'The Queen Is Dead' voted best album of all time

The 61-year-old music weekly the NME (New Musical Express) has voted The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths as its favourite album of all time.

In a poll of its journalists past and present, the magazine this week reveals its top 500 albums ever; and with a nod to the changing nature of the music business and people's listening habits, or perhaps in a typically knowing bit of irreverence, described its poll as "the final, definitive, definitely last of its kind, never to be repeated, comprehensive and absolutely accurate word on the best records ever."

The win for Manchester indie-darlings The Smiths who split in 1987, marks a significant week for (lead singer) Morrissey whose much-anticipated autobiography has just been published by Penguin Classics, becoming one of the fastest selling memoirs ever. It also signifies a further chapter in what has been a long-running feud between the paper and the notoriously enigmatic frontman. The NME has previously raised questions over lyrics in certain Morrissey songs, and after he performed at a gig draped in the union flag, queried whether the singer was "flirting with fascism". It has since made further accusations of racism which have been angrily refuted and countered by the singer who accused the paper of a deliberate vendetta, an issue he revisits in his book.

The Queen Is Dead was The Smiths third album (excluding the compilation Hatful Of Hollow) released in June 1986. It included the hit singles Bigmouth Strikes Again and The Boy With The Thorn In His Side as well as some of the band's finest material, most notably guitarist Johnny Marr's tour de force title track and the closing There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - for some, The Smiths' finest song. Written and produced by Johnny Marr and Morrissey, the album peaked at number two in the chart upon its release.

The album has appeared in the NME's top ten on previous occasions in 2006 and 2009, but this time has edged out The Beatles' Revolver and David Bowie's Hunky Dory to sit at the pinnacle of a pile that also includes NME-friendly classics from The Stone Roses, Pulp, Oasis and The Velvet Underground in its top order.

The NME's Top Ten

1. The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead (1986)

2. The Beatles - Revolver (1966)

3. David Bowie - Hunky Dory (1971)

4. The Strokes - Is This It (2001)

5. The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)

6. Pulp - Different Class (1995)

7. The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses (1989)

8. Pixies - Doolittle (1989)

9. The Beatles - The Beatles (1968)

10. Oasis - Definitely Maybe (1994)

The NME is published in both online and print versions.