Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen was one of the most fascinating and enigmatic singer/songwriters of the late '60s. Second, only to Bob Dylan, he commanded the attention of critics and younger musicians. Interestingly, Cohen didn't even aspire to a musical career until he was in his thirties. His work explored religion, politics, isolation, sexuality and personal relationships.

Cohen pursued his career as a poet and novelist in the 1950s and early 1960s; he did not begin his musical career until 1967 when he was 33 years old. His first release, Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967), was followed by three more folk music albums: Songs of a Room (1969), Songs of Love and Hate (1971) and New Skin for the Old Ceremony (1974). Perhaps Cohen's most famous single, "Hallelujah" was released for the first time on his studio album Various Positions in 1984. In 1988, I'm Your Man marked Cohen's turn to synthesised productions and remains his most successful album. Cohen returned to music in 2001 with the release of Ten New Songs, a significant success in Canada and Europe. After a successful series of tours between 2008 and 2013, Cohen released three albums in the last four years of his life.