Which 1989 album by The Cure is widely regarded as a landmark of alternative rock?

The Cure’s widely regarded 1989 alternative-rock landmark is the album Disintegration.

Disintegration was The Cure’s eighth studio album, released on May 2, 1989. Robert Smith wrote much of the material during a period when he felt pressure from the band’s growing success. The album returned to a darker, more atmospheric sound after the brighter pop orientation of some earlier releases.

Its singles included “Lullaby,” “Lovesong,” “Pictures of You,” and “Fascination Street.” “Lovesong” became The Cure’s highest-charting single in the United States, reaching number two on the Billboard Hot 100. The album itself reached number 12 on the Billboard 200 and number three on the UK Albums Chart.

Disintegration is sometimes described simply as a gothic-rock album, but its spacious production and influence also place it firmly in alternative music history. The Cure recorded it with producer David M. Allen, who had worked with the band on several earlier albums.