The Cure have always been one of those bands that people had been exposed to. They have a massive following, which is great considering they haven’t made the most amazing records lately. That said, the live show is something to marvel at. Regularly playing three hour plus shows, this band is a behemoth onstage. They still sound exactly the same as the voices and music we’ve all heard on classics like “Disintegration,” “Boy’s Don’t Cry,” and “Pornography.”

The Cure remain not only one of the most interesting bands in alternative rock history, but they are still making music and inspiring bands to get a little bit dark. This list mostly draws from the better known albums, but it works out that way simply because those are the best, in my opinion. Hope you enjoy!

Love Song, Disintegration Before this was masterfully covered by Adele, it was masterfully created by Robert Smith and his fellow band members. One of the gifts this band possesses is the ability to make a song that is lyrically dark and desperate while having the music remain upbeat. The drums, and even the piano draw a bit of light into a song that is really, at its core, a song about a person who misses terribly the one he loves. It’s almost a shrine to broken love in a way. Something rough and unhappy happened to these people, and the only evidence of it is the wanting lyrics.

One Hundred Years, Pornography The first time I ever heard this, I was fittingly at a very dark gothic bar. The beat is quite pulsing, and it feels like something you would hear in a dark forest on the show “Twin Peaks.” It’s just a spooky song. Now, I haven’t heard every Cure record, but this is still one of the more sinister songs in their catalog. I imagine a helpless woman meandering through long hallways, lost and trying to find her way out while strobe lights are going, complicating the situation. This is also the first song on the album, so you kind of get the vibe they were going for with this. This isn’t a pretty, romantic Cure album. This was something more dark and unnerving, and something I wished the band would do more.

Just like Heaven, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me Probably one of their better known, and more upbeat songs. The guitar work here is extremely pretty. It’s like laying with a beautiful girl in the park on a blue, cloudless day. These people are madly in love, and just the company of the other is enough to make everything alright. The song does a job better than most of explaining how people feel while in love. Love, after all, is a condition, and if we knew any better we’d desert it for more rational thoughts and less hassle. But, the heart has its own plans, and while things can and will go bad from time to time, happiness among two people who love each other is something amazing. In short, it’s “Just like Heaven.”

Catch, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me I first heard this on a “Best Of” record for the band. That’s in large part what made me decide to go after many other albums. This song was one of the most played in my car from the hits collection. Another romantic song, Smith’s lyrics and guitar playing are immaculate here. It’s great, but often overlooked songs like this that make it clear why this band has been going for over 20 years.

Boy’s Don’t Cry, Boy’s Don’t Cry I thought this song was from their first album, but apparently I was wrong. Created as nothing more than a single and then released on the United States equivalent of their first album(Three Imaginary Boys),this gem crowded the airwaves and is still a staple among post rock circles. Initially, I had no idea it was the Cure at all. For some reason, my fourteen year old mind thought it was Joy Division or something in that vein. Now I look back and realize that though Joy Division, and especially Peter Hook are amazing, the Cure are just better. This is still a staple of the times, and it’s not hard to see why. The song has a certain masculinity to it, even in the face of the more feminine undertones, and it is just a great song.

Pictures of You, Disintegration So many of the bands songs, especially on this album use the chimes as an instrument that really does add a depth of fantasy and romanticism to it. There’s a reason why Kyle explains in South Park that “Disintegration is the best album ever!” It really fucking might be. It took the Cure to a level of mythological proportions, and it’s still the best thing the band has ever done. This song, found at number five on our list, is another sad reminder that love can die just as it was born. The sound has a lush, thick template at its base, and the raw sound of Smith’s voice only help to make the song better.

If Only Tonight We Could Sleep, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me The song clearly has a off-world oriental feel, but for a band from bloody England, it’s not the easiest thing to accomplish. “If Only Tonight We Could Sleep” is a slow-moving journey through unknown territories, showcasing the band’s ability to move with ease from one section to the next. This is the best version of a Tool song the Cure could ever do. The song is very much an adventure, albeit an adventure into dark terrains of the heart of a disimpassioned person.

Plainsong, Disintegration Another one featuring the chimes, but here its followed by waves of bright colors and a blast of sound as the opening chord of this perfect album enter the atmosphere. You could just have this song and be fine with it. It’s both epic, emotional, and thick in the way it presents itself. While this song is the best example, the whole album has this magical feel to it. It reminds me of something you’d hear in a fairy tale, but with tinges of darkness. Smith’s voice continues to be one of the most remarkable, and recognizable in rock music, and this album is a landmark of alternative music.

Burn, the Crow Soundtrack Since the first listen, I’ve been devoted to this song. The movie is still great, and the song is easily one of the highlights of this often overlooked soundtrack. At their Voodoo Music Experience performance, this band performed “Burn” for the first time ever. That is a big deal in itself, but when bands play songs that are over 10 years, going on nearly twenty years old, that is a big deal. For a fan of both the film, and the song, it was the highlight of their whole set. From the opening notes of the whistle, to the deliberate drumming, this is the perfect choice for this list. It’s not a Cure song you hear mentioned often, but it really should be. Even after probably two hundred listens throughout my life, I still love it, and if you haven’t heard it and are a fan of the band, I suggest you check it out. You’re going to love this song

Fascination Street, Disintegration So many of their songs have a story telling quality without actually telling a story, and this is the song that best exemplifies that. I imagine a smoky street, slight rain coming down. Picture Times Square in the 80’s, at the heart and center of its seediness and shadowy underbelly. On “Fascination Street,” things are always interesting, but never reach good times. The bass parts through the song are very important to the overall cautiousness of the song. You can also sense the desperation in Smith’s vocals, and it really ties the song together. What I like most about the song is its ability to keep going through wall after wall of pure sound, adding and subtracting layers as the machine sees fit. Not to be lame, but it’s a fascinating song full of moral quandaries and questionable content, and of course, a song from the timeless “Disintegration” has to be the number one on this list.

Thanks for reading, I hope you’ve enjoyed.