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Folk & Singer-Songwriter · 1980s
The Best Folk & Singer-Songwriter Albums of the 1980s
Our pick of the essential folk & singer-songwriter records released in the 1980s, ranked.
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1I'm Your ManLeonard Cohen
I'm Your Man
Cohen reinvents himself with synths and dark wit, from 'Everybody Knows' to 'Tower of Song'. Funny, bleak and brilliant. A late-career high.
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2Various PositionsLeonard Cohen
Various Positions
A warm, melodic record now famous for introducing 'Hallelujah'. Tuneful and beloved. A quiet landmark.
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3SwordfishtrombonesTom Waits
Swordfishtrombones
A radical reinvention into clanking, experimental art-song that redefined his career. Bold and strange. A pivotal record.
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4Rain DogsTom Waits
Rain Dogs
A wild, junkyard-orchestra masterpiece of broken ballads and barroom experiments. Singular and brilliant. His defining record.
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5Tracy ChapmanTracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
A spare, powerful debut of social conscience, home to 'Fast Car'. Direct and beloved. A landmark.