The Cult

United Kingdom, 1983–now

English rock band formed in Bradford in 1983 around singer Ian Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy. They evolved from gothic post-punk (Love, 1985's 'She Sells Sanctuary') into swaggering hard rock on the Rick Rubin-produced Electric (1987), bridging goth and 1970s stadium rock.

MusicRoots documents 6 artists who influenced The Cult and 0 artists The Cult influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced The Cult?

• Led Zeppelin — Led Zeppelin are a core influence on The Cult — for Electric (1987) producer Rick Rubin explicitly steered them toward the sound of early Led Zeppelin.
• The Doors — The Doors are a foundational influence — so much so that Ian Astbury later fronted the surviving members of the Doors on stage (as The Doors of the 21st Century).
• AC/DC — AC/DC's raw hard rock was the explicit target of Electric — Rick Rubin asked The Cult to record something akin to AC/DC and stripped Duffy's guitar of effects.
• Siouxsie and the Banshees — In their early gothic post-punk phase The Cult drew on Siouxsie and the Banshees.
• Joy Division — Joy Division's dark post-punk fed the atmosphere of The Cult's early Southern Death Cult / Death Cult years.
• The Stooges — Iggy Pop and the Stooges' primal proto-punk shaped Ian Astbury's frontman style and the band's raw rock drive.