Goth music was as much a product of English subcultures in the late ’70s as it was a reaction to statis within rock music. Taking cues from David Bowie, New York Dolls, and the Damned, a new generation of bands created a fresh, intoxicating strain of rock that appealed to darkness — entrenched with themes of death, religion, and the occult. Decades later, they went on to influence groups like AFI, My Chemical Romance, and Creeper, who channeled the despair into yet another mutation of the genre. Given that October is a great time to listen to moody music, we asked our readers to name the best goth bands of all time. These are the top picks, ranked accordingly below.
Read more: The Cure albums ranked: From worst to best
5. AFI
Following the arrival of guitarist Jade Puget on 1999’s Black Sails EP, AFI got a lot more goth. By widening their punk foundation with darker energy, they achieved a sound that was all their own. AFI have gone through many eras since those early days, but their run from Black Sails to All Hallows is totally unique, blending horror punk, hardcore, and emo with a melodicism that made them break through. The band never forgot their roots, either, covering the Cure’s “Just Like Heaven” in 2007 and opening their recent shows with Sing The Sorrow highlight “Girl’s Not Grey.”
4. Siouxsie and the Banshees
Siouxsie and the Banshees are a cornerstone of goth music, so of course they made this list. Their 1978 debut album, The Scream, did a lot for the genre, punctuated by a huge sound and frontwoman Siouxsie Sioux’s singular presence, who shouted out blackened lyrics that sounded like she was singing from the grave. Though the sound only lasted two albums, as they embraced lusher post-punk with 1980’s Kaleidoscope, the genre wouldn’t be the same without them.
3. Sisters of Mercy
Since their early ’80s beginnings, Sisters of Mercy have been one of goth rock’s blueprint bands. Bandleader Andrew Eldritch might scowl at the sentiment, their 1985 debut, First And Last And Always, remains a genre essential, but the band really hit the mainstream after he dismissed his bandmates and teamed up with Patricia Morrison and Meat Loaf producer Jim Steinman for their next album, Floodland, which yielded “This Corrosion.” Though they haven’t released a proper studio album since 1990’s Vision Thing, they’re still kicking around the live circuit, including an appearance at next year’s Sick New World.
2. Bauhaus
Bauhaus are another quintessential goth band from the genre’s heyday, but they’re also a lot more than that. Part of Bauhaus’ genius is that they wouldn’t settle for one label, and their willingness to play with elements from a broader pool of references — including punk, reggae, funk, pop, metal, and beyond — set them apart. We don’t use this word lightly, but has any band ever come up with a debut song as iconic as the nine-minute “Bela Lugosi’s Dead”?
1. The Cure
There’s no one else worthy of the top spot than the Cure, according to our readers. Since their formation in the late ’70s, the goth pioneers have undergone metamorphosis after metamorphosis, from the funereal gloom of Seventeen Seconds and Pornography to their brighter pop hits. Along the way, they’ve made a monumental effect on alternative culture, influencing hundreds of imitators in their wake. Given that the group will release their first album in 16 years next month (and reportedly have an extra record “virtually finished”), it seems like they’re on another upswing.