Studio Album · No. 2
Seventeen Seconds Songwriting Credits by The Cure
Produced by Robert Smith, Mike Hedges · Engineered by Mike Hedges, Mike Dutton
Holds writing credit on 10 of 10 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 10 / 10 documented
Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether The Cure carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Seventeen Seconds marks the point where Robert Smith took fuller creative control of The Cure, co-producing the album with engineer Mike Hedges. Smith wrote all of the lyrics, while the music was credited to the band, with contributions from Simon Gallup, Matthieu Hartley and Lol Tolhurst on tracks such as 'A Forest.' Recorded quickly at Morgan Studios in London on a small budget, the album trades the debut's nervy pop for a colder, more atmospheric sound that pointed toward gothic rock. It is the first Cure album to clearly reflect Smith's singular vision rather than producer-led curation.
The Cure's second album arrived on 18 April 1980 and reached number 20 on the UK Albums Chart. It was recorded and mixed in seven days that January on a budget of two to three thousand pounds, with the band working 16 and 17 hour days. Its one single, 'A Forest,' gave them their first UK top 40 entry.