Time’s up, pencils down. Voting’s over, and the results are in. With more than 100,000 votes cast — 101,336 to be exact — it’s time to reveal Slicing Up Eyeballs readers’ rankings of all 225 original songs officially released by The Cure over the past four decades.
A quick refresher: We asked readers to vote for up to 25 of their favorite songs by Robert Smith and his various incarnations of The Cure, choosing from a ballot that listed 224 (yes, missing one) singles, B-sides, album tracks, EP cuts and songs form compilations. Not included: live recordings, covers and remixes, plus alternate takes and demos, even if they were officially released.
RELATED: Playlist of all 225 of The Cure’s songs, ranked — minus the 16 that aren’t on Spotify
The full results are presented below, a list that ranks The Cure’s output from 1978 to 2008 (the band has released no new original music since then), and shows off the impressive breadth of Smith’s songwriting and the myriad styles the band adopted over the years, from downcast guitar dirges to pure, sweet pop.
Fun fact: The No. 1 and No. 2 songs, after earning nearly 3,000 votes apiece, were separated by a single vote. The song that finished second was leading the way for much of the balloting, then the two switched positions near the end, and flipped back and forth a few more times before the poll closed.
And, finally, about that 224/225 discrepancy. We were pretty sure our ballot was complete, but while reviewing the results, realized we’d omitted one B-side from the 2004 self-titled album. Someone, however, had cast a lone vote for that song as a write-in, so it appears as the 225th and final entry on this list.
Anyway, thank you all so much for participating.
And now, the results:
THE ABSOLUTE BEST OF THE CURE: ALL 225 SONGS, RANKED
1. “A Forest”
Single; appears on Seventeen Seconds (1980) | 2,984 votes
2. “Just Like Heaven”
Single; appears on Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987) | 2,983 votes
3. “Inbetween Days”
Single; appears on The Head on the Door (1985) | 2,837 votes
4. “Pictures of You”
Single; appears on Disintegration (1989) | 2,743 votes
5. “Boys Don’t Cry”
Non-album single (1979) | 2,420 votes
6. “Charlotte Sometimes”
Non-album single (1981) | 2,410 votes
7. “Fascination Street”
Single; appears on Disintegration (1989) | 2,398 votes
8. “Disintegration”
Appears on Disintegration (1989) | 2,251 votes
9. “Close to Me”
Single; appears on The Head on the Door (1985) | 2,068 votes
10. “A Night Like This”
Appears on The Head on the Door (1985) | 2,061 votes
11. “Lovesong”
Single; appears on Disintegration (1989) | 1,921 votes
12. “The Love Cats”
Non-album single (1983) | 1,866 votes
13. “Plainsong”
Appears on Disintegration (1989) | 1,751 votes
14. “Jumping Someone Else’s Train”
Non-album single (1979) | 1,645 votes
15. “Why Can’t I Be You?”
Single; appears on Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987) | 1,611 votes
16. “Let’s Go to Bed”
Non-album single (1982) | 1,589 votes
17. “Killing an Arab”
Non-album single (1978) | 1,562 votes
18. “10.15 Saturday Night”
Appears on Three Imaginary Boys (1979) | 1,546 votes
19. “Lullaby”
Single; appears on Disintegration (1989) | 1,523 votes
20. “A Letter to Elise”
Single; appears on Wish (1992) | 1,477 votes
21. “One Hundred Years”
Appears on Pornography (1982) | 1,437 votes
22. “The Caterpillar”
Single; appears on The Top (1984) | 1,362 votes
23. “From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea”
Appears on Wish (1992) | 1,359 votes
24. “The Hanging Garden”
Single; appears on Pornography (1982) | 1,355 votes
25. “A Strange Day”
Appears on Pornography (1982) | 1,338 votes
26. “Friday I’m in Love”
Single; appears on Wish (1992) | 1245 votes
27. “Primary”
Single; appears on Faith (1981) | 1,215 votes
28. “Push”
Appears on The Head on the Door (1985) | 1,191 votes
29. “Play for Today”
Appears on Seventeen Seconds (1980) | 1,171 votes
30. “Prayers for Rain”
Appears on Disintegration (1989) | 1,103 votes
31. “The Walk”
Non-album single (1983) | 1,094 votes
32. “Hot Hot Hot!!!”
Single; appears on Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987) | 1,077 votes
33. “Catch”
Single; appears on Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987) | 1,014 votes
34. “The Same Deep Water as You”
Appears on Disintegration (1989) | 993 votes
35. “How Beautiful You Are”
Appears on Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987) | 974 votes
36. “Never Enough”
Single; appears on Mixed Up (1990) | 953 votes
37. “Faith”
Appears on Faith (1981) | 930 votes
38. “All Cats Are Grey”
Appears on Faith (1981) | 874 votes
39. “Shake Dog Shake”
Appears on The Top (1984) | 871 votes
40. “Three Imaginary Boys”
Appears on Three Imaginary Boys (1979) | 838 votes
41. “Six Different Ways”
Appears on The Head on the Door (1985) | 835 votes
42. “The Kiss”
Appears on Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987) | 816 votes
43. “If Only Tonight We Could Sleep”
Appears on Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987) | 815 votes
44. “Burn”
Appears on The Crow: Original Soundtrack (1994) | 804 votes
45. “Fire in Cairo”
Appears on Three Imaginary Boys (1979) | 760 votes
46. “High”
Single; appears on Wish (1992) | 732 votes
47. “Kyoto Song”
Appears on The Head on the Door (1985) | 716 votes
48. “Like Cockatoos” (TIE)
Appears on Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987) | 663 votes
48. “The Figurehead” (TIE)
Appears on Pornography (1982) | 663 votes
50. “M”
Appears on Seventeen Seconds (1980) | 636 votes
51. “Pornography”
Appears on Pornography (1982) | 588 votes
52. “Untitled”
Appears on Disintegration (1989) | 574 votes
53. “Seventeen Seconds”
Appears on Seventeen Seconds (1980) | 563 votes
54. “Other Voices”
Appears on Faith (1981) | 558 votes
55. “Closedown”
Appears on Disintegration (1989) | 536 votes
56. “The Exploding Boy”
B-side of “Inbetween Days” (1985) | 535 votes
57. “Sinking”
Appears on The Head on the Door (1985) | 531 votes
58. “The Funeral Party”
Appears on Faith (1981) | 524 votes
59. “To Wish Impossible Things”
Appears on Wish (1992) | 508 votes
60. “Doing the Unstuck”
Appears on Wish (1992) | 505 votes
61. “This Twilight Garden”
B-side of “High” (1992) | 493 votes
62. “Siamese Twins”
Appears on Pornography (1982) | 488 votes
63. “The Drowning Man”
Appears on Faith (1981) | 461 votes
64. “All I Want”
Appears on Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987) | 453 votes
65. “A Few Hours After This”
B-side of “Inbetween Days” (1985) | 441 votes
66. “Just One Kiss”
B-side of “Let’s Go to Bed” (1982) | 440 votes
67. “Open”
Appears on Wish (1992) | 434 votes
68. “2 Late”
B-side of “Lovesong” (1989) | 425 votes
69. “Cold”
Appears on Pornography (1982) | 398 votes
70. “Grinding Halt”
Appears on Three Imaginary Boys (1979) | 398 votes
71. “Last Dance”
Appears on Disintegration (1989) | 380 votes
72. “Bloodflowers” (TIE)
Appears on Bloodflowers (2000) | 376 votes
72. “Lament” (TIE)
B-side of “The Walk” (1983) | 376 votes
74. “The Blood”
Appears on The Head on the Door (1985) | 370 votes
75. “Harold and Joe”
B-side of “Never Enough” (1990) | 367 votes
76. “A Thousand Hours”
Appears on Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987) | 351 votes
77. “Homesick”
Appears on Disintegration (1989) | 350 votes
78. “Piggy in the Mirror”
Appears on The Top (1984) | 349 votes
79. “A Short Term Effect”
Appears on Pornography (1982) | 338 votes
80. “At Night” (TIE)
Appears on Seventeen Seconds (1980) | 334 votes
80. “The Perfect Girl” (TIE)
Appears on Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987) | 334 votes
82. “Mint Car”
Single; appears on Wild Mood Swings (1996) | 320 votes
83. “Want”
Appears on Wild Mood Swings (1996) | 318 votes
84. “The Upstairs Room”
B-side of “The Walk” (1983) | 312 votes
85. “Apart”
Appears on Wish (1992) | 302 votes
86. “Maybe Someday”
Appears on Bloodflowers (2000) | 301 votes
87. “One More Time”
Appears on Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987) | 298 votes
88. “A Chain of Flowers”
B-side of “Catch”/”Just Like Heaven” (1987) | 296 votes
89. “The Baby Screams”
Appears on The Head on the Door (1985) | 292 votes
90. “Trust”
Appears on Wish (1992) | 283 votes
91. “In Your House”
Appears on Seventeen Seconds (1980) | 277 votes
92. “End”
Appears on Wish (1992) | 269 votes
93. “The Holy Hour”
Appears on Faith (1981) | 266 votes
94. “Birdmad Girl”
Appears on The Top (1984) | 265 votes
95. “Underneath the Stars”
Appears on 4:13 Dream (2008) | 264 votes
96. “Bananafishbones”
Appears on The Top (1984) | 255 votes
97. “Jupiter Crash”
Appears on Wild Mood Swings (1996) | 253 votes
98. “Screw”
Appears on The Head on the Door (1985) | 245 votes
99. “Cut Here”
Single; appears on Greatest Hits (2001) | 241 votes
100. “The Last Day of Summer” (TIE)
Appears on Bloodflowers (2000) | 238 votes
100. “Wrong Number” (TIE)
Single; appears on Galore (1997) | 238 votes
102. “Fear of Ghosts”
B-side of “Lovesong” (1989) | 234 votes
103. “Hey You!!!”
Appears on Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987) | 230 votes
104. “A Man Inside My Mouth” (TIE)
B-side of “Close To Me” (1985) | 223 votes
104. “To the Sky” (TIE)
Appears on Stranger Than Fiction (1989) | 223 votes
106. “Dressing Up”
Appears on The Top (1984) | 221 votes
107. “The Big Hand”
B-side of “A Letter to Elise” (1992) | 216 votes
108. “Shiver and Shake”
Appears on Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987) | 213 votes
109. “Halo”
B-side of “Friday I’m in Love” (1992) | 209 votes
110. “The Top”
Appears on The Top (1984) | 204 votes
111. “Without You”
B-side of “The Perfect Boy” (2008) | 202 votes
112. “Give Me It”
Appears on The Top (1984) | 197 votes
113. “Strange Attraction”
Single; appears on Wild Mood Swings (1996) | 196 votes
114. “A Japanese Dream”
B-side of “Why Can’t I Be You?” (1987) | 195 votes
115. “Accuracy”
Appears on Three Imaginary Boys (1979) | 188 votes
116. “Breathe”
B-side of “Catch”/”Just Like Heaven” (1987) | 187 votes
117. “Plastic Passion”
B-side of “Boys Don’t Cry” (1979) | 184 votes
118. “Out of This World” (TIE)
Appears on Bloodflowers (2000) | 177 votes
118. “The Snakepit” (TIE)
Appears on Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987) | 177 votes
120. “More Than This”
Appears on The X-Files: The Album (1998) | 176 votes
121. “Cut” (TIE)
Appears on Wish (1992) | 165 votes
121. “Mr. Pink Eyes” (TIE)
B-side of “The Love Cats” (1983) | 165 votes
123. “Torture”
Appears on Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987) | 164 votes
124. “Another Journey By Train” (TIE)
B-side of “A Forest” (1980) | 149 votes
124. “Watching Me Fall” (TIE)
Appears on Bloodflowers (2000) | 149 votes
126. “Icing Sugar”
Appears on Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987) | 147 votes
127. “Secrets”
Appears on Seventeen Seconds (1980) | 141 votes
128. “The End of the World”
Single; appears on The Cure (2004) | 139 votes
129. “Fight” (TIE)
Appears on Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987) | 132 votes
129. “I’m Cold” (TIE)
B-side of “Jumping Someone Else’s Train” (1979) | 132 votes
131. “Happy the Man”
B-side of “The Caterpillar” (1984) | 131 votes
132. “The 13th”
Single; appears on Wild Mood Swings (1996) | 129 votes
133. “Carnage Visors”
Appears on Faith cassette (1981) | 123 votes
134. “New Day” (TIE)
Appears on Half an Octopuss/Quadpus (1985) | 111 votes
134. “Snow in Summer” (TIE)
B-side of “Just Like Heaven” (1987) | 111 votes
134. “Speak My Language” (TIE)
B-side of “The Love Cats” (1983) | 111 votes
137. “Subway Song”
Appears on Three Imaginary Boys (1979) | 105 votes
138. “There Is No If…”
Appears on Bloodflowers (2000) | 104 votes
139. “The Hungry Ghost”
Appears on 4:13 Dream (2008) | 101 votes
140. “Throw Your Foot”
B-side of “The Caterpillar” (1984) | 100 votes
141. “Wendy Time”
Appears on Wish (1992) | 95 votes
142. “alt.end” (TIE)
Single; appears on The Cure (2004) | 93 votes
142. “Treasure” (TIE)
Appears on Wild Mood Swings (1996) | 93 votes
144. “This Is a Lie”
Appears on Wild Mood Swings (1996) | 90 votes
145. “Wailing Wall”
Appears on The Top (1984) | 89 votes
146. “The Loudest Sound”
Appears on Bloodflowers (2000) | 85 votes
147. “39” (TIE)
Appears on Bloodflowers (2000) | 84 votes
147. “Babble” (TIE)
B-side of “Lullaby”/”Fascination Street” (1989) | 84 votes
147. “It Used to Be Me” (TIE)
B-side of “The 13th” (1996) | 84 votes
150. “Gone!” (TIE)
Single; appears on Wild Mood Swings (1996) | 83 votes
150. “Stop Dead” (TIE)
B-side of “Close To Me” (1985) | 83 votes
150. “Where the Birds Always Sing” (TIE)
Appears on Bloodflowers (2000) | 83 votes
153. “A Foolish Arrangement”
B-side of “A Letter to Elise” (1992) | 82 votes
154. “The Empty World”
Appears on The Top (1984) | 81 votes
155. “So What”
Appears on Three Imaginary Boys (1979) | 80 votes
156. “Sugar Girl”
B-side of “Just Like Heaven” (1989) | 78 votes
157. “Scared as You”
B-side of “Friday I’m in Love” (1992) | 77 votes
158. “Doubt”
Appears on Faith (1981) | 75 votes
159. “Bare”
Appears on Wild Mood Swings (1996) | 70 votes
160. “Sleep When I’m Dead”
Single; appears on 4:13 Dream (2008) | 69 votes
161. “The Scream”
Appears on 4:13 Dream (2008) | 67 votes
162. “Play” (TIE)
B-side of “High” (1992) | 66 votes
162. “The Promise” (TIE)
Appears on The Cure (2004) | 66 votes
164. “Object”
Appears on Three Imaginary Boys (1979) | 65 votes
165. “Lost”
Appears on The Cure (2004) | 64 votes
166. “A Reflection” (TIE)
Appears on Seventeen Seconds (1980) | 62 votes
166. “Splintered in Her Head” (TIE)
B-side of “Charlotte Sometimes” (1981) | 62 votes
168. “Freakshow”
Single; appears on 4:13 Dream (2008) | 61 votes
169. “Another Day” (TIE)
Appears on Three Imaginary Boys (1979) | 60 votes
169. “The Dream” (TIE)
B-side of “The Walk” (1983) | 60 votes
171. “A Pink Dream”
B-side of “Mint Car” (1996) | 59 votes
172. “Anniversary” (TIE)
Appears on The Cure (2004) | 58 votes
172. “Labyrinth” (TIE)
Appears on The Cure (2004) | 58 votes
172. “The Only One” (TIE)
Single; appears on 4:13 Dream (2008) | 58 votes
175. “Numb” (TIE)
Appears on Wild Mood Swings (1996) | 57 votes
175. “The Perfect Boy” (TIE)
Single; appears on 4:13 Dream (2008) | 57 votes
177. “Going Nowhere”
Bonus track on The Cure (2004) | 56 votes
178. “Do the Hansa”
B-side of “Boys Don’t Cry” re-release (1986) | 53 votes
179. “Before Three”
Appears on The Cure (2004) | 51 votes
180. “Adonais”
B-side of “The 13th” (1996) | 49 votes
181. “Signal to Noise” (TIE)
B-side of “Cut Here” (2001) | 47 votes
181. “Sirensong” (TIE)
Appears on 4:13 Dream (2008) | 47 votes
183. “Dredd Song” (TIE)
Appears on Judge Dredd: Original Soundtrack (1995) | 45 votes
183. “Just Say Yes” (TIE)
Single; appears on Greatest Hits (2001) | 45 votes
183. “Ocean” (TIE)
B-side of “The 13th” (1996) | 45 votes
186. “Club America”
Appears on Wild Mood Swings (1996) | 44 votes
187. “World War”
Appears on Boys Don’t Cry (1980) | 43 votes
188. “It’s Not You” (TIE)
Appears on Three Imaginary Boys (1979) | 42 votes
188. “Pillbox Tales” (TIE)
B-side of “Boys Don’t Cry” re-release (1986) | 42 votes
190. “Us or Them”
Appears on The Cure (2004) | 41 votes
191. “Spilt Milk”
Bonus track from Bloodflowers (2000) | 39 votes
192. “Descent” (TIE)
B-side of “Primary” (1981) | 37 votes
192. “Tape” (TIE)
Appears on Sideshow EP (1993) | 37 votes
194. “Home”
B-side of “Mint Car” (1996) | 36 votes
195. “Round & Round & Round”
Appears on Wild Mood Swings (1996) | 36 votes
196. “Meathook”
Appears on Three Imaginary Boys (1979) | 34 votes
197. “Cloudberry”
Appears on Lost Wishes EP (1993) | 32 votes
198. “(I Don’t Know What’s Going) On”
Appears on The Cure (2004) | 32 votes
199. “This. Here and Now. With You”
Appears on 4:13 Dream (2008) | 31 votes
200. “Return” (TIE)
Appears on Wild Mood Swings (1996) | 28 votes
200. “The Reasons Why” (TIE)
Appears on 4:13 Dream (2008) | 28 votes
202. “Truth, Goodness and Beauty”
Appears on The Cure (2004) | 26 votes
203. “This Morning”
Bonus track from The Cure (2004) | 25 votes
204. “Three”
Appears on Seventeen Seconds (1980) | 25 votes
205. “The Real Snow White”
Appears on 4:13 Dream (2008) | 23 votes
206. “Out of Mind” (TIE)
B-side of “Lullaby”/”Fascination Street” (1989) | 21 votes
206. “Possession” (TIE)
Appears on Join the Dots: B-Sides & Rarities (2004) | 21 votes
206. “Taking Off” (TIE)
Single; appears on The Cure (2004) | 21 votes
206. “Trap” (TIE)
Appears on Wild Mood Swings (1996) | 21 votes
206. “Uyea Sound” (TIE)
Appears on Lost Wishes EP (1993) | 21 votes
206. “Waiting” (TIE)
B-side of “Mint Car” (1996) | 21 votes
212. “Off To Sleep…”
Appears on Lost Wishes EP (1993) | 19 votes
213. “It’s Over”
Appears on 4:13 Dream (2008) | 17 votes
214. “Your God is Fear”
B-side of “alt.end”/”Taking Off” (2004) | 16 votes
215. “Coming Up” (TIE)
Bonus track from Bloodflowers (2000) | 15 votes
215. “The Final Sound” (TIE)
Appears on Seventeen Seconds (1980) | 15 votes
217. “Down Under” (TIE)
B-side of “Sleep When I’m Dead” (2008) | 13 votes
217. “The Three Sisters” (TIE)
Appears on Lost Wishes EP (1993) | 13 votes
219. “Never”
Appears on The Cure (2004) | 12 votes
220. “Switch”
Appears on 4:13 Dream (2008) | 11 votes
221. “The Weedy Burton”
Appears on Three Imaginary Boys (1979) | 7 votes
222. “Fake”
B-side of “The End of the World” (2004) | 6 votes
223. “All Kinds of Stuff” (TIE)
B-side of “Freakshow” (2008) | 4 votes
223. “NY Trip” (TIE)
B-side of “The Only One” (2008) | 4 votes
225. “Why Can’t I Be Me?”
B-side of “alt.end”/”Taking Off” (2004) | 1 vote
A very special thanks to everybody who took the time to vote.
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
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- Vintage Video: Watch 30 minutes of The Cure’s rehearsals for The Prayer Tour in 1989
- The Cure preparing ‘Greatest Hits,’ ‘Acoustic Hits’ vinyl picture discs for Record Store Day
- Lost wishes: 7 things The Cure’s Robert Smith promised to release this decade, but hasn’t
- The Cure’s Lol Tolhurst and Pearl Thompson reunite in the recording studio
PLEASE GO LISTEN TO NY TRIP IF YOU’RE A FAN. I can’t believe only 4 of us voted for it.
I was just thinking the same. Very strong tune.
Fell in Love With The Cure in 1979. After Hearing 2 Songs on Los Angeles’s World Famous KROQ 106.7 F.M.!!! MY FAV Band Since!!! The songs, “Boys Don’t Cry” & Jumping Someone’s Eles’ Train Loved Their Style, Fantastic Song Lyrics & Great Musician’s!!! I am 52 yrs old and Still Listen to them Daily!!! Peace & LOVE to Robert & the Band on 40 Fabulous, Fantastic, Life Changing in me From So Many Songs, THE CURE is THE BEST…PERIOD!!!☝️
Thank you for undertaking such a crazy huge poll! The results were fascinating! It’s so remarkable that we can all be huge fans but have such varying opinions on the best tracks. I was certainly surprised to see some of my favs pretty low& ones I skip over up higher.
Thank you for this! Must have been some serious work to compile.
Just because some songs are in a low position does not mean they’re not liked, simply not amongs most people’s favourites which is different.
there should be another poll but in reverse, voting for the worst Cure tracks, that way we would know which ones fans do not like.
Nice poll though, it was fun.
A poll in reverse order would definitely be interesting. Based on these results, though, I would be in the minority in my #1 vote. Friday I’m in Love is in my opinion one of the worst songs ever recorded. I deleted it from my digital collection, and can’t change the station fast enough when it comes on the radio. I just can’t understand why so many Cure fans like it.
when Wish came out I bought it the day it was released. I remember playing Friday I’m in love on repeat for a couple of days. It’s a fun happy pop song but quickly got over played. I don’t hate any Cure song but I could do without this song now.
Couldn’t agree more with you
One correction to your listing: #107 “The Big Hand” did not appear on Wish; it was a b-side of “A Letter To Elise”.
Thanks. I guess that was just, er, wishful thinking. That really should have been on the record.
It’s like fireworks and heaven!
Yes! I’ve been waiting for these results ever since the poll was announced.
I was kicking myself too. Shortly after I cast my vote I realized I goofed and forgot to vote for “Homesick” and now I see that it finished at #77, one vote shy of tying with “A Thousand Hours.”
Have to admit I am rather surprised to see “A Forest” at #1.
Yes! I’ve been waiting for these results ever since the poll was announced.
I was kicking myself too. Shortly after I cast my vote I realized I goofed and forgot to vote for “Homesick” and now I see that it finished at #77, one vote shy of tying with “A Thousand Hours.”
Have to admit I am rather surprised to see “A Forest” at #1.
Love it! Going to make a playlist off it!
Here you go: http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2017/05/22/best-of-the-cure-spotify-playlist-slicing-up-eyeballs/
Ok so I’ve been listening to the cure since ’87 before kiss me was released and while they undeniably have their fair share of poppy songs,the depressed angst ridden darker songs is definitely what makes them and their loyal fan base. Through what pop culture lens were these voters looking through when they cast their votes?!?
I STRONGLY agree! Also have been listening since 87
Fascinating list. Your #6 is my #1
Did I miss I’m A Cult Hero and I Dig You???
They weren’t included because they’re not technically by The Cure.
I would like all 66 people who voted for “Play” to be my new best friends. Every single one of you.
The number of singles in the top twenty is surprising. A Forest at number one makes sense, but I was surprised that songs such as Faith, The Figurehead and At Night were not higher in the list.
In findings that will surprise no one, only nine of the top 100 songs were released after 1992, and three of those nine were non-album tracks.
Not surprisingly, all my favorite Cure tracks reside mostly between 30 – 80, though there are a handful positioned well over 100.
Myself included. Kinda surprised by all the poppier songs getting so much love.
It would be very interesting to know how certain age groups voted also did I miss the drowning man thought that would have made the list good list very interesting
The Drowning Man for sure. Don’t remember if it was on the list. I would surely have voted for that.
Glad Pink Dream is relatively high for the not so well-known song it is – I really love it.
Baffled by Jumping…getting as high as it did. Maybe ’cause it’s early, on Standing on a beach and has a bit of zest? Still think songs like Underneath the Stars completely put it in the shade.
Glad that “A Forest” was first and not something superficial like “Friday I’m in Love”. You can really tell who the posers are by the songs they voted for.
While my favorite song “it’s over” came in at a very disappointing #213, I do think that some of you are overlooking the greatest of what the cure offers if you dismiss singles or songs like “doing the unstuck.” Happiness is a feeling too. The top 50 looks like a great playlist for driving and singing at the top of your lungs.
I’m guessing a lot of the voters simply hadn’t heard a lot of the songs on the list, considering how many of their best songs are down so low (cough Uyea Sound cough) and voted for songs they knew instead.
Agreed! Ocean at 183???
In Your House is way too underrated
I want all the ones who voted for In Your House to be my friends
So many great ones! Tremendous songwriting.
To everyone who voted for “Before Three”, from now on they will be my friends :’D
Before Three is my favorite post bloodflowers song and was surprised it wasn’t higher on the list. That song has made me cry before and to me that means it really hits close to the heart. It makes me think of my wife who I love probably as much as Robert loves Mary.
Shocking that plainsong wasn’t higher….
Also all cats are grey at 38?
Too many singles ranked higher than I thought…
A Forest is not surprising as it is pretty much the quintessential Cure song. Just like Heaven works for me but I thought this slicing up eyeballs fan base would go for the edgier, darker, less pop end of the spectrum.
My favorite band and I love it all but I lean toward the more obscure sounds….
Friday I’m in love in the top 30?
Shocking. Shaking my head…
Who voted for The Promise??!! Are your lives really boring??
It looks like half of the voters only own the singles collections. Other than that, this makes sense with 1979 – 1992 dominating the list.
I think Bloodflowers is better than this.
There are some really good tracks on there and its more of a flow you get into when you listen to it. I cannot stop before it’s over.
I hope it wil get a Deluxe-version someday….
Definitely their best album since Wish. I’ve always been surprised it has such a low standing amongst fans.
It’s an excellent record, and is the only great one after Wish, but it is still not the same as the indispensable Wish and earlier albums. I do agree though that every song is good, something that certainly cannot be said for Wild Mood Swings, 2004 and 4:13 Dream.
This makes me want to watch the Mike Leigh movie “Career Girls” again.
Woo-hoo! Head on the Door first album I remember hearing of by the band and “A Night Like This” made it into the Top 10. That’s my favourite! Oxymoronic as it sounds, I’m a very happy Cure fan today.
OMG, I’ll never figure out why the hell so many people like that bland slab of nothing called “A Night Like This”. And for it to round out the top 10? I’m practically pulling my hair out over here.
Well, then that puts you in good stead with Boris and Pearl now, doesn’t it if you’re pulling out your hair?
Bland slab of nothing? Hardly.
* Fade in sixteenth notes on keys reminding one of “Waiting for the Man” leading into drums that sound like bombs dropping.
* Opening line “Say goodbye on a night like this, if it’s the last thing we ever do. You never looked as lost as this. Sometimes it doesn’t even look like you.” If someone held a knife to the throat and said, “Summarize The Cure’s oeuvre in a song verse!” that’d be it.
* But wait, he’s not done! “It goes dark. It goes darker, still. Please, stay. But I watch you like I’m made of stone as you walk away.” When that first love of youth calls time with you, and no hope for repair exists, you recognize Smiddy’s lyrical gut punch. Been there. Am that.
* Roxy worthy sax solo improved live by Pearl’s guitar.
Shall I go on??
I’m surprised that no one wrote in “It Can Never Be the Same” or “Step Into the Light”.
I’ve been a fan since before Kiss Me. I like “Friday I’m In Love.” If that makes me a poser, I guess I’m too old to care.
A little sad that “Snow in Summer” is as low as it is. But, with so many great songs to choose from, it’s inevitable that some greats would be low.
This was a fun list and I was glad to see the cure getting some love. I have been a fan for about 30 years and I would have to argue with some of these results, for the fun of it of course. I feel that some of their best songs scored lower on the list while the #1 song technically isn’t their best song, but their most popular song.
What would have been really cool is instead of having 3000 random people vote they could have put together a list of say 100 people that really know the catalog. At the risk of sounding like a pompous fan boy I can say that I am one of only a small percentage of the people that voted that know all of the 225 songs on that list.
Just look at the top 10 songs on that list and you will see that 80% of them are singles. Not that a single can’t be a good song but you have songs like Just Like Heaven and Close to Me beating songs like Happy The Man and The Same Deep Water as You.
I realize that this was just for fun and it doesn’t really mean anything but being such a fan of their music I take it seriously. I think it would be very interesting to have a select group of die hard fans vote on this list and you would see it would be very different.
The Cure has been at it almost 40 years now and they still put on an amazing live show as evidenced by their 2016 world tour. They broke out some gems that were a real treat to hear live like This Twilight Garden and Burn pleasing not just the casual fans but long time die hard followers as well.
was SUPER happy to see (from the edge of the deep green sea)at number 23!!!!! it ,DESINTIGRATION, AND UNTITLED has been my favorite CURE songs for quite awhile . saw them 3 times . last time in New Orleans about 6 months ago ( maybe) im freaking horrible with time , BUT, HE ((STILL))SOUNDS THE EXACT SAME AFTER ALL THESE YEARS. WHY IM HERE, MIGHT AS well chime in on another CURE topic.DOnt get me wrong , i like Reeves playing, but i really miss PERRY,OR PORL,NOT (pearl) when PORL Came back THE LAST TIME, he looked SO FREAKING COOL. with the shaved head, black make-up, cool black clothes. i kmow i know, to each his own , but the cure (for me) not only sounded awesome but was the coolest looking band around. PEARL makes the ugelist woman . yikes!!!!!! wonder if BORIS WILL EVER DO ANYTHING AGAIN WITH THEM , HE REUNITED IN 2001 (I THINK). HE KEEPS SUCH A LOW PROFILE. LOVE TO KNOW WHAT HES UP TO , ANYWAYS.THANKS FOR LETTING ME RANT ABOUT MY FAVORITE BAND OF ALL TIME
GLAD EDGE OF THE DEEP GREEN SEA WAS ON THE LIST. AND PRETTY HIGH UP THERE !!!!!!! NO PROBLEM WITH Reeves ( other than he looks like a (MAD SCIENTIST GRANDPAW) with that white hair sticking up . all he needs is a white medicalcoat to finish the look off, the cure use to not only sound awesome ,but look cool also, i wish PERRY bamontie,boris, and PORL (NOT Pearl) would return
Wow! What an interesting list, great to see Disintegration so high and This Twilight Garden as the highest B-Side. I’m surprised so many of you love some of them early singles, they were never my favourites.
Thanks for a great poll, I appreciate the effort put into it but could I suggest maybe a points system (25pts for peoples 1st place, 24 for 2nd etc) as a pose to counting votes? It almost feels as if everyone at least likes A Forest which is why it’s number one, but I’d imagine it wouldn’t be the most selected 1st place? But yeah great work doing it anyway it’s definitely interesting to see everyone’s opinion.
Kiss Me, Kiss me, Kiss me is probably their best played, best produced album behind Disintegration. A lot of the songs are way too low on the list.
I remember 40 years ago when The Cure was nothing more than an antibiotic
Agree ! .. and what about halo and treasure really, both are beatiful songs
Watching Me Fall at 124?? That’s insane! This brilliantly evocative, epic, take on sexual alienation should be top 20. Bloodflowers is an overall masterpiece.
No “Forever” – which really is a favourite of mine. All versions!
Friday I’m In Love should be last, or not on the list at all. They wrote that song as a joke to thier record label who forced them to create a “radio friendly” song.
Eigth isn’t high enough for Disintegration, (the song). It is thier masterpiece. I agree with others concerning BloodFlowers. It needs to be much higher on the list (near the top).
But for all the song s vocal yearning and weeping strings, its most indelible melody is provided by the ghostly tapping of its drums — faint, gentle and impossibly sad.
My list would be totally different order
Check out ‘The Big Hand’, ‘Cut’, ‘Letter to Elise’ and ‘ Wendy-time’ (live versions secret gig Town & Country Club) raw and superior to the album versions; driven by Simon and Boris with Robert’s vocals subdued
I feel like everything that ranked below “Just Say Yes” should be moved up above “Just Say Yes”.
I love Primary and Like Cockatoos – 2 of their best.