Joan Armatrading is an English singer-songwriter who was born on the West Indian island of Saint Kitts before her parents decided to emigrate to England in 1953. Singer whose artistic career began at the age of 14, age at which she begins to write her first compositions.
At the age of 18, she was found in a show inspired by the musical Hair, and it was four years later in 1972 that she released her debut album "Whatever's for Us". Album which will unfortunately go somewhat unnoticed. As was his first single "Lonely Lady" which was released a year later in 1973 and the album "Back to the Night" which was released two years later in 1975.
It was not until 1976 and the release of the album "Joan Armatrading" to finally see her efforts rewarded. In particular thanks to the single "Love and affection" which gives her her first title classified in the Charts.
New successes in 1977 and 1978 with the successive release of the albums "Show some emotion" and "To the limit", two successes however limited by the absence of hits worthy of the name within them.
The year 1979 saw the release of two new albums, "How cruel" and "Steppin 'out", albums with very relative success.
A semi-failure which forces her to reorient her sound, a salutary mutation which allows her to find the path to success with the release in 1980 of the album "Me myself I", an album which will make a real worldwide hit and reveal her for good in the eyes of the whole world. Album from which the single of the same name will be extracted mainly.
A worldwide dynamic of success which was confirmed a year later with the release in 1981 of the album "Walk under ladders", an album which produced two new hits, "I'm lucky" and "No love".
After an empty year 1982, she returned to olympic form in 1983 and obtained the biggest single success of her career with the title "Drop the pilot", the flagship title of her career taken from the album "The key".
New album "Secrets secrets" in 1985, followed by "Sleight of hand" in 1986. Two successful albums but only the second will deliver a hit worthy of the name with the title "Kind words (And a real good heart)".
A top hit that will be the last because everything that comes out afterwards will only be relatively successful.
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
Lonely lady 1973
Dry land 1975
Love and affection 1976
Down to zero 1976
Mama mercy 1977
Show some emotion 1978
The Flight of the Wild Geese 1978
Rosie 1980
Me myself I 1980
All the way from America 1980
I’m lucky 1981
No love 1981
Drop the pilot 1983
(I love it when you) Call me names 1983
Heaven 1983
Temptation 1985
Thinking man 1985
Kind Words (And a Real Good Heart) 1986
Reach out 1986
Jesse 1986
The shouting stage 1988
Living for you 1988
More Than One Kind of Love 1990
Free 1990
Promise land 1991
Wrapped around her 1992
True love 1992
Everyday boy 1995
Recommend my love 1996
In these times 2003
Prove yourself 2003
A woman in love 2007
Into the Blues 2007
Goddess of change 2010
Promises 2010
Starlight 2012
Back on track 2012
Not too far away 2018
Any place 2018
Natural rhythm 2021
To anyone who will listen 2021
Clips :
1973 ... very 'Flower Power' first steps which will go somewhat unnoticed. And which above all require this young unknown girl to seriously raise her level of play in order to hope to be able to make a name for herself one day ...
1975 ... here she is again 2 years later in Romance mode and the least we can say is that this area suits her particularly well. Unfortunately, despite the obvious quality of the title, it still won't take off ...
1976 ... after several unsuccessful attempts, the time for recognition has finally come. Of course, success will be limited to England but it's always better than nothing as they say !
1976 ... severe relapse with this title which will not even be classified. But what is certain is that this young singer really has something more than the average of the competition
1977 ... it will take the whole decade of the 70s to hatch and reveal herself. For the great fireworks display, we will unfortunately have to wait for the following decade ...
1978 ... her first title classified in the USA. Rather a good omen for the rest of the events, A sequel which promises to be grandiose and which will reveal a talent that is really well above average !
1978 ... a style that is refined year after year and which is really starting to take its toll. There is really not much missing for the big takeoff ...
1980 ... it is THIS title which will finally allow the singer to join the big leagues. Certainly through the back door, but the main thing is that she finally gets her first planetary class hit
1980 ... a beginning of the 80s on the hats of wheel and which positions her ideally for the continuation of the events. Considering how it started, we suspect that at some point, something big should happen !
1980 ... plethora of titles in this year 1980 and above all quality at all levels. In a style that was really atypical for the time, she continued its rise to the top. Heights that she should not take long to reach ...
1981 ... even if her style is atypical, she knows how to adapt to new trends. An adaptation which allows her to stay in contact with the best and which will necessarily pay off
1981 ... it is true that his core target is rather the romantic ballad. But the very near future will vividly demonstrate that she is good in all areas !
1983 ... then comes the Great Fireworks ! It is on THIS title that she obtains the biggest success of her career and especially her direct ticket to posterity. Here she signs one of the biggest dance hits of the decade, her, the specialist in ballads of all kinds. Astonishing paradox. MAS-TER-FUL !
1983 ... it is clear that once you have reached the top of the mountain, you can only go back down. She will come down, of course, but it will be done quietly and over time ...
1983 ... a title which surprisingly will not even be classified. And yet it is far from demerit, but these are the risks of the profession as they say ...
1985 ... after 1982, a new empty year in 1984. She is therefore found in this year 1985 in an obvious form, a form which allows her to add a new star to its prize list !
1985 ... of course, she will never be part of the Top 10 of the greatest singers of the decade but what she offers is of more than certain quality. A homogeneous discography and which holds in time especially ...
1986 ... she will never have produced anything extraordinary but she will have almost reached the top of the mountain several times. The proof with this title which will undoubtedly remain as one of her biggest successes !
1986 ... it will also happen to her to know some air holes like this one. A title that will not even be classified without knowing why ...
1986 ... ditto for this one. A year 1986 decidedly placed under the sign of 'Jean qui rit et Jean qui pleure'. After a start to the year on the hats, the end is much less favorable for the singer. While it is far from unworthy ...
1988 ... new air gap in 1987 and return to duo mode in this year 1988. And not just any duo since she is accompanied on this track by a certain Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits. There are worse associations ...
1988 ... a year 1988 which saw her stay in the Elite with obvious ease. Admittedly rather at the back of the pack but it is better to be the last among the best and still benefit from the phenomenon of aspiration ...
1990 ... another leap over the year 1989 and here she is entering its 3rd decade without complexes or a priori. And my faith, her optimist will rather be rewarded ...
1990 ... well, it is clear that it will not work every time but the main thing is that she maintains a minimum quality level. Which is obviously the case ...
1991 ... yet another title that will pass under the radar. She will have had several titles whose lack of success is incomprehensible to say the least. Because almost no title of all his discography is to be thrown away ...
1992 ... she constantly alternates beautiful performance and poor performance. This title will rather be part of the 1st category and we can only be delighted !
1992 ... she will have been really good in all areas, whether it is Dance or Intimist. And yet, how can a title like this go unranked ? The mysteries of the Charts as they say ...
1995 ... well, there, it's downright 3 years of air gap but she comes back once again in great shape. A certain form which allows her to sign a new success, admittedly of small scale, but success all the same !
1996...just over 20 years after her debut, she delivers here her last hit single. The end of a magnificent adventure at the highest level for one of the most talented singers of her generation and who can always boast of having produced one of the major titles of the 80s !
2003...on the other hand, on the albums side, she still manages to classify what she produces, which saves a minimum of furniture. The essential is therefore preserved...
2003...we must all the same point out that she has been there for nearly 30 years, which is not nothing. And she doesn't intend to let go at this stage at first sight...
2007...certainly she reduces more and more the airfoil concerning the production of titles but she always comes back anyway. To the delight of the basic fans necessarily...
2007 ... an opus where the Blues base is omnipresent, it is clear. But she manages to subtly mix this musical dominant with more contemporary influences which gives a most interesting result...
2010...here she begins her 5th decade of career, a linear career that has never seen her sink or disappear. Mighty feat as they say...
2010...and once again she certainly does not intend to stop there. A level of motivation that has hardly ever fluctuated decade after decade...
2012...where most of the colleagues who started at the same time as her have already disappeared a long time ago, she is still there in any case. A longevity that she owes to one thing only, her talent !
2012...a desire to believe in it again and again, which undoubtedly commands respect. Only the most gifted of each generation will have lasted so long...
2018...certainly we are going to witness a 6-year air hole but here she is again in a form that we will qualify as certain. Enough in any case to delight all the fans who have been following her since the first hour...
2018... with each title, we tell ourselves that it may be the last and each time she takes malicious pleasure in proving the opposite. We can only encourage her in this direction, it is clear...
2021...and another decade, one more ! It is clear that we will never stop her and that she will come back during each decade, she makes it a matter of principle...
2021... so we imagine that this title will surely not be the last because we now know, with her, everything is always possible...
Wiki :
Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :