How These Three Albums Changed The Course Of Music 50 Years Ago

Posted On June 30, 2021

Samantha Colleran, June 2021

2021 sees a lot of artists reaching milestone anniversaries in their musical careers. Some are alive to witness the impact of their art years later, and others are unfortunately not. Three incredible albums were released fifty years ago in 1971, and they forever changed the course of music. The most awesome thing about all three albums? They were written by some of the most influential women in music. Joni Mitchell’s Blue, Carole King’s Tapestry, and Janis Joplin’s posthumous Pearl all forever changed the way women were viewed in music, and I wanted to take some time to give these three women the proper attention and credit they deserve in honor of them all achieving the incredible milestone of 50 years since their initial releases. 

Each of these albums has a unique sound to it, but one common thread between all of them is the vulnerability and sheer honesty throughout the lyrics. We see all three artists coming into their own, finding their voices and solidifying the fact that they’re incredible songwriters and vocalists. Mitchell, King, and Joplin express their feelings about their own heartbreak, navigating the ups and downs of life, and maturing as they develop into the people they were meant to become. At a time where the music industry was dominated by men, it was refreshing to have women take the stage and sing about their own emotions through their points of view. 

These albums have also stood the test of time. When you think of Janis, what song first comes to mind? “A Woman Left Lonely”, “Me and Bobby McGee”, “Mercedes Benz”? Most often people will think of a song from Pearl when talking about Janis, and although she was unable to see the success through, it’s clear she found her true path as an artist while creating this album with her new band, Full Tilt Boogie. Carole King began redefining herself after divorcing her husband and moving to California, and throughout this album you can see her slowly breaking away from who she was and transforming into the artist she was meant to become. Although her voice may not be considered as ‘strong’ as some of her musical counterparts, she spoke to a generation of young women who admired her for her honesty and no nonsense lyrical content. Joni had been writing music since the 60s, but Blue sees her growing into the true storytelling songwriter we’ve come to love; she sings about characters, giving them names and lives of their own, and although there are instances where romance is mentioned, it’s not the pinnacle of Blue which is what makes it such a standout album. All three of these women defied the odds and broke gender barriers in too many ways to even begin listing, and that’s what makes Tapestry, Pearl, and Blue so legendary.

I’m a little biased towards Blue because Joni Mitchell has become one of my favorite artists over the past year or so, but there truly is no possible way to put all three of these beautifully crafted albums against one another. Everyone can find something to relate to while listening through each of these bodies of work, and that’s really the most important thing to come out of music at the end of the day. Whether you’re looking to feel empowered, you need a good cry, or you just need some good music to listen to, any of these albums are perfect to turn on. It’s truly incredible to see the levels of success these albums achieved, and fifty years later these albums still continue to be some of the most well known, impactful albums ever created. 

Let me know in the comments your favorite tracks from these albums, if you have a favorite album among these three (even though it’s so hard to choose), or if you have any memories associated with songs from any of these albums!