For more than 40 years, English alternative goth rock band The Cure have masterfully captured both the joyous highs and painful depths of love, loss and existential angst in their music, and their latest single “A Fragile Thing” is a shining example of that, as well as a strong testament to their enduring creativity and relevance. Released on October 9, the song was the second single (after the epic “Alone”) from their 14th studio album Songs of a Lost World, their first new material in 16 years since the release of 4:13 Dream in 2008. Entirely written, composed, and arranged by The Cure front man Robert Smith, the album was originally recorded and intended for release in 2019, and is the band’s first album to feature Reeves Gabrels, who joined as a full-time member in 2012, on guitar. According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Songs of a Lost World has received universal acclaim, based on a weighted average score of 93 out of 100 from 23 critic scores.

Like all songs on the album, “A Fragile Thing” reflects the darker sentiments Smith was feeling after the loss of his mother, father and brother in quick succession. Nevertheless, he tried to keep the album “universal” in its themes, stating “So even though most of the songs are very personal, they’re not things that only happen to me.” In an October YouTube interview, he stated that he had struggled to write “A Fragile Thing”, saying it was originally a very different song titled “Kill The Sun”, but that it “mutated into this song, which is very specific to me, I suppose. “But I’m hoping that it resonates with other people because love is a universal thing.” He further explained that “A Fragile Thing” is “the ‘love song’ of the album, but not really a love song in the way that [1989’s] ‘Lovesong’ is a love song. It’s about how love is the most enduring of emotions. It’s the most powerful emotion, and it’s incredibly resilient. And yet at the same time, incredibly fragile.” The hauntingly beautiful song becomes the latest to top my Weekly Top 30 chart.

In other chart developments of note, “Sad in Carolina” by Dexter and The Moonrocks advances two spots to #2. Entering the top 10 are “The Faithful Heart” by Wons Phreely + The Horses, which climbs four spots to #8, and “Neverender” by French electronic music duo Justice and Australian band Tame Impala, moving up two spots to #9.

Two songs make their debut, the first of which, entering at #29, is “Darkerside” by American singer-songwriter David Kushner. Born in Chicago and now based in Los Angeles, the baritone-voiced artist began releasing singles in 2021, and the following year, his song “Mr. Miserable” went viral on TikTok. Though it didn’t chart in the U.S., it reached the top 40 in several European countries, Australia and New Zealand. His 2023 single “Daylight” also went viral on TikTok, becoming an even bigger hit, reaching #1 in the Netherlands, Switzerland and New Zealand and peaking at #33 on the Billboard Hot 100, and has been streamed over 1.3 billion times on Spotify alone. The anthemic “Darkerside”, along with “Daylight”, Mr. Miserable”, and his previous singles, are featured on his debut album The Dichotomy, which was released August 30th. The song has already spent 10 weeks on the Alternative Airplay chart, the past three at #23.

Entering at #30 is “You’re My Drug”, the latest single by Northern Virginia-based Talk in Waves, the music project of the very talented and affable singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jake Mimikos. He’s been a long-time favorite of mine, and “You’re My Drug” is his eighth song to appear on my Top 30 chart. Five of them have gone all the way to #1, most recently his previous single “Like You Do” this past September. “You’re My Drug” is a sexy rocker, featuring an edgier, harder-driving sound for him, and I like it!

1. A FRAGILE THING – The Cure (2)
2. SAD IN CAROLINA – Dexter and The Moonrocks (4)
3. FAVOURITE – Fontaines D.C. (1)
4. HARDCORE ROMANCE – Beach Weather (5)
5. DIE WITH A SMILE – Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars (3)
6. NOBODY’S SOLDIER – Hozier (7)
7. CAN’T SLOW DOWN – almost monday (6)
8. THE FAITHFUL HEART – Wons Phreely + The Horses (12)
9. NEVERENDER – Justice & Tame Impala (11)
10. BOTHERING ME – Sarah Blasko (9)
11. SUPERSAD – Suki Waterhouse (13)
12. BOBBY SOX – Green Day (14)
13. A TEAR IN SPACE (AIRLOCK) – Glass Animals (16)
14. KINKY – bby (15)
15. PEACEFUL PLACE – Leon Bridges (8)
16. MIND GAME (3:33) – Collette McLafferty & John Serrano (18)
17. DOPAMINE – Sum 41 (19)
18. IN THE LIVING ROOM – Maggie Rogers (20)
19. ARROW – The Head and the Heart (21)
20. GIVING UP – Michigander (22)
21. THAT’S HOW I’M FEELING – Jack White (10)
22. AUTUMN LEAVES – Secret Postal Society (24)
23. ROUTINES IN THE NIGHT – twenty one pilots (26)
24. GILD THE LILY – Billy Strings (29)
25. BIRDS OF A FEATHER – Billie Eilish (17)
26. PEACE SONG – Fat Dog (30)
27. UP ALL NIGHT – James Bay, The Lumineers & Noah Kahan (25)
28. GARMONBOZIA – Flying Lotus (23)
29. DARKERSIDE – David Kushner (N)
30. YOU’RE MY DRUG – Talk in Waves (N)