MUSIC MY SIX BEST ALBUMS

JOAN ARMATRADING, 65, is the singer-songwriter whose hits include Love And Affection and Me Myself I. The Tempest Songs, her music for the Donmar Warehouse production of The Tempest, is available on iTunes and a CD/DVD of her 2014-15 world tour Me Myself I is out now.

Beethoven: Symphony No 5 (Herbert von Karajan) (Deutsche Grammophon) Without knowing what I was listening to, I heard classical music when I was younger on the radio and liked all the guys: Beethoven, Bach, Vivaldi, Purcell. It’s what I listen to most. This has quite interesting rhythms at a point you don’t expect and it runs through all the emotions.

Purcell: Dido And Aeneas (English Concert Choir) (Deutsche Grammophon) I love everything about this. Because I write music, I listen to how it is constructed. Several people have said they see some of my writing as being on a classical baroque level.

I’m not consciously trying but, because this music is so beautiful, it does make you want to be as good.

LeD Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin IV (Atlantic) About the third album I bought. I talked about them in every interview I did when I started my career.

I loved Robert Plant’s voice, the structure of the songs and Jimmy Page’s guitar playing. Their music still sounds powerful.

Leslie West: Mountain (Repertoire) My favourite guitarist. His style is very sweet, melodic and pure rock. The band had a good energy. When I was in New York once, I ended up in the hotel lift with him but I couldn’t say a word!

Amy Winehouse: Back To Black (Island) An amazing talent. I loved her lyrics, her voice, her phrasing and how she moved her body. She made the jazz sound bang up to date. I was looking forward to seeing what she was like when I was a proper old lady.

RACHMANINOV: Piano Concerto No 2 (Deutsche Grammophon) I love any instrument that’s well played. This builds slowly but it’s very melodic and moving once it gets going. When I hear it, it feels like I’m watching a film – either a beautiful landscape or a romantic encounter.