Leonard Cohen
Canada, 1967–2016
Canadian poet and novelist (1934-2016) who began recording at 33. 'Suzanne', 'Hallelujah' and 'Famous Blue Raincoat' set literary lyrics to spare accompaniment.
MusicRoots documents 1 artist who influenced Leonard Cohen and 3 artists Leonard Cohen influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.
Who influenced Leonard Cohen?
- Hank Williams — Cohen placed Williams above himself in the tower of song — 'a hundred floors above me' — his stated country songwriting root.
Which artists did Leonard Cohen influence?
- Jeff Buckley — Leonard Cohen's songwriting was central to Buckley, whose rendition of Cohen's 'Hallelujah' became the definitive version and the centrepiece of Grace.
- Nick Cave — The Bad Seeds' debut opens with Cohen's 'Avalanche' — Cave has called hearing Songs of Love and Hate at 14 a life-changing event.
- Arctic Monkeys — Another of the lyricists Alex Turner names as a model.