Top 10 Alert!
Song#: 4001
Date: 08/12/1989
Debut: 58
Peak: 2
Weeks: 17
Genre: Alternative Rock
Pop Bits: The Cure kicked off their eighth album Disintegration with the single "Fascination Street." It was a big hit at Modern Rock spending seven weeks at #1. That attention helped the song cross over to the Pop chart where it peaked just outside of the Top 40 (#46). To follow it up, this next track was selected. It would result in a somewhat unexpected smash hit for the band becoming their first and only single to crash the Pop Top 10 nearly topping the chart. It also got to #2 Modern Rock, #8 Dance, and #27 Rock. Although the album had already peaked at #12 in June, this hit helped album sales and in October it would be certified platinum. The Cure went from being a popular cult band to a major mainstream act thanks to the success of this single.
ReduxReview: Filled with riffs and hooks, this became an instantly memorable song. The quiet groove and Robert Smith's plaintive vocal set an emo-goth tone that was still relatable and radio-friendly. Add to that a popular MTV video and this song was bound to go Top 10. While The Cure have had other songs that were certainly Top 10-able (but somehow didn't get there), this seemed to be the one that a larger swath of folks took to. Surprisingly, the song was only a major hit in the US. In their UK homeland it only got to #18 while faring even worse in other European countries. Luckily for The Cure, it was the right song at the right time to break them through in the US in a big way.
ReduxRating: 9/10
Trivia: Double Shot! 1) Band leader and songwriter Robert Smith wrote this tune as a wedding present for his soon-to-be wife Mary Poole. The pair were married in 1988. They had met in a drama class while in their teens. Fifteen years later, they would finally tie the knot. 2) Several artists have covered this song, but thus far only one has been able to reach the Pop chart with a version. The alt rock band 311 was commissioned to cover the tune for the 2004 Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore rom-com 50 First Dates. Released as a single, the band's version would reach #59 Pop/#1 Alt Rock. The soundtrack album consisted of 80s cover tunes mainly done in a reggae style. It would reach #30 and go gold. The film received mixed reviews, but was a box office hit. Singer/songwriter Adele notably covered "Lovesong" for her Grammy-winning 2011 album 21. While it was not released as a single, her string-laden version became a popular album track that got to #18 on the Smooth Jazz chart.
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