Plainsong (track)
by The Cure
Plainsong appears on the following album(s) by The Cure:
- Disintegration (track #1) (this album) (1989)
- 40 Live (Curætion-25 + Anniversary) (track #29) (compilation) (2019)
- Anniversary: 1978-2018 Live In Hyde Park London (track #1) (2019)
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Plainsong ratings
Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AVwhere:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.
Showing latest 3 ratings for this track. | Show all 482 ratings for this track.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Track ratings | Avg. track rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 07/30/2026 20:53 |  Special | 35,996 | 71/100 |
| ! | 07/19/2026 15:05 |  Tamthebam | 46,376 | 79/100 |
| ! | 07/10/2026 14:32 | Siromynian | 20,126 | 71/100 |
Rating metrics:
Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
(*In practice, some tracks can have several thousand ratings)
This track is rated in the top 1% of all tracks on BestEverAlbums.com. This track has a Bayesian average rating of 88.4/100, a mean average of 88.0/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 88.7/100. The standard deviation for this track is 11.5.
Plainsong favourites
Showing latest 10 members who have added this track as a favourite | Show all 36 members
Plainsong forum mentions
Plainsong comments
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LAF2 07/01/2016 00:28 | #170221
I hate to be that guy, but if you think this song's good normally, listen to it stoned. (Edited)
Plainsong is bathing in a fatalistic atmosphere in which Joy Division also wallowed several times. Nice song, but also a dangerous one: with a gloomy mood it draws you closer to the gaping abyss. This track is hardly equaled as an opener. The tone is set immediately. (Edited)
M42K0 03/02/2016 00:34 | #161108
I think this might be my favorite song from The Cure. I think it's pretty close to being my favorite song from the whole 80's. It's just stunning how amazing the production and arrangement are and how beautiful Smith's vocals and lyrics sound in here. A true gem. (Edited)
joedec 02/10/2013 14:46 | #64686
Hands down the greatest album opener (Edited)
Anti TOP 100 COMMENTER 07/01/2014 22:58 | #115805
The synths on here are phenomenal!!! (Edited)
