Alone (The Cure song)

Last updated

"Alone"
The Cure - Alone - single cover art.jpeg
Single by the Cure
from the album Songs of a Lost World
Released26 September 2024 (2024-09-26)
Genre Gothic rock
Length6:48
Label Polydor
Songwriter Robert Smith
Producers
The Cure singles chronology
"Disintegration (live)"
(2019)		"Alone"
(2024)		"A Fragile Thing"
(2024)
Lyric video
"Alone" on YouTube

"Alone" is a song by the English rock band the Cure from their fourteenth studio album, Songs of a Lost World (2024). The song was written in 2019 after Robert Smith rediscovered the poem "Dregs" by Ernest Dowson and borrowed from its imagery. It is a gothic rock song which prominently features drums, guitar, synthesisers, and piano. It begins with over three minutes of instrumentals, before Smith begins to sing; music critics observed that the lyrics focused on themes of mortality and environmentalism. The track was written by Smith and was produced by him and Paul Corkett.

Contents

The Cure debuted the song in live performances during the band's 2022–2023 Shows of a Lost World tour. It was later released on 26 September 2024 as the lead single for Songs of a Lost World, being the first new material that the band released since their previous studio album 4:13 Dream (2008). "Alone" received strong reviews from critics, with particular praise towards its atmosphere, its scope, and Smith's vocal performance. It peaked at number 6 on the UK Singles Sales Chart, and charted in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. Various publications included "Alone" in their year-end lists of the best songs of 2024. It has also been nominated for Best Alternative Music Performance at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards.

Background

After the release of 4:13 Dream in 2008, the Cure prioritised touring in the 2010s instead of recording and releasing new music. [1] The band initially announced in early 2014 that their next studio album, a follow-up to 4:13 Dream titled 4:14 Scream, would be released later that year. However, the album was never released. [1] [2] Similarly, the band considered creating a new album to commemorate their 40th anniversary in 2018; however, it never materialised. [3] Later, in 2019, the band once again began recording new music, under the working title Live From the Moon. The tracks created during these sessions eventually became Songs of a Lost World. [3] [4]

According to Smith, "Alone" was completed in 2019 when he looked through a journal where he collected and transcribed "interesting" rhymes and phrases. In it, he rediscovered "Dregs", a poem by Ernest Dowson, and took inspiration from its imagery. [5] [6] Smith later recalled that "Alone" was the track which established the record's themes, saying that he was merely searching for the "right opening line for the right opening song". [5]

Composition and lyrics

"Alone" has a length of six minutes and forty-eight seconds. [7] According to Universal Music Publishing Group's digital sheet music of the track, "Alone" is in the key of A minor, is in common time, and runs at the moderately fast tempo of 100 beats per minute. [8] The track begins with three minutes and twenty-one seconds of "charcoal-shaded" instrumentals before Smith begins to sing. [9] Instrumentally, the song prominently features "hollow" drums, distorted guitar, "symphonic" synthesisers, [9] and a "descending triplet" pattern played on piano and guitar. [4] The Telegraph 's Neil McCormick described "Alone" as "the most Goth song ever made", citing its Wall of Sound approach, [10] while Mark Beaumont, writing for The Independent , stylistically compared the track to nu-shoegaze. [11]

Andrew Trendell of NME observed that "Alone" was more similar to the band's "cinematic and expansive" output, as opposed to their poppier fare. [12] Smith stated that the soundscapes of Songs of a Lost World as a whole harkened back to the band's work on Disintegration (1989). [13] Music critics widely agreed with this comparison for "Alone", [a] with Alexis Petridis of The Guardian and Michael Bonner of Uncut specifically comparing it to Disintegration's opening track "Plainsong". [22] [23] Some critics also added that the song also resembled tracks on Pornography (1982) [17] [18] [22] and Bloodflowers (2000). [18] [21] [23] Additionally, both McCormick and Variety 's A.D. Amorosi compared "Alone" to works by David Bowie; the former described the song as a Berlin Trilogy track being "waterboarded with buckets of oil", while the latter likened the song's instrumental introduction to "Blackstar". [10] [24]

Lyrically, "Alone" borrows imagery from the Ernest Dowson poem "Dregs", while also containing references to plummeting birds and dashed dreams. [22] Petridis interpreted the track as being about mortality, which he linked to the deaths of Smith's parents and older brother during the recording process of Songs for a Lost World. [22] Sam Walker-Smart of Clash agreed with this point, suggesting that those deaths alongside Smith's curation of the 2018 Meltdown festival allowed him to "tap into that deep well of emotion and creativity from which The Cure has built their legacy". [21] In addition, Alex Burrows of Classic Rock saw themes of environmentalism in "Alone", writing that the song laments the inability for humans to prevent Earth's destruction. [25] Beats Per Minute 's Todd Dedman agreed that the track thematically focuses on both death and the environment, while he also found themes of friendships and time. [26]

Release

On 6 October 2022, "Alone" debuted live in Riga during the first performance of Shows of a Lost World, the band's concert tour in support of Songs of a Lost World. It was the first song played during every show of that tour. [27] [28] Later, an 18-second preview of the track was posted to the band's social media on 23 September 2024. It was fully released as a single three days later, being premiered at noon on BBC Radio 6 during Mary Anne Hobbs' show; it was the first new song released by the band since 2008. [29] [30] Various remixes of "Alone", created by Four Tet, Shanti Celeste, and Ex-Easter Island Head, were also released on 13 June 2025 as part of Mixes of a Lost World. [31] The Four Tet remix of "Alone" was previously released in the United Kingdom as an exclusive twelve-inch single for Record Store Day on 12 April. [32]

In the United Kingdom, "Alone" reached No. 6 on the Singles Sales chart and No. 26 on the Singles Downloads chart. [33] [34] It also charted in the United States on the Alternative Digital Song Sales and Rock Digital Song Sales charts at No. 10 and No. 15, respectively. [35] [36] Additionally, the song reached No. 22 on the New Zealand Hot Singles chart, and No. 31 on the Australia Digital Tracks chart. [37] [38]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Clash Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [21]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [22]
The Irish Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [17]
PopMatters Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [18]
The Telegraph Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
The Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]

Upon its release as a single, "Alone" received critical acclaim from music critics. Walker-Smart declared that "Alone" was among the band's best works since the early 1990s, and particularly praised Smith's "bizarrely ageless" vocals. [21] Will Hodgkinson of The Times concurred, writing that Smith's vocals evoked a "teenage romantic" despite his age, and that "Alone" reflected the band's allure of being "locked within eternal youth". [9] The song's melancholic atmosphere received particular praise from critics. Alison Ross of PopMatters called it one of the band's "most devastating" songs, [18] while The Irish Times 's Ed Power compared "Alone" to a "huge aching sigh" in that it elicited comfort through its darkness. [17] McCormick found that the song was "gripping" despite its sorrowful mood, [10] while Petridis found that its lyrics and Smith's performance strayed from the band's previous, nihilistic attitude towards death. [22] Various publications listed "Alone" in their lists of that week's best songs: Consequence , with Jonah Krueger praising its production despite writing that the band was retreading its past sounds and themes; [39] Stereogum , with Tom Breihan opining that the song was both ambitious and elegant; [14] Under the Radar , with Mark Redfern declaring that there was "no other choice" for the best song of the week; [40] and Uproxx , which included "Alone" in a list of that week's best indie music. [41]

"Alone" continued to receive acclaim after the release of Songs of a Lost World. Rolling Stone 's Rob Sheffield called it the band's "tour de force", [42] while The Skinny 's Lewis Wade listed "Alone" as a standout on the record, alongside "And Nothing is Forever". [20] Ben Cardew of Pitchfork , Lewie Parkinson-Jones of Slant, and Dom Gourlay of Under the Radar all called the track "epic" in their reviews of the album, with Gourlay calling it the band's "most quintessential entrée" since "Plainsong". [43] [44] [45] In contrast, Dedman lauded the song for its intimacy in spite of its grandiose themes. [26] Multiple critics praised its placement as the album's opening track. [16] [46] Mark Richardson of The Wall Street Journal observed how "Alone" followed the tradition of the Cure beginning their albums with long instrumental sections, and that it evoked a comforting yet melancholic atmosphere. [47] Meanwhile, Paste 's Elise Soutar wrote that the track "serve[d] the same purpose" as the lead single and as the album's opening track, through how it "crack[ed] open a desolate sonic sky". [48] Additionally, several critics noticed similarities between the sounds and lyrical themes of "Alone" and "Endsong", the final track on Songs of a Lost World. [49] [50] [51] In his ranking of Songs of a Lost World, Al Shipley of Billboard placed "Alone" at No. five (out of eight); he wrote that the track did not sound like a lead single, yet that it proved the record as a whole would appeal to fans over chasing radio success. [4]

Several music critics included "Alone" in their rankings of the band's best songs. Petridis placed it at No. 13 on his list of the band's 20 greatest songs, calling it a "triumph" due to its intensity and sentimentality. [52] Clash's writers included "Alone" in their unranked list of the band's 15 best songs, with Robin Murray commending the Cure for being "in full control of their artistry". [53] The staff of Mojo ranked it at No. 29 in their list of the band's 30 greatest songs, praising it as a strong comeback for the band. [54]

Accolades

A multitude of publications included "Alone" in their lists of the best songs of 2024. In addition, "Alone" was nominated for Best Alternative Music Performance during the 68th Annual Grammy Awards in 2026. [55]

PublicationAccoladeRankRef.
Consequence 200 Best Songs of 202412 [56]
DIY Tracks of the Year 202415 [b] [57]
The Guardian The 20 Best Songs of 202411 [58]
The Independent The 20 Best Songs of 20246 [59]
NME The 50 Best Songs of 202419 [60]
Paste The 100 Best Songs of 202447 [61]
Pitchfork The 100 Best Songs of 202415 [62]
Stereogum The 50 Best Songs of 202411 [63]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Apple Music. [7]

The Cure

Additional personnel

Charts

Chart performance for "Alone"
Chart (2024–2025)Peak
position
Australia Digital Tracks (ARIA) [38] 31
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ) [37] 22
UK Singles Downloads (OCC) [34] 26
UK Singles Sales (OCC) [33] 6
US Rock Digital Song Sales ( Billboard ) [36] 15
US Alternative Digital Song Sales ( Billboard ) [35] 10

Notes

  1. ↑ Attributed to Stereogum 's Tom Breihan, [14] American Songwriter 's Thom Donovan, [15] BrooklynVegan 's Bill Pearis, [16] The Irish Times 's Ed Power, [17] PopMatters 's Alison Ross, [18] Double J 's Hannah Story, [19] The Skinny 's Lewis Wade, [20] and Clash 's Sam Walker-Smart. [21]
  2. ↑ Out of 20 tracks

References

Sources

Citations

  1. 1 2 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Cure Biography". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 27 December 2025. Retrieved 27 December 2025.
  2. ↑ Monroe, Jazz (23 September 2024). "The Cure to Release First New Song in 16 Years This Week". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on 16 December 2024. Retrieved 27 December 2025.
  3. 1 2 Uncut 2024 , p. 104.
  4. 1 2 3 Shipley, Al (1 November 2024). "The Cure's 'Songs of a Lost World': All 8 Tracks Ranked". Billboard . Archived from the original on 12 December 2024. Retrieved 27 December 2025.
  5. 1 2 England, Adam (3 October 2024). "The Cure's Robert Smith explains the lyrics and inspiration behind 'Alone'". NME . Archived from the original on 27 December 2025. Retrieved 27 December 2025.
  6. ↑ Uncut 2024 , p. 109.
  7. 1 2 "Alone — Song by The Cure". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 28 December 2025. Retrieved 27 December 2025.
  8. ↑ "The Cure "Alone" Sheet Music in A Minor (transposable)". Musicnotes.com. Universal Music Publishing Group. Archived from the original on 29 December 2025. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Hodgkinson, Will (26 September 2024). "The Cure: Alone review — still appealingly melodramatic after all these years". The Times . Archived from the original on 9 November 2024. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  10. 1 2 3 4 McCormick, Neil (26 September 2024). "The Cure's first music in 16 years is the gloomiest song you'll ever hear – and it's a hit" . The Telegraph . Archived from the original on 9 April 2025. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  11. ↑ Beaumont, Mark (30 October 2024). "False starts and false promises: The turbulent journey to The Cure's first album in 16 years". The Independent . Archived from the original on 6 July 2025. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  12. ↑ Trendell, Andrew (26 September 2024). "The Cure share epic and emotional single 'Alone' and announce long-awaited new album 'Songs Of A Lost World'". NME. Archived from the original on 2 April 2025. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  13. ↑ Smith, Thomas (26 September 2024). "The Cure Share First New Song in 16 Years, Announce Album Release Date". Billboard. Archived from the original on 22 November 2024. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  14. 1 2 Breihan, Tom; et al. (27 September 2024). "The 5 Best Songs Of The Week" . Stereogum . Archived from the original on 28 September 2024. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
  15. ↑ Donovan, Thom (7 November 2024). "How The Cure's New Single "Alone" Inspired Their Latest Album". American Songwriter . Archived from the original on 17 October 2025. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  16. 1 2 Pearis, Bill (28 October 2024). "Review: The Cure's 'Songs of a Lost World' is a doomy, gloomy near-perfect return to form". BrooklynVegan . Archived from the original on 2 November 2024. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Power, Ed (26 September 2024). "Alone, The Cure's first new song in 16 years, is a huge aching sigh of darkness that brings great comfort". The Irish Times . Archived from the original on 29 June 2025. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 Ross, Alison (22 October 2024). "The Cure's Long-Awaited New Single "Alone" Is a Celestial Lament". PopMatters . Archived from the original on 18 July 2025. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  19. ↑ Story, Hannah (26 September 2024). "The Cure drop their first new song in 16 years, 'Alone', from forthcoming album Songs of a Lost World". Double J. Archived from the original on 1 October 2025. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  20. 1 2 Wade, Lewis (29 October 2024). "The Cure – Songs of a Lost World". The Skinny . Archived from the original on 21 June 2025. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 Walker-Smart, Sam (26 September 2024). "First Take: The Cure – 'Alone'". Clash . Archived from the original on 21 November 2024. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Petridis, Alexis (26 September 2024). "The Cure: Alone review – majestically wreathed in misery and despair". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 28 October 2025. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
  23. 1 2 Bonner, Michael (26 September 2024). ""Alone" and the return of The Cure". Uncut. Archived from the original on 14 June 2025. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  24. ↑ Amorosi, A.D. (1 November 2024). "The Cure Creates an Unrelentingly Sad and Singular Universe on 'Songs for a Lost World': Album Review". Variety . Archived from the original on 17 October 2025. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
  25. ↑ Burrows, Alex (30 October 2024). ""Backcombed head and sloped shoulders above the dreck of indie/goth rock revivalists": Robert Smith charts his own grief and anxiety on The Cure's sombre Songs Of A Lost World". Classic Rock . Archived from the original on 9 August 2025. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
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  30. ↑ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (23 September 2024). "The Cure announce first new song in 16 years, Alone". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 21 March 2025. Retrieved 27 December 2025.
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  33. 1 2 "Official Singles Sales Chart". Official Charts Company. 18 April 2025. Archived from the original on 2 January 2026. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  34. 1 2 "Official Singles Downloads Chart". Official Charts Company. 4 October 2024. Archived from the original on 2 January 2026. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
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  55. ↑ Atkinson, Katie (7 November 2025). "Grammy Nominations 2026: See the Complete List". Billboard. Archived from the original on 16 December 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
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  57. ↑ Spratley, Bella; Tipple, Ben; Connor, Christopher; et al. (16 December 2024). "DIY's Tracks of the Year 2024". DIY . Archived from the original on 17 November 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
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  59. ↑ Nugent, Annabel; et al. (18 November 2024). "The 20 best songs of 2024, ranked". The Independent. Archived from the original on 26 November 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  60. ↑ Dunworth, Liberty; et al. (2 December 2024). "The 50 Best Songs of 2024". NME. Archived from the original on 19 November 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  61. ↑ Mitchell, Matt; et al. (9 December 2024). "The 100 Best Songs of 2024". Paste. Archived from the original on 11 September 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  62. ↑ Ryce, Andrew; et al. (2 December 2024). "The 100 Best Songs of 2024". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 18 November 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  63. ↑ St. Asaph, Katherine; et al. (3 December 2024). "The 50 Best Songs Of 2024". Stereogum. Archived from the original on 1 January 2026. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
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