List of songs recorded by the Cure

The Cure are an English rock band who have recorded over 270 songs since their formation in 1976. Throughout their history, the band have gone through several lineup changes, with main songwriter and frontman Robert Smith remaining the only constant member.^[1] The band originated as part of the UK post-punk and new wave movements of the late 1970s, particularly with their debut album Three Imaginary Boys (1979) and its accompanying singles, including "Boys Don't Cry".^[1][2] With their second album, Seventeen Seconds, the band's sound became more experimental,^[3] and is recognised as an early example of gothic rock.^[4] Britannica writes that the Cure adopted their "signature sound" on the album—"minimalist instrumentation marked by heavy, pulsing bass lines and warbling, sometimes frantic, single-noted guitar progressions".^[1] The band continued this gloomy sound on the following albums Faith (1981) and Pornography (1982),^[4] the latter introducing "grand, sweeping, synthesiser progressions" that would characterise their later albums.^[1] In 1983, the band released the compilation album Japanese Whispers, which collected several of the group's recent non-album singles, including "Let's Go to Bed", "The Walk" and "The Love Cats".^[5] The band explored psychedelia on 1984's The Top.^[6][7]

In 1985, the Cure released The Head on the Door, a pop-oriented record that featured hits such as "In Between Days" and "Close to Me".^[3] The double album Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me followed in 1987, featuring an eclectic mix of songs that culminated the group's material up to that point: "part post-punk delirium, part gothic brooding and part alt-rock brightness".^[3][8][9] Featuring "Why Can't I Be You?", "Hot Hot Hot!!!" and "Just Like Heaven", its lyrics cover topics such as love and lust.^[1] In 1989, the band released Disintegration, a return to the dark and gloomy soundscapes of their earlier work.^[10][11] With tracks such as "Plainsong", "Fascination Street", "Lullaby" and "Pictures of You",^[1] the album is characterised by a significant usage of synthesizers and keyboards, slow, "droning" guitar progressions and Smith's introspective vocals.^[12] 1990's Mixed Up compiled various remixes and a new song, "Never Enough".^[3] On 1992's Wish, the band's songs became more guitar-driven and accessible, notably on the hit "Friday I'm in Love", while maintaining the dreary lyrics that characterised Disintegration.^[13][14][15]

Wild Mood Swings (1996) featured an eclectic mix of lighter, pop songs with darker, introspective material.^[3][16] In 1997, the Cure released Galore: The Singles 1987–1997, which compiled their singles from 1987 to 1997, with a new song, "Wrong Number".^[17] The band returned to a gothic sound and melancholic lyrics akin to Pornography and Disintegration for 2000's Bloodflowers.^[3][4] In 2004, the band released Join the Dots, a box set featuring rare songs from their back catalogue, including covers and material the band recorded for soundtrack albums, including Judge Dredd, The Crow and The X-Files.^[4] The same year, they released their self-titled twelfth album, which Smith said was heavier than the band's previous material.^[18] This was followed by 4:13 Dream (2008), which combines pop music with lyrics about angst.^[19] In 2024, the band released Songs of a Lost World, their first album of new material in 16 years.^[20] It is a dark record with personal lyrics about mortality.^[21][22]