Apple Music's 100 Best Albums: "The Queen Is Dead" #66



The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths

The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths is 66 on our list of the best albums ever created. Learn more about this album on Apple Music 100 Best Albums.
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“But, ultimately, I don't have very cast iron opinions on black music other than black modern music which I detest. I detest Stevie Wonder. I think Diana Ross is awful. I hate all those records in the Top 40—Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston. I think they're vile in the extreme. In essence this music doesn't say anything whatsoever.”
 
Thewlis said:
“But, ultimately, I don't have very cast iron opinions on black music other than black modern music which I detest. I detest Stevie Wonder. I think Diana Ross is awful. I hate all those records in the Top 40—Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston. I think they're vile in the extreme. In essence this music doesn't say anything whatsoever.”
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Imagine detesting Stevie Wonder and thinking Diana Ross is awful.
 
In fairness to Morrissey, this was 1986 and he was talking about black ‘modern’ music. I’m assuming he was only hearing these artists’ singles so when you consider that 1986 was only two years removed from ‘I Just Called to Say I Love You’ and four years removed from ‘Ebony and Ivory’ you can sort of see where he was coming from. Diana Ross’ ‘Chain Reaction’ came out in 1985 and went to #1 in the UK; I don’t mind that song but it’s not surprising that the lead singer of The Smiths in 1986 might have found it vacuous and upbeat in a nauseating type of way. Whitney Houston’s biggest hits in the UK around this time were ‘Saving All My Love for You’, ‘How Will I Know’, and ‘Greatest Love of All’ — no surprises there either that someone who enjoyed the music of Ramones and New York Dolls and Magazine didn’t appreciate any of it. And the UK charts in 1986 were being inundated by songs from the album ‘Control’ by the true Queen of Pop Janet Jackson. Now that we’re almost 40 years removed from those songs being in the charts I don’t necessarily agree with what Morrissey was saying, but I probably would have disliked most of that music at the time too, so when the quote is taken in that context it makes sense and I get it.
 
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Next 10, with finally some Beatles and Bowie:

30. Billie Eilish - WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?

29. A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory

28. Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon

27. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II

26. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

25. Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

24. David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars

23. Daft Punk - Discovery

22. Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run

21. The Beatles: Revolver
 
Born to Harangue said:
In fairness to Morrissey, this was 1986 and he was talking about black ‘modern’ music. I’m assuming he was only hearing these artists’ singles so when you consider that 1986 was only two years removed from ‘I Just Called to Say I Love You’ and four years removed from ‘Ebony and Ivory’ you can sort of see where he was coming from. Diana Ross’ ‘Chain Reaction’ came out in 1985 and went to #1 in the UK; I don’t mind that song but it’s not surprising that the lead singer of The Smiths in 1986 might have found it vacuous and upbeat in a nauseating type of way. Whitney Houston’s biggest hits in the UK around this time were ‘Saving All My Love for You’, ‘How Will I Know’, and ‘Greatest Love of All’ — no surprises there either that someone who enjoyed the music of Ramones and New York Dolls and Magazine didn’t appreciate any of it. And the UK charts in 1986 were being inundated by songs from the album ‘Control’ by the true Queen of Pop Janet Jackson. Now that we’re almost 40 years removed from those songs being in the charts I don’t necessarily agree with what Morrissey was saying, but I probably would have disliked most of that music at the time too, so when the quote is taken in that context it makes sense and I get it.
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Yes, this is probably very much the case. And he was probably being deliberately hyperbolic. But I still get annoyed by the close-mindedness of some the white indie contingent.
 
Thewlis said:
Next 10, with finally some Beatles and Bowie:

30. Billie Eilish - WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?

29. A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory

28. Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon

27. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II

26. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

25. Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

24. David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars

23. Daft Punk - Discovery

22. Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run

21. The Beatles: Revolver
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Wtf?? Billie Eilish higher than The Queen is Dead, Ziggy Stardust AND Revolver.
These pointless lists are utter shite.
 
Born to Harangue said:
In fairness to Morrissey, this was 1986 and he was talking about black ‘modern’ music. I’m assuming he was only hearing these artists’ singles so when you consider that 1986 was only two years removed from ‘I Just Called to Say I Love You’ and four years removed from ‘Ebony and Ivory’ you can sort of see where he was coming from. Diana Ross’ ‘Chain Reaction’ came out in 1985 and went to #1 in the UK; I don’t mind that song but it’s not surprising that the lead singer of The Smiths in 1986 might have found it vacuous and upbeat in a nauseating type of way. Whitney Houston’s biggest hits in the UK around this time were ‘Saving All My Love for You’, ‘How Will I Know’, and ‘Greatest Love of All’ — no surprises there either that someone who enjoyed the music of Ramones and New York Dolls and Magazine didn’t appreciate any of it. And the UK charts in 1986 were being inundated by songs from the album ‘Control’ by the true Queen of Pop Janet Jackson. Now that we’re almost 40 years removed from those songs being in the charts I don’t necessarily agree with what Morrissey was saying, but I probably would have disliked most of that music at the time too, so when the quote is taken in that context it makes sense and I get it.
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He might also have been joking - again.
 
Thewlis said:
Next 10, with finally some Beatles and Bowie:

30. Billie Eilish - WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?

29. A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory

28. Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon

27. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II

26. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

25. Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

24. David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars

23. Daft Punk - Discovery

22. Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run

21. The Beatles: Revolver
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Tribe at 29?
Ah man, they're buggin' out!
:lbf:

 
I agree with Morrissey about the black modern music comments. Michael and Janet Jackson single handedly (double handedly?) ruined pop music. It was all formulaic and then started to actually seem to be tailored to their then choreographer Paula Abdul's stiff and stupid dance moves. I really did not enjoy watching pervy Michael grabbing his crotch and letting out a high pitched howl all the time either. When Thriller came out and produced the longest, most torturous video in history, MTV played it every single hour, and it took up most of the hour (actually I think it was about 15 minutes but seemed a lot longer). I think MTV had a lot to do with killing pop because of what they promoted and that pretty much dictated what people listened to. At first, a 24 hour music channel was a great idea, but what at first seemed like a really great idea then turned into a really bad idea of itself.
As someone who listened to a lot of alternative, punk and new wave, I completely understand Panic's line about the music saying nothing to me about my life and it's not racist.
 
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Redacted said:
I agree with Morrissey about the black modern music comments. Michael and Janet Jackson single handedly (double handedly?) ruined pop music. It was all formulaic and then started to actually seem to be tailored to their then choreographer Paula Abdul's stiff and stupid dance moves. I really did not enjoy watching pervy Michael grabbing his crotch and letting out a high pitched howl all the time either. When Thriller came out and produced the longest, most torturous video in history, MTV played it every single hour, and it took up most of the hour (actually I think it was about 15 minutes but seemed a lot longer). I think MTV had a lot to do with killing pop because of what they promoted and that pretty much dictated what people listened to. At first, a 24 hour music channel was a great idea, but what at first seemed like a really great idea then turned into a really bad idea of itself.
As someone who listened to a lot of alternative, punk and new wave, I completely understand Panic's line about the music saying nothing to me about my life and it's not racist.
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Calling Michael Jackson’s music formulaic shows how little you understand about pop music that differs from your white alternative sphere. Nothing sounded like Michael Jackson when he was in his prime. And Paula Abdul had nothing to do with his dancing (except for working on the group The Jacksons on one (1) tour).

Stick to your Morrissey bashing, that’s where your heart lies.
 
20. “Pet Sounds” — The Beach Boys

19. “The Chronic” — Dr. Dre

18. “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” — Taylor Swift

17. “What’s Going On” — Marvin Gaye

16. “Blue” — Joni Mitchell

15. “21” — Adele

14. “Highway 61 Revisited” — Bob Dylan

13. “The Blueprint” — Jay-Z

12. “OK Computer” — Radiohead

11. “Rumours” — Fleetwood Mac
 
Radiohead makes this list twice? No New Order or Joy Division yet? The top ten will probably be all Michael and Janet Jackson, because that would be in keeping with this swamp of suck.
 
Unknown Pleasures will probably show up.
 

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