The Queen Is Dead is the third studio album by English rock band the Smiths. Released on 16 June 1986 in the United Kingdom by Rough Trade Records, and on 23 June 1986 in the US by Sire Records, it spent 22 weeks on the UK Albums Chart, peaking at number two. It also reached No. 70 on the US "Billboard" 200, and was certified Gold by the RIAA in late 1990. In 2020, "Rolling Stone" ranked "The Queen Is Dead" 113th on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. In its 2013 list, the NME named "The Queen Is Dead" the greatest album of all time.