The Cure

The Cure is an England-based rock band that was formed in the year 1978 in West Sussex. The members of the band have come and gone, leaving the role list quite varied, but Robert Smith, who is the lead vocalist, songwriter and guitarist, has been a consistent member throughout their history. The Cure debuted in 1979 with the album Three Imaginary Boys. The album put The Cure on the path toward pioneering the new wave and post-punk movements that had just cropped up in the United Kingdom and would see ample success in the future.

As time went on, The Cure took on a heavier, darker sound, releasing their second album Seventeen Seconds in 1980. Due to this and the strong stage presence that Robert Smith took on, The Cure became one of the pioneers of early gothic rock as well, which spun off into a subculture that formed around the style as well. The Cure is now something of a staple in many subcultures and has certainly left their musical and cultural marks.

While they are typically thought to be one of the definitive bands of gothic rock, they have rejected that title. They don’t like the label and disagree, saying that they are difficult to categorize. This became especially true when the band began to pour out new pop music that was more upbeat in the way of new wave music.

Over time, their style and sound continued to change. With the 1982 album Pornography, Robert Smith decided that he wanted to move past the broody, moody style of The Cure. In so doing, they adopted a poppier sound into the mix. The songs such as “The Love Cats,” “Let’s Go to Bed,” “Close to Me,” “In Between Days,” “Lovesong,” “Just Like Heaven” and “Friday I’m in Love” marked this shift in their sound. It also helped them gain more popularity and helped their fame to blow up. Over time, The Cure released a total of 13 studio albums, more than 30 singles and two EPs. They have sold more than 30 million albums around the world and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.

The Cure was one of the very first alt bands to ever have commercial success on the charts in a time before alt rock had become a mainstream genre. NME said that The Cure had become something of a “goth hit machine,” making them stand out among all of the other popular music at the time. They were so influential that the band Interpol credits them almost entirely for their sound, and many other groups have also cited The Cure as the forefather of their music.

The Cure is certainly a household name in terms of music with most people having a distinct image and sound pop up in their mind at the mention of their name. One of the most influential groups of their time, they continue to stay relevant, even though they haven’t been putting out music as consistently as they once did.