{
  "slug": "sam-cooke",
  "name": "Sam Cooke",
  "description": "Sam Cooke appears 2 times in our Soul and The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred lists, placing as high as No. 2. Hand-curated, with a reason for every pick.",
  "updated": "2026-08-29",
  "url": "https://waxonia.com/artist/sam-cooke/",
  "appearanceCount": 2,
  "distinctRecordings": 1,
  "years": {
    "first": 1964,
    "last": 1964
  },
  "highestPlacing": {
    "rank": 2,
    "list": "Soul"
  },
  "appearsOn": [
    {
      "kind": "genre",
      "slug": "soul",
      "name": "Soul",
      "url": "https://waxonia.com/genre/soul/",
      "entries": 1
    },
    {
      "kind": "curator",
      "slug": "the-desk-the-hundred",
      "name": "The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred",
      "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-the-hundred/",
      "entries": 1
    }
  ],
  "tracks": [
    {
      "trackKey": "sam-cooke--a-change-is-gonna-come",
      "trackUrl": "https://waxonia.com/track/sam-cooke--a-change-is-gonna-come/",
      "title": "A Change Is Gonna Come",
      "year": 1964,
      "label": "RCA Victor",
      "isrc": null,
      "whyItMatters": "Cooke heard Blowin' in the Wind and was annoyed that a white folk singer had got there first. The strings are almost unbearable, and no record on this site carries more weight per bar.",
      "alsoOn": [
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-the-hundred",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-the-hundred/"
        }
      ],
      "links": {
        "spotify": {
          "url": "https://open.spotify.com/search/Sam%20Cooke%20A%20Change%20Is%20Gonna%20Come",
          "exact": false
        },
        "youtubeMusic": {
          "url": "https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=wEBlaMOmKV4",
          "exact": true
        }
      },
      "rank": 2,
      "on": {
        "kind": "genre",
        "slug": "soul",
        "name": "Soul",
        "url": "https://waxonia.com/genre/soul/"
      },
      "artist": "Sam Cooke"
    },
    {
      "trackKey": "sam-cooke--a-change-is-gonna-come",
      "trackUrl": "https://waxonia.com/track/sam-cooke--a-change-is-gonna-come/",
      "title": "A Change Is Gonna Come",
      "year": 1964,
      "label": "RCA Victor",
      "isrc": null,
      "whyItMatters": "More weight per bar than anything else in this list. The strings are almost unbearable and the restraint in the vocal is the reason.",
      "alsoOn": [
        {
          "kind": "genre",
          "slug": "soul",
          "name": "Soul",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/genre/soul/"
        }
      ],
      "links": {
        "spotify": {
          "url": "https://open.spotify.com/search/Sam%20Cooke%20A%20Change%20Is%20Gonna%20Come",
          "exact": false
        },
        "youtubeMusic": {
          "url": "https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=wEBlaMOmKV4",
          "exact": true
        }
      },
      "rank": null,
      "on": {
        "kind": "curator",
        "slug": "the-desk-the-hundred",
        "name": "The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred",
        "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-the-hundred/"
      },
      "artist": "Sam Cooke"
    }
  ],
  "curates": null
}