Released on April 30, 1984, The Top is The Cure’s fifth studio album, marking a significant transition in their sound. Unlike their earlier gothic and post-punk work, The Top embraces a psychedelic, experimental, and sometimes chaotic approach. It was largely a solo effort by Robert Smith, who played most of the instruments, reflecting his mental and creative turmoil at the time. The Top is often considered a bridge between the band's darker albums (Pornography, 1982) and the more pop-oriented direction they would take later in the 1980s. While it wasn’t an immediate commercial success, the album laid the groundwork for The Cure’s evolution, blending dark, surreal lyrics with off-kilter melodies and Eastern influences.

Tracklist:

Side A
A1. Shake Dog Shake
A2. Bird Mad Girl
A3. Wailing Wall
A4. Give Me It
A5. Dressing Up

Side B
B1. The Caterpillar
B2. Piggy in the Mirror
B3. The Empty World
B4. Bananafishbones
B5. The Top