smˈɪθ hɐz ˈɔːlsoʊ ɛkspɹˈɛst ˌædmɚɹˈeɪʃən fɔːɹ pɚfˈoːɹmɚz sˈʌtʃ ɐz bɹˈuːs spɹˈɪŋstiːn hˈuːm hiː dᵻskɹˈaɪbd æz "ɐ lˈɛdʒəndɚɹi ˈɑːɹɾɪst hˌuːz stˈɪl ɡɑːt ðæt mˈædʒɪk hiː stˈɑːɹɾᵻd wɪð", mˈɑːɡwaɪ ɐ fˈeɪvɹɪt sˈɪns hiː wʌzɐ tˈiːneɪdʒɚ, pɹɪfˈæb spɹˈaʊt, ænd pˈiːɾɚ ɡˈæbɹiːəl ˌoʊvɚkˈʌmɪŋ hɪz ɪnˈɪʃəl skˈɛptɪsˌɪzəm ðæt ɡˈæbɹiːəl mˈeɪd "mjˈuːzɪk fɔːɹ jʊɹ dˈæd".
Smith has also expressed admiration for performers such as Bruce Springsteen (whom he described as "a legendary artist who's still got that magic he started with"), Mogwai (a favourite since he was a teenager), Prefab Sprout, and Peter Gabriel (overcoming his initial skepticism that Gabriel made "music for your dad").