Sam Cooke discography explained

Artist:Sam Cooke
Studio:14
Live:2
Compilation:13
Singles:49
Option:2
Option Name:Box sets

The discography of Sam Cooke, an American singer and songwriter, consists of fourteen studio albums (including one collaborative album and two notable posthumous releases), two live albums, 49 singles, 13 compilations and 2 box sets. Over the course of his eight-year career, Cooke placed 29 singles in the Top 40 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart. He also placed 20 singles in the Top Ten of Billboard R&B chart, Black Singles chart. Between 1957 and 1960, Sam Cooke's records were produced on the Keen label. From 1960 through 1966, they were produced on the RCA label.

Ownership of Cooke's material is split between RCA (roughly 1958–1963) and ABKCO (post-1963), with each label releasing their own compilations and rarely cross-licensing (The Man and His Music and being the two exceptions). As a result, few of Cooke's original albums saw individual release on the medium of compact disc, and, consequently, digital distribution, although all of Cooke's recorded work has been released either in compilation or box set.

Albums

Studio albums

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:19em;"
Album detailsPeak chart positions
US
[1]
Sam Cooke
  • Released: February 1958
  • Label: Keen
16
Encore
  • Released: 1958
  • Label: Keen
Tribute to the Lady
  • Released: 1959
  • Label: Keen
Cooke's Tour
  • Released: May 1960
  • Label: RCA Victor
Hits of the 50's
  • Released: August 1960
  • Label: RCA Victor
Swing Low
  • Released: February 1961[2]
  • Label: RCA Victor
My Kind of Blues
  • Released: October 1961
  • Label: RCA Victor
Twistin' the Night Away
  • Released: April 1962
  • Label: RCA Victor
74
Mr. Soul
  • Released: February 1963
  • Label: RCA Victor
94
Night Beat
  • Released: August 1963
  • Label: RCA Victor
62
Ain't That Good News
  • Released: March 1, 1964
  • Label: RCA Victor
34
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Posthumous studio albums

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:19em;"
Album detailsPeak chart positions
US
US R&B
Shake
  • Released: January 1965
  • Label: RCA Victor
44 1
Try a Little Love
  • Released: October 1965
  • Label: RCA
120
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Live albums

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:19em;"
Album detailsPeak chart positions
US
US R&B
Sam Cooke at the Copa
  • Released: October 1964
  • Label: RCA Victor
29 1
Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963
  • Released: June 1985
  • Label: RCA
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Collaboration albums

Title! scope="col" style="width:19em;"
Album details
3 Great Guys
  • Released: February 1964
  • Label: RCA Victor

Compilation albums

Numerous compilation albums and greatest hits collections of Cooke's work have been released, notably in 2003. This list compiles the most notable compilation releases from major labels. Many cross-licensed compilations from smaller labels (most of which contain Cooke's gospel work with the Soul Stirrers) are not represented here.

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:19em;"
Album detailsPeak chart positionsCertifications
US
US R&B
UK
[3]
Hit Kit
  • Released: 1959
  • Label: Keen
The Wonderful World of Sam Cooke
  • Released 1960
  • Label: Keen
I Thank God
  • Released: 1960
  • Label: Keen
The Best of Sam Cooke
  • Released: August 1962
  • Label: RCA Victor
22
The Best of Sam Cooke, Volume II
  • Released: July 1965
  • Label: RCA Victor
128 7
The Unforgettable Sam Cooke
  • Released: May 1966
  • Label: RCA Victor
The One and Only
  • Released: 1969
  • Label: RCA
This Is Sam Cooke
  • Released: September 1970
  • Label: RCA
The Man and His Music
  • Released: February 1986
  • Label: RCA
1758
  • BPI: Gold
The Rhythm and the Blues
  • Released: October 24, 1995
  • Label: RCA
Greatest Hits
  • Released: February 24, 1998
  • Label: RCA
Keep Movin' On
  • Released: January 15, 2002
  • Label: ABKCO
  • Released: June 17, 2003
  • Label: ABKCO
135 19
  • BPI: Platinum
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Box sets

Title! scope="col" style="width:19em;"
Album details
The Man Who Invented Soul
  • Released: September 26, 2000
  • Label: RCA
The RCA Albums Collection
  • Released: November 22, 2011
  • Label: RCA/Legacy
The Complete KEEN Years: 1957-1960
  • Released: January 22, 2020
  • Label: ABCKO

Singles

Title
(A-side / B-side)! scope="col" rowspan="2"
YearPeak chart positionsCertificationsAlbum
US
US R&B
CAN
[5]
UK
[6]
"You Send Me"
"Summertime"
19571
81
1
1
29
Sam Cooke (Keen)
"I'll Come Running Back to You"
"Forever"
18
60
1
8
23
Non-album tracks
"(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons"
"Desire Me"
17
47
15
17


Non-album track/re-recorded for Mr. SoulNon-album track
"That's All I Need to Know"
"I Don't Want to Cry"
1958

41

Non-album tracks
"You Were Made for Me"
"Lonely Island"
27
26
7
10

16

Non-album tracks
"Stealing Kisses"
"All of My Life"




Non-album tracks
"Win Your Love for Me"
"Love Song from Houseboat (Almost in Your Arms)"
22
4
45

Non-album tracks
"Blue Moon"
"Love You Most of All"

26

12

24

Non-album track
"I Need You Now"
"Happy in Love"
1959



Non-album tracks
"Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha"
"Little Things You Do"
31
2
14

Non-album tracks
"Only Sixteen"
"Let's Go Steady Again"
28
13
21
23
"Summertime (Part 1)"
"Summertime (Part 2)"




Sam Cooke(Keen)

Non-album track

"There, I've Said It Again"
"One Hour Ahead of the Posse"
81
25


Non-album tracks
"Mary, Mary Lou"
"Ee-Yi-Ee-Yi-Oh"
1960



Encore
Non-album track
"T'Aint Nobody's Bizness"
"No One (Can Ever Take Your Place)"




Tribute to the LadyNon-album track
"Teenage Sonata"
"If You Were the Only Girl"
50
22
30
30

Non-album tracks
"You Understand Me"
"I Belong to Your Heart"




"Wonderful World"
"Along the Navajo Trail"
12
2
13
27
Non-album track
Encore
"With You"
"I Thank God"




Non-album trackI Thank God
"Chain Gang"
"I Fall in Love Every Day"
2
2
4
9
Swing LowNon-album track
"So Glamorous"
"Steal Away"
81
25


Non-album tracks
"Sad Mood"
"Love Me"
29
23
18

Non-album tracks
"That's It, I Quit, I'm Movin' On"
"What Do You Say"
196131
25
25

Twistin' the Night Away
Non-album track
"Cupid"
"Farewell, My Darling"
17
20

7
Non-album tracks
"Feel It"
"It's All Right"
56
93



Non-album tracks
"Just for You"
"Made for Me"




Non-album tracks
"Twistin' the Night Away"
"One More Time"
19629
1
35
6
  • BPI: Silver
Twistin' the Night AwayNon-album track
"Twistin' in the Kitchen with Dinah"
"A Whole Lotta Woman"




Twistin' the Night Away
"Bring It On Home to Me"
"Having a Party"
13
17
2
4

30

Non-album tracks
"Nothing Can Change This Love"
"Somebody Have Mercy"
12
70
2
3


Mr. Soul
Twistin' the Night Away
"Send Me Some Lovin'"
"Baby, Baby, Baby"
13
66
2


Mr. SoulNon-album track
"Another Saturday Night"
"Love Will Find a Way"
196310
1
30
23
Ain't That Good NewsNon-album track
"Frankie and Johnny"
"Cool Train"
14
4

30
Non-album tracks
"Little Red Rooster"
"You Gotta Move"
11
7


Night Beat
"Good News"
"Basin Street Blues"
196411


Ain't That Good NewsNon-album track
"Good Times"
"Tennessee Waltz"
11
35
22[7]

Ain't That Good News
"That's Where It's At"
"Cousin of Mine"
93
31

40

29[8]

Non-album track
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Posthumous singles

Title
(A-side / B-side)! scope="col" rowspan="2"
YearPeak chart positionsCertificationsAlbum
US
US R&B
CAN
[9]
UK
"Shake"
"A Change Is Gonna Come"
19647
31
2
9


  • BPI: Gold
Shake
Ain't That Good News
"Another Saturday Night"
"Send Me Some Lovin'"
1965



Ain't That Good News
Mr. Soul
"It's Got The Whole World Shakin'"
"(Somebody) Ease My Troublin' Mind"
41
15
29

Shake
"When a Boy Falls in Love"
"The Piper"
52

15

Try a Little Love
Non-album track
"Sugar Dumpling"
"Bridge of Tears"
32
18


The Unforgettable Sam Cooke
Try a Little Love
"Feel It"
"That's All"
1966



The Unforgettable Sam Cooke
"Let's Go Steady Again"
"Trouble Blues"
97



Hit Kit
Night Beat
"Meet Me at Mary's Place"
"If I Had a Hammer"




Ain't That Good News
Sam Cooke at the Copa
"The Last Mile of the Way"
"Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone"
1970



The Two Sides of Sam Cooke
The Gospel Soul of Sam Cooke
with the Soul Stirrers, Volume 1
"Bring It On Home to Me"
"Nothing Can Change This Love"
1985



  • BPI: Silver
Sam Cooke Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963
"Wonderful World"
"Chain Gang"
1986


2
  • BPI: Silver
Sam Cooke, The Man and His Music
"Another Saturday Night"
"You Send Me"



75
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Billboard Year-End performances

YearSongYear-End
Position
1957"You Send Me"20
1960"Chain Gang"29
"Wonderful World"80
1962"Twistin' the Night Away"23
"Having a Party"52
1963"Another Saturday Night"78
1965"Shake"66
Notes

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sam Cooke – Awards. AllMusic. February 28, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20120825120554/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/sam-cooke-mn0000238115/awards. August 25, 2012.
  2. February 27, 1961. Spotlight Winners of the Week. Billboard. 18.
  3. Book: The Virgin Book of British Hit Albums. Roach, Martin. Virgin Books. London. 2009. 978-0-7535-1700-0.
  4. United Kingdom. Sam Cooke. August 2, 2024.
  5. Web site: CHUM Chart archive.
  6. Web site: Sam Cooke – Artist – Official Charts. Official Charts Company. February 28, 2014.
  7. Web site: RPM Top 40-5s - July 20, 1964.
  8. Web site: RPM Top 40&5 - November 2, 1964.
  9. Web site: RPM Magazine search results.