Popular Problems

{{Infobox album

| name = Popular Problems

| type = studio

| artist = Leonard Cohen

| cover = LeonardCohenPopularProblems.jpg

| alt =

| released = September 19, 2014

| recorded = 2013–14

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Contemporary folk, folk pop, soft rock

| length = 35:56

| label = Columbia

| producer = Patrick Leonard

| prev_title = Old Ideas

| prev_year = 2012

| next_title = Live in Dublin

| next_year = 2014

}}

Popular Problems is the thirteenth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen,{{cite web |url=http://www.leonardcohen.com/us/news/leonard-cohen-releases-%E2%80%98popular-problems%E2%80%99-september-23-2014-dynamic-studio-album-new-songs |title=Leonard Cohen Releases 'Popular Problems' on September 23, 2014. A Dynamic studio album of new songs |publisher=Leonard Cohen |date=August 19, 2014 |access-date=August 21, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140822010436/http://www.leonardcohen.com/us/news/leonard-cohen-releases-%E2%80%98popular-problems%E2%80%99-september-23-2014-dynamic-studio-album-new-songs |archive-date=August 22, 2014 |url-status=dead }} released on September 19, 2014 in Friday-release countries (such as France and Ireland) and on September 22, 2014 elsewhere.{{citation needed|date=November 2016}}

Overview

Most of the songs were new, though Cohen did debut "Born in Chains" onstage in 2010 and "My Oh My" was played during a soundcheck the same year.

The 2010 version of "Born in Chains" differs radically in terms of arrangements and singing compared to the 2014 studio version, and the song itself was first performed as early as 1985, during an (unofficially recorded) soundcheck in Europe. The early version used earlier lyrics set to the music which later become the song "I Can't Forget", released on Cohen's 1988 record I'm Your Man. Through the years, Cohen referred to the song as "Taken Out of Egypt", reciting it on show in 1988, and humming it to the new melody in 2005 documentary Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man.{{Cite web|url=https://www.leonardcohenforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=24950|title=Born in Chains- 2005 "performance" - leonardcohenforum.com|website=www.leonardcohenforum.com}}

"A Street" was recited by Cohen in 2006, during promotion of his book of poetry Book of Longing, and later printed twice, as "A Street" in the March 2, 2009 issue of The New Yorker magazine,{{cite magazine |url=http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/03/02/a-street |title=A Street by Leonard Cohen |magazine=The New Yorker |date=March 2, 2009 |access-date=September 24, 2014}} and as "Party's Over" in Everyman's Library edition of Cohen's Poems and Songs in 2011. Both versions include a verse referring to 9/11.

"Nevermind" was published as the poem in 2005 on The Leonard Cohen Files website, and in Book of Longing in 2006. In 2015, it was used as the opening credits theme of the second season of the HBO series True Detective.

Critical reception

{{Album ratings

| ADM = 8.2/10{{cite web |url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/6703/Leonard-Cohen-Popular-Problems.aspx |title=Popular Problems by Leonard Cohen reviews |website=AnyDecentMusic? |access-date=May 1, 2019}}

| MC = 86/100{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/popular-problems/leonard-cohen |title=Reviews for Popular Problems by Leonard Cohen |website=Metacritic |access-date=October 13, 2014}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/popular-problems-mw0002730065 |title=Popular Problems – Leonard Cohen |website=AllMusic |access-date=December 12, 2014 |last=Jurek |first=Thom}}

| rev2 = The A.V. Club

| rev2Score = B+{{cite web |url=https://www.avclub.com/leonard-cohen-teases-death-on-the-lean-surprising-popu-1798181383 |title=Leonard Cohen teases death on the lean, surprising Popular Problems |work=The A.V. Club |date=September 23, 2014 |access-date=May 1, 2019 |last=Schonfeld |first=Zach}}

| rev3 = Cuepoint (Expert Witness)

| rev3Score = B+{{cite web |url=https://medium.com/cuepoint/robert-christgau-expert-witness-7d8a45638a7b |title=Robert Christgau: Expert Witness |work=Cuepoint |date=October 31, 2014 |access-date=October 31, 2014 |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau |archive-date=November 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141101003257/https://medium.com/cuepoint/robert-christgau-expert-witness-7d8a45638a7b |url-status=dead }}

| rev4 = The Daily Telegraph

| rev4Score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/cdreviews/11116251/Leonard-Cohen-Popular-Problems-review-a-masterpiece.html |title=Leonard Cohen, Popular Problems, review: 'a masterpiece' |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=September 23, 2014 |access-date=May 1, 2019 |last=McCormick |first=Neil |author-link=Neil McCormick}}

| rev5 = The Guardian

| rev5Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/sep/18/leonard-cohen-popular-problems-album-review |title=Leonard Cohen: Popular Problems review – an octogenarian rejuvenated |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=September 18, 2014 |access-date=May 1, 2019 |last=Petridis |first=Alexis |author-link=Alexis Petridis}}

| rev6 = The Independent

| rev6Score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/leonard-cohen-popular-problems-album-review-simple-songs-with-a-sharp-lyrical-blade-9728932.html |title=Leonard Cohen, Popular Problems, album review: Simple songs with a sharp lyrical blade |work=The Independent |location=London |date=September 12, 2014 |access-date=May 1, 2019 |last=Gill |first=Andy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140913144228/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/leonard-cohen-popular-problems-album-review-simple-songs-with-a-sharp-lyrical-blade-9728932.html |archive-date=September 13, 2014}}

| rev7 = NME

| rev7Score = 8/10{{cite journal |url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/leonard-cohen/15651 |title=Leonard Cohen – 'Popular Problems' |journal=NME |date=September 19, 2014 |access-date=May 1, 2019 |last=Cooper |first=Leonie |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140923002603/http://www.nme.com/reviews/leonard-cohen/15651 |archive-date=September 23, 2014}}

| rev8 = Pitchfork

| rev8Score = 7.6/10{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/19853-leonard-cohen-popular-problems/ |title=Leonard Cohen: Popular Problems |work=Pitchfork |date=September 24, 2014 |access-date=May 1, 2019 |last=Powell |first=Mike}}

| rev9 = Q

| rev9Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite journal |title=Leonard Cohen: Popular Problems |journal=Q |issue=340 |date=November 2014 |page=109}}

| rev10 = Uncut

| rev10Score = 9/10{{cite journal |url=https://www.uncut.co.uk/reviews/album/leonard-cohen-popular-problems |title=Leonard Cohen – Popular Problems |journal=Uncut |date=November 6, 2014 |access-date=May 1, 2019 |last=Jones |first=Allan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151024135944/http://www.uncut.co.uk/reviews/album/leonard-cohen-popular-problems |archive-date=October 24, 2015}}

}}

Upon its release the album received uniformly positive reviews from critics, with Metacritic tallying 26 positive reviews for an aggregate score of 86, designated on the site as "universal acclaim". Thom Jurek of AllMusic wrote that, at 80 years old, "Cohen not only has plenty left in the tank, but is at his most confident and committed" and called it his best album since 1992's The Future. The New York Times gave a moderately positive review, calling Cohen "one of rock’s most profound aphorists" but dismissing the "bouncy country" production of "Did I Ever Love You" as the album's "major misstep".{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/23/arts/music/albums-by-leonard-cohen-otis-brown-iii-and-lee-ann-womack.html|title=Albums by Leonard Cohen, Otis Brown III and Lee Ann Womack|date=23 September 2014|work=The New York Times}} Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph called the album "a masterpiece".

The album was a shortlisted Juno Award nominee for Adult Alternative Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2015.[http://cashboxcanada.ca/5985/2015-juno-awards-nominees-announced-toronto "The 2015 Juno Awards Nominees Announced in Toronto"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190227182113/http://cashboxcanada.ca/5985/2015-juno-awards-nominees-announced-toronto |date=2019-02-27 }}. Cashbox, January 29, 2015.

Commercial performance

The album peaked at number one on the Canadian Albums Chart, selling 20,000 copies in its first week.{{cite web|url=http://ajournalofmusicalthings.com/weekly-music-sales-report-analysis-02-october-2014/|title=Weekly Music Sales Report and Analysis: 02 October 2014 – A Journal of Musical Things|date=3 October 2014}} In its second week, the album fell to number two behind Bryan Adams's Tracks of My Years, with sales of 10,500.{{cite web|url=http://ajournalofmusicalthings.com/weekly-music-sales-report-analysis-08-october-2014/|title=Weekly Music Sales Report and Analysis: 08 October 2014 – A Journal of Musical Things|date=10 October 2014}} As of January 2015, Popular Problems has sold 80,000 copies in Canada.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6451045/nielsen-music-canada-report-2014-sales-streaming-data |title=Nielsen: Canada Loved Taylor Swift, Streaming Music and, Yep, Vinyl in 2014 |last=Bliss |first=Karen |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Prometheus Global Media |date=January 27, 2015 |access-date=January 30, 2015}}

In the United States, the album debuted at No. 15 on Billboard 200, No. 1 on Folk Albums and No. 4 on Top Rock Albums, with 20,000 copies sold. The album has sold 67,000 copies in the US as of May 2015.{{cite magazine|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150510004341/http://hitsdailydouble.com/new_album_releases |archive-date= May 10, 2015 |url=http://hitsdailydouble.com/new_album_releases |title=Upcoming Releases |magazine=Hits Daily Double |publisher=HITS Digital Ventures }}

Track listing

Written by Leonard Cohen and Patrick Leonard, except where indicated

{{Tracklist

|title1 = Slow

|length1 = 3:25

|title2 = Almost Like the Blues

|length2 = 3:28

|title3 = Samson in New Orleans

|length3 = 4:39

|title4 = A Street

|writer4 = Cohen, Anjani Thomas

|length4 = 3:32

|title5 = Did I Ever Love You

|length5 = 4:10

|title6 = My Oh My

|length6 = 3:36

|title7 = Nevermind

|length7 = 4:39

|title8 = Born in Chains

|writer8 = Cohen

|length8 = 4:55

|title9 = You Got Me Singing

|length9 = 3:31

|total_length = 35:55

}}

Personnel

Leonard Cohen – vocals
James Harrah – guitar
Joe Ayoub – bass
Alexandru Bublitchi – violin
Patrick Leonard – keyboards
Brian MacLeod – drums
Charlean Carmon – backing vocals
Dana Glover – backing vocals
Donna De Lory – backing vocals

Chart positions

=Weekly charts=

scope="col"\| Chart (2014) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
{{album chart\|Australia\|6\|artist=Leonard Cohen\|album=Popular Problems\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Austria\|1\|artist=Leonard Cohen\|album=Popular Problems\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Flanders\|1\|artist=Leonard Cohen\|album=Popular Problems\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Wallonia\|2\|artist=Leonard Cohen\|album=Popular Problems\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|BillboardCanada\|1\|artist=Leonard Cohen\|access-date=October 2, 2014\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Czech\|1\|artist=Leonard Cohen\|album=Popular Problems\|date=201440\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Denmark\|1\|artist=Leonard Cohen\|album=Popular Problems\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Netherlands\|1\|artist=Leonard Cohen\|album=Popular Problems\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Finland\|2\|artist=Leonard Cohen\|album=Popular Problems\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|France\|2\|artist=Leonard Cohen\|album=Popular Problems\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Germany\|4\|artist=Leonard Cohen\|album=Popular Problems\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Hungary\|6\|year=2014\|week=39\|artist=Leonard Cohen\|album=Popular Problems\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Ireland\|2\|artist=Leonard Cohen\|album=Popular Problems\|rowheader=true}}
scope="row" \| Italian Albums (FIMI){{cite web\|url=http://www.fimi.it/main/chart_id/1889\|title=Artisti – Classifica settimanale WK 39 (dal 22-09-2014 al 28-09-2014)\|language=it\|publisher=Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana\|access-date=October 2, 2014\|url-status=dead\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006075020/http://www.fimi.it/main/chart_id/1889\|archive-date=October 6, 2014}} \|align="center"\|5
{{album chart\|New Zealand\|1\|artist=Leonard Cohen\|album=Popular Problems\|access-date=October 3, 2014\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Norway\|1\|artist=Leonard Cohen\|album=Popular Problems\|access-date=October 6, 2014\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Poland\|3\|id=888\|access-date=October 5, 2014\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Portugal\|1\|artist=Leonard Cohen\|album=Popular Problems\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Spain\|3\|artist=Leonard Cohen\|album=Popular Problems\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Sweden\|5\|artist=Leonard Cohen\|album=Popular Problems\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Switzerland\|1\|artist=Leonard Cohen\|album=Popular Problems\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|UK\|5\|artist=Leonard Cohen\|album=Popular Problems\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Billboard200\|15\|artist=Leonard Cohen\|access-date=October 2, 2014\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|BillboardRock\|4\|artist=Leonard Cohen\|access-date=January 24, 2021\|rowheader=true}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"\| Chart (2014) ! scope="col"\| Position
scope="row"\| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria){{cite web\|url=https://austriancharts.at/year.asp?cat=a&id=2014\|title=Jahreshitparade Alben 2014\|website=austriancharts.at\|access-date=June 3, 2020}} \| 37
scope="row"\| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders){{cite web\|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=2014&cat=a\|title=Jaaroverzichten 2014\|publisher=Ultratop\|access-date=June 3, 2020}} \| 27
scope="row"\| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia){{cite web\|url=https://www.ultratop.be/fr/annual.asp?year=2014&cat=a\|title=Rapports Annuels 2014\|publisher=Ultratop\|access-date=June 3, 2020}} \| 48
scope="row"\| Canadian Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2014/top-canadian-albums\|title=Top Canadian Albums – Year-End 2014\|magazine=Billboard\|access-date=June 3, 2020}} \| 24
scope="row"\| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100){{cite web\|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=2014&cat=a\|title=Jaaroverzichten – Album 2014\|website=dutchcharts.nl\|access-date=June 3, 2020}} \| 28
scope="row"\| French Albums (SNEP){{cite web\|url=https://snepmusique.com/les-tops/le-top-de-lannee/top-albums-annee/?annee=2014\|title=Top de l'année Top Albums 2014\|publisher=SNEP\|language=fr\|access-date=January 24, 2021}} \| 80
scope="row"\| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan){{cite web\|url=https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/83?dspy=2014&dspp=1\|title=Årslista Album – 2014\|publisher=Sverigetopplistan\|access-date=June 3, 2020}} \| 93
scope="row"\| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade){{cite web\|url=https://hitparade.ch/charts/jahreshitparade/2014\|title=Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2014\|website=hitparade.ch\|access-date=June 3, 2020}} \| 28

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

scope="col"| Chart (2014)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria){{cite web|url=https://austriancharts.at/year.asp?cat=a&id=2014|title=Jahreshitparade Alben 2014|website=austriancharts.at|access-date=June 3, 2020}}

| 37

scope="row"| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders){{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=2014&cat=a|title=Jaaroverzichten 2014|publisher=Ultratop|access-date=June 3, 2020}}

| 27

scope="row"| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia){{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/fr/annual.asp?year=2014&cat=a|title=Rapports Annuels 2014|publisher=Ultratop|access-date=June 3, 2020}}

| 48

scope="row"| Canadian Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2014/top-canadian-albums|title=Top Canadian Albums – Year-End 2014|magazine=Billboard|access-date=June 3, 2020}}

| 24

scope="row"| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100){{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=2014&cat=a|title=Jaaroverzichten – Album 2014|website=dutchcharts.nl|access-date=June 3, 2020}}

| 28

scope="row"| French Albums (SNEP){{cite web|url=https://snepmusique.com/les-tops/le-top-de-lannee/top-albums-annee/?annee=2014|title=Top de l'année Top Albums 2014|publisher=SNEP|language=fr|access-date=January 24, 2021}}

| 80

scope="row"| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan){{cite web|url=https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/83?dspy=2014&dspp=1|title=Årslista Album – 2014|publisher=Sverigetopplistan|access-date=June 3, 2020}}

| 93

scope="row"| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade){{cite web|url=https://hitparade.ch/charts/jahreshitparade/2014|title=Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2014|website=hitparade.ch|access-date=June 3, 2020}}

| 28

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"\| Chart (2015) ! scope="col"\| Position
scope="row"\| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders){{cite web\|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=2015&cat=a\|title=Jaaroverzichten 2015\|publisher=Ultratop\|access-date=June 3, 2020}} \| 112

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

scope="col"| Chart (2015)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders){{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=2015&cat=a|title=Jaaroverzichten 2015|publisher=Ultratop|access-date=June 3, 2020}}

| 112

Certifications

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Austria|title=Popular Problems|type=album|artist=Leonard Cohen|relyear=2014|certyear=2015|award=Gold|access-date=10 October 2014}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|title=Popular Problems|type=album|artist=Leonard Cohen|relyear=2014|certyear=2015|award=Platinum|access-date=19 January 2015}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|title=Popular Problems|type=album|artist=Leonard Cohen|relyear=2014|relmonth=9|certyear=2014|certmonth=10|award=Platinum|id=4696|access-date=November 12, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=France|type=album|title=Popular Problems|artist=Leonard Cohen|award=Gold|relyear=2014|certyear=2014|access-date=August 15, 2013}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Hungary|title=Popular Problems|type=album|artist=Leonard Cohen|relyear=2014|certyear=2014|award=Gold|access-date=19 January 2020}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Poland|title=Popular Problems|type=album|artist=Leonard Cohen|relyear=2014|certyear=2014|award=Platinum|access-date=2 October 2014}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Switzerland|title=Popular Problems|type=album|artist=Leonard Cohen|relyear=2014|certyear=2014|award=Gold|access-date=10 October 2014}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|title=Popular Problems|type=album|artist=Leonard Cohen|relyear=2014|certyear=2015|award=Silver|access-date=11 February 2015|id=13147-3338-2}}

{{certification Table Entry|title=Popular Problems|type=album|artist=Leonard Cohen|relyear=2014|region=United States|nocert=true|salesamount=67,000|salesref=|access-date=19 January 2020}}

Release history

class="wikitable" width="45%"

! Date

! Region

19 September 2014

| Friday-release countries (such as France{{cite web |url=http://www.fargovinylshop.com/popular-problems.html |title='Popular Problems' – Leonard Cohen |publisher=Fargo Vinyl Shop |access-date=September 21, 2014 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140921001433/http://www.fargovinylshop.com/popular-problems.html |archive-date=September 21, 2014 |url-status=dead }})

22 September 2014

| Worldwide

References

Category:2014 albums

Category:Leonard Cohen albums

Category:Columbia Records albums

Category:Albums produced by Patrick Leonard

Category:Juno Award for Album of the Year albums