The Cure is an English group formed in Crawley in 1976 by Robert Smith, Michael Dempsey, Laurence Tolhurst, Alan Hill and Porl Thompson.
A flagship group of the 80s which produced no less than 13 studio albums, 10 EPs, around 30 singles and sold around 27 million albums worldwide.
Originally, the group was called "Malice" before taking the name "Easy Cure" and finally "The Cure" in 1978.
The first single "Killing an Arab" was released the same year, generating at the same time positive reviews and controversy, the group seeing itself accused of racism while the song only refers to the book "L'Etranger" by Albert Camus.
Their first album "Three imaginary boys" was released a year later in 1979, followed shortly by their second single "Boys don't cry", a single which was to be the real starting point of their meteoric rise in the years that followed. .
It was a year later in 1980 that things took a turn for the worse when the album "Seventeen Seconds" was released, which gave them their first Charts-ranked hit with the flagship single "A forest".
In 1981, the album "Faith" was released, from which the magnificent and bewitching "The Funeral Party" was to be extracted, followed shortly by the single "Charlotte sometimes", two tracks which confirmed the undeniable talent of the group.
A year later in 1982 released the album "Pornography" which was to be the group's first album to enter the Top 10 album. The main extract will be "The hanging garden". Despite this success, tensions are growing steadily.
Also in the same year, the group's sound will slowly evolve towards more pop sounds with the release of the single "Let’s go to bed", a single that will only be relatively successful.
Business resumed in 1983 with the release of 2 successful singles "The Walk" and "The Love Cats". The latter being the first title of the group to enter the Top10 singles.
Singles taken from a compilation album which will surely remain as one of the most famous of the group namely "Japanese whispers" which, originally, was intended exclusively for the Japanese market. And which contains two other excellent titles which are "Lament" and "Just one kiss".
In 1984, the album "The top" was released, which will be remembered mainly for the hit single "Caterpillar" and for being the band's first album to enter the US Bilboard 200.
New album very inspired in 1985 with "The head on the door" where we see the group at the height of its possibilities with the release of flagship titles like "In between days" and "Close to me" that we can consider in hindsight as among the best. The reputation of the group is then at its maximum.
Followed two years later by the album "Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me" which will perform particularly well in the USA and whose flagship singles will be "Just like heaven" and "Why can't I be you".
The planetary consecration comes in 1989 with the release of the album "Disintegration" which remains to this day the highest ranked album of all their discography and all Charts combined. Album from which the hits "Lullaby", "Lovesong" and "Pictures of you" will be extracted. To which we can add the magnificent "Plainsong" even if the latter does not appear in the major hits.
In 1992, despite persistent tensions and forced departures and arrivals in the group, the album “Wish” was released, which finished No. 1 in England and No. 2 in the United States, an album from which two new hits were extracted, “High” and “Friday I'm in love".
These will be the last notable successes of the group which, despite the release of other albums, will no longer be able to maintain the level of excellence of previous years.
Still active, this group, spearhead of the New-Wave wave, will have marked musical history like few groups before them.
And remains to this day an essential reference in the field, both in terms of look, so emblematic of the 80s, and in terms of the particularly innovative sound that they have been able to infuse into their music.
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
Killing an arab 1978
Boys don’t cry 1979
A forest 1980
Primary 1981
Charlotte sometimes 1981
The funeral party 1981
The hanging garden 1982
Let’s go to bed 1982
The walk 1983
The lovecats 1983
Lament 1983
Just one kiss 1983
The caterpillar 1984
In between days 1985
Close to me 1985
Why can’t I be you ? 1987
Catch 1987
Just like heaven 1987
Hot hot hot !!! 1988
Lullaby 1989
Plainsong 1989
Fascination street 1989
Lovesong 1989
Pictures of you 1990
Never enough 1990
High 1992
Friday I’m in love 1992
A letter to Elise 1992
The 13th 1996
Mint car 1996
Wrong number 1997
Cut here 2001
The end of the world 2004
Taking off 2004
The only one 2008
Freakshow 2008
Sleep when I'm dead 2008
The perfect boy 2008
End song 2022
I can never say goodbye 2022
Alone 2022
And nothing is forever 2022
Clips :
1978 ... the beginnings of a small group formed in Crawley by a few friends ... And which will become one of the major groups of the end of the 20th century, just that !
1979 ... the title that will reveal them and explode their notoriety. An already unique sound that will make all the difference
1980 ... a unique bass sound, just like the sound of an electric guitar ... Two tones never before heard and which will become the 'Standard' of many New-Wave groups over the decade. All carried by a clip where Robert Smith has not yet adopted his legendary haircut...rare image !
1981 ... the rise in power is obvious and each title that comes out is of certain quality. It promises for the future...
1981 ... a pivotal title. First of all by a more than obvious quality and especially by the sonic maturity which emerges from it. It is clear that the group has just passed a new level...and that the best is yet to come. A title that will remain as one of their most emblematic !
1981 ... an incredible title with crazy lyricism which confirms a talent which is revealed more and more out of the ordinary. An exceptional year for the group which sees its coast soar. At the speed of light !
1982 ... a transitional title that will not necessarily remain as their best. A little bit of temporary slack ...
1982 ... on the other hand, this one is something else ! This title is their first real global success and launches their international career for good. And what a career !
1983 ... their biggest success across the Channel since their debut. Another unique sound that once again makes all the difference !
1983 ... 1982 was a Grand Cru with the release of 2 of the best titles of the group. 1983 will see the release of 4 almost legendary titles ! A record ! An absolutely astonishing inspiration and which makes this group one of the best in the world in terms of sound innovation
1983 ... another title with extraordinary lyricism, with a notorious dark side but totally inspired. As the group knows how to do so well. MA-GIC !
1983 ... the last part of the quadrature. A group at the top already at the top of its game and which will succeed in doing even stronger thereafter. Yes Yes, it's possible !
1984 ... after The Lovecats, still a title wacky at will, in a tone and a sound which have nothing to do with their know-how. Magnificent counter-feet !
1985 ... their quasi Masterpiece ! Surely one of their most emblematic titles and which offers them one of their biggest global successes
1985 ... this one is not bad either ! This title will be the subject of a huge parody on the part of Inconnus...which all of France still remembers. If, if, try to remember ...
Top Bonus : you wanted proof, here it is ! HUGE parody about a certain Zoubida...too much !
1987 ... another exceptional year with 3 world-class titles. Starting with this one that spins at 200 km/h ...
1987 ... and a second all smooth and finesse. What's amazing about this band is their ability to alternate darker tracks with much lighter tracks
1987 ... if there is one piece from all their discography that could sum up their work on its own, this is it ! Everything is there : the sound, the style, the feel. We are close to perfection !
1988 ... after an exceptional year 1987 in all respects, 1988 will seem somewhat pale. A single title on the clock and modest success in addition. A year 'without' as they say ...
1989 ... but that's without counting on THIS song. Their Masterpiece but also their biggest global success. A well-deserved consecration. MAS-TER-FUL !
1989 ... if there was one piece from the band that should be awarded the Palme d'Or for Most Incredible Lyricism, for me it would be this one ! A song that literally floats in the air and suspends time as if by magic. A-MA-ZING !
1989 ... a title which will surprisingly pass under the radar. Completely incomprehensible, especially when you see the quality of the latter. Go figure ...
1989 ... when you look at the journey the group has made since their debut in 1979, it's purely and simply incredible. And it is far from over !
1990 ... one would have thought that the 90s would be much less favorable to the group. That they would lack inspiration and would quickly fall into the Has Been and Trop-Trop side ... What a blast ! They leave with a vengeance and will prove that we must still count on them. Starting with this title
1990 ... an alternative Nirvana-type rock parenthesis which positions the group in a niche that is not really its favorite field ... Can do much better ...
1992 ... back to basics, where the band is most effective. We were afraid at the turn too rock. Phew !
1992 ... another Great Year with 3 top titles. And a Robert Smith who doesn't change from an Iota. A unique look that will go down in history !
1992 ... A letter to Elise revisited version The Cure. No offense to Ludwig, this modern version holds up, it's clear ...
1996 ... their last notorious hit of the decade. Well, this title will not remain as their best but little guys can't be on top all the time ...
1996 ... a second part of the 90s which will prove to be more complicated to manage than expected. The group is struggling to renew himself and will pay it cash in the Charts ...
1997 ... a slight breeze that doesn't last, luckily. The group reacts quickly and above all adapts quickly to the latest trends of the moment. Phew ...
2001 ... here they are in this new decade, a decade of 2000 that one might have thought was not achievable for them. Hell, the group is not going to do that badly ...
2004 ... they manage to mix all influences, whether ancient or modern. From where an astonishing result but which succeeds them all the same considering their level of success in the Charts ...
2004 ... a decade 2000 which saw them follow hit after hit. Of course, the level of production of titles has nothing to do with the 80s, but quality is better than quantity as they say !
2008 ... four years will pass since the last title produced. The group is now freewheeling and taking advantage of the time that passes in an obvious way. Who would blame them ...
2008 ... a BIG year 2008 with a plethora of titles, something to which they had not accustomed us anymore. There are years like this. When everything is fine...everything is fine !
2008 ... 4 singles just for this year 2008. And all will be classified ! The group is in Olympic form and he shows. What am I saying, you can hear it !
2008 ... a year 2008 which ended in style with this 4th classified title. 30 years after their debut, they are still there and this absolutely extraordinary adventure is far from over ...
Wiki :
Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :