This week we’re showcasing music from albums released in the 1980s by pioneering British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Joan Armatrading, who celebrates her 73rd birthday on December 9. The three-time Grammy nominated artist is the first Black British female singer-songwriter to see international success – and 20+ albums since her 1976 eponymous debut – she continues to garner world-wide respect for a musical career that has charted a restlessly idiosyncratic course – working in genres like pop, new wave, rock, folk, jazz and blues. Let’s say happy birthday to a groundbreaking figure in music history. 

Program Playlist