The Smiths

The saviours of indie guitar rock in the '80s arrived in a perfectly mismatched state. The nucleus of the Smiths was peerless chord-meister (and mixing-desk perfectionist) Johnny Marr, and genius wordsmith Morrissey — all gladioli and affected ineptness on the band's debut in 1982. Lyric and twang made an exquisite alliance.

Morrissey broached subjects that were hard for some to swallow ("Suffer Little Children" alludes to the Moors Murders), and he became one of the most misunderstood songwriters in rock, largely because his sharp sense of humour flew over so many heads: relish the skewering brilliance of "Still Ill" and "Half a Person".

Strangeways Here We Come, from 1987, was the Smiths' final album, and a fine way to exit it proved. From the wry, twisted serenade of "I Won't Share You" to the superbly crafted glam stomp of "I Started Something I Couldn't Finish", every track is rich and rewarding. 'Course, Morrissey bows out spitting: check out "Paint a Vulgar Picture".

Over the glorious half-decade of their existence (and, thanks to the range and quality of their output, that lifespan seemed much longer), the Smiths became the most influential rockers in the country. The band's best tracks combine the sharp, wicked, often hilarious lyrics of front man Morrissey (how about "Would you like to marry me/And if you like you can buy the ring" from "William, It Was Really Nothing"?) with the stellar, intricate guitar work of Johnny Marr. Astounding.