"Disintegration," the eighth studio album by the Cure, emerged on May 2, 1989, under the banner of Fiction Records. Recorded at Hookend Recording Studios in Checkendon, Oxfordshire, from late 1988 to early 1989, the album saw co-production by David M. Allen. Notably, the period following the completion of mixing witnessed the departure of founding member Lol Tolhurst from the band.
 
This record signifies a return to the introspective gothic rock style that the band had initially forged in the early 1980s. As frontman Robert Smith approached his thirties, he grappled with the pressure to surpass the band's prior pop triumphs with a more enduring artistic statement. Concurrently, a reluctance to embrace the band's newfound mainstream popularity led Smith to delve into hallucinogenic substances, profoundly shaping the album's production.
 
"Disintegration" soared to the top tiers of charts, reaching number three in the United Kingdom and peaking at number 12 in the United States. It spawned several hit singles, including the chart-topping "Lovesong," which ascended to number two on the Billboard Hot 100. The album stands as the band's best-selling record to date, boasting over four million copies sold globally. Initially met with warm critical reception, it eventually garnered widespread acclaim, securing a spot at number 116 on Rolling Stone magazine's esteemed list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time." Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic hailed it as the "culmination of all the musical directions the Cure were pursuing over the course of the '80s."