Why The Smiths still matter on vinyl
Few bands reward vinyl collectors quite like The Smiths. Between 1984 and 1987 they released four studio albums, a live LP, two singles compilations and a run of 7" and 12" singles that still turn up in UK collections today. The pressings are plentiful enough to be findable, and scarce enough — in the right sleeves, in the right condition — to be worth hunting.
This guide covers what to look for when you're buying The Smiths on vinyl in the UK, with a particular focus on the two most searched-for albums: Meat Is Murder and The Queen Is Dead.
Meat Is Murder (1985)
The UK first pressing was released on Rough Trade (ROUGH 81) in February 1985. Key identifiers:
- Matrix run-outs stamped ROUGH 81 A//1 and ROUGH 81 B//1 for the earliest cut.
- Fully laminated gatefold sleeve with the "Meat Is Murder" slogan on Corporal Meyers' helmet.
- Rough Trade inner sleeve, not a plain white replacement.
- Barbarism Begins At Home runs the full 6:57 — later cuts are edited.
A clean VG+ copy with the original inner sits in the £30–£50 range at the time of writing. Mint sealed UK firsts trade higher.
The Queen Is Dead (1986)
UK first pressing on Rough Trade (ROUGH 96), June 1986:
- Matrix ROUGH 96 A//1 / ROUGH 96 B//1.
- Green-tinted portrait of Alain Delon on the sleeve, laminated finish.
- Rough Trade printed inner with lyrics.
- Track 1 side 1 is The Queen Is Dead in its full 6:24 form.
Expect £40–£70 for a clean UK first, more for a strong NM copy with the original inner intact.
The other essentials
- The Smiths (ROUGH 61, 1984) — the debut. Watch for the mispressing that includes "This Charming Man" on early copies.
- Hatful of Hollow (ROUGH 76, 1984) — the John Peel and David Jensen sessions. Textured gatefold sleeve.
- Strangeways, Here We Come (ROUGH 106, 1987) — the last studio album, embossed sleeve.
- Louder Than Bombs (ROUGH 255, 1987) — double LP compilation, originally US-only, UK pressing followed.
Grading matters more than year
A later UK pressing in NM condition often plays better and looks better than a battered first. If you're collecting to listen, don't overpay for a matrix number when the vinyl is trashed. If you're collecting to keep, matrix, sleeve laminate and the original printed inner are what move the price.
Every record on WholeLottaVinyl is hand-graded to standard Goldmine conditions, with the matrix code and sleeve notes listed on the product page.
Start your Smiths shelf
Browse our current Smiths stock in the shop — UK pressings, honestly graded, shipped from the UK.
Identifying a UK first pressing
Every Smiths LP and single came out on Rough Trade in the UK, and the catalogue number is your first checkpoint. Albums run ROUGH 61 (The Smiths, 1984), ROUGH 81 (Meat Is Murder, 1985), ROUGH 96 (The Queen Is Dead, 1986) and ROUGH 106 (Strangeways, Here We Come, 1987), with the compilations Hatful of Hollow (ROUGH 76) and The World Won't Listen (ROUGH 101) sitting in between. Singles use the RT prefix — Hand In Glove is RT 131, This Charming Man RT 136.
Read the matrix, not the sticker
The runout groove between the last track and the label is where a pressing gives itself away. Look for the hand-etched codes: originals carry the catalogue number plus an A1/B1 stamper suffix, and many early Rough Trade cuts include a scratched message from the cutting engineer. A2, B3 and later suffixes are repressings — still great records, just not firsts. Reissues from the 2000s onward are usually machine-stamped, evenly spaced and often carry a barcode on the sleeve, which no 1980s UK original does.
Sleeve and label variants worth knowing
- Meat Is Murder — earliest copies have the cover text in a slightly different position; later runs shifted the credits block.
- The Queen Is Dead — first pressings have a textured matt sleeve; repressings are glossier and thinner.
- Strangeways, Here We Come — check the inner sleeve; original copies include the printed lyric inner, frequently missing from used copies.
Always note whether the printed inner sleeve, poster or leaflet is present. On Smiths titles those inserts can be a third of the value.
Condition and price expectations
We grade to the Goldmine standard. A UK first pressing of The Queen Is Dead in VG+ with the inner typically trades well above a NM 2010s reissue, because scarcity sits with the original stampers. If you are building a playing collection rather than an investment one, later Rough Trade pressings from the same decade sound close to identical and cost far less.
Buying checklist
- Confirm the ROUGH/RT catalogue number on the label and spine.
- Check the runout for an A1/B1 stamper and etched message.
- Confirm no barcode on an 80s UK copy.
- Confirm the inner sleeve, poster or leaflet is present.
- Read the grade for both sleeve and vinyl — they are graded separately.
Every Smiths record we list has its catalogue code, matrix details and inserts recorded on the listing, so you can verify a pressing before you buy.