James Taylor discography

The discography of James Taylor, an American singer-songwriter, consists of seventeen studio albums, six compilation albums, at least five live albums, one tribute album, nine video albums, one extended play, and forty singles.

James Taylor discography
James Taylor in concert in 2008.
Studio albums19
Live albums4
Compilation albums7
Video albums7
Music videos15
EPs1
Singles40
Tribute albums1
No. 1 Singles6
Other charted songs4

Taylor signed his first recording contract with Apple Records, where he released his self-titled debut album in 1969. Prior to signing with Apple, Taylor released the single "Night Owl" with the group The Flying Machine. An album of their recordings, James Taylor and the Original Flying Machine was released in 1971 and reached #74 on the U. S. pop charts. Taylor released his second studio album Sweet Baby James on Warner Bros. Records in 1970. Its lead single "Fire and Rain" became a significant international hit and gained Taylor his first major exposure as an artist.[1] In April 1971, Taylor released his third studio album Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon, which became his second album to certify multi-platinum in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America and featured his first number one single "You've Got a Friend".[1][2] In 1972 and 1973, he released his fourth studio album, One Man Dog and his fifth, Walking Man; both peaked within the Top 20 on the Billboard 200 albums list.[3]

After releasing more albums between 1974 and 1976, Taylor signed with Columbia Records and issued JT in 1977, which peaked in the Top 5 and sold over two million copies in the United States, certifying two times multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.[1][2] In 1979 and 1981, Taylor respectively released Flag and Dad Loves His Work, which both certified platinum in the United States and produced Top 40 singles. Nearly four years later, Taylor's next studio album That's Why I'm Here was released and spawned a cover of Buddy Holly's "Everyday", which only became a minor hit in the United States. This was followed by Never Die Young three years later and then by New Moon Shine in 1991, both of which sold over one million copies. After recording a two-disc live album in 1993, Taylor returned in 1997 with a fourteenth studio album entitled Hourglass. The album not only peaked at #9 on the Billboard 200, but also received a Grammy Award for Best Pop Album the following year.[1][3] His fifteenth studio release October Road was issued on August 13, 2002 on Sony BMG[4] and certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.[2] After recording a limited release holiday album in 2004, Taylor released his first major-release holiday album, James Taylor at Christmas on October 10, 2006.[5]

One Man Band was released in 2007 and certified gold in the United States.[2] This was followed by Taylor's first cover album in 2008 on the Hear Music label. There was also an extended play sequel entitled Other Covers in 2009.[1] In 2015, Taylor released another live album, Georgia On My Mind: Live in Atlanta, 1981, and another studio album, Before This World.

Studio albums

1960s

Title Album details Peak positions
US
[6]
James Taylor 62

1970s

Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales threshold)
US
[6]
CAN
[7]
NOR
[8]
NL
[9]
NZ
[10]
UK
[11]
Sweet Baby James
  • Release date: February 1970
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
  • Formats: LP, 8-track
3 3 6
Mud Slide Slim and
the Blue Horizon
  • Release date: March 16, 1971
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
  • Formats: LP, 8-track
2 4 17 4
  • US: 2× Platinum[14]
One Man Dog
  • Release date: November 1, 1972
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
  • Formats: LP, 8-track
4 7 27
Walking Man
  • Release date: June 1, 1974
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
  • Formats: LP, 8-track
13 11
Gorilla
  • Release date: May 1, 1975
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
  • Formats: LP, 8-track
6
  • US: Gold
In the Pocket
  • Release date: June 1976
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
  • Formats: LP, 8-track
16 17 14
JT 4 2 31
Flag
  • Release date: May 1979
  • Label: Columbia Records
  • Formats: LP, 8-track
10 9 17 17 50
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

1980s

Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales threshold)
US
[6]
CAN
[7]
NOR
[8]
NL
[9]
NZ
[10]
UK
[11]
Dad Loves His Work
  • Release date: March 1981
  • Label: Columbia Records
  • Formats: CD, LP, 8-track
10 40 20 20 29
That's Why I'm Here
  • Release date: October 1985
  • Label: Columbia Records
  • Formats: CD, LP, cassette
34
Never Die Young
  • Release date: January 1988
  • Label: Columbia Records
  • Formats: CD, LP, cassette
25 37
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

1990s

Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales threshold)
US
[6]
CAN
[7]
NOR
[8]
NL
[9]
UK
[11]
New Moon Shine
  • Release date: September 24, 1991
  • Label: Columbia Records
  • Formats: CD, LP, cassette
37
Hourglass
  • Release date: May 20, 1997
  • Label: Columbia Records
  • Formats: CD, LP, cassette, SACD
9 52 38 38 52
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

2000s

Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales threshold)
US
[6]
CAN
[25]
NOR
[8]
NL
[9]
UK
[11]
October Road
  • Release date: August 13, 2002
  • Label: Sony BMG
  • Formats: CD, LP
4 33 40 39
A Christmas Album
  • Release date: November 1, 2004
  • Label: Hallmark
  • Formats: CD, music download
122
16
Covers 4 21 85 23

2010s

Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales threshold)
US
[6]
CAN
[25]
NOR
[8]
NL
[9]
UK
[11]
Before This World 1 10 16 13 4
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

2020s

Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
[6]
CAN
[25]
NL
[9]
UK
[11]
American Standard 4
[29]
1
[30]
55 11

Live albums

Title Album details Peak chart
positions
Certifications
(sales threshold)
US
[6]
CAN
[7]
Live
  • Release date: August 10, 1993
  • Label: Columbia Records
  • Formats: CD, LP, cassette
20 71
  • US: 2× Platinum[31]
Best Live
  • Release date: June 21, 1994
  • Label: Sony Music Entertainment
  • Formats: CD, cassette
One Man Band
  • Release date: November 13, 2007
  • Label: Hear Music
  • Formats: CD, LP, music download
17
Amchitka
(with Joni Mitchell and Phil Ochs)
  • Release date: November 2009
  • Label: Greenpeace
  • Formats: CD, music download
Live at the Troubadour
(with Carole King)
  • Release date: May 4, 2010
  • Label: Concord Records
  • Formats: CD, music download
4 21
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Compilation albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales threshold)
US
[6]
CAN
[7]
UK
[11]
Greatest Hits
  • Release date: November 1, 1976
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
  • Formats: LP, 8-track
15 27
Classic Songs
  • Release date: April 1987
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
  • Formats: LP, cassette
53
Greatest Hits Volume 2
  • Release date: November 7, 2000
  • Label: Columbia Records
  • Formats: CD, cassette
97
The Best of James Taylor
  • Release date: April 8, 2003
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
  • Formats: CD
11 4
The Essential James Taylor
  • Release date: October 29, 2013
  • Label: Columbia Records/Sony Music Legacy
  • Formats: CD, digital download
50
The Warner Bros Albums 1970–1976
  • Release date: July 19, 2019
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records/Rhino Entertainment Company
  • Formats: CD, digital download
    "—" denotes releases that did not chart

    Extended plays

    Title Album details Peak positions
    US
    [6]
    Other Covers
    • Release date: April 7, 2009
    • Label: Hear Music
    • Formats: CD, music download
    122

    Singles

    Year Single Peak chart positions Certification Album
    US
    [37]
    US AC
    [37]
    US Country
    [37]
    AUS
    [38]
    CAN
    [39]
    CAN AC
    [39]
    UK
    [40]
    NED
    [41]
    NZ
    [42]
    1969 "Carolina in My Mind" 118 James Taylor
    "Knocking 'Round the Zoo"
    "Something's Wrong"
    1970 "Sweet Baby James" Sweet Baby James
    "Fire and Rain" 3 7 6 2 42 18
    "Carolina in My Mind" (re-release) 67 64 James Taylor
    1971 "Country Road" 37 9 95 19 3 Sweet Baby James
    "You've Got a Friend" 1 1 25 2 12 4 14 Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon
    "Long Ago and Far Away" 31 4 12
    1972 "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" 14 3 18 7 One Man Dog
    1973 "One Man Parade" 67 55
    "Hymn"
    1974 "Daddy's Baby" Walking Man
    "Walking Man" 26
    1975 "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" 5 1 35 1 1 30 Gorilla
    "Mexico" 49 5 83 8
    1976 "Shower the People" 22 1 54 1 In the Pocket
    "Everybody Has the Blues"
    "You Make It Easy" Gorilla
    1977 "Woman's Gotta Have It" 20 11 In the Pocket
    "Handy Man" 4 1 13 13 1 4 24 JT
    "Your Smiling Face" 20 6 11 4
    1978 "Honey Don't Leave L.A." 61 63
    1979 "Up on the Roof" 28 7 70 36 Flag
    1981 "Her Town Too" (with J.D. Souther) 11 5 54 19 5 29 Dad Loves His Work
    "Hard Times" 72 23
    "Summer's Here" 25 12
    1985 "Everyday"[A] 61 3 26 93 1 That's Why I'm Here
    1986 "Only One" 6 80 62 3
    "That's Why I'm Here" 8 3
    1988 "Never Die Young" 80 3 79 80 Never Die Young
    "Baby Boom Baby" 16 24 16
    1991 "Copperline" 13 43 10 New Moon Shine
    1992 "(I've Got To) Stop Thinkin' 'Bout That" 28 71 19
    "Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha" 19 70
    "Like Everyone She Knows" 31
    1997 "Little More Time with You" 3 68 13 Hourglass
    2002 "On the 4th of July" 16 October Road
    "Whenever You're Ready" 21
    2003 "September Grass" 25
    2008 "It's Growing" 11 Covers
    2015 "Today Today Today" Before This World
    "Angels of Fenway"
    "Montana"
    "—" denotes releases that did not chart
    • A^ "Everyday" also peaked at #21 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.

    Guest singles

    Year Single Artist Chart positions Certification Album
    US
    [37]
    US AC
    [37]
    US Country
    [37]
    US Christian
    [44]
    AUS
    [38]
    CAN
    [39]
    CAN AC
    [39]
    CAN Country
    [39]
    UK
    [40]
    1974 "Mockingbird" Carly Simon 5 10 8 3 34 Hotcakes
    1978 "(What a) Wonderful World" Art Garfunkel
    (with Paul Simon)
    17 1 13 1 Watermark
    "Bartender's Blues" (re-recording) George Jones 6 8 Bartender's Blues
    "Devoted to You" Carly Simon 36 2 33 50 2 39 Boys in the Trees
    1986 "Back in the High Life Again" Steve Winwood 13 1 53 Back in the High Life
    1994 "Crying in the Rain" Art Garfunkel 61 25 Up 'til Now
    2001 "Sailing to Philadelphia" Mark Knopfler Sailing to Philadelphia
    2012 "Soul Companion" Mary Chapin Carpenter Ashes and Roses
    2013 "Don't Try So Hard" Amy Grant 24 How Mercy Looks from Here
    2018 "Change" Charlie Puth Voicenotes
    "—" denotes releases that did not chart

    Other charted songs

    Year Single Peak positions Album
    US AC
    [37]
    2001 "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" 4 October Road
    2004 "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" 12 James Taylor: A Christmas Album
    "Deck the Halls" 5
    "Winter Wonderland" 8
    "—" denotes releases that did not chart

    Other appearances

    Year Song Album
    1980 "Jelly Man Kelly" In Harmony
    1988 "Second Star to the Right" Stay Awake
    1991 "Getting to Know You" For Our Children[45]
    1992 "It's Only a Paper Moon" and "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" A League of Their Own[46]
    2003 "How's the World Treating You" (with Alison Krauss) Livin' Lovin' Losin'
    2006 "Our Town" Cars

    Guest and session appearances

    Year Album Artist Role
    1971 Blue Joni Mitchell guitar on various tracks
    1972 Harvest Neil Young banjo and backing vocals on various tracks
    1978 Kate Taylor Kate Taylor guitar, horn, backing vocals, and arrangements on various tracks
    Bartender's Blues George Jones backing vocals on "Bartender 's Blues"
    1986 Back in the High Life Steve Winwood backing vocals on "Back in the High Life Again"
    1988 Life Is Good[47] Livingston Taylor duet partner on "City Lights"
    1991 Marc Cohn Marc Cohn vocals on "Perfect Love"
    1995 Faust Randy Newman role of "Lord"
    1996 Eat the Phikis Elio e le Storie Tese vocals on "First Me, Second Me"
    1999 Brand New Day Sting featured artist on "Fill Her Up"
    2000 Sailing to Philadelphia Mark Knopfler featured artist on "Sailing to Philadelphia"
    2006 Duets: An American Classic Tony Bennett duet partner on "Put on a Happy Face"
    2007 Shine Joni Mitchell guitar on "Shine"
    2008 Songs of Joy & Peace Yo-Yo Ma featured artist on "Here Comes the Sun"
    2010 The 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Concerts[48] Crosby, Stills & Nash featured artist on "Love the One You're With"
    2018 Voicenotes[49] Charlie Puth featured artist on "Change"
    Honey Don't Leave L.A.[50] Danny Kortchmar and Immediate Family guitar and backing vocals on "Machine Gun Kelly"

    Video albums

    Year Video details Certifications
    (sales threshold)
    1979 James Taylor: In Concert
    • Released: 1979
    • Label: Sony Music Distribution
    1986 James Taylor Live in Rio
    • Released: 1986
    • Label: Columbia
    1988 James Taylor in Concert in Boston
    • Released: 1988
    • Label: Sony
    1993 Squibnocket
    • Released: 1993
    • Label: Sony
    1998 Live at the Beacon Theatre
    • Released: October 7, 1998
    • Label: Columbia
    2002 Pull Over
    • Released: November 19, 2002
    • Label: Sony
    2006 A Musicares Person of the Year Tribute
    • Released: September 12, 2006
    • Label: Rhino
    2010 Live at the Troubadour (Carole King and James Taylor)

    Music videos

    Year Song Director(s)[53]
    1981 "Her Town Too"
    1985 "Everyday" Stuart Orme
    1986 "Only a Dream in Rio"
    "Only One"
    1988 "Baby Boom Baby"
    "Never Die Young"
    1991 "(I've Got To) Stop Thinkin' 'Bout That"
    "Shed a Little Light"
    1992 "Copperline"
    1994 "Secret of Life"
    1997 "A Little More Time"
    "Enough to Be on Your Way" David Mirkin
    "Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier" (with Mark O'Connor)
    2003 "How's the World Treating You" (with Alison Krauss) Lawrence Draper
    2015 "Angels of Fenway"

    References

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