Editing Suzanne Vega (section)

=== 1980s ===
While majoring in [[English literature]] at [[Barnard College]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.suzannevega.com/suzanne/biography/brief.aspx |title=Biography |work=Official Community of Suzanne Vega |access-date=May 26, 2008 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080430145005/http://www.suzannevega.com/suzanne/biography/brief.aspx <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=April 30, 2008}}</ref> she performed in small venues in [[Greenwich Village]], where she was a regular contributor to [[Jack Hardy (singer-songwriter)|Jack Hardy]]'s Monday night songwriters' group at the [[Cornelia Street Cafe]] and had some of her first songs published on ''[[Fast Folk]]'' anthology albums.<ref>[https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/suzannevega/albums/album/109285] {{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> In 1984, she received a major label [[recording contract]], making her one of the first 'Fast Folk' artists to break out on a major label.

Vega's [[Suzanne Vega (album)|self-titled debut studio album]] was released in 1985 and was well received by critics in the U.S.;<ref name=bio/> it reached [[music recording sales certification|platinum]] status in the United Kingdom. Produced by [[Lenny Kaye]] and [[Steve Addabbo]], the songs feature Vega's acoustic guitar in straightforward arrangements. A [[music video|video]] was released for the album's song "Marlene on the Wall", which went into [[MTV]] and [[VH1]]'s rotations. During this period Vega also wrote lyrics for two songs ("Lightning" and "Freezing") on ''[[Songs from Liquid Days]]'' (1986) by composer [[Philip Glass]].<ref name="Holden">{{Cite news |last=Holden |first=Stephen |author-link=Stephen Holden |date=April 20, 1986 |title=Philip Glass Turns to the Song |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/04/20/arts/philip-glass-turns-to-the-song.html |newspaper=The New York Times |location=New York, NY |access-date=July 12, 2016}}</ref>

Vega's song "[[Left of Center (Suzanne Vega song)|Left of Center]]" co-written with [[Steve Addabbo]] for the 1986 [[John Hughes (filmmaker)|John Hughes]] film ''[[Pretty in Pink]]'' reached No. 32 on the [[UK Singles Chart]] in 1986.<ref>Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 584. {{ISBN|1-904994-10-5}}.</ref>

Her next studio album, ''[[Solitude Standing]]'' (1987), garnered critical and commercial success, selling over one million copies in the U.S.<ref name="riaa.com">{{cite web |url=http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?content_selector=gold-platinum-searchable-database |title=RIAA – Gold & Platinum Searchable Database – June 23, 2015 |work=Riaa.com |publisher=[[RIAA]]}}</ref>  It includes the international hit single "[[Luka (song)|Luka]]", which is written about, and from the point of view of, an abused child.<ref name="Larkin"/> (Not until many years later did Vega reveal the song dealt with the abuse she herself had suffered from her stepfather.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.njarts.net/suzanne-vega-takes-her-new-york-songs-and-stories-on-the-road/|title=Suzanne Vega takes her 'New York Songs and Stories' on the road|first=Cindy|last=Stagoff|website=Njarts.net|date=August 25, 2021}}</ref>) While continuing a focus on Vega's acoustic guitar, the music of her second album is more strongly pop-oriented and features fuller arrangements. Following the success of the album, in 1989 Vega became the first female artist to headline the [[Glastonbury Festival]].<ref name="glasto">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/articles/6b208267-d9dd-4bf8-b9b4-9f8573c00455 |title=A brief history of female headliners at Glastonbury - BBC Music |date=March 23, 2016 |website=Bbc.co.uk}}</ref> Vega performed her set whilst wearing a [[bulletproof vest]], her band having received death threats from an obsessed fan ahead of the festival.<ref name="glasto" />

The a cappella "[[Tom's Diner]]" from ''Solitude Standing'' became a hit in 1990, having been [[remix]]ed by two British dance producers under the name [[DNA (duo)|DNA]].<ref name="Larkin"/> The track was originally a [[Bootleg recording|bootleg]], until Vega allowed DNA to release it through her record company, and it became her biggest hit.