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Dark Singer/Songwriter Albums

"Singer/songwriter" is a genre of music that heavily relies on lyrics and songwriting, rather than elaborate accompanying instrumentation. It is closely related to folk music, but they are distinct. 

A list about my favorite dark singer/songwriter albums has been on the backburner for a while; it was about time. Dark lyrics and songwriting can be incredibly evocative and visceral, or poetically cathartic.

I will first list my favorite dark singer/songwriter albums, followed by a separate list of records of the style which I want to check out.

There are many subgenres that can be applied in addition to the style (mostly different kinds of folk); these will be listed when applicable.

Dark Singer/Songwriter Favorites

1. Eels - Electro-Shock Blues  ||  Indie Pop, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1998  ||  USA

2. PJ Harvey - To Bring You My Love  ||  Alternative Rock, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1995  ||  UK

3. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Skeleton Tree  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Art Rock  ||  2016  ||  Australia

4. PJ Harvey - White Chalk  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Chamber Folk, Contemporary Folk  ||  2007  ||  UK

5. Timber Timbre - Timber Timbre  ||  Contemporary Folk, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2009  ||  Canada

6. David Kauffman - Songs from Suicide Bridge  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Folk  ||  1984  ||  USA

7. Scott Walker - Tilt  ||  Experimental, Post-Industrial, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1995  ||  USA

8. Scott Walker - The Drift  ||  Experimental, Singer/Songwriter, Post-Industrial  ||  2006  ||  USA

9. Lisa Germano - Geek the Girl  ||  Slowcore, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1994  ||  USA

10. Leonard Cohen - Songs of Love and Hate  ||  Contemporary Folk, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1971  ||  Canada

11. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - I See a Darkness  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Folk, Alt-Country  ||  1999  ||  USA

12. Tom Waits - Bone Machine  ||  Experimental Rock, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1992  ||  USA

13. Mount Eerie - Wind's Poem  ||  Avant-Folk, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2009  ||  USA

14. Cat Power - Moon Pix  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Slowcore  ||  1998  ||  USA

15. Soap&Skin - Lovetune for Vacuum  ||  Darkwave, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2009  ||  Austria

16. Emma Ruth Rundle - Some Heavy Ocean  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Dream Pop, Contemporary Folk  ||  2014  ||  USA

17. Tom Waits - Rain Dogs  ||  Experimental Rock, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1985  ||  USA

18. Soap&Skin - Narrow  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Neoclassical Darkwave  ||  2012  ||  Austria

19. PJ Harvey - Let England Shake  ||  Art Rock, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2011  ||  UK

20. Ethel Caine - Preacher's Daughter  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Dream Pop, Slowcore  ||  2022  ||  USA

21. Neko Case - Blacklisted  ||  Alt-Country, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2002  ||  USA

22. Emma Ruth Rundle - Marked for Death  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Slowcore, Dream Pop  ||  2016  ||  USA

23. Giles Corey - Giles Corey  ||  Slowcore, Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Folk  ||  2011  ||  USA

24. Gareth Liddiard - Strange Tourist  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Folk  ||  2010  ||  Australia

25. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Henry's Dream  ||  Punk Blues Singer/Songwriter, Post-Punk  ||  1992  ||  Australia

26. Tom Wait - Alice  ||  Vocal Jazz, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2002  ||  USA

27. Chelsea Wolfe - Unknown Rooms: A Collection of Acoustic Songs  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Dark Folk, Ethereal Wave  ||  2012  ||  USA

28. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Murder Ballads  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Alternative Rock  ||  1996  ||  Australia

29. Mount Eerie - A Crow Looked at Me  ||  Indie Folk, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2017  ||  USA

30. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - The Good Son  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Piano Rock  ||  1990  ||  Australia

31. Elliott Smith - Elliott Smith  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Indie Folk  ||  1995  ||  USA

32. Daniel Johnston - Hi, How Are You: The Unfinished Album  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Avant-Folk  ||  1983  ||  USA

33. Chelsea Wolfe - Birth of Violence  ||  Gothic Country, Singer/Songwriter, Dark Folk  ||  2019  ||  USA

34. Rowland S. Howard - Teenage Snuff Film  ||  Punk Blues, Post-Punk, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1999  ||  Australia

35. Dave Bixby - Ode to Quetzalcoatl  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Psychedelic Folk  ||  1969  ||  USA

36. Current 93 - Soft Black Stars  ||  Singer/Songwriter  ||  1998  ||  UK

37. Tom Waits - Mule Variations  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Blues Rock  ||  1999  ||  USA

38. Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter - SAVED!  ||  Hymns, Southern Gospel, Singer-Songwriter  ||  2023  ||  USA

39. PJ Harvey - Is This Desire?  ||  Alternative Rock, Downtempo, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1998  ||  UK

40. Leonard Cohen - You Want it Darker  ||  Chamber Folk, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2016  ||  Canada

41. Michael Gira - Drainland  ||  Neofolk, Experimental Rock, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1995  ||  USA

42. Tom Waits - Franks Wild Years  ||  Dark Cabaret, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1987  ||  USA

43. Nicole Dollanganger - Married in Mount Airy  ||  Singer-Songwriter, Indie Folk, Slowcore, Psychedelic Folk  ||  2023  ||  Canada

44. Sharon Van Etten - We've Been Going About This All Wrong  ||  Indie Rock, Singer-Songwriter, Art Rock  ||  2022  ||  USA

Wishlist

1. Chico Buarque - Construção  ||  MPB, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1971  ||  Brazil

2. Neil Young - Tonight's the Night  ||  Country Rock, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1975  ||  Canada

3. Songs: Ohia - Ghost Tropic  ||  Contemporary Folk, Singer/Songwriter, Slowcore  ||  2000  ||  USA

4. Elliott Smith - From a Basement On a Hill  ||  Indie Folk, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2004  ||  USA

5. Tom Waits - Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Blues Rock, Folk Rock  ||  2006  ||  USA

6. The Mountain Goats - Tallahassee  ||  Indie Folk, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2002  ||  USA

7. Fabrizio De André - Storia di un impiegato  ||  Canzone d'autore  ||  1973  ||  Italy

8. Tim Buckley - Lorca  ||  Avant-Folk, Psychedelic Folk, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1970  ||  USA

9. Sun Kil Moon - Benji  ||  Contemporary Folk, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2014  ||  USA

10. Tori Amos - From the Choirgirl Hotel  ||  Art Pop, Singer/Songwriter ||  1998  ||  USA

11. Lalleshwari - Lullabies in a Glass Wilderness  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Art Pop, Experimental  ||  2006  ||  USA

12. Sinéad O'Connor - The Lion and the Cobra  ||  Art Pop, Alternative Rock, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1987  ||  Ireland

13. Fabrizio De André - utti morimmo a stento  ||  Canzone d'autore, Contemporary Folk  ||  1968  ||  Italy

14. Quilapayún - Cantata de Santa María de Iquique  ||  Nueva canción chilena, Poetry. Nueva canción latinoamericana  ||  1970  ||  Chile

15. Jason Molina - Let Me Go Let Me Go Let Me Go  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Folk, Slowcore  ||  2006  ||  USA

16. Douji Morita 森田童子 - A Boy ボーイ  ||  Chamber Folk, Singer/Songwriter, Psychedelic Folk  ||  1977  ||  Japan

17. Matt Elliott - Drinking Songs  ||  Contemporary Folk, Singer/Songwriter, Slowcore  ||  2005  ||  UK

18. Léo Ferré -  Il n'y a plus rien  ||  Chanson à texte, Poetry, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1973  ||  Monaco

19. Bill Fay - Time of the Last Persecution  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Folk Rock  ||  1971  ||  UK

20. Янка и Великие Октябри - Деклассированным элементам  ||  Post-Punk, Bard   Rock, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1988  ||  Russia

21. Yanka Янка - Стыд и срам  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Folk Rock, Bard Rock  ||  1991  ||  Russia

22. Yanka Янка - Ангедония  ||  Post-Punk, Noise Rock, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1989  ||  Russia

23. Mark Lanegan - Whiskey for the Holy Ghost  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Folk Rock  ||  1994  ||  USA

24. Claudio Lolli - Aspettando Godot  ||  Canzone d'autore, Contemporary Folk, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1972  ||  Italy

25. Yanka Янка - Домой!  ||  Post-Punk, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1989  ||  Russia

26. Mark Lanegan Band - Bubblegum  ||  Alternative Rock, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2004  ||  USA

27. Matt Elliott - Howling Songs  ||  Contemporary Folk, Singer/Songwriter, Avant-Folk  ||  2008  ||  UK

28. Roky Erickson - Gremlins Have Pictures  ||  Psychedelic Rock, Singer/Songwriter. Garage Rock  ||  1986  ||  USA

29. Jason Molina - Pyramid Electric Co  ||  Contemporary Folk, Singer/Songwriter, Slowcore  ||  2004  ||  USA

30. Richard Dawson - Nothing Important  ||  Avant-Folk, Singer/Songwriter, Progressive Folk  ||  2014  ||  UK

31. Songs: Ohia - Axxess & Ace  ||  Contemporary Folk, Alt-Country, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1999  ||  USA

32. John Frusciante - Niandra LaDes and Usually Just a T-Shirt  ||  Singer/Songwriter. Avant-Folk, Slacker Rock  ||  1994  ||  USA

33. Richard Dawson - 2020  ||  Art Rock, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1994  ||  UK

34. Bobb Trimble - Iron Curtain Innocence  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Psychedelic Folk, Psychedelic Pop  ||  1980  ||  USA

35. Greg Sage - Straight Ahead  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Indie Rock  ||  1985  ||  USA

36. Matt Elliott -  Only Myocardial Infarction Can Break Your Heart  ||  Progressive Folk, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2013  ||  UK

37. Coin locker kid - Diluvium  ||  Experimental, Avant-Folk, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2016  ||  USA

38. The Mountain Goats - Transcendental Youth  ||  Indie Folk, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2012  ||  USA

39. Antony and the Johnsons - Antony and the Johnsons  ||  Chamber Pop, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2000  ||  USA

40. Richard Buckner - Bloomed  ||  Americana, Alt-Country, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1994  ||  USA

41. Sergey Kalugin - Nigredo  ||  Progressive Folk, Singer/Songwriter, Avtorskaya pesnya  ||  1994  ||  Russia

42. Cuddly One - Break My Ribs (So I Can Be Free)  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Slacker Rock, Indie Folk  ||  2016  ||  USA

43. Lisa Germano - Excerpts From a Love Circus  ||  Slowcore, Singer/Songwriter, Dream Pop  ||  1996  ||  USA

44. Vic Chesnutt - North Star Deserter  ||  Contemporary Folk, Slowcore, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2007  ||  USA

45. John Cale -  Music for a New Society  ||  Art Rock, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1982  ||  UK

46. Vic Chesnutt - At the Cut  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Slowcore  ||  2009  ||  USA

47. Ruby Throat - The Ventriloquist  ||  Contemporary Folk, Singer/Songwriter, Indie Folk  ||  2007  ||  UK

48. Kristin Hersh - Hips and Makers  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Indie Folk  ||  1994  ||  USA

49. Stan Ridgway - The Big Heat  ||  Synthpop, New Wave, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1986  ||  USA

50. Chinawoman - Party Girl  ||  Art Pop, Slowcore, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2007  ||  Canada

51. Angelo Branduardi - La pulce d'acqua  ||  Folk Pop, Canzone d'autore, Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Folk  ||  1977  ||  Italy

52. Kazuki Tomokawa - 海静か、魂は病み (Umi Shizuka, Tamashii wa Yami)  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Avant-Folk  ||  1981  ||  Japan

53. Aleksey Hvostenko - Жилец вершин  ||  Avant-Folk, Bard Rock  ||  1995  ||  Russia

54. Emma Ruth Rundle - On Dark Horses  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Dream Pop, Post-Rock  ||  2018  ||  USA

55. La Bruja de Texcoco - De Brujas Peteneras y Chachalacas  ||  Avant-Folk, Mexican Folk Music, Singer/Songwriter, Son huasteco  ||  2019  ||  Mexico

56. Josh Ritter - The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter  ||  Folk Rock, Singer/Songwriter, Indie Folk  ||  2007  ||  USA

57. Gérard Manset - La mort d'Orion  ||  Art Pop, Singer/Songwriter, Chanson, Chanson à texte  ||  1970  ||  France

58. Yegor Letov - Русское поле эксперимента (Russkoe pole eksperimenta)  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Folk  ||  1988  ||  Russia

59. Amigo the Devil - Everything is Fine  ||  Gothic Country, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2018  ||  USA

60. Caetano Veloso -  Estrangeiro  ||  MPB, Singer/Songwriter, Art Rock  ||  1989  ||  Brazil

61. Nina Nastasia -  Run to Ruin  ||  Slowcore, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2003  ||  USA

62.  Steve Von Till - If I Should Fall to the Field  ||  Contemporary Folk, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2002  ||  USA

63. Tuomari Nurmio - Lasten mehuhetki  ||  Post-Punk, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1981  ||  Finland

64. Matt Elliott - The Broken Man  ||  Contemporary Folk, Progressive Folk, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2012  ||  UK

65. Dory Previn - Mythical Kings and Iguanas  ||  Contemporary Folk, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1971  ||  USA

66. Palace Music - Arise Therefore  ||  Slowcore, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1996  ||  USA

67. Tori Amos - To Venus and Back  ||  Art Rock, Alternative Rock, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1999  ||  USA

68. Thåström - Kärlek är för dom  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Alternative Rock  ||  2009  ||  Sweden

69. Shannon Wright - Dyed in the Wool  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Indie Rock  ||  2001  ||  USA

70. Thalia Zedek - Been Here and Gone  ||  Folk Rock, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2001  ||  USA

71. Nicole Dollanganger - Natural Born Losers  ||  Slowcore, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2015  ||  Canada

72. Matt Elliott - The Mess We Made  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Slowcore  ||  2003  ||  UK

73. Matt Elliott - Failing Songs  ||  Avant-Folk, Dark Cabaret, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2006  ||  UK

74. Syd Matters - A Whisper and a Sigh  ||  Indie Folk, Singer/Songwriter, Folktronica  ||  2003  ||  France

75. Smoke - Heaven on a Popsicle Stick  ||  Gothic Country, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1994  ||  USA

76. Mitski - LUSH  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Chamber Pop, Art Pop  ||  2012  ||  USA

77. S - Sadstyle  ||  Slowcore, Slacker Rock, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2001  ||  USA

78. Songs: Ohia - Songs: Ohia  ||  Contemporary Folk, Singer/Songwriter  ||  1997  ||  USA

79. The Mountain Goats - All Eternals Deck  ||  Indie Folk, Singer/Songwriter  ||  2011  ||  USA

80. Emily Jane White - Dark Undercoat  ||  Singer/Songwriter, Indie Folk  ||  2007  ||  USA

81. Stina Nordenstam - Memories of a Color  ||  Singer/Songwriter  ||  1991  ||  Sweden


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