We should keep in mind that the stunning results of NME’S recent music poll–which reveal that, in “fact,” the Smiths are the most influential band of the past 50 years–tell us less about which bands are important than it does about how little NME’s readers know about music. Nevermind the Smiths taking the number one spot…the Stone Roses over Bowie? Oasis over U2? Joy Division over the Stones? The Verve over Bob Marley? Prodigy over Bob Dylan?

And perhaps the worst: Culture Club over Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Neil Young.

What the hell is Culture club even doing on this list in the first place??

This reminds me of a question of which I am fond:

You have to drive across the US in a car with no radio. You can, however, listen to one–and only one–CD. Which is it?

My pick, for the past year or so, has been Paul Simon’s magnificent album Graceland.