A new eight-part podcast series exploring the story of The Smiths is coming to BBC Sounds and RSS next month.
Presented by Steve Lamacq and Elizabeth Alker, the series uses four decades of BBC archive material, including rare and previously unheard recordings, to examine the band’s rapid ascent and eventual collapse.
Listeners will hear from Morrissey, Johnny Marr, Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce, as well as key figures such as Factory Records co-founder Tony Wilson, producers Stephen Street and Grant Showbiz, Jo Slee and Geoff Travis of Rough Trade Records, and The Smiths’ manager Joe Moss.
The podcast explores how The Smiths created a blueprint for modern indie rock and Britpop in just five years, and how their rise led to a bitter fallout.
This series is part of BBC Sounds’ The Rise and Fall of… franchise, which has previously covered acts including the Sex Pistols, Madchester, Oasis, Britpop and Indie Sleaze.
According to the BBC, the franchise has attracted millions of listeners with its deep dives into major music stories.
The Rise and Fall of The Smiths will be available to stream from 13th July 2026.
