What Difference Does It Make?

Exploding with one of indie rock's most recognizable opening riffs — a jagged, insistent guitar figure that practically demands physical response — "What Difference Does It Make?" showcases The Smiths at their most viscerally exciting. The song barrels forward on Joyce's powerful, driving drums and Rourke's nimble bass, while Marr layers multiple guitar textures into a wall of jangling energy. Morrissey's lyrics wrestle with romantic betrayal and self-deception, the title question carrying both genuine anguish and defiant dismissal — does anything matter when trust has been violated? His vocal performance is characteristically dramatic, veering between wounded dignity and theatrical contempt, the devil that appears in the lyrics making dishonesty feel cosmically significant. As one of the band's earliest singles, it captures their raw, unpolished intensity before studio sophistication smoothed their edges. Rooted in Manchester's independent music scene, this track remains a touchstone for guitar-driven indie pop. It thrives at volume — in crowded venues, through headphones on frustrated walks — anywhere that emotional turbulence needs a perfectly crafted outlet.