Final answer:
The artist that 'painted Salford's smoky tops' in a 1978 UK No 1 single is B. LS Lowry, known for his depictions of the industrial landscapes and daily life in Salford and Greater Manchester.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the words of a 1978 UK No 1 single, the artist that 'painted Salford's smoky tops' is B. LS Lowry. While John Constable was a significant English Romantic painter known for his landscapes, most notably 'The Hay Wain', and often portrayed the traditional English countryside, he did not paint Salford. Similarly, Joshua Reynolds was a notable English portrait painter, but he did not paint Salford's landscapes either. LS Lowry is renowned for his distinctive and intricate depictions of scenes in and around Salford and Greater Manchester, highlighting the industrial landscape and the everyday life of the working class. His work, characterized by stylized human figures often referred to as 'matchstick men', has left a lasting impact on the British art scene.