B.B. King discography
B.B. King (1925–2015) was an American blues musician whose recording career spanned 1949–2008. As with other blues contemporaries, King's material was primarily released on singles until the late 1950s–early 1960s, when long playing record albums became more popular.
B.B. King discography | |
---|---|
In concert in France, 1989 | |
Studio albums | 43 |
Live albums | 16 |
Singles | 138 |
Overview
B.B. King's first charting single, "3 O'Clock Blues," reached No. 1 on the Billboard R&B charts in 1951. He charted further No. 1 singles on various Billboard R&B charts with "You Know I Love You," "Please Love Me" and "You Upset Me Baby."[1] Between 1958 and 1974 he had 10 top 10 hits on the R&B chart, including "Sweet Sixteen," "Chains And Things," "I Like To Live the Love" and one his most well-known hits, "The Thrill Is Gone."[2] King had 32 charting singles on the Billboard Hot 100 from 1964 to 1989. His final chart entry on the Hot 100 was a 1989 collaboration with U2 on "When Love Comes To Town."[1]
King charted 25 albums on the Billboard Blues Albums chart which ties him with Joe Bonamassa for the most charted albums. Between 1968 and 2008, he attained 33 charting albums on the Billboard 200. His highest-charting album was his 2000 album with Eric Clapton titled Riding With the King, peaking at No. 3.[1]
Albums
Studio albums
Year | Title | Chart peak | Certifications | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US | US R&B | US Jazz | US Blues | SWI | ||||||
1959 | B.B. King Wails | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
Sings Spirituals
|
— | — | — | — | — | |||||
1960 | The Great B. B. King
|
— | — | — | — | — | ||||
King of the Blues
|
— | — | — | — | — | |||||
My Kind of Blues
|
— | — | — | — | — | |||||
1961 | More B.B. King
|
— | — | — | — | — | ||||
1962 | Twist With B.B. King
|
— | — | — | — | — | ||||
Easy Listening Blues
|
— | — | — | — | — | |||||
1963 | Blues in My Heart
|
— | — | — | — | — | ||||
B.B. King
|
— | — | — | — | — | |||||
Mr. Blues
|
— | — | — | — | — | |||||
1966 | Confessin' the Blues
|
— | — | — | — | — | ||||
1968 | Blues on Top of Blues | — | 46 | — | — | — | ||||
Lucille
|
192 | — | — | — | — | |||||
1969 | Live & Well
|
56 | 11 | 17 | — | — | ||||
Completely Well
|
38 | 5 | — | — | — | |||||
1970 | Indianola Mississippi Seeds
|
26 | 8 | 7 | — | — | ||||
1971 | B.B. King in London
|
57 | 15 | — | — | — | ||||
1972 | L.A. Midnight
|
53 | 21 | — | — | — | ||||
Guess Who
|
65 | 14 | — | — | — | |||||
1973 | To Know You Is to Love You
|
71 | 13 | — | — | — | ||||
1974 | Friends
|
153 | 27 | — | — | — | ||||
1975 | Lucille Talks Back
|
— | — | — | — | — | ||||
1977 | King Size
|
154 | 34 | — | — | — | ||||
1978 | Midnight Believer
|
124 | 27 | — | — | — | ||||
1979 | Take It Home
|
112 | 22 | — | — | — | ||||
1981 | There Must Be a Better World Somewhere
|
131 | 26 | — | — | — | ||||
1982 | Love Me Tender
|
179 | 45 | — | — | — | ||||
1983 | Blues 'N' Jazz
|
172 | 38 | 21 | — | — | ||||
1984 | Better Than Ever
|
— | — | |||||||
1985 | Six Silver Strings
|
— | 31 | 23 | — | — | ||||
1988 | King of the Blues: 1989
|
— | — | — | — | — | ||||
1991 | There Is Always One More Time
|
— | 76 | — | — | — | ||||
1993 | Blues Summit
|
182 | 64 | — | — | 93 | ||||
1994 | Heart to Heart
|
— | — | 6 | — | — | ||||
1995 | Lucille & Friends
|
— | — | — | — | — | ||||
1997 | Deuces Wild
|
73 | — | — | 1 | 33 | ||||
1998 | Blues on the Bayou
|
186 | — | — | 2 | — | ||||
1999 | Let the Good Times Roll
|
— | — | — | 2 | — | ||||
2000 | Riding with the King
|
3 | — | — | — | 3 |
| |||
Makin' Love Is Good for You
|
— | — | — | 2 | — | |||||
2001 | A Christmas Celebration of Hope – 20th Century Masters/The Christmas Collection: The Best of B.B. King (2003)
|
151 | — | — | 1 | — | ||||
2003 | Reflections
|
165 | — | — | 2 | — | ||||
2005 | B.B. King & Friends: 80
|
45 | — | — | 1 | 78 | ||||
2008 | One Kind Favor
|
37 | — | — | 1 | 78 | ||||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart. |
Live albums
Year | Album | Peak chart positions | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US | US R&B | US Blues | US Jazz | |||||||
1965 | Live at the Regal | 78 | — | — | — | |||||
1967 | Blues Is King | — | — | — | — | |||||
1970 | The Incredible Soul of B.B. King | 193 | — | — | — | |||||
1971 | Live in Cook County Jail | 25 | 1 | — | 3 | |||||
1974 | B.B. King and Bobby Bland Together for the First Time... Live | 43 | 2 | — | — | |||||
1976 | Bobby Bland and B.B. King Together Again...Live | 73 | 9 | — | — | |||||
1980 | Now Appearing at Ole Miss | 162 | 45 | — | 21 | |||||
1982 | Royal Jam | 144 | — | — | — | |||||
1990 | Live at San Quentin | — | — | — | — | |||||
1991 | Live at the Apollo | — | — | — | — | |||||
1999 | Live in Japan (recorded 1971) | — | — | — | — | |||||
2007 | Forever Gold: B.B. King Live | — | — | 11 | — | |||||
2008 | Live at the BBC | — | — | 1 | — | |||||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart. |
Compilations (partial)
Year | Album |
---|---|
1956 | Singin' the Blues (RIAA: Gold)[24] |
1958 | The Blues |
1968 | His Best – The Electric B. B. King |
1973 | The Best of B.B. King |
1983 | Why I Sing the Blues |
1986 | Ambassador of The Blues (UK & Europe Only) |
1987 | You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now |
1992 | King of the Blues |
My Sweet Little Angel | |
1995 | Lucille & Friends |
Jazz & Blues Collection | |
1998 | Greatest Hits |
1999 | 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of B.B. King |
His Definitive Greatest Hits | |
2005 | The Ultimate Collection |
2007 | The Best of the Early Years |
2012 | Ladies and Gentlemen...Mr. B.B. King |
Singles
Year | Title | Single information | Peak chart position | Album | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US R&B | US | US Rock | UK [25] | ||||||||
1949 | "Miss Martha King"
c/w "When Your Baby Packs Up and Goes" |
|
N/A | ||||||||
"Got the Blues"
c/w "Take a Swing with Me" |
|
||||||||||
1950 | "Mistreated Woman"
c/w "B.B. Boogie" |
|
|||||||||
"Walkin' and Cryin'"
c/w "The Other Night Blues" |
|
||||||||||
1951 | "Don't You Want a Man Like Me"
c/w "My Baby's Gone" |
|
|||||||||
"B.B.'s Blues"
c/w "She's Dynamite" |
|
||||||||||
"She's a Mean Woman"
c/w "Hard Workin' Woman |
|
||||||||||
"3 O'Clock Blues"
b/w "That Ain't the Way to Do It" (from The Blues") |
|
1 | — | — | — | Singin' the Blues | |||||
1952 | "Fine Lookin' Woman"
c/w "She Don't Move Me No More" |
|
N/A | ||||||||
"Shake It Up and Go"
c/w "My Own Fault, Darlin'" (re-recorded for My Kind of Blues) |
|
— | — | — | — | ||||||
"Some Day Some Where"
c/w "Gotta Find My Baby" |
|
||||||||||
"You Know I Love You"
c/w "You Didn't Want Me" (non-album track) |
|
1 | — | — | — | Singin' the Blues | |||||
"Story from My Heart and Soul"
c/w "Boogie Woogie Woman" (from The Blues) |
|
9 | — | — | — | N/A | |||||
1953 | "Woke Up This Morning" (My Baby She Was Gone)
c/w "Don't Have to Cry" ("Past Day" from The Blues) |
|
3 | — | — | — | Singin' the Blues | ||||
"Please Love Me"
c/w "Highway Bound" (non-album track) |
|
1 | — | — | — | ||||||
"Please Hurry Home"
c/w "Neighborhood Affair" |
|
4 | — | — | — | N/A | |||||
"Blind Love"
c/w "Why Did You Leave Me" |
|
Singin' the Blues | |||||||||
1954 | "Please Help Me"
c/w "Praying to the Lord" |
|
N/A | ||||||||
"Love You Baby"/ |
|
||||||||||
"The Woman I Love" | 31 | — | — | — | B.B. King Wails | ||||||
"Everything I Do Is Wrong"
c/w "Don't You Want a Man Like Me" (from The Blues) |
|
N/A | |||||||||
"Bye! Bye! Baby"/ |
|
||||||||||
"When My Heart Beats Like a Hammer" | 8 | — | — | — | The Blues | ||||||
"You Upset Me Baby"
c/w "Whole Lotta Love"(later appeared on The Great B.B. King) |
|
1 | — | — | — | Singin' the Blues | |||||
1955 | "Every Day I Have the Blues"[27]/ |
|
8 | — | — | — | Singin' the Blues | ||||
"Sneakin' Around" | 14 | — | — | — | The Great B.B. King | ||||||
"Lonely and Blue"
c/w Jump with You Baby" |
|
N/A | |||||||||
"I'm in Love"
c/w "Shut Your Mouth" (from More B.B. King) |
|
||||||||||
"Talkin' the Blues"
c/w "Boogie Rock" |
|
N/A | |||||||||
"Ten Long Years"[28]c/w "What Can I Do" (from The Blues) |
|
9 | — | — | — | Singin' the Blues | |||||
"I'm Cracking Up Over You"
c/w "Ruby Lee" (from The Blues) |
|
N/A | |||||||||
"Crying Won't Help You"
c/w "Can't We Talk It Over" (non-album track) and "16 Tons" (non-album track) on different releases |
|
15 | — | — | — | Singin' the Blues | |||||
1956 | "Let's Do the Boogie"
c/w "Did You Ever Love a Woman" (from Singin' the Blues) |
|
N/A | ||||||||
"Dark Is the Night (Part I)"
c/w "Dark Is the Night (Part II)" |
|
||||||||||
"Sweet Little Angel"/ |
|
6 | — | — | — | Singin' the Blues | |||||
"Bad Luck"[29] | 3 | — | — | — | |||||||
"On My Word of Honor"
c/w "Bim Bam" |
|
N/A | |||||||||
1957 | "Early in the Morning"
c/w "You Don't Know" (non-album track) |
|
The Blues | ||||||||
"How Do I Love You"
c/w "You Can't Fool My Heart" |
|
N/A | |||||||||
"I Want to Get Married"/ |
|
14 | — | — | — | The Blues | |||||
"Troubles, Troubles, Troubles"[30] | 13 | — | — | — | |||||||
"Quit My Baby"/ |
|
The Great B.B. King | |||||||||
"Be Careful with a Fool"[31] | — | 95 | — | — | |||||||
"I Wonder"
c/w "I Need You So Bad" |
|
N/A | |||||||||
"The Key to My Kingdom"
c/w "My Heart Belongs to Only You" |
|
||||||||||
1958 | "Why Do Everything Happen to Me"
c/w "You Know I Go for You" |
|
The Blues | ||||||||
"Don't Look Now, But I've Got the Blues"
c/w "Days of Old" (from The Great B.B. King) |
|
N/A | |||||||||
"Please Accept My Love" |
|
9 | — | — | — | ||||||
"You've Been an Angel"[32] | 16 | — | — | — | |||||||
1959 | "I Am"
c/w "Worry Worry" |
|
|||||||||
"Come by Here"
c/w "The Fool" |
|
B.B. King Wails | |||||||||
"A Lonely Lover's Plea"
c/w "Woman I Love" |
|
N/A | |||||||||
"Everyday I Have the Blues"
c/w "Time to Say Goodbye" (from B.B. King Wails) |
|
N/A/original version on Singin' the Blues | |||||||||
"Mean Ole Frisco"
c/w "Sugar Mama" |
|
— | — | — | — | N/A | |||||
"Sweet Sixteen, Pt. 1"
b/w "Sweet Sixteen, Pt. 2" |
|
2 | — | — | — | The Great B.B. King | |||||
1960 | "Got a Right to Love My Baby"
c/w "My Own Fault" (from My Kind of Blues) |
|
King of the Blues | ||||||||
"Good Man Gone Bad" |
|
||||||||||
"Partin' Time" | 8 | — | — | — | |||||||
"You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now"/ |
|
My Kind of Blues | |||||||||
"Walking Dr. Bill" | 23 | — | — | — | |||||||
"Things Are Not the Same"
c/w "Fishin After Me" (from My Kind of Blues) |
|
N/A | |||||||||
1961 | "Someday" | 16 | — | — | — | ||||||
"Peace of Mind"[33] | 7 | — | — | — | More | ||||||
1962 | "My Sometime Baby" | 24 | — | — | — | Blues in My Heart | |||||
1963 | "The Road I Travel" | — | — | — | — | Sings Spirituals | |||||
1964 | "How Blue Can You Get" (ABC) | 21 | 97[34] | — | — | Blues in My Heart | |||||
"You're Gonna Miss Me" (Kent) | — | 107 | — | — | |||||||
"Beautician Blues" | 15 | 82 | — | — | Rock Me Baby | ||||||
"Help the Poor" (ABC) | 24 | 98[34] | — | — | |||||||
"The Worst Thing in My Life" (Kent) | — | — | — | — | |||||||
"Rock Me Baby" | 12 | 34[34] | — | — | |||||||
"Never Trust a Woman" | 29 | 90[34] | — | — | N/A | ||||||
"Please Send Me Someone to Love" | — | — | — | — | Confessin' the Blues | ||||||
1965 | "I Need You" | — | — | — | — | ||||||
"Blue Shadows" (Kent) | 25 | 97 | — | — | Rock Me Baby | ||||||
1966 | "Eyesight to the Blind" | 31 | — | — | — | ||||||
"Ain't Nobody's Business" | — | — | — | — | N/A | ||||||
"Don't Answer the Door, Pt. I" (ABC) | 2 | 72 | — | — | Blues Is King | ||||||
"I Stay in the Mood" (Kent) | 45 | — | — | — | |||||||
"Waitin' for You" (ABC) | — | — | — | — | |||||||
1967 | "It's a Mean World" (Kent) | 49 | — | — | — | N/A | |||||
"The Jungle" | 17 | 94 | — | — | The Jungle | ||||||
1968 | "I Don't Want You Cuttin' Off Your Hair" (Bluesway) | — | — | — | — | His Best – The Electric B. B. King | |||||
"Paying the Cost to Be the Boss" (Bluesway) | 10 | 39 | — | — | |||||||
"I'm Gonna Do What They Do to Me" | 26 | 74 | — | — | Blues on Top of Blues | ||||||
"The B. B. Jones" | — | 98 | — | — | His Best – The Electric B. B. King | ||||||
"You Put It on Me"[35] | 25 | 82 | — | — | |||||||
"The Woman I Love" | 31 | 94 | — | — | |||||||
1969 | "I Want You So Bad" | 34 | 127 | — | — | Live & Well | |||||
"Get Off My Back Woman"[36] | 32 | 74 | — | — | |||||||
"Why I Sing the Blues" | 13 | 61 | — | — | |||||||
"Just a Little Love" | 15 | 76 | — | — | |||||||
1970 | "The Thrill Is Gone" | 3 | 15 | — | — | Completely Well | |||||
"So Excited" | 14 | 54 | — | — | |||||||
"Hummingbird" | 25 | 48 | — | — | Indianola Mississippi Seeds | ||||||
"Worried Life" | 48 | — | — | — | |||||||
"Ask Me No Questions" (ABC) | 18 | 40 | — | — | |||||||
"Chains and Things" | 6 | 45 | — | — | |||||||
1971 | "Nobody Loves Me But My Mother" | — | — | — | — | ||||||
"Help the Poor" (re-recording) | 36 | 90 | — | — | L.A. Midnight | ||||||
"Ghetto Woman" | 25 | 68 | — | — | N/A | ||||||
"The Evil Child" | 34 | 97 | — | — | |||||||
1972 | "Sweet Sixteen" (re-recording) | 37 | 93 | — | — | L.A. Midnight | |||||
"I Got Some Help I Don't Need" | 28 | 92 | — | — | |||||||
"Ain't Nobody Home" | 28 | 46 | — | — | B. B. King in London | ||||||
"Guess Who" | 21 | 62 | — | — | Guess Who | ||||||
1973 | "To Know You Is to Love You" | 12 | 38 | — | — | To Know You Is to Love You | |||||
1974 | "I Like to Live the Love" | 6 | 28 | — | — | ||||||
"Who Are You" | 27 | 78 | — | — | |||||||
"Philadelphia" | 19 | 64 | — | — | Friends | ||||||
1975 | "My Song" | — | — | — | — | ||||||
"Friends"[37] | 34 | — | — | — | |||||||
1976 | "Let the Good Times Roll" | 20 | 101 | — | — | Bobby Bland and B. B. King Together Again...Live | |||||
1977 | "Slow and Easy" | 88 | — | — | — | King Size | |||||
1978 | "Never Make a Move Too Soon" | 19 | 102 | — | — | Midnight Believer | |||||
"I Just Can't Leave Your Love Alone" | 90 | — | — | — | |||||||
1979 | "Better Not Look Down" | 30 | 110 | — | — | Take It Home | |||||
1981 | "There Must Be a Better World Somewhere" | 91 | — | — | — | There Must Be a Better World Somewhere | |||||
1985 | "Into the Night" | 15 | 107 | — | — | Six Silver Strings | |||||
"Big Boss Man" / "My Guitar Sings The Blues" | 62 | — | — | — | |||||||
1988 | "When Love Comes to Town" (with U2) | — | 68 | 2[38] | 6 | Rattle and Hum | |||||
1992 | "The Blues Come Over Me" | 63 | — | — | — | There is Always One More Time | |||||
"Since I Met You Baby" (with Gary Moore) | — | — | — | 59 | After Hours | ||||||
2000 | "Riding with the King" (with Eric Clapton) | — | — | 26 | — | Riding with the King | |||||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart. |
Other appearances
Year | Song | Album |
---|---|---|
1968 | "You Put It On Me", The B. B. Jones", "Messy But Good" (with Quincy Jones) | For Love of Ivy OST |
1995 | "Stormy Monday Blues" | All Blues |
2001 | "Three O'Clock Blues" (with Jimmy Smith) | Dot Com Blues[39] |
2010 | "The Thrill Is Gone" (with Stevie Wonder) | The 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concerts[40] |
2012 | "Praying Man" (with Big K.R.I.T.) | Live from the Underground |
2014 | "On the Way" | The Art of McCartney[41] |
References
- "B.B. King's Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 Hits". Billboard. May 15, 2015.
- "B.B. King Chart History". Billboard.
- "International Latvian Certification Awards from 1998 to 2001". Latvian Music Producers Association. Directupload. 2001. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- "Gold/Platinum". Music Canada. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- "Listas semanales" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- "Gold & Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 22 March 1998. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2001 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- "BRIT Certified". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- "CAPIF – Discos de Oro y Platino". Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2019.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
- "Lot 310 – B.B. King Italian Platinum Award for Riding with the King – Property from the Estate of B.B. King – Julien′s Auctions". Archived from the original on 4 November 2019. Retrieved 29 November 2019.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
- "Gold & Platin" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- "Hitlisten.NU – Album Top-40". Archived from the original on 14 November 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2019.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
- "IFPI Europe Platinum Awards 2000". Archived from the original on 27 November 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- "Ελληνικό Διάγραμμα" [Greek Chart] (in Greek). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry Greece. Archived from the original on 14 November 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- "Lot 308 – B.B. King Warner Music Hong Kong Gold Award for Riding with the King – Property from the Estate of B.B. King – Julien′s Auctions". Archived from the original on 4 November 2019. Retrieved 29 November 2019.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
- "Edelmetall" (in German). Schweizer Hitparade. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- "Goud/Platina" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- "Certificados – Pro-Música Brasil" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- "RIAJ – The Record Vol. 8 No. 489 – 2000" (PDF). Archived from the original on 17 January 2014. Retrieved 29 November 2019.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
- "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 5 November 2000. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- "InfoDisc – Les Certifications depuis 1973" (in French). Institut français d'opinion publique. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
- "Lot 474 – B.B. King Gold Sales Award for Singin′ the Blues – Property from the Estate of B.B. King – Julien′s Auctions". Archived from the original on 4 November 2019. Retrieved 29 November 2019.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
- British Hit Singles & Albums 19th Edition. HIT Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- "Best Selling Rhythm & Blues Records" (PDF). Billboard: 93. September 17, 1952.
- "Everyday I Have the Blues" was the b-side to "Sneaking Around."
- "Ten Long Years" was the b-side to "What Can I Do (Just Sing the Blues)."
- "Bad Luck" was the b-side to "Sweet Little Angel."
- "Troubles, Troubles, Troubles" was the b-side to "I Want to Get Married."
- "Be Careful with a Fool" was the b-side to "(I'm Gonna) Quit My Baby."
- "You've Been an Angel" was the b-side to "Please Accept My Love."
- "Peace of Mind" was the b-side of "Someday Baby."
- Billboard Magazine did not publish an R&B Singles chart between November 1963 and January 1965.
- "You Put It On Me" was the b-side of "The B.B. Jones."
- "Get Off My Back Woman" was the b-side of "I Want You So Bad."
- "Friends" was the b-side of "My Song."
- "When Love Comes to Town" was the first B.B. King single to chart on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
- "Dot Com Blues". Allmusic. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
- "The 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Concerts (4CD)". Retrieved 2011-11-25.
- Grow, Kory. "Paul McCartney Tribute Comp: Bob Dylan, Kiss and More Cover the Beatle". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2015-05-15.