Roy Orbison discography explained

Artist:Roy Orbison
Studio:23
Compilation:24
Live:4
Singles:92

Roy Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer-songwriter who found the most success in the early rock and roll era from 1956 to 1964. He later enjoyed a resurgence in the late 1980s with chart success as a member of the Traveling Wilburys and with his Mystery Girl album, which included the posthumous hit single "You Got It". At the height of his popularity, 22 of Orbison's songs placed on the US Billboard Top 40 chart, and six peaked in the top five, including two number-one hits. In the UK, Orbison scored ten top-10 hits between 1960 and 1966, including three number-one singles.

Born and raised in Texas, According to The Authorized Roy Orbison, Orbison's first release was in March 1956 on the Je-Wel label. He broke into professional music under Sam Phillips at Sun Records in the summer of 1956, but he found only marginal success there. After a couple years writing for other musicians (including "Claudette", recorded by The Everly Brothers), Orbison recorded several songs at Monument Records under producer Fred Foster starting in 1959. With Foster, Orbison and his frequent songwriting partners Joe Melson and Bill Dees tailored many of Orbison's songs for his unique voice; his most popular songs were dramatic ballads ending with emotional crescendos that showcased his powerful vocals. After his biggest hit in 1964, "Oh, Pretty Woman", Orbison continued to record and chart intermittently in the UK and Australia, but it was not until 1987 that he again found the level of popular worldwide success he had known in the early 1960s, when his original recording of "In Dreams" was used in David Lynch's film Blue Velvet. The following year, Orbison co-founded the supergroup Traveling Wilburys with George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Bob Dylan and Tom Petty. Lynne produced Orbison's final album Mystery Girl, which was released posthumously in February 1989.

This discography shows main official U.S. and U.K. releases. According to the discography in The Authorized Roy Orbison, there were numerous international single and album releases of importance (not released in the U.S. or U.K.) like the German "San Fernando" b/w "Mama" (London DL 20 726).

Albums

Studio albums

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:15em;"
Album detailsPeak chart positionsCertifications
US
[1]
US
Country
[2]
AUS
[3] [4] [5]
CAN
[6]
GER
[7]
NED
[8]
NZ
[9]
NOR
[10]
SWE
[11]
UK
[12]
Lonely and Blue 14
Roy Orbison at the Rock House
Crying
  • Released: January 1962
  • Label: Monument Records
2117
In Dreams
  • Released: JULY 1963
  • Label: Monument Records
356
Orbisongs
  • Released: October 1965
  • Label: Monument Records
13640
Oh, Pretty Woman(non US) 5
There Is Only One Roy Orbison 5510
The Orbison Way
  • Released: January 1966
  • Label: MGM Records
12811
The Classic Roy Orbison
  • Released: July 1966
  • Label: MGM Records
12
Roy Orbison Sings Don Gibson
  • Released: January 1967
  • Label: MGM Records
The Fastest Guitar Alive
  • Released: July 1967
  • Label: MGM Records
Cry Softly Lonely One
  • Released: October 1967
  • Label: MGM Records
Roy Orbison's Many Moods
  • Released: August 1969
  • Label: MGM Records
Hank Williams the Roy Orbison Way
  • Released: August 1970
  • Label: MGM Records
The Big O(non US)
  • Released: March 1970
  • Label: London Records
Roy Orbison Sings
  • Released: May 1972
  • Label: MGM Records
Memphis
  • Released: November 1972
  • Label: MGM Records
Milestones
  • Released: September 24, 1973
  • Label: MGM Records
I'm Still in Love with You
Regeneration
  • Released: November 1976
  • Label: Monument Records
Laminar Flow

(studio re-recordings of older hits)
9524286
Mystery Girl
  • Released: February 7, 1989
  • Label: Virgin Records
51714417112

Gold[17]

King of Hearts
  • Released: October 20, 1992
  • Label: Virgin Records
17925611823
Mystery Girl
(25th Anniversary Edition)
  • Released: 2014
  • Label: Virgin Records
3990
One of the Lonely Ones 40
"—" denotes items that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Collaboration albums

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:15em;"
Album detailsPeak chart positionsCertifications
US
US
Country
AUS
CAN
GER
NED
NZ
NOR
SWE
UK
Class of '55
(with Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis & Carl Perkins)
15
Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1
(As Traveling Wilburys)
  • Released: October 18, 1988
  • Label: Wilbury Records
313103322216
"—" denotes items that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Live albums

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:15em;"
Album detailsPeak chart positionsCertifications
US
AUS
CAN
NED
NZ
SWE
UK
A Black & White Night Live
  • Released: October 23, 1989
  • Label: Virgin Records
123286368144551
  • RIAA: Gold
  • ARIA: Gold[28]
Combo Concert: 1965 Holland
  • Released: 1998
  • Label: Orbison
Live at the BBC
  • Released: 1998
  • Label: Mastertone/BBC
Authorized Bootleg Collection[29]
  • Released: 1999
  • Label: Orbison/Eagle
The Last Concert
(4 December 1988)
  • Released: 2010
  • Label: Eagle
A Black & White Night Live 30 [30] Retrieved April 23, 2019.
  • Released: February 24, 2017
  • Label: Roy's Boys/Legacy
74
"—" denotes items that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Compilation albums

There are hundreds of compilations and greatest hits of Roy Orbison released internationally. Below is a selection of all the compilation albums which have achieved global chart peaks. For a more complete list of compilation releases, see Discogs.[31]

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:15em;"
Album detailsPeak chart positionsCertifications / Sales
US
US
Country
AUS
CAN
GER
NED
NZ
NOR
SWE
UK
Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits
  • Released: August 1, 1962
  • Label: Monument Records
133140
  • RIAA: Gold
More of Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits
  • Released: July 1, 1964
  • Label: Monument Records
19
Exciting Sounds of Roy Orbison 17
Early Orbison
  • Released: October 1, 1964
  • Label: Monument Records
101
The Very Best of Roy Orbison (1966 release)
  • Released: 1966
  • Label: Monument Records
94
The All-Time Greatest Hits of Roy Orbison
  • Released: November 1972
  • Label: Monument Records
2339
  • RIAA: Platinum
The Best of Roy Orbison 1
  • BPI: Gold
Golden Days: The Collection Of 20 All-Time Greats
  • Released: July 1981
  • Label: Monument Records
1763
  • BPI: Gold
The Very Best of Roy Orbison
  • Released: 1976
  • Label: Arcade Records
61
For the Lonely: 18 Greatest Hits
  • Released: 1988
  • Label: Rhino Records
110
The Collection
  • Released: 1989
  • Label: Arcade Records
7
The Legendary Roy Orbison
20 Original Hits/Recordings
  • Released: October 1988
  • Label: Polygram
531
  • BPI: 2× Platinum
  • MC: Platinum
The Very Best of Roy Orbison: You Got It
  • Released: 1989
  • Label: Virgin Records
2022
Monumental Hits
  • Released: February 1989
133
Blue Bayou—Seine
24 Schönsten Love-Songs
  • Released: 1989
  • Label: CBS Records
13
Love Songs
  • Released: 1989
137
Ballads 38
The Very Best of
(with Fats Domino)
  • Released: September 1991
  • Label: Dino Music
13918
The Collection
  • Released: November 1993
168
Golden Decade (1960-1969)
  • Released: 1994
165
Super Hits
  • Released: 1995
  • Label: Epic Records
10454
  • RIAA: Gold
The Ultimate Roy Orbison
  • Released: 1996
123
The Very Best of Roy Orbison (1996 release)
  • Released: November 4, 1996
  • Label: Virgin Records
18629237583318
  • ARIA: Platinum
  • BPI: Platinum
16 Biggest Hits
  • Released: 1999
  • Label: Legacy Recordings
47
  • RIAA: Gold
The Very Best of
(Various European Releases)
  • Released: 2000
  • Label: (Various Labels)
7741
Love Songs
  • Released: 2000
  • Label: Virgin Records
18084
  • BPI: Gold
20 Golden Hits
  • Released: 2002
  • Label: TeeVee Records
69
The Platinum Collection
  • Released: August 2, 2004
  • Label: EMI Virgin
16
  • BPI: Silver
Black + White Night
  • Released: 2006
151
The Essential Roy Orbison
  • Released: 2006
  • Label: Monument Records
62393565
The Very Best of Roy Orbison (2006 release)
  • Released: October 16, 2006
  • Label: Monument Records
1133320
  • ARIA: Platinum[33]
  • BPI: Platinum
  • RMNZ: Platinum[34]
Playlist: The Very Best of Roy Orbison
  • Released: 2008
  • Label: Legacy Recordings
50
The Monument Singles
A-Sides (1960–1964)
  • Released: April 15, 2011
  • Label: Legacy Recordings
50263487
The Monument Singles
Collection (1960–1964)
  • Released: April 15, 2011
  • Label: Legacy Recordings
55
Opus Collection
  • Released: 2011
  • Label: Legacy Recordings
6512
The Ultimate Collection
  • Released: October 28, 2016
  • Label: Legacy Recordings
1210
  • BPI: Platinum
A Love So Beautiful
(with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)
  • Released: November 3, 2017
  • Label: Roy's Boys, Monument, Legacy, Sony Music
151992
  • BPI: Platinum
Unchained Melodies
(with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)
  • Released: November 16, 2018[35]
  • Label: Roy's Boys, Monument, Legacy, Sony Music
32
[36]
3
  • BPI: Gold
"—" denotes items that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Video albums

TitleDetailsCertification
12 of His Greatest Hits
  • Released: 1986
  • Label: Simitar
Black & White Night
  • Released: 1988
  • Label: HBO Video
  • ARIA: 11× Platinum[37]
  • BPI: Platinum[38]
Live Texas 86
  • Released: 1989
  • Label: Stadium Records
The Anthology
  • Released: 1999
  • Label: White Star
  • BPI: Gold
Live At Austin City Limits August 5, 1982
  • Released: 2000
  • Label: Orbison
  • ARIA: 2× Platinum[39]
In Dreams - The Roy Orbison Story
  • Released: 2001
  • Label: Wienerworld Presentation
  • ARIA: Platinum
Greatest Hits
  • Released: 2003
  • Label: Eagle Vision
1973 Live from Australia
  • Released: 2005
  • Label: Image Entertainment
  • ARIA: Platinum
Running Scared
  • Released: 2006
  • Label: All Stars

Singles

YearSingle/B-sidePeak chart positionsCertificationsAlbum
(Main Title)
Uncharted B-sides in smaller font Hot
100

Adult
Con.

Hot
Country

AUS
[41]
BEL
[42]
CAN
[43]
IRL
[44]
NED
[45]
NOR
[46]
UK
[47]
1956"Tryin' to Get You"
/"Ooby Dooby"
(as a member of The Teen Kings)


(Single release only)
"Ooby Dooby"
/"Go! Go! Go!"
59

Roy Orbison at the Rock House
"Rock House"
/"You're My Baby"


1957"Sweet and Easy to Love"
/"Devil Doll"


(Single releases only)
"Chicken Hearted"
/"I Like Love"


1958"Seems to Me"
/"Sweet and Innocent"


Special Delivery
(Various Artists)
"Almost 18"
/"Jolie"


1959"Paper Boy"
/"With the Bug"


(Single release only)
"Up Town"
/"Pretty One"
72

Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits
1960"Only the Lonely (Know the Way I Feel)"
/"Here Comes That Song Again"
2
562741
Lonely and Blue
"Blue Angel"
/"Today's Teardrops"
9
281411
"I'm Hurtin'"
/"I Can't Stop Loving You"
27
27
1961"Running Scared"/
"Love Hurts"
1


5
5

1



9
Crying
"Crying"/
"Candy Man"
2
25


1
1

3
3



25
1962"Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)"
/"The Actress"
4
28952Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits
"The Crowd"
/"Mama"
26
252540
"Evergreen"
/"Love Star"
(Australia only)
100
"Working for the Man"/
"Leah"
33
25


1
1

19
19



50
More of Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits
1963"In Dreams"
/"Shahdaroba"
7
317716
In Dreams
"Falling"/
"Distant Drums"
22
7

3
3
8
29
8


9
"Blue Bayou"/
"Mean Woman Blues"
29
5


1
1
3
14
14
1

10
3
"Pretty Paper"
/"Beautiful Dreamer"
15
10496
1964"Borne on the Wind"/
"What'd I Say"



8
8


9


15
More of Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits
"It's Over"/
"Indian Wedding"
9
1

9
9
4
29
1
4
10
1
"Oh, Pretty Woman"
/"Yo te Amo María"
1
1111111
Orbisongs
1965"Goodnight"
/"Only with You"
21
625514
"(Say) You're My Girl"
/"Sleepy Hollow"
39
815171023
"Ride Away"
/"Wondering"
25
1513134
There Is Only One Roy Orbison
"Crawling Back"
/"If You Can't Say Something Nice"
46
1420219
The Orbison Way
"Breakin' Up Is Breakin' My Heart"
/"Wait"
31
199222
1966"Let the Good Times Roll"
/"Distant Drums"
81

Orbisongs
"Twinkle Toes"
/"Where Is Tomorrow"
39
13142529
The Classic Roy Orbison
"Lana"
b/w "Our Summer Song" [49]

4181915
Crying
"Too Soon to Know"
/"You'll Never Be Sixteen Again"
68
2057143
Roy Orbison Sings Don Gibson
"There Won't Be Many Coming Home"
b/w "City Life" (AUS)
b/w "Going Back to Gloria" (UK)


1212
The Fastest Guitar Alive
"Communication Breakdown"
b/w "Going Back to Gloria"
60
864[50]
Cry Softly Lonely One
1967"So Good"
/"Memories"
132
2832
(Single release only)
"Cry Softly Lonely One"
/"Pistolero"
52
1029Cry Softly Lonely One
"She"
/"Here Comes the Rain Baby"
119
2352
1968"Born to Be Loved by You"
/"Shy Away"

25
(Single release only)
"Walk On"
/"Flowers"
121
5391[51] 39
Roy Orbison's Many Moods
"Heartache"
/"Sugar Man"
104
5788[52] 44
1969"My Friend"/
"Southbound Jericho Parkway"




99





35
The Great Songs of Roy Orbison
"Penny Arcade"
/"Tennessee Owns My Soul"
133
127
The Big O
"Break My Mind"
/"How Do You Start Over"

26
1970"She Cheats on Me"
b/w "How Do You Start Over"


(Single releases only)
"So Young"
b/w "If I Had a Woman Like You"
122
82
1971"(Love Me Like You Did It) Last Night"
b/w "Close Again"


1972"God Love You"
b/w "Changes"


Roy Orbison Sings
"Remember the Good"
b/w "Harlem Woman"


"Memphis, Tennessee"
b/w "I Can Read Between the Lines"

84
Memphis
1973"Blue Rain (Coming Down)"
b/w "Sooner or Later"


Milestones
"I Wanna Live"
b/w "You Lay Easy on My Mind"


1974"Sweet Mama Blue"
b/w "Heartache"


I'm Still in Love with You
1975"Hung Up on You"
b/w "Spanish Nights"


"Still"
b/w "It's Lonely"
(Australia only)

56
1976"Belinda"
b/w "No Chain at All"


Regeneration
"I'm a Southern Man"
b/w "Born to Love Me"


1977"Drifting Away"
b/w "Under Suspicion"


(Single release only)
1979"Easy Way Out"
b/w "Tears"
109

Laminar Flow
"Poor Baby"
b/w "Lay It Down"


1980"That Lovin' You Feelin' Again" (with Emmylou Harris)
b/w "Lola" (Emmylou Harris solo)
5510697
Roadie
(Soundtrack)
1985"Wild Hearts (...Time)"
b/w "Wild Hearts (instrumental)"

76
Insignificance
(Soundtrack)
1987"In Dreams" (1987 re-recording)
b/w "Leah" (1985 re-recording)

75
"Crying" (duet re-recording with k.d. lang)
b/w "Falling"

28422[53]
King of Hearts
1988"Handle with Care"
b/w "Margarita"
(as a member of Traveling Wilburys)
45
39312[54] 2421
Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1
1989"You Got It"
b/w "The Only One"
9
173312433
Mystery Girl
"End of the Line"
b/w "Congratulations"
(as a member of Traveling Wilburys)
63
123911145052
Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1
"She's a Mystery to Me"
b/w "Dream Baby"

23171213[56] 51927
Mystery Girl
"California Blue"
b/w "In Dreams"

44516525752377
"Oh Pretty Woman" (live; single edit)
/"Claudette" (live)

488911230
  • BPI: Platinum
A Black & White Night Live
1992"I Drove All Night"
b/w "Forever Friends"

13274[57] 67
  • BPI: Silver
King of Hearts
"Crying" (reissue; duet re-recording with k.d. lang)
b/w "Falling"

4071913
"Heartbreak Radio"
/"Crying"

3136
1996"Ooby Dooby" (1987 version)
b/w "Ooby Dooby" (1955 version)
(The Netherlands only)[58]










(Non-album single)
2011"Only the Lonely" (Mono)
b/w "Oh, Pretty Woman" (live)
(United States and Europe only; limited-edition Record Store Day release)










(Non-album single)
2017"I Drove All Night" (promo single)
(featuring Ward Thomas, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)










A Love So Beautiful (with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)
"Oh, Pretty Woman"
b/w "Crying"
(with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)










"—" denotes items that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Billboard Year-End performances

YearSongYear-End
Position
1960"Only the Lonely"20
1961"Crying"4
"Running Scared"13
1962"Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)"65
1963"In Dreams"49
"Mean Woman Blues"53
1964"Oh, Pretty Woman"4
"It's Over"74

Music videos

YearTitleDirector
1964"Oh, Pretty Woman"
1966"There Won't Be Many More Comin' Home"
1968"Walk On"
1985"Wild Hearts Run Out of Time"
1989"You Got It"
"She's a Mystery to Me"
1992"I Drove All Night"
"Crying"
"Heartbreak Radio"
1999"Oh, Pretty Woman"
"Home Alone"
2014"The Way Is Love"

Collaborations and guest appearances

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: US Singles . allmusic.com . 2016-06-13.
  2. Web site: US Singles . . 2016-06-13.
  3. Book: Kent, David . David Kent (historian)

    . . David Kent (historian) . Australian Chart Book . . 1993 . 0-646-11917-6.

  4. Web site: Australian Albums . ARIA Charts . 2016-06-15.
  5. Web site: Roy Orbison ARIA Chart history (complete 1988 to 2024). ARIA. Imgur.com. July 28, 2024. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
  6. Web site: Canadian Albums . 17 July 2013 . RPM Albums . 2016-06-15.
  7. Web site: German Albums . offiziellecharts.de . 2016-06-15.
  8. Web site: Dutch Albums . dutchcharts.nl . 2016-06-15.
  9. Web site: New Zealand Albums . charts.nz . 2016-06-15.
  10. Web site: Norwegian Albums . norwegiancharts.com . 2016-06-15.
  11. Web site: Swedish Albums . swedishcharts.com . 2016-06-15.
  12. Web site: UK Albums . officialcharts.com . 2016-06-15.
  13. Web site: RIAA Certification . Recording Industry Association of America. 2016-06-17.
  14. United Kingdom. Roy Orbison. June 18, 2023.
  15. Web site: New Zealand Chart Certification . Recorded Music NZ. 2016-06-17.
  16. Australia. album. 1989. yearchart. October 5, 2022.
  17. Germany. Roy Orbison. 2016-06-17.
  18. Web site: Swedish Certifications 1987-1998 . IFPI Sweden . 2016-06-17 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120521214300/http://www.ifpi.se/wp/wp-content/uploads/guld-platina-1987-1998.pdf . 2012-05-21 .
  19. Web site: Canadian Certification . Music Canada. 2016-06-17.
  20. Web site: New Zealand Chart Certification . Recorded Music NZ. 2016-06-17.
  21. Australia. Roy Orbison. album. 1993. November 28, 2021.
  22. Web site: Traveling Wilburys US Certification . Recording Industry Association of America. 2016-06-17.
  23. Web site: Traveling Wilburys UK Certification . British Phonographic Industry. 2016-06-17.
  24. Web site: Traveling Wilburys German Certification . Bundesverband Musikindustrie. 2016-06-17.
  25. Web site: Traveling Wilburys Sweden Certification . . 2016-06-17 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120521214300/http://www.ifpi.se/wp/wp-content/uploads/guld-platina-1987-1998.pdf . 2012-05-21 .
  26. Web site: Traveling Wilburys Canada Certification . Music Canada. 2016-06-17.
  27. Web site: Traveling Wilburys New Zealand Certification . Recorded Music NZ. 2016-06-17.
  28. Australia. Roy Orbison. A Black & White Night Live. album. 1990. November 27, 2021.
  29. http://royorbison.com/roy-orbison-official-biography/ Roy Orbison - Official Biography
  30. "Roy Orbison's Black & White Night 30 DVD, Blu-ray and Audio CD Out Feb 24 on Roy's Boys/Legacy, Featuring Never-Before-Seen Performances, Camera Angles and Mini-Documentary". PR Newswire. January 12, 2017
  31. Web site: Roy Orbison [discography] ]. . 2016-06-17.
  32. Web site: ARIA Charts Accreditations—2014 Albums . . 2016-06-17.
  33. Web site: ARIA Charts Accreditations—2010 Albums . . 2016-06-17.
  34. Web site: New Zealand Chart Certification . Recorded Music NZ. 2016-06-17.
  35. Web site: Unchained Melodies by Roy Orbison with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Out November 16 . 19 October 2018 .
  36. Web site: ARIA Australian Top 50 Albums. Australian Recording Industry Association. November 26, 2018. November 24, 2018.
  37. Australia. Roy Orbison. video. 2010. December 16, 2021.
  38. Web site: Roy Orbison BPI. www.bpi.co.uk. December 16, 2021.
  39. Australia. Roy Orbison. video. 2007. December 16, 2021.
  40. Australia. Roy Orbison. video. 2005. December 16, 2021.
  41. Australian chart peaks:

    . Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. Illustrated. St Ives, N.S.W.. 224. David Kent (historian). N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between 1983 and 19 June 1988.

  42. Web site: Belgian Singles . ultratop.be . 2016-06-13.
  43. Web site: Canadian Singles . 17 July 2013 . . 2016-06-13.
  44. Web site: The Irish Charts - All there is to know - Roy Orbison. irishcharts.ie . 2020-10-14. Note: Irish singles chart commenced October 1962
  45. Web site: Netherlands Singles . dutchcharts.nl . 2016-06-13.
  46. Web site: Norwegian Singles . norwegiancharts.com . 2016-06-15.
  47. Web site: UK Singles . officialcharts.com . 2016-06-13.
  48. Web site: RIAA Certification . Recording Industry Association of America. 2016-06-15.
  49. Monument 939B
  50. Web site: RPM Top 100 Singles - February 4, 1967.
  51. Web site: RPM Top 100 Singles - August 3, 1968.
  52. Web site: RPM Top 100 Singles - October 7, 1968.
  53. Web site: RPM Top 100 Singles - February 27, 1988.
  54. Web site: The Irish Charts - All there is to know - Travelling Wilburys. irishcharts.ie . 2020-10-14.
  55. Web site: Canadian Certification . . 2016-06-15.
  56. Web site: RPM Top 100 Singles - June 19, 1989.
  57. Web site: RPM Top 100 Singles - May 30, 1992.
  58. Web site: Discogs: Roy Orbison Discography . Discogs.com . Discogs . January 13, 2024.