Nick Drake was an English singer-songwriter from the 1970s who struggled to find success during his lifetime. He suffered from depression and released three albums of somber guitar music to little commercial success. By the 1990s and 2000s, Drake had become recognized as highly influential, with numerous artists citing him as an influence. After the use of his song "Pink Moon" in a TV commercial, Drake's album sales increased dramatically.

1. Nick Drake (1948–1974) was an English singer-songwriter and musician, best known for his
sombre guitar-based songs. He failed to find a wide audience during his lifetime, but now ranks
among the most influential English singer-songwriters of the last 50 years. Drake released his
debut album, Five Leaves Left, in 1969. None of his first three albums sold more than 5,000
copies on their initial release. Drake suffered from depression and insomnia throughout his life,
and these topics were often reflected in his lyrics. On completion of his third album, 1972's Pink
Moon, he withdrew from both live performance and recording, retreating to his parents' home in
rural Warwickshire. He died from anoverdose of amitriptyline in 1974 (grave pictured). Drake
was credited as an influence by numerous artists during the 1980s, including The Dream
Academy, who in 1985 reached the UK and US charts with "Life in a Northern Town", a song
written for and dedicated to him. By the early 1990s, Drake represented a certain type of
"doomed romantic" musician in the UK music press. In 2000, Volkswagen featured the title track
fromPink Moon in a television advertisement, and within a month Drake had sold more records
than he had in the previous 30 years. (more...)
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