West Sussex rock band The Cure announce first album release in 16 years

Lead singer Robert Smith performs at a charity gig at The Royal Albert Hall. Credit: PA Images

Rock band The Cure have announced the release of their first album in 16 years.

Songs of a Lost World will be released on Friday (1 November) on vinyl, CD and cassette.

The Cure first met at Notre Dame Middle School in Crawley and first performed as a school band during an end of year show in April 1973.

The band - made up of Robert Smith, Simon Gallup, Roger O'Donnell, Perry Bamonte, Jason Cooper and Reeves Gabrels have won a host of awards including two Brit awards and an MTV Music Award.

The announcement has delighted The Cure fans with many saying they have waited a long time for this.

One fan said: "I was lucky to have had an advance copy of The Cure’s new album to listen to during my holiday, and can happily report that is tip-top."

Another posted on X saying: "Every time I hear the new record it goes to my soul I could cry."

According to archives from Crawley Museum, lead vocalist Robert Smith was able to rehearse their music in his garden after his father had a studio built.

It's believed this is where they began recording their first hit “Boys Don’t Cry”.

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