Complete List Of Cat Stevens Songs From A to Z

Feature Photo: Andrea Raffin / Shutterstock.com

Cat Stevens, born Steven Demetre Georgiou in London, England, on July 21, 1948, came from a Greek-Cypriot and Swedish background, growing up above the family restaurant in the heart of the West End. His upbringing amidst the bustling cultural atmosphere of London would later inform his deeply introspective songwriting and spiritual curiosity. He first took an interest in music in his early teens, teaching himself guitar and piano and beginning to write songs while still in school. Performing initially under the stage name Steve Adams, he eventually adopted the moniker Cat Stevens, which he felt had a more memorable and artistic ring.

His career began in earnest in the mid-1960s, when producer Mike Hurst discovered him performing in London clubs. Stevens signed with Deram Records and released his debut album, Matthew and Son, in 1967. The title track became a hit in the United Kingdom, peaking at number two on the UK Singles Chart. Other early hits from this period included “I’m Gonna Get Me a Gun” and “Here Comes My Baby,” the latter famously covered by The Tremeloes. At this point, Stevens was positioned as a pop artist, but a serious case of tuberculosis in 1969 led to a long period of convalescence and a major shift in both his musical style and personal philosophy.

Emerging from his illness with a deeper sense of purpose, Stevens signed with Island Records and released Mona Bone Jakon in 1970, marking the beginning of a prolific and critically acclaimed era. That same year, he followed with Tea for the Tillerman, which became a commercial breakthrough, especially in the United States. The album featured timeless tracks like “Wild World,” “Father and Son,” and “Where Do the Children Play?” Its success established Stevens as a major figure in the singer-songwriter movement of the early 1970s. His unique ability to weave philosophical musings with accessible melodies won him an international following.

Over the next several years, Stevens released a series of successful albums including Teaser and the Firecat (1971), Catch Bull at Four (1972), Foreigner (1973), Buddha and the Chocolate Box (1974), and Numbers (1975). These albums yielded more beloved singles such as “Peace Train,” “Moonshadow,” and “Morning Has Broken,” a traditional hymn he helped popularize with his piano-driven arrangement. By the mid-1970s, Stevens had become one of the most commercially successful and spiritually inquisitive artists of his era. His lyrics often explored themes of love, faith, social justice, and personal growth.

In total, Stevens released eleven studio albums during his initial run from 1967 to 1978, before making a life-altering decision to leave the music industry. In 1977, after nearly drowning in Malibu and subsequently exploring Islam, he formally converted to the faith in 1978, taking the name Yusuf Islam. He gave up his music career shortly thereafter, turning his focus toward charitable work and religious education. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Yusuf was active in philanthropy, founding several Muslim schools in the UK and participating in numerous humanitarian efforts through his Islamia charity group.

Though absent from the music charts, his work outside of entertainment kept him in the public eye. He was awarded the World Social Award in 2003 for his humanitarian contributions and received the Man of Peace award from the Nobel Peace Laureates in 2004. Despite controversy over statements made during this period, he remained committed to promoting peace and cross-cultural understanding. In 2006, he re-entered the music world with An Other Cup, his first pop album in nearly three decades, released under the name Yusuf.

Since his return to music, Yusuf / Cat Stevens has released several new albums, including Roadsinger (2009), Tell ‘Em I’m Gone (2014), and The Laughing Apple (2017), the latter earning him a Grammy nomination. He also continued to revisit his past catalog, reinterpreting earlier works through a contemporary lens while maintaining the introspective spirit that originally defined his music. In 2020, he released Tea for the Tillerman², a reimagined version of his 1970 classic, underscoring his ongoing creative vitality.

Across his career, Cat Stevens has been the recipient of numerous honors. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2023. His songs have remained influential, covered by countless artists across genres, and are regularly featured in film and television, ensuring that his music continues to resonate with new audiences.

Through all the transformations—whether from Cat Stevens to Yusuf Islam or from pop idol to philanthropist and back again—what has remained constant is his commitment to authenticity. His career is marked not just by hit records but by a profound willingness to follow a personal and spiritual path, regardless of commercial expectations. That integrity has solidified his reputation as an artist whose work has true meaning, both musically and beyond. This list includes all of Yusuf /Cat Stevens’ Western Music albums,