R.E.M. or The Smiths

These are my two favorite groups of the 80s. I'm curious to see how many of you prefer one over the other. There are some similarities between the two, particularly in the folk rock influences on the guitar playing, the overall lack of appreciation for the singers from non-fans who only here their moans & yelps, and the very funky & melodic bass playing from both Andy & Mike. Personally, I'd have to go for R.E.M. They're way too important to my life.

 

R.E.M. by a longshot. I think Michael Stipe is one of the most influential and important songwriters of his time.

 

REM, but if it's by their first four albums (and attendant b-sides) the Smiths win by a landslide. The Smiths don't have an album as consistent as Murmur or Reckoning, but they just had so much great stuff spread around those four albums, Hatful of Hollow, and Louder Than Bombs that they were easily the best band in the world while they were around.

 

Could never get past Morrissey's vocals, lyrics, or Morrisseyness. I find it strange that he is as massive a symbol as it gets. I like Johnny Marr's guitar though. REM for me in spite of numerous flaws.

 

Absolutely. But Morrissey's influence on English bands can not be overstated.

 

I like R.E.M., but love the Smiths.

Morrissey is among other things hilariously funny. If Stipe has a sense of humor, it's not anywhere close to mine.

 

The Smiths, 4 great albums, and many many great singles. One of the best band UK had to offer.

REM some great songs, albums with a lot of fillers... I can only listen to Murmur from start to finish.

 

Love a lot of stuff by R.E.M and think they are perhaps the best American band. But The Smiths were something special and were a very important band for me in my late teens / 20's. So The Smiths ,but R.E.M are a great band

 

At their peak I would go with R.E.M but overall I prefer The Smiths. Decided not to vote!!

 

REM were great. The Smiths never did much for me.

 

R.E.M. because they wrote a ton of very good songs over a long period of time.

I could never quite get into The Smiths, although "How Soon is Now" is an incredible song, and probably better than any individual song R.E.M. ever did.

 

I'm usually the guy who likes the European bands more... but not in this case. R.E.M. is the clear winner in my book.

 

While I disagree strongly, I respect your opinion & agree that many of their albums had a good amount of filler. Glad to see you can appreciate them & the spectacular Murmur.

 

The Smiths relegated so many of their best songs to b-side status that it was inevitable that their albums would be inconsistent. They're still all excellent though.

 

Ah, I see it's "R.E.M. or ___________" day here at SHTV.

R.E.M. by miles, though How Soon Is Now is an epic song.

 

I always get super excited whenever I hear that into. Johnny Marr was a force to be reckoned with

 

Hate REM; love The Smiths.

 

I do like the Smiths but they didn't have the same impact on my life that R.E.M had.
I was 14 when "Monster" came out and it changed my life forever.

 

I thought we were not supposed to have pointless 'vs' threads anymore?

 

The Smiths are 80's music...R.E.M. is timeless. (That's my wife's opinion)

 

Sorry I'm kinda bored & curious. Not tryna turn this into a competition type of thing, though I guess this is kinda what it is.

 

Not much in it but REM stuck it out and kept on producing records and touring as long as the could. the Smiths gave up much to soon.

 

I like REM and think the Smith's are the worst sounding thing I have ever heard. I will go with REM

 

I think by any dispassionate reckoning (no pun intended ), this is a "within the margin of error" poll: Both bands were great and tremendously influential in music and in the broader culture.

Personally I prefer The Smiths, but it's for the reason several others have stated their preferences for either band here: They had more of an impact on me when I was in my mid to late teens. I really like the music, but its impact on me clearly has an emotional component as well, and that was just a luck-of-the-draw thing mostly due to two factors: Who my H.S. friends were, and the fact that Tower Records D.C. opened near me in the '80s and they had all the Smiths CDs as grey-market imports.

 

REM has more than a couple good albums? maybe I need to hear more of them...