Barbra Streisand: the Music, the Albums, the Singles

On February 25, 1963, Columbia Records launched The Barbra Streisand Album, marking the emergence of Barbra Joan Streisand as a significant musical talent. The opening track, "Cry Me a River," showcased her unique blend of personality and vocal skills, which were highly praised by notable figures in music such as Stephen Sondheim, who referred to her voice as among the best in the world, emphasizing her intensity and passion. Harold Arlen, another prominent composer, noted her remarkable potential. In an era dominated by male rock bands like the Beatles and the Beach Boys, Streisand, a twenty-year-old from Brooklyn, not only reached No. 1 on the charts but continued to achieve this feat every subsequent decade, solidifying her status as the best-selling female recording artist in history.