Mike Joyce Net Worth

What is Mike Joyce's net worth?

Mike Joyce is an English drummer who has a net worth of $8 million. Mike Joyce is best known for being the drummer of the band The Smiths. Joyce's sharp, economical drumming was a key part of The Smiths' signature sound, providing rhythmic clarity behind Johnny Marr's intricate guitar work and Morrissey's theatrical vocals. Though not as high-profile as his bandmates, Joyce was crucial to the group's chemistry and success during their influential run in the 1980s. After the band's breakup, he remained active in music as a session player, collaborator, and radio host. He later became a central figure in one of the most bitter legal battles in British rock history, suing Morrissey and Marr over unpaid royalties—and winning.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Mike Joyce was born in June 1963 in Fallowfield, Manchester, England, to Irish immigrant parents. He began drumming as a teenager and gravitated toward punk and post-punk music. Before joining The Smiths, he played with Manchester punk outfit The Hoax and briefly with Victim, a Belfast punk band. His tight, unflashy drumming style reflected his punk roots but evolved into a more precise, pop-minded rhythm ideal for the kind of melodic, lyrical rock The Smiths would become known for.

The Smiths

Joyce joined The Smiths in 1982, shortly after Johnny Marr and Morrissey had begun collaborating. He completed the band's rhythm section alongside bassist Andy Rourke, a childhood friend. The Smiths quickly gained attention for their distinctive sound—jangly, melancholic, and literate—with Joyce's steady drumming anchoring even their most emotionally volatile songs.

During their five-year run, The Smiths released four studio albums and numerous singles and compilations, becoming one of the most influential British bands of the 1980s. Joyce played on some of the band's most celebrated tracks, including "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out," "The Queen Is Dead," and "Panic." His work helped create the backbone of a sound that would influence generations of indie and alternative bands.

The Smiths broke up in 1987 amid growing tensions between Morrissey and Marr. Joyce later reflected that, while he saw warning signs, he remained hopeful the band could work through its issues. That hope was short-lived.

Royalty Lawsuit

In the mid-1990s, Mike Joyce filed a lawsuit against Morrissey and Marr over unpaid performance and recording royalties. Joyce and Rourke had originally been given a 10% cut each of Smiths royalties, while Morrissey and Marr split the remaining 80% evenly. Joyce argued this arrangement was both unfair and not reflective of their contributions.

The case went to court in 1996 and became one of the most public band break-up disputes in British music history. The High Court ruled in Joyce's favor, awarding him backdated royalties and future earnings. Morrissey later referred to the trial as "the most unjust" decision ever made, and his resentment toward Joyce remained palpable in interviews for decades. For Joyce, however, the verdict was a hard-won validation of his role in The Smiths and his right to share in the band's enduring financial success.

(Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images)

Later Career and Collaborations

After The Smiths, Joyce played with several notable artists, including Sinead O'Connor, Public Image Ltd., and Julian Cope. He also reunited musically with Andy Rourke on various projects, most notably the short-lived band Moondog One with ex-Oasis guitarist Bonehead.

In the 2000s, Joyce transitioned into broadcasting, becoming a well-regarded DJ and radio host in the UK. He has presented music programs for BBC 6 Music and XFM, where his encyclopedic knowledge of alternative and punk music won him a loyal following.

Joyce has remained open to collaboration over the years and has performed live with younger indie acts as well as participating in Smiths-related events—though never with Morrissey or Marr. Despite years of tension and fallout, Joyce has often expressed pride in the band's legacy and his role in shaping it.

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