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Cat Stevens

British musician (born 1948) · United Kingdom · Musicians · also Greece

Cat Stevens is read about 4,296 times a day, in 67 languages.

A typical day, 30 days to 15 October 2026

The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 390 days, one point a day.

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He wrote "Wild World" and "Father and Son," sold over 100 million records, then walked away at the height of fame in the late 1970s after converting to Islam - auctioning his guitars and going silent for nearly three decades.

MusiciansSinger / MusicianMusicSinger-SongwriterClassicalUnited KingdomEurope20th Century

A life in dates

2014Rock and Roll Hall of FameAward2006“The last place I wanted to return to was the music business. But it's the people and the cause that matter and right now there's an important need, which is bridge-building.”In their words17 November 2006As quoted in "The Billboard Q and A: Yusuf Islam" by Nigel Williamson, in Billboard Magazine (17 November 2006)

2001“We understand the anger, the anguish and suffering which this act of international terrorism has created amongst people.”In their words22 September 2001"Attacks 'no excuse for racist violence'" in BBC News (22 September 2001)

“I wish to express my heartfelt horror at the indiscriminate terrorist attacks committed against innocent people of the United States yesterday.”In their words12 September 2001Statement on his website (12 September 2001), quoted in "Cat Stevens Condemns Attack" in Rolling Stone (17 September 2001)

1989“Rather than go to a demonstration to burn an effigy of the author Salman Rushdie, I would have hoped that it'd be the real thing.”In their words23 May 1989As quoted in "Cat Stevens Gives Support To Call for Death of Rushdie," by Craig R. Whitney, in The New York Times (23 May 1989), p. C18

“If Rushdie turned up at my doorstep looking for help, I might ring somebody who might do more damage to him than he would like.”In their words23 May 1989As quoted in "Cat Stevens Gives Support To Call for Death of Rushdie" by Craig R. Whitney, in The New York Times (23 May 1989), p. C18

1970“It seems as if I am making a comeback but I have never really been away. It’s very strange because the whole attitude changes and everything is turned inside out.”In their wordsJuly 1970Interview for Melody Maker with Chris Charlesworth (July 1970)

1948Born21 July 1948

Also in Deutsch

Photos 8

Yusuf Islam BBC2 Folk AwardsYusuf Islam BBC2 Folk AwardsBelkin Productions rock concerts - 1972 print adBelkin Productions rock concerts - 1972 print adCat Stevens (1972)Cat Stevens (1972)Cat Stevens - BBC Radio 2 Folk AwardsCat Stevens - BBC Radio 2 Folk AwardsCat Stevens 1974 HawaiiCat Stevens 1974 HawaiiCat Stevens 1974 Moon and StarsCat Stevens 1974 Moon and StarsCat stevens en 1972Cat stevens en 1972Cat Stevens in concert at The Forum, 1976Cat Stevens in concert at The Forum, 1976

In their own words 10

,
Cat Stevens
,
10 statements, newest first

  1. The last place I wanted to return to was the music business. But it's the people and the cause that matter and right now there's an important need, which is bridge-building.

    Nov 17, 2006, As quoted in "The Billboard Q and A: Yusuf Islam" by Nigel Williamson, in Billboard Magazine (17 November 2006), Own words

  2. I wanted a break. I had been on the road more or less since I was 18, you know?

    Oct 7, 2004, On the abandonment of his music career after converting to Islam, on [[w:Larry King Live||Larry King Live] (7 October 2004)], Own words

  3. We understand the anger, the anguish and suffering which this act of international terrorism has created amongst people.

    Sep 22, 2001, "Attacks 'no excuse for racist violence'" in BBC News (22 September 2001), Own words

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On YouTube

1.1M subscribers
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Awards

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame2014
Honorary Doctor of the University of Exeter

Family

Parents

Cat Stevens
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About this person

Born Steven Demetre Georgiou in 1948, he broke through in 1967 with "Matthew and Son" and became a defining voice of early-'70s folk-rock: Tea for the Tillerman and Teaser and the Firecat went triple platinum, Catch Bull at Four hit No. 1 in the US, and "The First Cut Is the Deepest" became a standard. In December 1977 he converted to Islam, took the name Yusuf Islam, released one last album in 1979, then left music entirely to work in education and charity. A 1989 controversy over comments about the Salman Rushdie fatwa shadowed him for years; he later said he'd been framed by loaded questions. He returned to pop in 2006 with An Other Cup, began touring again in 2014, and by 2017 had reclaimed the Cat Stevens name, releasing new work and re-recording old classics while racking up over two billion streams.

Country
United Kingdom
Category
Musicians
Type
Singer / Musician
Status
living
Dates
Born 1948 · age 78

In common with Cat

Joe WalshAlso in Dear Mr. Fantasy - A Celebration for Jim Capaldi (2007)Fritz EgnerAlso in Yusuf alias Cat Stevens im Bayern 3-LiveClub (2009)Steve WinwoodAlso in Dear Mr. Fantasy - A Celebration for Jim Capaldi (2007)Gary MooreAlso in Dear Mr. Fantasy - A Celebration for Jim Capaldi (2007)

Musicians from the United Kingdom 2

Freddie Mercury81.3Jamie Miller81.1

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