The Queen Is Dead is the third studio album by The Smiths. It was released on 16 June 1986 in the United Kingdom by Rough Trade Records and released in the United States on 23 June 1986 through Sire Records.

The album spent twenty-two weeks on the UK Album Charts, peaking at No. 2. It also reached No. 70 on the US Billboard 200 chart, and was certified Gold by the RIAA in late 1990. It has sold consistently well ever since and has received unanimous critical acclaim, with NME listing it as the greatest album of all time in 2013

The Queen Is Dead was previewed by the May single release of "Bigmouth Strikes Again", the only single taken from the album. Many encouraged the band to release "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" as a single, but Johnny Marr is said to have wanted an explosive, searing single, along the lines of the Rolling Stones' "Jumpin' Jack Flash", to announce that the Smiths had returned from hiatus. It did not fare as well as expected, stalling at number 26 on the British charts.

Pitchfork listed The Queen Is Dead as sixth best album of the 1980s. In 2003, The Queen Is Dead was ranked number 216 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. In 2006. Q magazine placed the album at number three in its list of "40 Best Albums of the '80s".

The album cover, designed by Morrissey, features Alain Delon from the 1964 film L'Insoumis.

The record is shiny and clean with no visible defects. The inner sleeve is clean and intact. The jacket is clean and glossy with a little very light ring wear on the back cover, but otherwise in great shape (see photos). Grading is visual only.

Track listing

All lyrics written by Morrissey; all music composed by Johnny Marr.

No.TitleLength1."The Queen Is Dead" (includes "Take Me Back to Dear Old Blighty" (medley), written by A.J. Mills, Fred Godfrey and Bennett Scott)6:242."Frankly, Mr. Shankly"2:173."I Know It's Over"5:484."Never Had No One Ever"3:365."Cemetry Gates"2:396."Bignouth Strikes Again"3:127."The Boy With The Thorn In His Side"3:158."Vicar in a Tutu"2:219."There Is A Light That Never Goes Out"4:0210."Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others"3:14Total length:36:48

Shipped in a cardboard record mailer with cardboard inserts. LP's packed with inner sleeve outside the jacket, and in an additional inner sleeve outside printed inner sleeve (if printed inner sleeve present). All duties and taxes are the responsibility of the buyer.


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