Those who have ever been interested in rock music, The Cure is a name that would instantly hit them. A post-punk band that was formed in 1976 and continues to dominate the rock music till date. However, the name that has been credited to form the bank is Robert Smith, who still serves as the frontman of The Cure and has had a great influence on the gothic rock music since the late 1970s.
Robert Smith, the founding member of The Cure, continues his association with the band, and he came to fame because of his iconic voice, melancholic lyrics, and powerful stage performances. He has a successful career as a musician, songwriter, and guitarist, which he is continuing and performing around the world. Let’s explore his career, performances, and net worth.
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Early Life
Robert was born on 21st April, 1959 in Blackpool, Lancashire, England and was named Robert James Smith. He was born to the couple, James Alexander Smith and Rita Mary, and has 3 more siblings. His family was relocated to Horley, Surrey, when Robert was 3 years old, in 1962, and then, in 1966, again moved to Crawley, West Sussex, where he spent the majority of his youth. As his father was a singer and his mother played piano, Robert was exposed to music from a young age.
For education, he went to St. Francis’ Primary School in Horley and then was admitted to St. Francis’ Junior school after settling in Crawley. He then attended Notre Dame Middle School from 1970 to 1972, followed by attending St. Wilfrid’s Comprehensive School from 1972 to 1977. He even took piano lessons along with his younger sister, but shifted to playing guitar, which would shape his career.
Evolution of Career
Robert’s musical career started in 1972 when he was merely 13 years old, and he formed his very first band, “The Crawley Goat Band,” along with his brother Richard and friends. He went ahead and formed another band in 1976 with his schoolmate named “Malice,” which was later renamed “Easy Cure,” in 1977, and added a new member, Porl Thompson, as a guitarist. The band signed with Fiction Records in 1978 and again changed its name to “The Cure,” and released their debut single, “Killng an Arab.”
With this, Robert’s career was officially launched, and the band released their debut album, “Three Imaginary Boys,” in 1979. The same year, the band released their forever legendary single, “Boys Don’t Cry.” In 1980, Robert shifted to producing songs with darker themes and released “Seventeen Second” and “Faith” in 1981. These songs plastered Robert’s name in the gothic music industry. In 1982, Robert managed playing for two bands, “Siouxsie and the Banshees” and “The Cure.”
In 1983, Robert also took up some side projects like “The Glove” with Banshees bassist, Steven Severin, and released an album, “Blue Sunshine.” The same year, he also shifted his focus to pop and released the single “The Lovecats” with his band. In 1985, the band released the album “The Head on the Door,” which became one of the most successful albums of the band as well as Robert’s career, bringing him international fame. The album features songs like “In Between Days” and “Close to Me.”
In 1987, the band released the critically acclaimed “Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me,” which reached the first U.S. Top 40 success. In 1989, Robert released his masterpiece, “Disintegration,” which became the band’s greatest album and featured songs like “Lovesong” and “Pictures of You.” In 1992, the band released “Wish,” featuring the song “Friday I’m in Love,” which even got the band Grammy nominations. Robert continues as a frontman in the band throughout the 1990s and releases “Wild Mood Swings” in 1996, along with continuing to take world tours.
In 2000, the band released “Bloodflowers,” marking the closure of the “gloom trilogy,” as said by the fans. In the 2000s, Robert collaborated a lot on diverse projects, including “Korn” in 2003, “Blink-182 in 2004, and Crystal Castles in 2007 and 2008. He kept producing music through his band as well. Throughout the 2010s, Robert became a celebrated name in the gothic and alternative rock music. He even founded the “Meltdown Festival” in 2019 and secured a place in the “Rock & Roll Hall of Fame” in 2019 for his band. In the 2020s, Robert continued to tour around the world.
As of 2025, he continues his association with his band and remains a lead vocalist, songwriter, and creative director.
Shot to Fame
Robert’s shot to fame came with the release of the single, “Boys Don’t Cry” in 1979, and this opened the door to his fame that further escalated with the release of the album “The Head on the Door,” which became the most celebrated album of all time.
Relationships
Robert married his long-time girlfriend, Mary Theresa Pool, whom he met in school when they were 14 years old. They were married on 13th August 1988, and the couple chose not to have any children of their own.
Major Sources of Income and Net Worth
Based on the major sources, Robert Smith, the Cure’s net worth is at $25 million, which he earned through his long-standing career as a musician, songwriter, producer, and frontman in his own founding band, The Cure. He also earns from collaboration and world tours.
