Nearly four decades after The Smiths called it quits, Morrissey is finally cashing out—offering his 50% stake in the legendary Manchester band to the highest bidder. The songs, the name, the merch, and all the lucrative publishing rights could soon be someone else’s problem. In a blunt Instagram post, Morrissey declared he “has no choice but to offer for sale all of his business interests in ‘The Smiths’ to any interested party / investor.” The package is vast and could run into tens of millions, covering everything from the band name and artwork to merchandising, songs, recordings, synchronisation rights, and contractual publishing.
“I am burnt out by any and all connections to Marr, Rourke, Joyce,” Morrissey wrote, referencing guitarist Johnny Marr, late bassist Andy Rourke, and estranged drummer Mike Joyce. “I have had enough of malicious associations.”
With classics like The Smiths (1984), The Queen Is Dead (1986), and the generation-defining “How Soon Is Now?,” Morrissey’s stake is a veritable goldmine. The Smiths’ songs are literally everywhere, woven into the soundtracks of countless films and TV shows over decades. Most recently, their catalogue has appeared in Bumblebee, “Black Mirror,” and The Perks of Being a Wallflower, while Michael Fassbender’s character listens to numerous Smiths songs throughout David Fincher’s The Killer.
Also, a reunion tour is off the table. “It was a little bit about principles, but I’m not an idiot,” Marr said last year. “I just think the vibe’s not right.” The original AEG Entertainment offer came after Rourke’s death in 2023. Morrissey claimed Marr ignored the “lucrative offer,” but Marr set the record straight: “I said no.”
Tensions go further back. In 2018, Marr trademarked The Smiths’ name after discovering no one had done so, which Morrissey claimed was ‘without consultation.’ Marr disputed this: “A failure to respond led Marr to register the trademark himself. It was subsequently agreed with Morrissey’s lawyers that this trademark was held for the mutual benefit of Morrissey and Marr. As a gesture of goodwill, in January 2024, Marr signed an assignment of joint ownership to Morrissey. Execution of this document still requires Morrissey to sign.”
Now, Morrissey is taking offers. The legacy—and the profits—of one of Britain’s most iconic bands are officially up for grabs.
