Violent Femmes discography

This is the discography of Violent Femmes, a Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based alternative rock group, which consists of ten studio albums, 19 singles, five live albums and four compilation albums, in addition to a number of miscellaneous appearances on soundtracks and compilations featuring various artists. This list does not include solo material by any of the bands' members.

Violent Femmes discography
Studio albums	10
Live albums	5
Compilation albums	4
Video albums	3
Music videos	11
EPs	1
Singles	19
Miscellaneous	16

Violent Femmes was formed in 1980 by vocalist/guitarist Gordon Gano, bassist Brian Ritchie and drummer Victor DeLorenzo, finding immediate success with the release of their self-titled debut album in early 1983. Featuring "Blister in the Sun", "Kiss Off", "Add It Up" and "Gone Daddy Gone", Violent Femmes became the band's biggest-selling album and was eventually certified platinum by the RIAA.[1] Although the sales success of their debut was never matched, The Blind Leading the Naked (1986), 3 (1989), Why Do Birds Sing? (1991) and New Times (1994) all peaked at higher chart positions on the Billboard 200. Throughout their career, Violent Femmes' popularity remained consistent, especially in Australia where four of their albums made the Top 40 and the debut stayed on the charts for seven months. The songs "Nightmares" and "American Music" cracked the top five on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart.[2] The group would go on to become one of the most commercially successful alternative rock acts of the 1980s and 1990s, selling over 9 million albums by 2005.[3] In 2009, Gano released a statement announcing the bands' break-up.[4] However, Violent Femmes reformed in 2013, and released We Can Do Anything (their first studio album in 16 years) in 2016.[5]

Albums

Studio albums

Year	Album details	Chart peaks										Certifications (sales thresholds)
		US [6]	US Indie [7]	AUS [8]	BEL (Vl.) [9]	BEL (Wa.) [10]	CAN [11]	GER [12]	NZ [13]	SWE [14]	UK [15]
1983	Violent Femmes Released: April 1983[16][17] Label: Slash (23845) Formats: CD, cassette (CS), LP	171	—	31	—	—	—	—	36	—	—	RIAA: Platinum[18] ARIA: 2× Platinum[19]
1984	Hallowed Ground Released: June 1984 Label: Slash (25094) Formats: CD, CS, LP	—	—	56	—	—	—	—	39	—	—
1986	The Blind Leading the Naked Released: March 1986 Labels: Warner Bros., Slash (25340) Formats: CD, CS, LP	84	—	31	—	—	77	—	6	27	81
1989	3 Released: February 1989 Labels: Warner Bros., Slash (25819) Formats: CD, CS, LP	93	—	64	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1991	Why Do Birds Sing? Released: April 30, 1991 Labels: Slash, Reprise (26476) Formats: CD, CS, LP	141	—	26	—	—	—	67	31	—	—	ARIA: Gold[19]
1994	New Times Released: May 17, 1994 Label: Elektra (61553) Formats: CD, CS, LP	90	—	60	—	—	67	95	—	—	—
1995	Rock!!!!! Released: 1995 (Australia), 2000 (US) Label: Mushroom (93424) Format: CD, CS	—	—	30	—	—	—	—	33	—	—
2000	Freak Magnet Released: February 22, 2000 Labels: Beyond Music, BMG Entertainment (78058) Format: CD	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2016	We Can Do Anything Released: March 4, 2016 Label: PIAS America (PIASR420CDX [CD]; PIASR420LP [LP]) Format: CD, LP, download	184	9	59	153	147	—	—	—	—	—
2019	Hotel Last Resort Released: July 26, 2019 Label: PIAS America (PIASR1100) Format: CD, LP, download	—	29	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

Live albums

Year	Album details
1999	Viva Wisconsin Released: November 23, 1999 Labels: Beyond Music, BMG Entertainment (78024) Format: CD
2005	BBC Live Released: August 2, 2005 Label: Hux Records (065) Format: CD
2006	Archive Series No. 1: Live in Iceland Released: July 27, 2006 Label: Add It Up Productions (01) Format: CD
	Archive Series No. 2: Live in Chicago Q101 Released: September 2006 Label: Add It Up Productions (02) Format: CD
2017	2 Mics & the Truth: Unplugged & Unhinged in America[20][21] Released: July 7, 2017 Label: PIAS America (PIASR975CD) Format: CD, LP

Compilation albums

Year	Album details	Chart peaks				Certifications (sales thresholds)
		US [6]	AUS [8]	CAN [11]	NZ [13]
1990	Debacle: The First Decade Released: 1990 Label: Liberation Records (30477) Formats: CD, CS, LP	—	39	—	41
1993	Add It Up (1981–1993) Released: September 14, 1993 Labels: Slash Records, Reprise Records (45403) Formats: CD, CS, 2xLP	146	45	58	30	RIAA: Gold[18] ARIA: Gold[22]
2001	Something's Wrong Released: August 2001 Label: eMusic.com Format: Digital download	—	—	—	—
2005	Permanent Record: The Very Best of Violent Femmes Released: July 12, 2005 Label: Rhino Entertainment (78472) Format: CD	—	—	—	—
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

EPs

Year	EP details
2015	Happy New Year[23] Released April 18, 2015 Label: Add It Up Productions (VF001) Format: 180-gram clear vinyl EP

Singles

Retail singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions		Album
		US Mod [24]	AUS [8]
1983	"Gone Daddy Gone"	—	—	Violent Femmes
	"Ugly"	—	—	Non-album single
1984	"It's Gonna Rain"	—	—	Hallowed Ground
1986	"Children of the Revolution"	—	54	The Blind Leading the Naked
	"I Held Her in My Arms"	—	—
1989	"Nightmares"	4	—	3
1991	"American Music"	2	—	Why Do Birds Sing?
	"Do You Really Want to Hurt Me"	—	—
	"Used to Be"	—	90
1993	"I Held Her in My Arms" (alt. version)	—	—	Add It Up (1981–1993)
1994	"Machine"	—	—	New Times
	"Breakin' Up"	12	—
1995	"Tonight"	—	62	Rock!!!!!
2000	"All I Want"	—	—	Freak Magnet
	"Sleepwalkin'"	—	—
2008	"Crazy"	—	—	Non-album single
2016	"Memory"/"You Move Me" (Record Store Day 2016 release)	—	—	We Can Do Anything
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

Promotional singles

Year	Single	Album
1994	"Don't Start Me on the Liquor"	New Times
1995	"She Went to Germany"	Rock!!!!!
1997	"Blister in the Sun"	Grosse Pointe Blank OST

Music videos

Year	Song	Director(s)
1983	"Gone Daddy Gone"	Douglas Martin Steven Martin
1986	"Children of the Revolution"	Mick Haggerty
1989	"Nightmares"	Martin Atkins
1991	"American Music"	Adam Bernstein
	"Used to Be"	Phil Waters
1993	"I Held Her in My Arms"	Mick Haggerty
1994	"Breakin' Up"
	"Machine"	Sean Casey
1995	"Tonight"
1997	"Blister in the Sun"	Evan Bernard
2000	"All I Want"	Dominic Engel
2015	"Love Love Love Love Love"	Jake Brebes
	"Good For/At Nothing"	Harley Hefford
2016	"Memory"
	"Issues"	David Gladstein

Video albums

Year	Title
2005	Permanent Record: Live & Otherwise Released: July 12, 2005 Label: Rhino Entertainment (970428) Format: DVD
2006	No, Let's Start Over Released: March 28, 2006 Label: Universal Music Group (0602498756775) Format: DVD
2007	Live at the Hacienda Released: December 11, 2007 Label: Cherry Red (CRDVD163) Format: DVD

Soundtracks and compilations

Year	Title	Track(s)	Note(s)
1987	I Was a Teenage Zombie: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack	"Good Feeling"
1991	Triple J's Live At The Wireless 2	"Kiss Off" (live)
	never mind the mainstream...The Best of MTV's 120 Minutes: Vol. 2	"Gone Daddy Gone"
1994	The Crow: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack	"Color Me Once"
	Woodstock 94	"Dance, Motherfucker, Dance!/Kiss Off" (live)
1995	Step Right Up: The Songs of Tom Waits	"Step Right Up"
	Saturday Morning: Cartoons' Greatest Hits	"Eep Opp Ork Ah-ah (Means I Love You)"	From The Jetsons.
1997	Grosse Pointe Blank Soundtrack	"Blister in the Sun"	Although it appears on the soundtrack, "Blister 2000" does not appear in the actual film.
		"Blister 2000"
1998	MTV's 120 Minutes Live	"Kiss Off" (live)
1999	End Sessions: The End 107.7	"Fat" (live)
	South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut: Music From and Inspired by the Motion Picture	"I Swear It (I Can Change)"	The Femmes' rendition of "I Can Change" does not appear in the actual film.
	Mystery Men: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack	"No More Heroes"
	The Best of KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas: Volume One	"Blister in the Sun" (live)	From Acoustic Christmas 1993.
2000	Y100 Sonic Sessions: Volume Four	"Add It Up"
2002	Discrespective: Big Day Out	"Girl Trouble" (live)
2006	Rocket Science: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack	"Blister in the Sun"	Instrumental covers of "Blister in the Sun" and "Add It Up" by Sam Matthews and Houfei Tang also appear in the film.
		"Kiss Off"
2007	Triple J's Live at the Wireless: From the Vaults	"Blister in the Sun" (live)

References

1. "RIAA Gold & Platinum Database". February 1, 1991. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
2. "Violent Femmes Album & Song Chart History". Retrieved February 20, 2011.
3. "SA is set to be rocked". Archived from the original on December 13, 2013. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
4. "Yeproc.com". Yeproc.com. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
5. Bray, Ryan (March 4, 2016). "Album Review: Violent Femmes – We Can Do Anything". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved July 27, 2017.
6. "Violent Femmes Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
7. "Violent Femmes Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
8. Australian chart peaks:
   • Top 100 (Kent Music Report) peaks to June 19, 1988: Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St. Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 330. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. N.B. the Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid-1983 and June 19, 1988.
   • Top 50 (ARIA Chart) peaks from June 26, 1988: "australian-charts.com > Violent Femmes in Australian Charts". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
   • 3 (ARIA Chart) peak: "Chartifacts – Week Ending: 23 Jun 1991 (from The ARIA Report Issue No. 74)". Imgur.com (original document published by ARIA). Retrieved January 1, 2017.
   • Top 100 (ARIA Chart) peaks from January 1990 to December 2010: Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
   • "Tonight" (ARIA Chart) peak: "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 14 May 1995". Imgur.com (original document published by ARIA). Retrieved April 25, 2017.
   • We Can Do Anything (ARIA Chart) peak: "The ARIA Report Issue #1360" (PDF). Pandora Archive (original document published by ARIA). Retrieved January 1, 2017.
9. "Violent Femmes – We Can Do Anything" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
10. "Violent Femmes – We Can Do Anything" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
11. Canadian albums chart position:
    • The Blind Leading the Naked: "Albums (CD's & Cassette)". RPM. Vol. 44 no. 2. April 5, 1986. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
    • Add It Up: "Albums (CD's & Cassette)". RPM. Vol. 58 no. 17. November 6, 1993. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
    • New Times: "Albums (CD's & Cassette)". RPM. Vol. 59 no. 22. June 20, 1994. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
12. Official German chart positions for albums:
    • Why Do Birds Sing?: "Why Do Birds Sing?". Offizielle Deutsche Charts (in German). Retrieved August 10, 2020.
    • New Times: "New Times". Offizielle Deutsche Charts (in German). Retrieved August 10, 2020.
13. "Violent Femmes Discography". Hung Median New Zealand Charts. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
14. "Violent Femmes Discography". Swedish Hung Medien Charts Portal. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
15. "Violent Femmes | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
16. "Violent Femmes – Violent Femmes at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
17. "The Billboard Book of Gold & Platinum Records," 1989
18. "American album certifications – Violent Femmes". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 15, 2020. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
19. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
20. "Violent Femmes Announce Live Album". pastemagazine.com. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
21. "Two Mics & The Truth: Unplugged & Unhinged In America". July 21, 2017. Retrieved July 22, 2017 – via Amazon.
22. "http://www.aria.com.au/pages/ARIACharts-Accreditations-2007Albums.htm". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved July 22, 2017. External link in |title= (help)
23. "Violent Femmes Releasing EP for Record Store Day". ARTISTdirect. Retrieved March 7, 2015.
24. "Violent Femmes Chart History: Alternative Songs". Billboard. Retrieved June 15, 2020.