(1972): His first #1 album in the US, featuring a slightly harder, more keyboard-driven sound. Experimental and Late '70s Work (1973–1978)
The first sign of trouble. Foreigner was a bold, controversial double-album with one 18-minute suite ("Foreigner Suite") on the first side. AllMusic’s review is mixed, calling it “ambitious but bloated.” Stevens was experimenting with synthesizers and longer jazz-folk structures. While the single “The Hurt” is solid, the album is considered the weakest of his classic period. It marks the moment where his increasing devotion to Eastern spirituality began to clash with the expectations of Western pop radio. cat stevens discography allmusic
(1967): His debut, reaching #7 in the UK, featuring hits like "I Love My Dog". (1972): His first #1 album in the US,
While charming and "fun," critics often view these as less representative of his iconic sound, noting they are often "over-produced" compared to his later stripped-back work. The Singer-Songwriter Peak (1970–1978) AllMusic’s review is mixed, calling it “ambitious but