Leonard Cohen, a truly legendary poet, songwriter, performer and novelist, began his career as a poet and novelist during the 1950s and early 1960s. In 1967, at the age of 33, he launched his music career with his first album, Songs of Leonard Cohen. He followed his debut with three more folk albums – Songs from a Room, Songs of Love and Hate and New Skin for the Old Ceremony. More albums followed and in 1984 he released perhaps his most famous song, “Hallelujah” on his studio album Various Positions. I’m Your Man in 1988 marked Cohen’s turn to synthesized productions and remains his most popular album. In 1992, Cohen released its follow-up, The Future, which had dark lyrics and references to political and social unrest.
Cohen returned to music in 2001 with the release of Ten New Songs, which was a major hit in Canada and Europe. His eleventh album, Dear Heather, followed in 2004. Following a successful string of tours between 2008 and 2013, Cohen released three albums in the final four years of his life: Old Ideas (2012), Popular Problems (2014) and You Want It Darker (2016), the last of which was released three weeks before his death
Cohen was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was a Companion of the Order of Canada, the nation’s highest civilian honour. In 2011, Cohen received one of the Prince of Asturias Awards for literature and the ninth Glenn Gould Prize.
