20 February 1984 Label: Rough Trade Formats: LP, cassette, CD	2	77	65 ^[13]	—	28	9	44	129	150	UK: Gold^[14]
Meat Is Murder	Released: 11 February 1985 Label: Rough Trade Formats: LP, cassette, CD	1	58	40 ^[15]	45	39	13	27	73	110	UK: Gold^[14]
The Queen Is Dead	Released: 16 June 1986 Label: Rough Trade Formats: LP, cassette, CD	2	30	29 ^[16]	33	11	17	39	59	70	UK: Platinum^[14] US: Gold^[17]
Strangeways, Here We Come	Released: 28 September 1987 Label: Rough Trade Formats: LP, cassette, CD	2	28	27 ^[18]	33	20	14	13	29	55	UK: Gold^[14] US: Gold^[17]

Live albums[]

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions									Certifications (sales thresholds)
Title	Album details	UK ^[5]	AUS ^[19]	CAN ^[20]	GER ^[7]	NL ^[8]	NZ ^[9]	SWE ^[10]	US Cash Box ^[11]	US ^[12]	Certifications (sales thresholds)
Rank	Released: 5 September 1988 Label: Rough Trade, Sire Formats: LP, cassette, CD, DAT	2	30	82	47	42	25	32	54	77	UK: Gold^[14]

Compilation albums[]

Title	Album details	Peak chart positions											Certifications (sales thresholds)
Title	Album details	UK ^[3]	AUS ^[6]	CAN	GER ^[7]	IRE ^[21]	NL ^[8]	NZ ^[9]	NOR ^[22]	SWE ^[10]	US Cash Box ^[11]	US ^[12]	Certifications (sales thresholds)
Hatful of Hollow	Released: 12 November 1984 Label: Rough Trade Formats: LP, cassette, CD	7	—	91 ^[23]	—	—	—	21	—	28	—	—	UK: Platinum^[14]
The World Won't Listen	Released: 23 February 1987 Label: Rough Trade Formats: LP, cassette, CD	2	25	—	41	—	15	16	17	19	—	—	UK: Gold^[14]
Louder Than Bombs	Released: 30 March 1987 Labels: Rough Trade, Sire Formats: LP, cassette, CD	38	—	29 ^[24]	—	—	—	—	—	—	27	62	UK: Gold^[14] US: Gold^[17]
Best... I	Released: 17 August 1992 Label: WEA Formats: LP, cassette, CD	1	64	38 ^[25]	—	56	74	15	35	45	49	139	UK: Gold^[14]
...Best II	Released: 2 November 1992 Label: WEA Formats: LP, cassette, CD	29	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	UK: Gold^[14]
Singles	Released: 20 February 1995 Label: WEA Format: CD	5	—	—	—	26	—	—	—	—	—	—	UK: Platinum^[14]
The Very Best of The Smiths	Released: 4 June 2001 Label: WEA Format: CD	30	—	—	—	34	—	—	—	—	—	—	UK: Platinum^[14]
The Sound of The Smiths	Released: 10 November 2008 Label: WEA Format: CD	21 ^[26]	—	—	—	28	—	—	—	—	—	98	UK: 2x Platinum^[14]
The Smiths Singles Box	Released: 8 December 2008 Label: WEA Formats: 12 × 7" vinyl, 12 × CD	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Complete	Released: 26 September 2011 3 October 2011 Label: Rhino Formats: 8 × CD, 8 × LP, 8 × CD + 8 × LP + 25 × 7" vinyl + DVD	63	—	—	—	75	—	—	—	—	—	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Extended plays[]

Title	EP details	Ref.
GIV 1	Label: New Musical Express Formats: 7-inch vinyl	^[27] ^[28]
The Peel Sessions	Label: Strange Fruit Formats: 12-inch vinyl, CD	^[5]

Singles[]

Year	Single	Peak chart positions					Certifications (sales thresholds)	Album
Year	Single	UK ^[29]	AUS ^[6]	IRE ^[30]	NZ ^[31]	US Dance ^[32]	Certifications (sales thresholds)	Album
1983	"Hand in Glove"	124	—	—	—	—		Non-album singles
1983	"This Charming Man"	25	52	—	15	—	UK: Platinum^[14]	Non-album singles
1984	"What Difference Does It Make?"	12	—	12	—	—		The Smiths
	"Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now"	10	—	11	—	—	UK: Silver^[14]	Non-album singles
	"William, It Was Really Nothing"	17	—	8	—	—
1985	"How Soon Is Now?"	24	—	5	39	36	UK: Gold^[14]
	"Shakespeare's Sister"	26	—	11	—	—
	"Barbarism Begins at Home"	—	—	—	—	—		Meat Is Murder
	"The Headmaster Ritual"	—	—	—	—	—
	"That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore"	49	—	20	—	—
	"The Boy with the Thorn in His Side"	23	—	15	46	49		The Queen Is Dead
1986	"Bigmouth Strikes Again"	26	—	—	40	—	UK: Silver^[14]	The Queen Is Dead
	"Panic"	11	—	7	—	—	UK: Silver^[14]	Non-album singles
	"Ask"	14	—	9	—	—
1987	"Shoplifters of the World Unite"	12	—	7	—	—
	"Sheila Take a Bow"	10	—	3	—	—
	"Girlfriend in a Coma"	13	—	12	29	—		Strangeways, Here We Come
	"I Started Something I Couldn't Finish"	23	—	13	—	—
	"Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me"	30	—	17	—	—
	"Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before"	—	91	—	31	—
1992	"This Charming Man" (reissue)	8	—	9	—	—	UK: Platinum^[14]	Best... I
	"How Soon Is Now?" (reissue)	16	—	—	—	—	UK: Gold^[14]	Best... I
	"There Is a Light That Never Goes Out"	25	—	22	—	—	UK: Gold^[14]	...Best II
1995	"Ask" (reissue)	62	—	—	—	—		Singles
1995	"Sweet and Tender Hooligan"	—	—	—	—	—		Singles
2017	"The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" (demo)	172	—	—	—	—		The Queen Is Dead (2017 collector's edition)
2017	"The Queen Is Dead"	85	—	—	—	—		The Queen Is Dead (2017 collector's edition)

Other charted releases[]

Year	Title	Peak chart positions	Certifications (sales thresholds)	Album
Year	Title	UK ^[29]	Certifications (sales thresholds)	Album
2011	"Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want"	121	UK: Silver^[14]	Complete

Video albums[]

Title	Album details	Ref.
The Complete Picture	Label: WEA Format: VHS / LaserDisc / DVD / VCD	^[33]

Music videos[]

Year	Title	Director(s)	Notes	Ref.
1985	"How Soon Is Now?"	Paula Grief and Richard Levine		^[34]
1985	"The Boy with the Thorn in His Side"	Ken O'Neill		^[35]
1986	"The Queen Is Dead"/"Panic"/"There Is a Light That Never Goes Out"	Derek Jarman	A short film made for the 1986 Edinburgh Festival.	^[36]
	"Panic"	Derek Jarman	A promo video for the "Panic" single was made using a mixture of concert footage and footage from Jarman's film.	^[36]
	"Ask"	Derek Jarman		^[36]
1987	"Shoplifters of the World Unite"	Tamra Davis	Combines footage of The Smiths on The Tube in April 1987 with footage from the film A Place in the Sun.	^[35]
	"Sheila Take a Bow"	Tamra Davis		^[37]
	"Girlfriend in a Coma"	Tim Broad		^[38]
	"Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before"	Tim Broad	Video produced for a single whose release was cancelled.	^[39]
	"I Started Something I Couldn't Finish"	Tim Broad	Promo video released after The Smiths had split, which recycles footage from the "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" video.	^[40]
1988	"Ask" (live)	Peter Fowler	Promo video produced to promote the Rank live album.	^[41]
1992	"This Charming Man"	Unknown	Uses footage originally shot for the Tyne Tees Television show The Tube in 1983.	^[35]
1992	"There Is a Light That Never Goes Out"	Tim Broad	Recycles footage from the "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" promo video.	^[42]

References[]

^ Fletcher 2012, pp. 2–4.
^ Morley, Paul (12 November 1983). "This Charming Man". NME.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Strong 2004, pp. 1401–02.
^ Rogan, Johnny. "The Smiths: Johnny Marr's View". Record Collector. London: Diamond Publishing (November/December 1992).
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Strong 2004, p. 1401.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 279. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "Charts.de – Album suche: The Smiths". Media Control. Archived from the original on 14 August 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "Discography The Smiths". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 3 October 2011.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "Discography The Smiths". charts.nz. Retrieved 3 October 2011.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "Discography The Smiths". Swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "CASH BOX MAGAZINE: Music and coin machine magazine 1942 to 1996". worldradiohistory.com. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "The Smiths: Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
^ "RPM100 Albums". RPM. 40 (9). 5 May 1984. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v "Certified Awards Search". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 6 February 2013. Retrieved 27 August 2009.
^ "RPM100 Albums". RPM. 42 (7). 27 April 1985. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
^ "RPM100 Albums". RPM. 44 (23). 30 August 1986. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "Search Results". Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2009.
^ "RPM100 Albums". RPM. 47 (8). 28 November 1987. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
^ Kent 1993. sfn error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFKent1993 (help)
^ "RPM100 Albums". RPM. 48 (26). 15 October 1988. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
^ "Discography The Smiths". irish-charts.com. Retrieved 3 October 2011.
^ "Discography The Smiths". Norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
^ "RPM100 Albums". RPM (11). 12 January 1985. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
^ "RPM100 Albums". RPM. 46 (8). 20 May 1987. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
^ "RPM100 Albums". RPM. 56 (20). 14 November 1992. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
^ "Search Results: The Smiths". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 14 August 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
^ Rogan 1993, p. 307.
^ Goddard 2002, p. 129.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "The Smiths". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
^ "The Irish Charts – All there is to know". Irish Recorded Music Association. 2008. Archived from the original on 3 June 2009. Retrieved 8 July 2008.
^ https://charts.nz/search.asp?cat=s&artist=the+smith&artist_search=starts&title=&title_search=starts
^ "The Smiths > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 July 2008.
^ Larkin 2011, p. 2964.
^ Bessman, Jim (31 May 1986). "Docu-Clips Show Avant-Garde Influence". Billboard. 98 (22): 45.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Fletcher 2012, p. 461.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Goddard 2009, p. 198.
^ Fletcher 2012, pp. 593–94.
^ Fletcher 2012, p. 623.
^ Zuberi 2001, p. 48.
^ Fletcher 2012, pp. 623–24.
^ Goddard 2009, p. 196.
^ Fletcher 2012, p. 465.

Sources[]

Fletcher, Tony (2012). A Light That Never Goes Out: The Enduring Saga of the Smiths. London: Random House. ISBN 978-1-4090-3860-3.
Goddard, Simon (2002). Songs That Saved Your Life. London: Reynolds & Hearn. ISBN 978-1-903111-47-5.
Goddard, Simon (2009). Mozipedia: The Encyclopaedia of Morrissey and the Smiths. London: Ebury Publishing. ISBN 978-0-09-192709-7.
Kent, David (1993). Kent Music Report: Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
Rogan, Johnny (1993). Morrissey & Marr: The Severed Alliance. London: Omnibus. ISBN 978-0-7119-3000-1.
Strong, Martin (2004). The Great Rock Discography. Edinburgh: Canongate Books. ISBN 978-1-84195-551-3.
Zuberi, Nabeel (2001). Sounds English: Transnational Popular Music. Champaign, IL: University of Illinois Press. ISBN 978-0-252-02620-1.

External links[]

The Smiths discography at AllMusic
The Smiths discography at Discogs

[FOOTNOTEFletcher20122–4-1] Fletcher 2012, pp. 2–4.

[Morley:Charming-2] Morley, Paul (12 November 1983). "This Charming Man". NME.

[FOOTNOTEStrong20041401–02-3] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Strong 2004, pp. 1401–02.

[Rogan:_collector-4] Rogan, Johnny. "The Smiths: Johnny Marr's View". Record Collector. London: Diamond Publishing (November/December 1992).

[FOOTNOTEStrong20041401-5] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Strong 2004, p. 1401.

[aus-6] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 279. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

[GER1-7] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "Charts.de – Album suche: The Smiths". Media Control. Archived from the original on 14 August 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2020.

[NL-8] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "Discography The Smiths". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 3 October 2011.

[NZ-9] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "Discography The Smiths". charts.nz. Retrieved 3 October 2011.

[swedish_charts-10] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "Discography The Smiths". Swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 29 October 2008.

[Cashbox-11] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "CASH BOX MAGAZINE: Music and coin machine magazine 1942 to 1996". worldradiohistory.com. Retrieved 21 July 2020.

[billboard200-12] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "The Smiths: Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 5 May 2010.

[CAN:_Smiths-13] "RPM100 Albums". RPM. 40 (9). 5 May 1984. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2008.

[bpi_certs-14] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v "Certified Awards Search". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 6 February 2013. Retrieved 27 August 2009.

[CAN:_Meat-15] "RPM100 Albums". RPM. 42 (7). 27 April 1985. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2008.

[CAN:_Queen-16] "RPM100 Albums". RPM. 44 (23). 30 August 1986. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2008.

[US_certs-17] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "Search Results". Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2009.

[CAN:_strange-18] "RPM100 Albums". RPM. 47 (8). 28 November 1987. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2008.

[FOOTNOTEKent1993-19] Kent 1993. sfn error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFKent1993 (help)

[CAN:_Live-20] "RPM100 Albums". RPM. 48 (26). 15 October 1988. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2008.

[Irish_comps-21] "Discography The Smiths". irish-charts.com. Retrieved 3 October 2011.

[NOR_comps-22] "Discography The Smiths". Norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 29 October 2008.

[CAN,_Hatful-23] "RPM100 Albums". RPM (11). 12 January 1985. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2008.

[CAN,_Louder-24] "RPM100 Albums". RPM. 46 (8). 20 May 1987. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2008.

[CAN,_Best_1-25] "RPM100 Albums". RPM. 56 (20). 14 November 1992. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2008.

[UK:_SotS-26] "Search Results: The Smiths". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 14 August 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2020.

[FOOTNOTERogan1993307-27] Rogan 1993, p. 307.

[FOOTNOTEGoddard2002129-28] Goddard 2002, p. 129.

[Smiths_Offic_charts-29] Jump up to: ^a ^b "The Smiths". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 August 2014.

[irma-30] "The Irish Charts – All there is to know". Irish Recorded Music Association. 2008. Archived from the original on 3 June 2009. Retrieved 8 July 2008.

[31] ttps://charts.nz/search.asp?cat=s&artist=the+smith&artist_search=starts&title=&title_search=starts

[Smiths:_Billboard-32] "The Smiths > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 July 2008.

[FOOTNOTELarkin20112964-33] Larkin 2011, p. 2964.

[Billboard:_How_soon_video-34] Bessman, Jim (31 May 1986). "Docu-Clips Show Avant-Garde Influence". Billboard. 98 (22): 45.

[FOOTNOTEFletcher2012461-35] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Fletcher 2012, p. 461.

[FOOTNOTEGoddard2009198-36] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Goddard 2009, p. 198.

[FOOTNOTEFletcher2012593–94-37] Fletcher 2012, pp. 593–94.

[FOOTNOTEFletcher2012623-38] Fletcher 2012, p. 623.

[FOOTNOTEZuberi200148-39] Zuberi 2001, p. 48.

[FOOTNOTEFletcher2012623–24-40] Fletcher 2012, pp. 623–24.

[FOOTNOTEGoddard2009196-41] Goddard 2009, p. 196.

[FOOTNOTEFletcher2012465-42] Fletcher 2012, p. 465.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

[27]

[28]

[29]

[30]

[31]

[32]

[33]

[34]

[35]

[36]

[37]

[38]

[39]

[40]

[41]

[42]

hide v t The Smiths
Morrissey Johnny Marr Andy Rourke Mike Joyce Craig Gannon
Studio albums	The Smiths Meat Is Murder The Queen Is Dead Strangeways, Here We Come
Live albums	Rank
Compilations	Hatful of Hollow The World Won't Listen Louder Than Bombs Stop Me Best... I ...Best II Singles The Very Best of The Smiths The Sound of The Smiths The Smiths Singles Box Complete
Extended plays	The Peel Sessions
Singles	"Hand in Glove" "This Charming Man" "What Difference Does It Make?" "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" "William, It Was Really Nothing" "How Soon Is Now?" "Shakespeare's Sister" "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" "Bigmouth Strikes Again" "Panic" "Ask" "Shoplifters of the World Unite" "Sheila Take a Bow" "Girlfriend in a Coma" "I Started Something I Couldn't Finish" "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me" "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" "Sweet and Tender Hooligan"
Other songs	"Still Ill" "Suffer Little Children" "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" "Cemetry Gates" "I Know It's Over" "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others" "A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours"
Related articles	Discography Songs Live performances The Smiths Is Dead Shoplifters of the World