“This is the impossible level, boys. Impossible doesn”
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #quote
Figure timeline
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan Reed was an American musician, songwriter, and poet. He was the guitarist, lead singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. Although not commercially successful during its existence, the Velvet Underground came to be regarded as one of the most influential bands in the history of underground and alternative…
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
entertainment · American rock musician (1942–2013) · singer · singer-songwriter · guitarist · photographer · composer · songwriter · poet · actor · record producer · film director · also Lou Reed, Lewis Allen Reed, Lewis Allan Reed, Lewis A. Reed, Reed
Born 2 March 1942 · Died 27 October 2013 · Q189080
175 published statements · 0 followers
See & hear
Photos & media
8 photos
Media from Wikimedia Commons, hotlinked at the source under its own licence — see each file for author and terms.
Live now
In the news
Pulling headlines from trusted outlets — this usually takes a few seconds
Checking the wires…
Feed scan
These are live links, not archived citations — they only join the timeline once a collect run verifies and archives them.
Live pulse
Recent highlights
Most recent outstanding titles, awards, and quotes
- Quote
- Quote
2026· 6 entries
“always been a great influence”
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #quote
“s time at Syracuse University, the university authorities had tried unsuccessfully to expel him because they did not approve of his extracurricular activities. At Syracuse, he studied under poet Delmore Schwartz, who he said was”
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #quote
Far Out Magazine: The two 1960s bands Lou Reed couldn’t stand: “The most untalented bores”
- #news
- #headline
Public attention spiked: 14,867 Wikipedia readers in one day, 5.8× the usual 2,578, with 0 article edits.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #attention
- #spike
- #pageviews
Public attention spiked: 9,611 Wikipedia readers in one day, 3.7× the usual 2,578, with 2 article edits. Editors noted: Rescuing 4 sources and tagging 0 as dead.) #IABot (v2.0.9.5) (Web-julio - 29369
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #attention
- #spike
- #pageviews
2025· 3 entries
Released album “Look Out The Window (Live Denver ’89)”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
American Songwriter: How Lou Reed Shaped These 4 Iconic Singers
- #news
- #headline
Released album “Shootin’ You Up: Stockholm ’74”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
2024· 10 entries
The Guardian: Anohni review – uniquely gifted interpreter pays homage to mentor Lou Reed
- #news
- #headline
Yahoo: How Lou Reed made the defining album of his career
- #news
- #headline
The Guardian: Herbie Flowers, bassist on Lou Reed’s Walk on the Wild Side, dies aged 86
- #news
- #headline
The Guardian: ‘Optimists have happier lives’: Laurie Anderson on Bowie, Lou Reed and ‘romantic, inspiring’ JFK
- #news
- #headline
brooklynvegan: Lou Reed's pre-Velvet Underground work for Pickwick Records compiled for new album (hear "The Ostrich")
- #news
- #headline
The Guardian: ‘Hip-hop is the new avant garde’: John Cale on Lou Reed, anger and continual reinvention
- #news
- #headline
Yahoo: Lou Reed once recorded an avant-garde album consisting solely of guitar feedback
- #news
- #headline
Ultimate Classic Rock: Hear Keith Richards Cover Lou Reed’s ‘I’m Waiting for the Man’
- #news
- #headline
The Guardian: Laurie Anderson on making an AI chatbot of Lou Reed: ‘I’m totally, 100%, sadly addicted’
- #news
- #headline
Released album “Ultrasonic Recording Studio, New York 1972”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
2023· 6 entries
The Guardian: Lou Reed: The King of New York by Will Hermes review – beauty and the beast
- #news
- #headline
Released album “All Too Much (Cleveland '84 WMMS broadcast)”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
The Guardian: The Art of the Straight Line review – how tai chi brought out Lou Reed’s mild side
- #news
- #headline
Published video “Lou Reed - Open Invitation (Official Audio)”.
- #social
- #youtube
- #self-published
Rolling Stone ranked Reed at number 107 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Laurie Anderson edited The Art of the Straight Line: My Tai Chi
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2022· 12 entries
National Catholic Reporter: Lou Reed's 'Transformer' is where the wild is
- #news
- #headline
The Guardian: Lou Reed: Words & Music, May 1965 review – revelatory early cuts
- #news
- #headline
The Guardian: Laurie Anderson on Lou Reed’s lost demo tape: ‘He really wasn’t that interested in his past’
- #news
- #headline
Released album “Words & Music, May 1965”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Ultimate Classic Rock: Listen to Unheard Demo of Lou Reed’s ‘Men of Good Fortune’
- #news
- #headline
Released album “Claim to Fame: Lou Reed”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Untapped Cities: Walk on the Wild Side with Lou Reed at New York Public Library Exhibition
- #news
- #headline
The Guardian: ‘A huge labor of love’: the Lou Reed exhibition years in the making
- #news
- #headline
New York Post: Lou Reed’s surprising archives: sex store receipts and football snapshots
- #news
- #headline
The Guardian: Lou Reed’s earliest Velvet Underground demos unearthed for reissue
- #news
- #headline
Rolling Stone: This Lou Reed Demo Sat in an Envelope Unopened For Nearly 50 Years
- #news
- #headline
The Guardian: ‘They didn’t go round the corner for beer’: Lou Reed and John Cale’s Songs for Drella
- #news
- #headline
2021· 2 entries
Released album “I’m So Free: The 1971 RCA Demos”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Dust to Dust (live 1992)”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
2020· 4 entries
Released album “Live at Alice Tully Hall (January 27, 1973 – 2nd show)”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Lou Reed FM Broadcast Germany April 2000”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “When Your Heart Is Made Out of Ice”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Wild Side Radio Broadcasts (live)”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
2019· 1 entry
Was named Loureedia in his honor
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2018· 2 entries
Released album “Waiting for the Man”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
By Anthology Editions through the Lou Reed Estate
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2017· 5 entries
Published video “LouReedVEVO Live Stream”.
- #social
- #youtube
- #self-published
Released album “The Bottom Line Archive: Lou Reed & Kris Kristofferson in Their Own Words With Vin Scelsa”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Published video “Lou Reed - Dirt (Official Audio)”.
- #social
- #youtube
- #self-published
Published video “Lou Reed - Charley's Girl (Official Audio)”.
- #social
- #youtube
- #self-published
Lou Reed: A Life was published by the Rolling Stone critic Anthony DeCurtis
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2016· 6 entries
Published video “Lou Reed - Mick Rock on the Transformer Album Cover”.
- #social
- #youtube
- #self-published
Published video “Lou Reed - Mick Rock on Meeting Lou Reed”.
- #social
- #youtube
- #self-published
Released album “The RCA & Arista Album Collection”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “A Life in Music”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Waltzing Matilda (Love Has Gone Away)”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “New York in LA 1989”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
2015· 6 entries
Released album “Dealing on the Boulevard”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “The Sire Years: The Complete Albums Box”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Awarded Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2015).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Released album “The Studio Album Collection: 1989–2000”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Writer Howard Sounes, in the unofficial biography Notes From The Velvet Underground and in interviews, said many of Reed's intimates referred to him as "a prick—[
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Released album “Coffeebreak Concert, Agora 1984”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
2014· 3 entries
Released album “Thinking of Another Place”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Richard Barone and Alejandro Escovedo produced and hosted the first full-scale tribute to Lou Reed at the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, Texas, with over twenty international acts performing Reed's music
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Released album “The Sire Years: The Solo Collection”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
2013· 15 entries
Published video “Lou Reed - The Original Wrapper (Official Video)”.
- #social
- #youtube
- #self-published
Published video “Lou Reed - I Can't Stand It (Official Audio)”.
- #social
- #youtube
- #self-published
Published video “Lou Reed - Walk on the Wild Side (Official Audio)”.
- #social
- #youtube
- #self-published
Published video “Lou Reed - Downtown Dirt (Official Audio)”.
- #social
- #youtube
- #self-published
A three-hour public memorial was held near Lincoln Center's Paul Milstein Pool and Terrace
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
However, he died from liver disease at his home in East Hampton, New York, at the age of 71
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Died 2013-10-27.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #death
The day of Reed's death, Pearl Jam dedicated their song "Man of the Hour" to him at their show in Baltimore and then played "I'm Waiting for the Man"
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Released album “Original Album Series”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
“Lou Reed, o dinossauro do rock americano, em entrevista à imprensa brasileira”
- #wikiquote
- #saying
- #undated
- #lang:pt
Studied at Syracuse University (1960–2013).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #education
“Cantei no Rainbow Theatre em Londres, e ria sozinho todas as vezes que olhava para o vão de 5 metros do palco. Frank Zappa caiu dali e se quebrou todo.”
- #wikiquote
- #saying
- #undated
- #lang:pt
“Não senti a menor peninha de Jim Morrison quando ele morreu.”
- #wikiquote
- #saying
- #undated
- #lang:pt
“Nunca ouça suas coisas antigas, Se você faz isso, Então não é mais um músico, Você é somente um idiota nostálgico auto-satisfeito que não está mais interessado em inventar nada”
- #wikiquote
- #saying
- #undated
- #lang:pt
Released album “Milestones”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
2012· 1 entry
Reed collaborated with indie rock band Metric on "The Wanderlust", the tenth track on their fifth studio album Synthetica
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2011· 3 entries
Released album “Lulu”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “All Time Best”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Live Performances: 1972 & 1974”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
2010· 1 entry
Reed was featured on the song "Some Kind of Nature" by Gorillaz, from their third studio album Plastic Beach
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2009· 3 entries
Released album “Perfect Day: The Best of Lou Reed”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Greatest Hits”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “The Best of Lou Reed”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
2008· 5 entries
Released album “Berlin: Live at St Ann's Warehouse”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Greatest Hits: Steel Box Collection”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Playlist: The Very Best of Lou Reed”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “The Stone: Issue Three”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Original Album Classics”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
2007· 5 entries
Released album “Metal Machine Music”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Hudson River Wind Meditations”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Lou Reed / Transformer”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Frustrate and Antagonize”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Lou Reed’s Berlin: A Film By Julian Schnabel”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
2006· 1 entry
Released album “Collections”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
2005· 1 entry
Released album “Classic Rock Masters”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
2004· 4 entries
Released album “Greatest Hits: NYC Man”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Animal Serenade”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Platinum & Gold Collection”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
A Groovefinder remix of his song "Satellite of Love", called "Satellite of Love '04", was released
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2003· 4 entries
Released album “NYC Man: The Collection”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “The Raven”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Reed released a book of photographs, Emotions in Action
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Rolling Stone included it in their list of the 500 greatest albums of all time
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2002· 1 entry
Released album “Legendary”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
2001· 3 entries
The New York Times published a Reed poem called "Laurie Sadly Listening" in which he reflects on the September 11 attacks (also referred to as 9/11)
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Reed made a cameo appearance in the movie adaptation of Prozac Nation
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Caused by a hoax email (purporting to be from Reuters) which said he had died of a drug overdose
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2000· 3 entries
Released album “Ecstasy”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “The Wild Side”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Méér dan het beste van 1972–1986”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
1999· 2 entries
Released album “The Very Best of Lou Reed”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “The Definitive Collection”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
1998· 2 entries
Released album “Perfect Night: Live in London”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
The New York Times observed that in the 1970s, Reed had a distinctive persona: "Back then he was publicly gay, pretended to shoot heroin onstage, and cultivated a 'Dachau panda' look, with cropped peroxide hair and black
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1997· 3 entries
Released album “Perfect Day”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “The Masters”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
The BBC created a version of "Perfect Day" which featured many artists, including Reed
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1996· 3 entries
Released album “Different Times: Lou Reed in the 70s”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Set the Twilight Reeling”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Le Bataclan ’72”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
1995· 3 entries
Released album “The Best of Lou Reed & The Velvet Underground”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Essential Lou Reed”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Reed made a cameo appearance in the unreleased video game Penn & Teller's Smoke and Mirrors
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1994· 1 entry
Appeared in A Celebration: The Music of Pete Townshend and The Who
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1993· 3 entries
Released album “Walk on the Wild Side: Live in New York 1972”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released ep “Why Can’t I Be Good / Faraway, So Close! / Chaos”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “A Retrospective”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
1992· 2 entries
Released album “Between Thought and Expression: The Lou Reed Anthology”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Magic and Loss”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
1990· 3 entries
Released album “Songs for Drella”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Walk on the Wild Side & Other Hits”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
The first Velvet Underground lineup reformed for a Fondation Cartier benefit show in France
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1989· 4 entries
Released album “Retro: Best of Lou Reed”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “New York”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “American Poet”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Pop Classics”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
1987· 1 entry
Released album “Wild Child”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
1986· 2 entries
Released album “City Lights (Classic Performances by Lou Reed)”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Mistrial”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
1985· 1 entry
Reed performed at the first Farm Aid concert in Champaign, Illinois
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1984· 2 entries
Released album “New Sensations”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Live in Italy”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
1983· 1 entry
Released album “Legendary Hearts”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
1982· 3 entries
Released album “The Blue Mask”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Historia de la música rock - 27”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Reed recorded "My House" from his album The Blue Mask as a tribute to his late mentor
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1980· 3 entries
Released album “Rock and Roll Diary 1967–1980”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Growing Up in Public”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
"Reed renounced druggy theatrics, even swore off intoxicants themselves, and became openly heterosexual, openly married
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1979· 2 entries
Released album “The Bells”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Bowie and Reed fell out during a late-night meeting which led to Reed hitting Bowie
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1978· 2 entries
Released album “Street Hassle”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Live: Take No Prisoners”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
1977· 1 entry
Released album “Walk on the Wild Side: The Best of Lou Reed”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
1976· 1 entry
Released album “Rock and Roll Heart”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
1975· 2 entries
Released album “Coney Island Baby”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Lou Reed Live”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
1974· 2 entries
Released album “Rock n Roll Animal”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Sally Can’t Dance”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
1973· 1 entry
Released album “Berlin”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
1972· 2 entries
Released album “Transformer”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
Released album “Lou Reed”.
- #musicbrainz
- #release
- #work
1971· 1 entry
And recorded his first solo album at Morgan Studios in Willesden, London, with session musicians including Steve Howe and Rick Wakeman of the English progressive rock band Yes
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1967· 1 entry
And parted ways with Warhol shortly thereafter
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1964· 1 entry
To work as an in-house songwriter for Pickwick Records
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1961· 1 entry
Began hosting a late-night radio program on WAER called Excursions on a Wobbly Rail
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1960· 1 entry
Studying journalism, film directing, and creative writing
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1942· 2 entries
At Beth-El Hospital (now Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center) in Brownsville, Brooklyn, New York City, and grew up in suburban Freeport, New York, on Long Island
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
Born 1942-03-02.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #birth