The Smiths - How Soon Is Now?

The Smiths were an English rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the songwriting partnership of Morrissey (vocals) and Johnny Marr (guitar), the band also included Andy Rourke (bass) and Mike Joyce (drums).

Critics have called them the most important alternative rock band to emerge from the British independent music scene of the 1980s.

The Smiths have influenced a number of alternative rock bands through their career. The lovesick, literary style of Morrissey and Marr's guitar playing "was a huge building block for more Manchester legends that followed The Smiths - Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher stated that "when The Jam split, The Smiths started, and I totally went for them."

The Smiths were the most influential British guitar group of the decade.

As the first indie outsiders to achieve mainstream success on their own terms they elevated rock's standard four-piece formula to new heights of magic and poetry.

The group were signed to the independent record label Rough Trade Records, for whom they released four studio albums and several compilations, as well as numerous non-LP singles.

Although they had limited commercial success outside the UK while they were still together, and never released a single that charted higher than number 10 in their home country, The Smiths won a growing following, and remain cult and commercial favourites.

The band broke up in 1987 amid disagreements betweenMorrissey and Marr and have turned down several offers to reunite since then.

How Soon Is Now?" it was originally a B-side of the 1984 single "William, It Was Really Nothing". It was belatedly released as a single in the UK in 1985, where it reached number 24 on the UK Singles Chart.

In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine rated the song number 486 in its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and number 90 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs.
In March 2005, Q magazine placed it at number 28 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks.

In 2006, "How Soon Is Now?" was voted runner up in VH1’s "Top Lyrics" poll for the lyrics, "So you go and you stand on your own, and you leave on your own, and you go home, and you cry, and you want to die" and marginally missed out on top spot to U2’s "One".

In May 2007, NME magazine placed "How Soon Is Now?" at number seven in its list of the 50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever.