This year marks the 30th anniversary of one of the greatest alternative rock albums of all time, the Cure’s Disintegration. Even though the post-punk legends had been around since 1979 and had already released many albums by the time of Disintegration, it wasn’t until their eighth record that they truly achieved goth rock perfection.
In celebration of this milestone birthday, the Cure performed the album in its entirety at the Sydney Opera House on the actual anniversary month of the album’s release. And the whole performance was live streamed around the world on May 30, which you can now check out in its entirety down below (via Laughing Squid).
The Cure’s first big mainstream breakthrough came in 1987, with the release of Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me. This album contained the now-iconic single “Just Like Heaven,” and was the first single from the band to get significant MTV airplay during daylight hours, and not just on the late night alternative music shows like 120 Minutes. The Cure’s frontman Robert Smith capitalized on that success with their follow-up album Disintegration in 1989, which had four very successful singles “Lullaby,” “Fascination Street,” “Love Song,” and “Pictures of You.”
The importance and legacy of Disintegration has only increased over the past three decades as itt continues to get pop culture shout-outs in different TV shows and movies. The first Ant-Man had a memorable scene referencing the album, when a miniature Scott Lang accidentally activates the track “Plainsong” during the briefcase fight scene finale. We’re going to venture a guess that director Peyton Reed is a big fan. And it was South Park’s own Kyle Brofloski who reminded everyone in the world that Disintegration was “the best album ever!” way back in 1998. And who are we to argue with Kyle?
Images: Universal Music Group
