The Velvet Underground discography explained

Artist:The Velvet Underground
Studio:5
Live:6
Compilation:14
Option:6
Option Name:Box sets
Singles:11

The discography of the American rock band The Velvet Underground consists of five studio albums, six live albums, 14 compilation albums, six box sets and eleven singles.

The first line-up was formed in New York City consisting of Lou Reed on vocals and guitar, John Cale on several instruments (viola, keyboards and bass), Sterling Morrison on guitar and bass and Angus MacLise on percussion (replaced by Maureen Tucker in November 1965). On March 12, 1967 they released their debut album The Velvet Underground & Nico featuring German singer Nico. The album charted in the United States and originally peaked at number 171 on the Billboard album charts and produced two singles, "All Tomorrow's Parties" and "Sunday Morning", which did not chart anywhere. The album, produced by artist Andy Warhol,[1] recharted in 2013 peaking at number 129.

VU released their second studio album White Light/White Heat, which peaked at number 199 of the Billboard charts. The album was more experimental than their first album, featuring a loud and aggressive musical style. The album was produced without Warhol and Nico for the first time.[2] In March 1969 they released the third studio album The Velvet Underground, their first project with Cale's replacement Doug Yule. It did not chart upon its original release. However, when reissued in 1985 it peaked at number 197 in the Billboard chart.[3] One year later, Loaded was released by Atlantic Records, the first time by a major label. Compared with VU first releases, Loaded was produced for the mainstream, without thematizing sex and drugs. Although the songs were successful and popular in several music radios, neither singles, nor the album itself peaked in any music chart.[4] It was the last album featuring Lou Reed, the last remaining founder of VU. After his departure, Yule became the new frontman of The Velvet Underground and toured together with Willie Alexander (keyboard), Walter Powers (bass guitar), Maureen Tucker (drums) and other musicians. In 1973, he recorded their fifth and last regular studio album, Squeeze,[5] which for some time dropped out of the official discography. After their break-off, several compilation albums were released, some of which feature outtakes from their previous studio sessions, most notably VU, which peaked at number 85 on Billboard and 47 on the UK Albums Chart.

Albums

Studio albums

YearAlbum detailsPeak chart positionsCertifications
US
[6]
FRA
[7]
GER
[8]
NLD
[9]
NOR
[10]
UK
[11]
1967The Velvet Underground & Nico
  • Released: March 1967
  • Label: Verve
  • Format: CD, CS, LP
12916489584043
1968White Light/White Heat
  • Released: January 30, 1968
  • Label: Verve
  • Format: CD, CS, LP
199
  • BPI: Silver
1969The Velvet Underground
  • Released: March 1969
  • Label: Verve
  • Format: CD, CS, LP
197
  • BPI: Gold
1970Loaded
  • Released: November 1970
  • Label: Atlantic
  • Format: CD, CS, LP
188
1973Squeeze
  • Released: February 1973
  • Label: Polydor
  • Format: LP
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Notes

Upon its release in 1967 the album peaked in the US at 171. Shortly after the death of Lou Reed in 2013 it recharted for one week and peaked at 129.
Likewise in the UK, where the album did not chart until 1994 when it reached 59, it recharted at 43 shortly after Reed's death in 2013. The album did not chart in its original release in 1969, but did chart on its reissue in 1985 when it peaked at 197. The album appeared at number two on Billboards Bubbling Under the Top LPs chart for the week of January 30, 1971.

Live albums

YearAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
US
NZ
[13]
UK
1972Live at Max's Kansas City
  • Released: May 30, 1972
  • Label: Cotillion
  • Format: CD, CS, LP
1974
  • Released: September 1974
  • Label: Mercury
  • Format: CD, LP
31
1993Live MCMXCIII
  • Released: November 26, 1993
  • Label: Warner Bros.
  • Format: CD, CS
18070
2001Final V.U. 1971–1973
The Quine Tapes
  • Released: October 16, 2001
  • Label: Polydor
  • Format: CD
2015The Complete Matrix Tapes
  • Released: November 20, 2015
  • Label: Polydor
  • Format: CD
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Compilations

YearAlbum detailsPeak chart positionsCertifications
US
NZ
NOR
UK
1970Velvet Underground
  • Released: 1970
  • Label: MGM GAS-131[14]
  • Format: LP
1971Andy Warhol's Velvet Underground featuring Nico
  • Released: 1971
  • Label: MGM
  • Format: LP
1985VU
  • Released: February 1985
  • Label: Verve
  • Format: CD, LP
851647
1986Another View
  • Released: September 1986
  • Label: Verve
  • Format: CD, CS, LP
1989
  • Released: October 1989
  • Label: Verve
  • Format: CD, CS, LP
  • BPI: Silver
1991Chronicles
  • Released: 1991
  • Label: Mercury
  • Format: CD, CS, LP
1995The Best of Lou Reed & The Velvet Underground
  • Released: 1995
  • Label: Global Rad
  • Format: CD, CS, LP
56
  • BPI: Gold
1997Fully Loaded
  • Released: February 18, 1997
  • Label: Rhino
  • Format: CD
2000
  • Released: October 2000
  • Label: Polydor
  • Format: CD
2001Rock and Roll: An Introduction to The Velvet Underground
  • Released: July 2, 2001
  • Label: Polydor
  • Format: CD
2002The Velvet Underground & Nico (Deluxe Edition)
  • Released: June 25, 2002
  • Label: Verve
  • Format: CD, LP
4059
2003The Very Best of the Velvet Underground
  • Released: March 31, 2003
  • Label: Polydor
  • Format: CD
  • BPI: Silver
2005Gold
  • Released: June 14, 2005
  • Label: Polydor
  • Format: CD
2008Playlist Plus
  • Released: April 29, 2008
  • Label: Polydor
  • Format: CD
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.
Notes

Box sets

YearAlbum details
1993What Goes On
  • Released: 1993
  • Label: Raven
  • Format: CD
1995Peel Slowly and See
  • Released: September 26, 1995
  • Label: Polydor
  • Format: CD
2001Final V.U.
  • Released: 2001
  • Label: Captain Trip Records
  • Format: CD
2012The Velvet Underground & Nico 45th Anniversary
  • Released: October 1, 2012
  • Label: Polydor
  • Format: CD
2013White Light/White Heat 45th Anniversary
  • Released: December 3, 2013
  • Label: Polydor
  • Format: CD
2014The Velvet Underground 45th Anniversary
  • Released: November 24, 2014
  • Label: Polydor
  • Format: CD
2015Loaded 45th Anniversary
  • Released: October 30, 2015
  • Label: Rhino/Atlantic
  • Format: CD

Singles

YearSong
(A-side and B-side)
AlbumRef(s)
1966"All Tomorrow's Parties" (edit) b/w "I'll Be Your Mirror" The Velvet Underground & Nico[15]
"Sunday Morning" b/w "Femme Fatale" (FRA #174)
1968"White Light/White Heat" b/w "Here She Comes Now" White Light/White Heat
"I Heard Her Call My Name" b/w "Here She Comes Now"
1969"What Goes On" (edit) b/w "Jesus" (radio-only single - mono versions)[16] The Velvet Underground
"The Velvet Underground" (radio ad distributed to radio stations with excerpts from The Velvet Underground)
1971"Who Loves the Sun" b/w "OhSweet Nuthin'"Loaded
"Who Loves the Sun (mono)" b/w "Who Loves the Sun (stereo)"
"Who Loves the Sun" b/w "Sweet Jane" (UK-only release)
1973"Sweet Jane" b/w "Rock and Roll" (FRA #96)
"I'm Waiting for the Man" b/w "Run Run Run" b/w "Candy Says" (UK-only release)
"I'm Waiting for the Man" b/w "Candy Says" b/w "White Light/White Heat" (NLD-only release)
1985"Foggy Notion" (edit) b/w "I Can't Stand It" (promo)VU
1988"I'm Waiting for the Man" b/w "Heroin" (UK-only release)Non-album singles
"Venus in Furs" b/w "All Tomorrow Parties" (UK-only release)
1993"I'm Waiting for the Man" b/w "Pale Blue Eyes" b/w "White Light/White Heat" b/w "Sweet Jane" (UK-only release, promo)
"Venus in Furs" b/w "I'm Waiting for the Man" (FRA-only release)Live MCMXCIII
1994"Venus in Furs" (live edit) b/w "Sweet Jane" (Live), "Heroin" (Live), "I'm Waiting for the Man" (Live) (UK #71)Non-album singles
2009"We're Gonna Have a Real Good Time Together" b/w "If You Close the Door (After Hours)"

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Velvet Underground & Nico - Allmusic.com. Rovi Corporation. Allmusic. Mark Deming. 2011-05-05.
  2. Web site: White Light/White Heat - Allmusic.com. Rovi Corporation. Allmusic. Mark Deming. 2011-05-05.
  3. Web site: The Velvet Underground | Awards. AllMusic.
  4. Web site: Loaded - Allmusic.com. Rovi Corporation. Allmusic. Mark Deming. 2011-05-05.
  5. Web site: Squeeze - Allmusic.com. Rovi Corporation. Allmusic. Stephen Thomas Erlewine. 2011-05-05.
  6. The Velvet Underground Chart History: Billboard 200. Billboard. 2022-02-05.
  7. Web site: Discographie The Velvet Underground . fr . lescharts.com . June 2, 2022.
  8. Web site: Artists Search: The Velvet Underground. Media Control. charts.de. de. 2011-05-05.
  9. Web site: Extended Search: The Velvet Underground. nl. Hung Medien. dutchcharts.nl. 2011-05-05.
  10. Web site: Extended Search: The Velvet Underground. Hung Medien. norwegiancharts.com. 2011-05-05.
  11. Web site: Velvet Underground full Official Chart History. Official Charts Company. June 2, 2022.
  12. United Kingdom. The Velvet Underground. 22 November 2014. album.
  13. Web site: Extended Search: The Velvet Underground. Hung Medien. charts.nz. 2011-05-05.
  14. Web site: The Velvet Underground - USA LPS.
  15. Web site: The Velvet Underground. The Velvet Underground Web Page. 2011-05-05.
  16. Web site: The Velvet Underground - Singles & EPs.