BBC Radio Theatre

The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley in 1976 by Robert Smith and Lol Tolhurst. As of 2026, the band's line-up includes Smith, Simon Gallup, Roger O'Donnell, Jason Cooper, and Reeves Gabrels. Smith has been the only constant member since the band's inception. Their debut album, Three Imaginary Boys, was released in 1979, and early singles positioned the band within the post-punk and new wave movements in the United Kingdom. Starting with their second album, Seventeen Seconds, in 1980, the band adopted a darker, more tormented style that influenced the development of gothic rock. After their fourth album, Pornography, in 1982, Smith began to incorporate more pop elements into their music. The band achieved mainstream success with albums such as Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987), Disintegration (1989), and Wish (1992). Their notable songs include "Boys Don't Cry," "A Forest," "Close to Me," "Just Like Heaven," "Lovesong," and "Friday I'm In Love."