The Smiths top NME's 'most influential' poll

The Smiths have been named the artists with the most influence in the NME's 50 year history.

Their top ranking was based on criteria such as number of front cover appearances and performance in end-of-year polls.

The Beatles were the second most influential band, followed by The Stone Roses.

This week's 50th anniversary NME will reveal the full top 50 of the most influential artists of the publication's half century.

The top 10 was completed by David Bowie in fourth place, followed by the Sex Pistols, Oasis, Radiohead, Paul Weller/The Jam, U2 and Public Enemy.