Would Morrissey have made it today?
In the 1980s, Morrissey brought together a different kind of community. Fronting The Smiths—and generally curating many aspects that made their sound capture the indie culture of the time—meant provoking those who needed to be provoked with the kind of unique off-kilter energy needed at the time. Today, however, his name is marred by a different kind of attitude.
Back then, to be a fan of The Smiths was akin to signifying a desire for positive change. The songs, coupled with Morrissey’s left-leaning political disposition, meant they were a voice for the people, rendering any sense that the singer’s preconceived self-proclaimed superiority was a symbol of hard-earned pride rather than pretentiousness.
This was also a time of generational disillusionment, with The Smiths’ songs standing tall as a beacon of hope underscored by cynicism, realism, and an alluring flavour of ironic satire. This was a rallying cry for unity amid times of struggle, with songs like ‘The Queen Is Dead’ breathing new life into all those who had ever felt alienated or ruffled at the hands of the government and the powers that be.
However, since then, Morrissey has pivoted his approach, instead choosing to side with those he would once sneer at, forcing fans to reckon with a voice that once held their hearts in the palm of his hand. The singer already has a robust legacy behind him, as well as a well-off position amid the broader “separate the art from the artist” debate, but questioning whether he would have earned his following with his current mindset seems understandable only by weighing up the values that once defined his music against the views he now espouses.
Why is Morrissey controversial?
A significant turning point in Morrissey’s reputation came a handful of years ago when he wore a For Britain badge on The Tonight Show, which—all things considered—came as a surprise only to those who hadn’t been following his every move since the 1990s. After all, Morrissey’s move towards the right hasn’t exactly been hidden, despite the opposing position The Smiths once occupied in the spotlight.
However, his fervent presence in the music industry has always remained intact, even when he seemed to represent the kind of anti-establishment ethos many alternative acts did. Musicians have shifted ideology countless times in history, but what gives people whiplash when it comes to Morrissey’s transformation is how sharply it seemed to pivot from the values he once appeared to represent.
While the topic of politics will always divide audiences, Morrissey’s stance in today’s landscape seems the perfect fodder for alienation despite that which he claims to stand by. In other words, in a world where dignity and accountability are more valued than they’ve ever been, the singer’s consistent stream of backlash serves merely as a distraction from his solo work, pushing fans further into the warm embrace of The Smiths and further away from the man himself.
Would Morrissey have made it today?
Making it in 2025 is also a completely different game than it was in the ’80s. While both eras have their challenges, reputation plays a far more influential role in today’s music industry, where one wrong step can overshadow an entire career. Mistakes are inevitable—musicians are human—but in an age of social media and instant backlash, navigating fame requires careful balance.
The heat seems to have lessened on Morrissey of late, especially considering his particularly controversial streak in 2019, but if this was taken out of the mix completely—if he hadn’t become so divisive—would he have made it on the music alone? If he were a brand-new artist emerging today, would he have gained as much of a following as he did back then?
Judging by that alone, it’s likely he could have still carved out a unique space for himself, especially if his rise to fame had aligned with the popularity of The Smiths in a landscape that strongly needed a robust indie outfit. This would have been even more likely if they had embraced modern production techniques without sounding too polished while maintaining the same lyrics that made them magical in the first place.
However, even the most detached artists find it difficult to avoid the invasiveness of modern audiences, and he likely wouldn’t have wanted to remain unbiased in such judgements anyway, meaning that gaining mainstream popularity might have proved a little tricky. Many are devastated by what seems to be interpreted as a personal betrayal, hanging on only by the solace they once found in his earlier lyricism. As a result, his emergence today, unfiltered and exactly as we know him to be, would likely succeed only among the small factions of like-minded people.
