Singer-songwriters have always been an important part of popular music through the years. But when we talk about the sheer influence of certain musicians, the following singer-songwriters changed the pop music game with just one album each. Let’s revisit some classics, shall we?
‘Hounds Of Love’ by Kate Bush (1985)
When I think of the mid-80s, I always think of this very album by Kate Bush. Like David Bowie before her, Bush proved that art-pop had a place in commercially successful music. And the production of this very album alone influenced plenty of modern-day pop acts. Even songs like “Running Up That Hill” continue to make it to modern-day media because it still sounds so ahead of its time.
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Upon its release, Hounds Of Love by Kate Bush reached No. 30 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the UK Albums chart.
‘The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill’ by Lauryn Hill (1998)
What would neo-soul and R&B sound like post-90s without this absolutely legendary solitary release from Lauryn Hill? This entry on our list of singer-songwriters who changed popular music with just one album still hasn’t released a second. Sometimes, one and done is the way to go. “Doo Wop (That Thing)” and “Ex-Factor” are still iconic today. So many R&B pop artists in the 21st century clearly want to sound like Hill, but nobody did it quite like her.
The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill was a Top 10 hit across the globe, peaking at No. 2 in the UK and No. 1 in the US.
‘Tracy Chapman’ by Tracy Chapman (1988)
Listen to any folk or singer-songwriter record from the 1990s, especially more politically and culturally in-depth releases, and you’ll hear a touch of Tracy Chapman in each and every one. Socially-conscious folk music was more or less left dead in the 1960s before Chapman started performing her songs in coffee shops, and this self-titled release remains a natural-sounding, folky beam of light during an era dominated by synthesizers and shredding riffs.
Tracy Chapman’s debut album was a smash hit when it was first released, due in part to the enormous success of singles like “Fast Car” and “Talkin’ ‘Bout A Revolution”. It topped both the UK Albums chart and the Billboard 2000.
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