The Cure

Pornography

First released1982

Pornography, The Cure's fourth studio album, was recorded at Morgan Studios in London between 1981 and 1982 during a period of significant creative tension and personal turmoil within the band. The album was produced by Phil Thornalley and The Cure themselves, with engineer Mike Hedges contributing to the mixing process. The recording process was notably difficult, marked by the band's internal conflicts and Robert Smith's struggle with depression, which directly influenced the album's dark, abrasive sonic character. Smith deliberately pushed for a raw, distorted guitar-heavy sound that departed from the band's previous work, utilizing heavily processed and layered instrumentation to create the album's dense, claustrophobic atmosphere. Released in May 1982, Pornography represented the band's artistic peak for many fans despite its commercial underperformance, and the intense sessions contributed to the band's initial breakup shortly after its completion.