The essential playlist of The Cure

The title cut from The Cure's most commercially successful album is also one that is considered the band's best work from a critical standpoint. The tune did not enjoy near the success as the four other singles released from the record but should not be lost in the shuffle of those more popular tunes. It might check in at more than eight minutes, but the ride is worth it as a perfect show of the group's exemplary musicianship and Robert Smith's brilliant vocals.

Or "Lovecats," as it's sometimes titled. Though it's only appeared as a single, the track was The Cure's first hit to chart within the top 10 in the United Kingdom. It's one of the band's most innovative compositions, complete with a double bass, plenty of keyboard and almost a jazz-like feel.  

A song that often opens The Cure's live sets and the first cut off "Disintegration," "Plainsong" truly is a great way to open a show or an internationally successful album. It's as if royalty is walking to the stage, with its over-the-top instrumental intro into Smith's stereophonic vocals and that signature guitar effect that we've come to appreciate from these British superstars.

It wasn't a released single off 2004's self-titled record, but it is strong nonetheless. It feels as if The Cure returned to the sound that made it an alt-rock giant in the 1980s but with a little more bombast. It's a powerful song from the sound standpoint when compared to the group's previous work — an underrated tune that's worth a listen a few times over. 

One of four hit singles from "Disintegration," "Lullaby" was extremely popular in the band's home country, most specifically in terms of the chart success. It's somewhat complex and doesn't have a true meaning, though Smith has claimed it deals with the nightmares and dreams he had as a child. Others suggest it was at least partially inspired during some of his drug-induced moments.  

Obviously not the most politically correct song title out there, it's a favorite of hardcore fans of the band, but also its most controversial. The tale of an Arab shot on a beach, it's Smith's impression of the 1940s French novel "L'Etranger," which offers a similar storyline. The song showcases Smith's bent toward literature, adaptation and ingenuitive storytelling. However, it was also a lightning rod for racial and ethnic profiling.

The first single off "Wish," it was the follow-up to the commercial smash "Disintegration." The song went No. 1 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart and is a worthy encore after all the success of the hits off "Disintegration." This may not be a favorite among hardcore fans of the group, but it is polished pop and an example that Smith and  Co. were not going to completely make the same album twice in a row. 

Originally released as the B-side to "Killing an Arab," it's the lead track off The Cure's debut album, "Three Imaginary Boys." The song also perfectly captures the group's early post-punk sound with a hint of new wave thrown in. "10:15 Saturday Night" was and remains a staple of the group's live shows and features some fine, raw guitar work.

Reviews were mixed when this peppy, horn-infused number came out as the lead single off "Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me." For some critics, it was too much of a departure from The Cure's gothic sound of the early 1980s but catchy enough to enjoy mainstream success. In the realm of the band's catalog, it's a track that fans either love or can do without.

One of the more underrated songs in The Cure arsenal, "A Night Like This" did not receive the fanfare of the hits off "The Head on the Door." However, it's a song that kind of captures the direction The Cure was headed in the 1980s. It has the melodic and somewhat dark foundation but offers some pop tinge that was quite evident on its next album, "Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me."

The first song by The Cure to reach the singles charts in the U.K., this remains a special track with longtime fans. A fine example of the band's early goth-rock roots, "A Forest" has been said to be the most played tune by the band in concert. It's a song the band has always been proud of and continues to be embraced by newer fans of the catalog.  

Interestingly, "Fascination Street" was released as a single in America but not in the U.K. — which opened with "Lullaby" off the "Disintegration" album. Distinctive for Simon Gallup's bass intro, the song is a strong example of the overall musicianship of The Cure. Though Smith tends to get much of the attention as frontman, the band has showcased plenty of talent through the decades.

This is one song by The Cure that we find up and down best-of lists involving the band. Many believe it is the centerpiece of "Disintegration." A tender song that has plenty of pop feel, it's one that is probably deep enough to satisfy all levels of fans of the band. It reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains one of the defining songs of the late '80s alternative music scene.

An important song for the band in terms of its success in the United States, this upbeat, dance-friendly gem off "The Head on the Door" was The Cure's first to find a home on the Billboard Hot 100. It would be only a matter of time before the group claimed a firm grasp on alt-pop/rock fans in America as the first of three straight successful albums to close out the 1980s.

A single in the U.K. and the title track to The Cure's first album in the U.S., "Boys Don't Cry" remains one of the band's most popular songs. It's also enjoyed a nice shelf life in the realm of pop culture. (Remember "The Wedding Singer"?) It's about a man trying to hide his pain of lost love and keep his masculinity intact in public. 

There are probably two songs casual alt-rock fans know most from The Cure, and this is one of them. The second single from "Wish" is not only one of the band's most recognizable songs, but it is also as catchy as they come. Upbeat, poppy and happy, it's something of a departure from the dark, emotion-filled collection of cuts produced in the 1980s. The band actually looks like it is having fun in the video, and should, after creating a successful piece of pop fun.

While still harboring the goth look — at least Smith was — The Cure's pop tendencies surfaced with the second single off "The Head on the Door." Smith's typewriter-like vocals and the addition of a brass section make it one of the band's more ambitious efforts. And it also shows its creativity and confidence to awake the ears of the listener. 

This is the other song general pop music fans probably know from The Cure. It's the group's first major hit in the States and one that still holds holds up extremely well and has middle-aged fans dancing in their seats at live shows. From the opening of Simon Gallup's bass and into Smith's "show me, show me, show me...,"  we're off and running with this "120 Minutes" staple. Perhaps it's the best example of the band as a tight unit.

Another reason why "Wish" can hold its own with "Disintegration." The final single of the 1992 album is something that takes us back to the late '80s Cure — melodic, beautiful and emotional. The band did not play it live for several years but put it back in the rotation in the first part of the 2000s. It's a great song that doesn't always get its due.   

The final hit single from "Disintegration," "Pictures of You" is regarded in many circles as the band's best song. It's hard to argue with those who feel that way. It's Smith in full-on goth mode, while his lyrics and the tempo of the track are both eerily beautiful. It's arguably the best representation of the The Cure at the height of its commercial and creative best.