Leonard Cohen was a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet, and novelist whose career spanned nearly five decades, leaving an indelible mark on the landscape of music with his deeply lyrical and emotive work. Born on September 21, 1934, in Westmount, Quebec, Cohen pursued a career as a poet and novelist before transitioning into music. His first album, "Songs of Leonard Cohen" (1967), introduced his somber and poetic style and featured classics like "Suzanne" and "So Long, Marianne." Over the years, his work traversed various themes, including love, religion, politics, isolation, and personal relationships, all delivered with his characteristic baritone voice and often sparse, but hauntingly beautiful, arrangements.

Throughout his career, Cohen released 15 studio albums, culminating with "You Want It Darker" in 2016, a profound collection that reflected on mortality and legacy, released just weeks before his death on November 7, 2016. Posthumously, a final album, "Thanks for the Dance," was constructed from unfinished sessions and released in 2019, serving as a touching coda to his artistic journey. Cohen is perhaps best known for the song "Hallelujah," which found widespread acclaim and countless covers, cementing its status as a modern standard. Leonard Cohen's influence on musicians and songwriters across genres is incalculable, and his work continues to attract new admirers and inspire tributes and reinterpretations, such as those by Claudio Ferrarini and renowned remixes of his evocative "You Want It Darker."

Genres

Canadian Singer-songwriter

Melancholia

Permanent Wave

Singer-songwriter

Related Artists

Bob Dylan

Lou Reed

Tom Waits

Nick Cave

Paul Simon

Neil Young

Joni Mitchell

Van Morrison

Jeff Buckley

Jennifer Warnes

Nick Drake

PJ Harvey

Latest Release

You Want it Darker (Radio edit)

Leonard Cohen

Single - Released February 29, 2024