| Artist: | Frank Zappa |
| 1Option: | 62 |
| 1Option Name: | Albums |
| 2Option: | 39 |
| 2Option Name: | Singles |
This is a list of albums by Frank Zappa, including all those credited to the Mothers of Invention. During his lifetime, Zappa released 62 albums. Since 1994, the Zappa Family Trust has released 66 posthumous albums as of June 2024, making a total of 128 albums/album sets.
In 2012 the distribution of Zappa's recorded output moved to Universal Music Enterprises.[1] In June 2022 the Zappa Trust announced that it had sold Zappa's entire catalog to Universal Music, including master tapes, song copyrights and trademarks.[2]
A list of albums of Zappa's music by other artists is also included here.
| Released[3] | Title | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales thresholds) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Year | Month | US [4] | UK [5] | GER [6] | NOR [7] | SWE [8] [9] | AUS [10] | AUT [11] | ||
| 1 | 1966 | Jun | Freak Out! (with The Mothers of Invention) | 130 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2 | 1967 | May | Absolutely Free (with The Mothers of Invention) | 41 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 3 | 1968 | Mar | We're Only in It for the Money (with The Mothers of Invention) | 30 | 31 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 4 | May | Lumpy Gravy (with Abnuceals Emuukha Electric Symphony Orchestra) | 159 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 5 | Dec | Cruising with Ruben & the Jets (with The Mothers of Invention) | 110 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 6 | 1969 | Mar | Mothermania (with The Mothers of Invention) | 151 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 7 | Apr | Uncle Meat (with The Mothers of Invention) | 43 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 8 | Oct | Hot Rats | 173 | 9 | 45 | — | — | 19 | — | ||
| 9 | 1970 | Feb | Burnt Weeny Sandwich (with The Mothers of Invention) | 94 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 10 | Aug | Weasels Ripped My Flesh (with The Mothers of Invention) | 189 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 11 | Oct | Chunga's Revenge | 119 | 43 | — | — | — | 24 | — | ||
| 12 | 1971 | Aug | Fillmore East – June 1971 (with The Mothers of Invention) | 38 | — | — | — | — | 22 | — | |
| 13 | Oct | 200 Motels (with The Mothers of Invention) | 59 | — | 44 | — | — | 48 | — | ||
| 14 | 1972 | Mar | Just Another Band from L.A. (with The Mothers of Invention) | 85 | — | — | — | — | 41 | — | |
| 15 | Jul | Waka/Jawaka | 152 | — | 24 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 16 | Nov | The Grand Wazoo (with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 17 | 1973 | Sep | Over-Nite Sensation (with The Mothers of Invention) | 32 | — | 21 | 15 | 10 | 47 | — | US Gold[12] |
| 18 | 1974 | Mar | Apostrophe (') | 10 | — | — | 6 | 6 | 71 | — | US Gold[13] |
| 19 | Sep | Roxy & Elsewhere (with The Mothers of Invention) | 27 | — | — | 14 | 4 | — | — | ||
| 20 | 1975 | Jun | One Size Fits All (with The Mothers of Invention) | 26 | — | — | 5 | 6 | 81 | — | |
| 21 | Oct | Bongo Fury (with Captain Beefheart and The Mothers of Invention) | 66 | — | — | 11 | — | — | — | ||
| 22 | 1976 | Oct | Zoot Allures | 61 | — | — | 16 | 17 | 82 | — | UK Silver[14] |
| 23 | 1978 | Mar | Zappa in New York | 57 | 55 | 20 | 6 | 24 | 74 | — | |
| 24 | Sep | Studio Tan | 147 | — | — | — | 30 | 92 | — | ||
| 25 | 1979 | Jan | Sleep Dirt | 175 | — | — | 16 | 19 | — | — | |
| 26 | Mar | Sheik Yerbouti | 21 | 32 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 53 | 6 | CAN Gold[15] | |
| 27 | May | Orchestral Favorites | 168 | — | 48 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 28 | Sep | Joe's Garage Act I | 27 | 62 | 41 | 1 | 2 | 94 | 8 | CAN Gold | |
| 29 | Nov | Joe's Garage Acts II & III | 53 | 75 | 31 | 3 | 4 | — | 9 | ||
| 30 | 1981 | May | Tinsel Town Rebellion | 66 | 55 | 23 | 13 | 8 | — | 9 | |
| 31 | Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 32 | Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar Some More | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 33 | Return of the Son of Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 34 | Sep | You Are What You Is | 93 | 51 | — | 12 | 22 | — | — | ||
| 35 | 1982 | May | Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch | 23 | 61 | 65 | 20 | 26 | — | — | |
| 31/32/33 | Sep | Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar (re-release of all three albums together) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 36 | 1983 | Mar | The Man from Utopia | 153 | 87 | — | — | 23 | — | — | |
| 37 | Baby Snakes | — | — | 67 | — | — | — | — | |||
| 38 | Jun | London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. I | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 39 | 1984 | Aug | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 40 | Oct | Them or Us | — | 53 | 42 | — | 22 | — | — | ||
| 41 | Nov | Thing-Fish | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 42 | Francesco Zappa | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 43 | 1985 | Apr | The Old Masters, Box I | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 44 | Nov | Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention | 153 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 45 | 1986 | Jan | Does Humor Belong in Music? | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 46 | Nov | The Old Masters, Box II | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 47 | Jazz from Hell | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 28/29 | 1987 | Jun | Joe's Garage, Acts I, II & III (re-release of all three acts together) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 48 | Sep | London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. II | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 49 | Dec | The Old Masters, Box III | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 50 | 1988 | Apr | Guitar | — | 82 | 40 | — | — | — | 25 | |
| 51 | May | You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 52 | Oct | You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 53 | Broadway the Hard Way | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 54 | 1989 | Nov | You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 55 | 1991 | Apr | The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 56 | Jun | Make a Jazz Noise Here | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 57 | You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 58 | 1992 | Jul | You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 59 | You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 60 | Oct | Playground Psychotics (with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 61 | 1993 | Mar | Ahead of Their Time (with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 62 | Oct | The Yellow Shark (with Ensemble Modern) | — | — | 61 | — | — | — | 30 | ||
| Released | Title | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Year | Month | GER | SWE | |
| 63 | 1994 | Dec | Civilization Phaze III | 87 | — |
| 38/48 | 1995 | Apr | London Symphony Orchestra, Volumes I & II (re-release of both volumes together) | — | — |
| 64 | 1996 | Feb | The Lost Episodes | — | 54 |
| 65 | Sep | Läther | — | 50 | |
| 66 | Oct | — | — | ||
| 67 | 1997 | May | Have I Offended Someone? | — | — |
| 68 | 1998 | Sep | Mystery Disc | — | — |
| 69 | 1999 | Dec | Everything Is Healing Nicely | — | — |
| 70 | 2002 | Aug | — | — | |
| 71 | 2003 | Feb | Halloween (DVD-Audio Disc) | — | — |
| 72 | 2004 | May | Joe's Corsage (with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — |
| 73 | Oct | Joe's Domage | — | — | |
| 74 | Sep | QuAUDIOPHILIAc (DVD-Audio Disc) | — | — | |
| 75 | 2005 | Dec | Joe's XMASage | — | — |
| 76 | 2006 | Jan | Imaginary Diseases | — | — |
| 77 | Nov | Trance-Fusion | — | — | |
| 78 | Dec | The MOFO Project/Object (with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — | |
| 79 | The MOFO Project/Object (fazedooh) (with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — | ||
| 80 | 2007 | Apr | Buffalo | — | — |
| 81 | Aug | The Dub Room Special! | — | — | |
| 82 | Oct | Wazoo | — | — | |
| 83 | 2008 | Jun | One Shot Deal | — | — |
| 84 | Sep | Joe's Menage | — | — | |
| 85 | 2009 | Jan | The Lumpy Money Project/Object | — | — |
| 86 | Dec | Philly '76 | — | — | |
| 87 | 2010 | Apr | Greasy Love Songs (with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — |
| 88 | Sep | Congress Shall Make No Law... | — | — | |
| 89 | Nov | Hammersmith Odeon | — | — | |
| 90 | 2011 | Sep | Feeding the Monkies at Ma Maison | — | — |
| 91 | Oct | Carnegie Hall (with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — | |
| 92 | 2012 | Oct | Understanding America | — | — |
| 93 | Nov | Road Tapes, Venue 1 (with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — | |
| 94 | Dec | Finer Moments | — | — | |
| 95 | AAAFNRAA: Baby Snakes: The Compleat Soundtrack (Download only) | — | — | ||
| 96 | 2013 | Oct | Road Tapes, Venue 2 (with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — |
| 97 | Nov | A Token of His Extreme | — | — | |
| 98 | 2014 | Jan | Joe's Camouflage | — | — |
| 99 | Mar | Roxy by Proxy | — | — | |
| 100 | 2015 | Jun | Dance Me This | — | — |
| 101 | Nov | 200 Motels: The Suites (LA Philharmonic-Conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen) | — | — | |
| 102 | Oct | Roxy The Soundtrack (Roxy The Movie DVD/CD or BD/CD, CD not sold separately) | 39 | — | |
| 103 | 2016 | May | Road Tapes, Venue 3 (with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — |
| 104 | Jul | The Crux Of The Biscuit | — | — | |
| 105 | Frank Zappa For President | — | — | ||
| 106 | Sep | ZAPPAtite: Frank Zappa's Tastiest Tracks | — | — | |
| 107 | Nov | Meat Light (with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — | |
| 108 | Chicago '78 | — | — | ||
| 109 | Little Dots | — | — | ||
| 110 | 2017 | Oct | Halloween 77 (Costume Box Set containing a 24-bit WAV audio USB stick of the complete 6 shows: 10.28.77 (2 shows), 10.29.77 (2 shows), 10.30.77, 10.31.77) | — | — |
| 110K | Halloween 77: October 31, 1977 | — | — | ||
| 111 | 2018 | Feb | The Roxy Performances[16] | 55 | — |
| 112 | 2019 | Mar | Zappa in New York 40th Anniversary Edition[17] | — | — |
| 113 | Aug | Orchestral Favorites 40th Anniversary Edition[18] | — | — | |
| 114 | Oct | Halloween 73[19] | — | — | |
| 114Z | Halloween 73 Highlights | — | — | ||
| 115 | Dec | The Hot Rats Sessions[20] | — | — | |
| 116 | 2020 | Jun | The Mothers 1970 (with The Mothers of Invention)[21] | 30 | — |
| 117 | Oct | Halloween 81[22] | — | — | |
| 117Z | Halloween 81 Highlights | — | — | ||
| 118 | Nov | Zappa - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | — | — | |
| 119 | 2021 | Jun | 9 | — | |
| 120 | Dec | 200 Motels 50th Anniversary Edition | 87 | — | |
| 121 | 2022 | Mar | The Mothers 1971 (with The Mothers of Invention) | 18 | — |
| 122 | Jun | Zappa/Erie | 22 | — | |
| 123 | Oct | 61 | — | ||
| 124 | Dec | Waka/Wazoo | — | — | |
| 125 | 2023 | Mar | Zappa '80: Mudd Club/Munich[23] [24] | 33 | — |
| 125A | Zappa '80: Mudd Club[25] [26] | 75 | — | ||
| 125B | Zappa '80: Munich[27] [28] | — | — | ||
| 126 | Jun | Funky Nothingness[29] | 15 | — | |
| 127 | Nov | Over-Nite Sensation 50th Anniversary Edition[30] (with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — | |
| 128 | 2024 | Jun | Whisky a Go Go 1968 (with The Mothers of Invention)[31] | 67 | — |
| 129 | Sep | Apostrophe (') 50th Anniversary Edition[32] | — | — | |
| Released | Title | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Jul | Beat the Boots | |
| 1992 | Jun | Beat the Boots II | |
| 2009 | Jan | Beat the Boots III | |
| Released | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Month | US | AUS [33] | GER | UK | ||
| 1969 | Oct | The **** of the Mothers (with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — | — | — | |
| 1970 | Jul | The Mothers of Invention (with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — | — | — | |
| 1971 | Mar | Worst of the Mothers (with The Mothers of Invention) | 201 | — | — | — | |
| 1987 | Jun | The Guitar World According to Frank Zappa | — | — | — | — | |
| 1995 | Aug | Strictly Commercial | — | 63 | 51 | 45 | |
| 1997 | May | Strictly Genteel | — | — | — | — | |
| 1998 | Feb | Cucamonga | — | — | — | — | |
| Apr | Cheap Thrills | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999 | Apr | Son of Cheep Thrills | — | — | — | — | |
| 2006 | Dec | The Frank Zappa AAAFNRAA Birthday Bundle 2006 (Download only) | — | — | — | — | |
| 2008 | Dec | The Frank Zappa AAAFNRAAA Birthday Bundle 2008 (Download only) | — | — | — | — | |
| 2010 | Dec | The Frank Zappa AAAFNRAAAA Birthday Bundle 2010 (Download only) | — | — | — | — | |
| 2011 | Dec | The Frank Zappa AAAFNRAAAAAM Birthday Bundle 2011 (Download only)[34] | — | — | — | — | |
| 2014 | Dec | The Frank Zappa AAAFNRAA Birthday Bundle 21.12.2014 (Download only) | — | — | — | — | |
| 2020 | Dec | A Very Zappa Birthday EP (Download only) | — | — | — | — | |
| Year | Single (A-side, B-side) Both sides from same album except where indicated | Peak Chart positions | Album | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Rock | CAN [35] | GER [36] | SWI [37] | AUT | NOR | SWE | ||||
| 1966 | "How Could I Be Such a Fool?" b/w "Help I'm a Rock (3rd Movement: It Can't Happen' Here)" (both tracks with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Freak Out | |
| "Who Are the Brain Police?" b/w "Trouble Comin' Every Day" (both tracks with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1967 | "Big Leg Emma" b/w "Why Don't You Do Me Right?" (both tracks with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks (both later included on all CD releases of Absolutely Free) | |
| "Son of Suzy Creamcheese" b/w "Big Leg Emma" (both tracks with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Absolutely Free | ||
| "Lonely Little Girl" b/w "Mother People" (from We're Only In It For The Money) (both tracks with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album version (later included on The Lumpy Money Project/Object, different version on We're Only In It For The Money) | ||
| 1968 | "Motherly Love" b/w "I Ain't Got No Heart" (both tracks with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Freak Out! | |
| "Deseri" b/w "Jelly Roll Gum Drop" (both tracks with The Mothers of Invention, credited to Ruben & the Jets) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Cruising with Ruben & the Jets | ||
| "Anyway the Wind Blows" b/w "Jelly Roll Gum Drop" (both tracks with The Mothers of Invention, credited to Ruben & the Jets) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1969 | "WPLJ" b/w "My Guitar" (Non-album track, later included on You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 5) (both tracks with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Burnt Weeny Sandwich | |
| "My Guitar" b/w "Dog Breath" (both tracks with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks ("My Guitar" later included on You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 5, "Dog Breath" later included on Meat Light) | ||
| 1970 | "Tell Me You Love Me" b/w "Will You Go All the Way for the U.S.A.?" [sic] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Chunga's Revenge | |
| 1971 | "Tears Began to Fall" (remix) b/w "Junier Mintz Boogie" (non-album track, later included on The Mothers 1971) (both tracks with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Fillmore East – June 1971 | |
| "Magic Fingers" b/w "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 200 Motels | ||
| "What Will This Evening Bring Me This Morning" b/w "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1972 | "Cletus Awreetus-Awrightus" b/w "Eat That Question" (both tracks with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | The Grand Wazoo | |
| 1973 | "I'm the Slime" (single mix with different guitar solo) b/w "Montana" (both tracks with The Mothers of Invention) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Over-Nite Sensation | |
| 1974 | "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow" b/w "Cosmik Debris" | 86 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Apostrophe (') | |
| 1975 | "Du Bist Mein Sofa" b/w "Stink Foot" (from Apostrophe (')) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | One Size Fits All | |
| 1976 | "Find Her Finer" b/w "Zoot Allures" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Zoot Allures | |
| "Disco Boy" b/w "Ms. Pinky" | 105 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1979 | "Dancin' Fool" b/w "Baby Snakes" | 45 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Sheik Yerbouti | |
| "Bobby Brown" b/w "Stick It Out" (from Joe's Garage Acts II & III) | — | — | — | 4 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| "Joe's Garage" b/w "Central Scrutinizer" | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 14 | Joe's Garage Act I | ||
| "Stick It Out" b/w "Why Does It Hurt" (from Joe's Garage Act I) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Joe's Garage Acts II & III | ||
| 1980 | "I Don't Wanna Get Drafted" b/w "Ancient Armaments" | 103 | — | — | 71 | — | — | — | 3 | Non-album tracks ("I Don't Wanna Get Drafted" later included on The Lost Episodes, "Ancient Armaments" later included on Halloween) | |
| 1981 | "Love of My Life" b/w "For the Young Sophisticate" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Tinsel Town Rebellion | |
| "Harder Than Your Husband" b/w "Dumb All Over" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | You Are What You Is | ||
| "You Are What You Is" b/w "Pink Napkins" (from Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Goblin Girl" b/w "Pink Napkins" (from Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1982 | "Valley Girl" (with Moon Zappa) b/w "You Are What You Is" (from You Are What You Is) | 32 | 12 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch | |
| 1983 | "The Man from Utopia Meets Mary Lou" b/w "SEX" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | The Man from Utopia | |
| "Cocaine Decisions" b/w "SEX" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1984 | "The Girl in the Magnesium Dress" b/w "Outside Now, Again" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Boulez Conducts Zappa: The Perfect Stranger | |
| "Baby Take Your Teeth Out" b/w "Stevie's Spanking" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Them Or Us | ||
| True Glove 4-track maxi single ("In France" / "Be In My Video" / "He's So Gay" / "Won Ton On") | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Tracks 1 and 2 from Them Or Us, track 3 from Thing-Fish, track 4 non-album version (different version on Thing-Fish) | ||
| 1987 | "Peaches en Regalia" b/w "I'm Not Satisfied" (from Crusing with Ruben & the Jets) and "Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up" (from Joe's Garage Act I) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Hot Rats | |
| 1988 | "Sexual Harassment in the Workplace" b/w "Watermelon in Easter Hay" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Guitar | |
| "Zomby Woof" b/w "You Didn't Try to Call Me" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1 | ||
| 1991 | "Stairway to Heaven" b/w "Bolero" | — | — | — | — | 9 | — | — | — | The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life | |
| Sources:[38] [39] | |||||||||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | |||||||||||
