Editor’s Note: The Albumism staff has selected what we believe to be 50 Essential Albums by LGBTQ Artists, representing a varied cross-section of genres, styles and time periods. Considering that the qualifier “LGBTQ” can often be open to various interpretations, for the purposes of this particular list, we have defined an artist as LGBTQ if he, she or they have ever publicly identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or queer. Moreover, albums by groups have been included in the list if any of their members fit the aforementioned criteria, even if some members do not.
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JOAN ARMATRADING | Me Myself I
A&M (1980)
Selected by Quentin Harrison
The Basseterre born, Birmingham reared British singer, writer and musician was a respected recording and touring act by the time she arrived at her seventh outing, Me Myself I. Having crafted a superior niche blend of blues, folk, soul and rock during her first decade of activity, Me Myself I came to represent a kinetic sea change for Armatrading’s second decade of activity. Utilizing new wave (“Me Myself I”), a form of proto-ska (“Simon”) and bold R&B-pop (“Is It Tomorrow Yet?”) as canvases for her affecting narratives, Armatrading met with only more hits and accolades from fans and critics alike.
LISTEN: