| 1985 | Released her self-titled debut album on A&M Records, which included the UK Top 40 hit 'Marlene on the Wall' and established her as a leading voice in folk-tinged singer-songwriter music. |
| 1986 | 'Left of Center,' written for the 'Pretty in Pink' soundtrack, became her second UK Top 40 single and brought her artistry to a mainstream film audience. |
| 1987 | Released 'Solitude Standing,' featuring 'Luka', a landmark song narrating child abuse from the perspective of the child, which reached the UK and US Top 40. |
| 1990 | Saw 'Tom's Diner', originally released a cappella on 'Solitude Standing', remixed by British electronic duo DNA into a Top 10 hit in more than five countries; the song was later used as a test track in the development of the MP3 format. |
| 1992 | Released '99.9 F°,' a critically praised studio album featuring the alt-rock single 'Blood Makes Noise,' showcasing a harder, more electric sound. |
| 2016 | Released 'Lover, Beloved: Songs from an Evening with Carson McCullers,' a theatrical song cycle exploring the life of the Southern Gothic author, marking her ninth studio album. |
| 2020 | Released 'An Evening of New York Songs and Stories,' a live album recorded at the Café Carlyle featuring her most New York-centric repertoire, including 'Frank and Ava' and 'New York Is a Woman.' |
| 2020 | Performed 55 concerts across Europe and North America as part of the 'An Evening of New York Songs and Stories' tour, including a sold-out date at Brighton's Theatre Royal. |
| 2023 | Launched the 'Old Songs, New Songs and Other Songs' tour with a UK run culminating at London's Royal Festival Hall, previewing material from her forthcoming album alongside career-spanning favorites. |
| 2025 | Released 'Flying With Angels,' her tenth studio album and first record of all-new material in over a decade, produced by longtime collaborator and David Bowie guitarist Gerry Leonard. |