Editor’s Note: The Albumism staff has selected what we believe to be 50 fantastic first solo albums recorded by artists who departed—or simply took a temporary hiatus from—their respective groups, representing a varied cross-section of genres, styles and time periods. Click “Next Album” below to explore each album or view the full album index here.
MORRISSEY | Viva Hate
HMV/Sire/Reprise (1988)
Selected by Libby Cudmore
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Moz’s solo career peaked six months after the release of The Smiths’ 1987 swan song Strangeways, Here We Come with the release of the single “Suedehead.” Viva Hate gave us “Every Day is Like Sunday” too – arguably the most Morrissey song ever written—and “Margaret on the Guillotine.” But it also hinted at the racism that would mark this once-charming man’s downfall with “Bengali in Platforms.” Morrissey may have become a full-on sack of garbage, but we’ll always have “Suedehead.”
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