The World Won't Listen

The album was conceived as a collection of the singles and their B-sides from 1985 to 1987. Additionally, the scrapped single "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby" (which was passed over for "Shoplifters of the World Unite") and the near-single "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" (a single candidate from The Queen Is Dead that was passed over in favour of "Bigmouth Strikes Again") were included.[8]

The title reflects Morrissey's belief that mainstream radio and record buyers weren't paying attention to the band.[7][9] The compilation was succeeded three months later by "Louder Than Bombs," released in the US by Rough Trade and featuring a similar, yet extend track listing.[10][11] The World Won't Listen contains two versions of songs that do not appear on Louder Than Bombs: the single version of "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" and the single edit of "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore". Additionally, The World Won't Listen contains different versions of two songs that would appear on Louder Than Bombs: "Stretch Out and Wait" features an alternate vocal, and "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby" appears in a slightly different and longer mix.[9] Also of note is the fact that "Ask" appears on both The World Won't Listen and Louder Than Bombs in a slightly different and longer mix than its single version.[5]

After WEA acquired The Smiths' back catalogue in 1992, all Smiths albums were re-released at mid-price, including The World Won't Listen, which was expanded to include a cover of "Golden Lights" and the original Rough Trade cassette edition bonus track "Money Changes Everything" (the "Bigmouth Strikes Again" B-side, also later released on the deluxe edition of The Sound of The Smiths).[12]

British artist Phil Collins produced an exhibition at the Dallas Museum of Art including a three-part video project entitled The World Won't Listen, which was filmed in Turkey, Indonesia and Colombia. The video features young people performing karaoke versions of songs by The Smiths.[13]

The album was released on 23 February 1987 exclusively in the U.K.[5] It first charted on 3 March 1987, remaining in the top 100 for 15 weeks and peaking at number 2.[14] The World Won't Listen returned to the top 100 in the U.K in 1995 for two weeks after the WEA re-release.[15] In 2011,The World Won't Listen was included on The Smiths's compilation record Complete.[11]

All tracks are written by Morrissey/Marr, except "Money Changes Everything" and "Oscillate Wildly" written by Johnny Marr, and "Golden Lights" written by Twinkle.

• Morrissey – vocals
• Johnny Marr – guitars, keyboard instruments, slide guitar on "Panic"[8] and "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore",[16] harmonica on "Ask",[17] mandolin on "Golden Lights", marimba on "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side"[18]
• Andy Rourke – bass guitar, cello on "Shakespeare's Sister" and "Oscillate Wildly"
• Mike Joyce – drums, tambourine on "Stretch Out and Wait"[19]
• Craig Gannon – rhythm guitar on "Panic", "Ask", "London", "Half a Person", "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby" and "Golden Lights", lead guitar on outro of "London",[20] mandolin on "Golden Lights"[21]