The Smiths’ The Queen Is Dead remains one of the most influential albums in alternative rock, and its 40th anniversary underscores just how deeply it continues to shape culture and the mythology of The Smiths. Four decades after its 1986 release, the album resonates as a defining moment for the band and anyone who's ever felt alone in the world while being surrounded by their peers. It's musically daring, emotional and provocative, and 40 years later it still carries enduring power.
Love him or hate him, Morrissey has cemented his place in music history, and he, along with his bandmates in The Smiths, will go down as one of the most important groups of the '80s. The Queen is Dead plays a major role in why that's the case.
The Queen is Dead is the third studio album from The Smiths, and follows their 1985 powerhouse Meat is Murder. What The Queen is Dead did that the previous records had not was become an influential piece of art — one that that crossed genres and, in the process, brought The Smiths to a larger fanbase than ever before. It shows them at the height of their creative powers and cemented a sound that would later become known as "jangle pop." The guitars of Johnny Marr have influenced everyone from Noel Gallagher of Oasis to Johnny Greenwood of Radiohead. Morrissey's lyrics are both heartfelt and weirdly funny, and have been immortalized in the film 500 Days of Summer — as well as fans' hearts and minds across the globe!
The album opens with the six minute title track, which is a barrage of fury and anti‑establishment bite. Johnny Marr’s looping, aggressive guitar riff and Mike Joyce’s pummeling drums create one of the band’s most intense soundscapes. Morrissey’s vocals swing between theatrical and genuine frustration, setting the tone for an album obsessed with power, identity and disillusionment. It’s a great introduction to the band for first time listeners and a classic for long time fans.
"Cemetery Gates" is a bright, jangling change of pace. Marr’s guitar sparkles while Morrissey delivers lines about Oscar Wilde and quotes Shakespeare. It’s the album’s sunniest moment, celebrating the escape that books and ideas can offer when the world feels heavy. This is one of my personal favorite Smiths songs, as it ventures outside the box a bit but continues to stay true to their established sound. It's one of Morrissey's best moments as a songwriter.
The crowning jewel of the whole package is "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out." This is a track that I could easily see humanity sending to outer space to represent the human race. When a casual listener hears the name The Smiths, this is the song that comes to mind. Currently "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" boasts over a billion streams on Spotify; that's a lot of Morrissey. It also shows the power that this song holds over so many people. It's a breakup anthem, a never ending love song, or whatever you need it to be in your moment of need. It's a timeless track. If you're looking for more evidence, examine the everlasting elegance of some of the lyrics: "And if a double-decker bus crashes into us / To die by your side is such a heavenly way to die / And if a ten ton truck kills the both of us / To die by your side, well, the pleasure, the privilege is mine."
Those lyrics have spoken to billions, and the simpleness behind them is just further testament to Morrisey's brilliance as a songwriter.
In 2026 The Smiths are no more. On top of it, Morrisey can barely get himself out of bed to play a show. However, fans still buy tickets to see him, hoping that they can relive the emotional state that The Queen is Dead brought to them in their teenage years. The Smiths will always hold a mantle in the history of alternative rock, and The Queen is Dead is a major reason for that.
