The Smiths: Still Huge 30 Years After Their Breakup Thanks to the Interwebs

I remember walking into the studios of CFNY in September 1987 and encountering a very somber mood.

“What’s wrong,” I asked. “The Smiths have broken up” came the reply. “We just got the latest Melody Maker. They’ve got the full story.”

Music news traveled much slower in those pre-Internet days. Our MM was already a week old, but this was the first we were hearing about it.

Not being a fan, I didn’t really care. Frankly, I thought that they were a bunch of wimpy moaners. I eventually came around, but for the real fans, this was devastating. It was like the death of a close relative. The mourning went on forever.

Thirty years later, the Smiths–who have rebuked all offers of a reunion–are still insanely popular with several generations of fans. Cameron Gordon of Completely Ignored shows how the Smiths continue to exist in the afterlife that is the Internet. Click on the image for the full graphic.