Morrissey Ranked His Solo Albums And Singles

Stephen Patrick Morrissey, the former frontman of The Smiths, has recently disclosed his personal rankings of his solo albums and singles, offering a rare glimpse into how he views his extensive musical output. These rankings were posted on his official website, providing fans and critics a new perspective on the artist’s own assessment of his work.

At the pinnacle of Morrissey’s album list is Bonfire Of Teenagers, a project recorded in 2021 but yet to see an official release due to a dispute with Capitol Records. This album's placement as the top entry underscores Morrissey’s pride in the material, despite the ongoing challenges preventing its wide distribution.

Following closely behind is Make-Up Is A Lie, an album released earlier in the same year. The prominence of these recent works suggests a strong personal connection to his contemporary efforts, perhaps reflecting a creative resurgence or a redefined artistic identity in the new decade.

Interestingly, Morrissey’s classic 1994 album Vauxhall And I appears only at number four, revealing a shift in his valuation away from some of his 20th-century landmark releases. Other notable 90s works, such as Your Arsenal (1992) and Southpaw Grammar (1995), also make the top ten, though some of his earlier solo albums like Viva Hate, Kill Uncle, and Maladjusted are conspicuously absent from these rankings.

Adding a unique twist, Morrissey includes the Smiths’ 1988 live album Rank at number nine on his list. This selection is notable as the sole Smiths record to feature amongst his choices, highlighting a distinct appreciation for this particular live performance compilation over the band's more widely celebrated studio albums.

Turning to singles, Morrissey places "Irish Blood, English Heart" and "First Of The Gang To Die," both released in 2004, at the very top positions. These songs evidently hold significant personal or artistic importance for him. He also acknowledges affection for tracks like "Everyday Is Like Sunday" and "Hold On To Your Friends," yet surprisingly omits or downplays other well-known singles including "Suedehead," "The Last Of The Famous International Playboys," and "The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get," among others.

Beyond these rankings, Morrissey has made two previously vinyl-exclusive B-sides, "Isle Of Dogs" and "Without Music The World Dies," available on streaming platforms for the first time. This move expands accessibility to his deeper catalogue, catering to contemporary listening habits and perhaps reintroducing lesser-known material to a broader audience.

Morrissey’s lists, shared without accompanying commentary, offer an unfiltered insight into his own artistic preferences, which occasionally diverge from public and critical consensus. His prioritization of unreleased and recent material, as well as his selective embrace of certain Smiths and solo works, invites reflection on how artists’ self-perception can evolve over time.

Details surrounding the motivations behind these rankings or further contextual information remain limited. However, the publication of these lists amidst ongoing release complications and Morrissey’s well-documented contentious relationship with record labels adds an additional layer of intrigue to this self-curated retrospective.

This development, reported by stereogum.com, marks a notable moment where Morrissey has taken control of the narrative surrounding his discography, articulating through these rankings a personal hierarchy that challenges conventional views and invites renewed engagement with his music catalogue.