The Cure dominates this year’s list of most-viewed stories, claiming five of the top 10 spots — including the No. 1 position, occupied for the second year in a row by our initial 2009 report on this year’s 3CD deluxe reissue of ‘Disintegration.’

This week’s new releases include a box set of Joy Division 7-inch singles; a limited-edition, marble-vinyl 2LP set of The Cure’s expanded ‘Entreat Plus’; Dead Can Dance’s 4LP vinyl ‘Box Set I’; and the U.S. release of Freebass’ debut CD ‘It’s a Beautiful Life.’

Unboxing videos aren’t just for tech products, as Universal Music demonstrates in this new 90-second piece put together to show off the new limited-edition marble-vinyl version of The Cure’s expanded ‘Entreat’ Plus 2LP set.

Billed as its ‘only European show of 2011,’ organizers of the U.K.’s Bestival this morning announced The Cure will headline one of the festival’s four nights next September alongside Crystal Castles, the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson, DJ Shadow and Primal Scream performing its 1991 album ‘Screamadelica.’

A set of lyrics to ‘Disintegration’ opening track ‘Plainsong’ — handwritten and autographed by Robert Smith earlier this year — will be included in the ‘Art of the Song’ auction on Dec. 15, a fundraiser for the U.K.’s Teenage Cancer Trust.

‘Entreat Plus’ — the 12-track, remixed version of The Cure’s 1990 live album that was included on CD and digital versions of the expanded ‘Disintegration’ set earlier this year — will be released as a 2LP vinyl set on Jan. 11 by Elektra Records.

Today is the 53rd birthday of Porl Thompson of The Cure, and to mark the occasion, we present what’s arguably his signature guitar solo, the freak-out at the end of ‘Wish’ standout and concert favorite ‘From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea,’ shown here in the version included on the 1993 concert film ‘Show.’