I’ve collected quite a few Tarot music albums over the years so I thought I’d share what I have. I ask you to contribute to this list in the comments section. I link mainly to amazon but you’ll find many of these on iTunes and probably other places on the web. Forgive the dearth of commentary but, lacking a musical background, I feel unqualified to speak of the characteristics of each album.
I begin with my personal favorite (otherwise the list is in no particular order). It might not even be a tarot album except that the CD cover features the Star and the Fool. Still, listen to the story-telling folk-style lyrics and tell me this is not about the Fool’s journey through the cards: Pilgrims by Eliza Gilkyson.
Tarot by Réjean Paquin. Serious musical compositions for the 22 Major Arcana (with voice/sounds reflecting social commentary). There is plenty of variety that accords well with each Arcana.
Tarots, composed by Tomás Marco, guitar by Juan Carlos Laguna. Booklet in Spanish and English. Classical guitar pieces for the Major Arcana.
Tarot Music for Readings by Gene Newton. New Age, synthesizer, meditative. Not much variation.
Music of the Tarot by David & Steve Gordon. Meditative space-music with 3 pieces that cover the 22 Major Arcana and separate pieces for each suit of the Minors.
The Power of a New Aeon: Musical Impressions of the Tarot by mixed artists. Two-CD set. A selection for each card of the Major Arcana. The styles vary widely but seem to emphasize heavy metal (?).
The Book of Thoth: A Musical Interpretation of the Tarot by Zehm Aloim. This album doesn’t seem to be readily available but you’ll find a review here. Music for six of the Arcana. Zehm Aloim also created music to go with several Israel Regardie Golden Dawn training audios (found on iTunes).
Tarot: a musical and spiritual album inspired by the Tarot, music by Kevin Kendle; text by Steve Hounsome. New Age, mystical, covers the Fool through Wheel of Fortune.
Tarot Keys by Ruth Ann Amberstone. Collection of piano improvisations for the Major Arcana composed in the key of the musical note assigned to that card by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.
Cups of the Heart: A Musical & Poetic Journey into the Minor Arcana by Emerald Joy and Paul Tye. Poetic visualizations narrated to music for the Suit of Cups.
Tarot Suite by Mike Batt and friends. I only have the vinyl and haven’t listened to it in 30+ years. Now available on amazon mixed with another Batt album.
Osho Zen Tarot: Music from the World of Osho is not actually tarot-related but is, rather, spiritual, India-influenced New Age music taken from other Osho music collections. You may enjoy reading the cards while listening to it.
Voyage of the Acolyte by Steve Hackett (thanks to P.D. Newman).
Teargarden By Kaleidyscope from Smashing Pumpkins (thanks to P.D. Newman).
Turn of the Cards from Renaissance (thanks to P.D. Newman). Described as classical/prog rock. The only direct tarot connection seems to be the cover and title. Nice.
Tarot: “Die Welt” by Walter Wegmüller (thanks to Bertrand Saint-Guillain), Described as the “funkiest of funk”; Vol. 2 with images from Wegmüller’s deck found on Youtube here.
How could I have forgotten this one? Tales from the Realm of the Queen of Pentacles by Suzanne Vega. Several songs on this album are tarot-based by title or otherwise.
The Fool’s Journey: Solo by Liz Deyoe. Instrumental guitar. Ten pieces, each named after one of the 78 cards. Lovely.
Note: There is a heavy metal band from Finland named Tarot but I’m unaware of any tarot card-related music by them.
You’ll find plenty of individual tarot-based songs and tunes on non-tarot albums. The best of which is “The Wheel” by Rosemary Cash, while others, like “Pokerface” by Lady Gaga and “She Only Smokes When She Drinks” by Joe Nichols, feature tarot primarily through images in their music videos (as “The Wheel” also does brilliantly!). Others can be found by looking through my blog category: Tarot Music Videos.
Joe Nichols music video with tarot reading at end.
Please mention your favorite songs in the comments along with why you like them.
Added to individual songs: Cassandra Wilson, sings “Tarot” on her album, Thunderbird (thanks to Charlie Harrington). “The Fool” from Hills and Rivers (thanks to Dovid DeHay). “Six of Swords” and “Four of Cups” from HobbyHorse (thanks to their vocalist Annie Aronson). “Tarot” by Chad Shank (thanks to Chad Shank); it’s really good!
Watch Xena: Warrior Princess Episode, “Bitter Suite,” available on youtube for only $1.99. The entire episode is sung, beautifully! It’s well-worth it. More info here including the Tarot references and sources for these.
A third category would be music that you play when you want to do deep work with the tarot, either for reading or meditation. My favorite deep trance-meditation music for tarot is El-Hadra the Mystic Dance by Klaus Wiese.
Mary K. Greer has made tarot her life work. Check here for reports of goings-on in the world of tarot and cartomancy, articles on the history and practice of tarot, and materials on other cartomancy decks. Sorry, I no longer write reviews. Contact me
Mary K. Greer's Tarot Blog 
22 comments
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October 22, 2018 at 2:15 pm
Amelia Caddy Tarot
This is incredible! I’m afraid I don’t have any music to add, but I can’t wait to get started on the songs you’ve mentioned.
October 22, 2018 at 3:14 pm
mvanderpotmckee
Ooooh! I love it. I have been working on something similar, where I try to match individual songs (or just a fragment) to something about the energy of the card… For example: “Waiting for the Miracle” by Leonard Cohen for The Hanged Man (also “Time Is On My Side” by The Rolling Stones). Or, say, “Secret Garden” by Bruce Springsteen for 9 of Pentacles. That kind of thing. I’ve got a bunch but not the whole deck yet…
October 22, 2018 at 3:43 pm
mkg
Amelia,
Enjoy your journey. You may want to do what is suggested in the next comment after yours.
Mary
October 22, 2018 at 3:45 pm
mkg
mvanderpotmckee,
Diane Wilkes created a mix of her favorite songs for each Major Arcana and you’ll probably find others on the web. It’s a fabulous thing to do.
Mary
October 22, 2018 at 3:55 pm
Martha Vanderpot McKee
I’ll take a look for that, thanks!
October 22, 2018 at 9:22 pm
Annie
I have two Tarot inspired songs to contribute to your collection. They are written and performed by my acoustic duo, Hobbyhorse.
Six of Swords: https://hobbyhorse.bandcamp.com/track/six-of-swords-2
Four of Cups: https://hobbyhorse.bandcamp.com/track/four-of-cups
October 23, 2018 at 2:13 pm
mkg
Thanks, Annie. These are true tarot songs. I’ve added them above.
October 25, 2018 at 4:43 pm
Kevin Peters
Well, the first thing that comes to mind is the song “Tarot Woman” by Rainbow, from their 1976 album “Rainbow Rising”. But, the song isn’t really going to win any fans from Tarot lovers. It’s a bit cliche, with the Tarot reader as a foreboding fortune teller messing with the singer’s mojo. The chorus is:
Beware of a place
A smile on her bright shining face
I’ll never return
How do you know, tarot woman?
I don’t know
In the same genre (70s hard rock), but only as images rather than songs, is the use of the Hermit on the inside jacket of the album Led Zeppelin IV, and later an acted recreation of the Hermit image (as the goal of Jimmy Page’s mountaineering efforts) in the Led Zeppelin film, The Song Remains the Same.
October 25, 2018 at 7:49 pm
Ruth Ann Amberstone
Thanks for mentioning my Tarot Keys album, Mary! People can read more about it and listen to sample clips here: http://tarotschool.com/Music.html
October 26, 2018 at 9:38 am
Marion
Hi everyone!
If anyone here is from the West of Germany: There is a small theatre group in Oberhausen, at the “Theater an der Niebu(h)rg”. Every year, they perform a musical named Tarot. In February 2019, there will even be a movie version played at the Lichtburg Cinema in Essen.
The story deals with the devil himself and a female magician. They know each other since the beginning of time, because they play a game for the souls of humans. Tarot is as well their weapon of choice and the rules for the game. Every time a card is drawn, either by the devil or by the magician, time freezes on stage and the magician turns to the audience to explain the card – in general as well as in context of the story. This time, they play for the soul of a young girl on a funfair.
The dealing of the authors with Tarot is quite serious. This is not the Death card followed by a murder.
So, dear Germans, go check it out, I loved it. (All the rest of the world: please pardon my grammar…….)
October 26, 2018 at 10:53 am
mkg
Kevin, thank you for this great information. I’m trying to focus on the music itself but I’m sure people who read the comments will appreciate what you have to say. I’ll check out the song you mention and decide if it is worth adding to the text above.
Mary
October 26, 2018 at 11:00 am
mkg
Ruth Ann,
I love your piano pieces! What a gift to us from someone who knows tarot so deeply.
Mary
October 26, 2018 at 11:03 am
mkg
Marion,
Thank you for letting us know about the musical “Tarot” that is performed every year in Germany. I so wish I could see it – even though I won’t understand the words. If they ever produce a YouTube video please let us know.
Mary
October 27, 2018 at 6:37 am
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October 31, 2018 at 6:50 am
Steve Hounsome
Lovely to see my album with Kevin Kendle listed on here – sadly long deleted as far as I’m aware. I can however, add an album to the list – The Enid ‘In the Region of the Summer Stars’ – this was their first album and based on the Tarot – tracks such as The Fool, The Lovers and the amazing Judgement/Summer Stars. It was released in 1976 and is still available from their website – best described as ‘symphonic prog rock, a true blend of classical and rock music. I have loved it for years!
November 4, 2018 at 5:21 am
rataplata
Just a few days ago, I came across this book/zine:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheTarotCat?ref=l2-shopheader-name
It contains interviews with musicians who used tarot in creating their music, wrote songs about tarot, etc.
Really interesting stuff!
November 4, 2018 at 7:49 am
mkg
Rataplata,
Thank you for this. I’ve just ordered it and will report once I get a chance to read it. One of my favorite singer/songwriters, Wendy Rule, is on the cover of the ezine.
November 4, 2018 at 1:57 pm
mkg
Just listened to it on YouTube. Will add it above when I can.
November 25, 2018 at 9:36 am
marcella
Allow me to add the Hermit related album Led Zeppelin IV
November 25, 2018 at 5:55 pm
mkg
Marcella,
Oh, yes. Thank you. Are any of the songs Tarot related, too?
Mary
January 13, 2019 at 9:28 am
The Strolling Fool
Another vote for ‘Tarot Woman’ by Rainbow. Along with ‘Live & Let Die’ it was an essential early influence 🙂
September 7, 2020 at 12:49 am
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