American rock musician Lou Reed released 22 studio albums, 19 compilation albums, 18 live albums, 16 video albums, 52 singles, 1 extended play, 17 music videos, and 12 box-sets.
Albums Studio albums Year Title Release date Label Peak chart positions Certifications(sales thresholds) US AUS N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart. CAN FRA GER NZ NLD NOR SWE UK1972Lou Reed May 1972 RCA 189 — — — — — — — — —Transformer November 1972 29 12 12 — — — 6 — — 13AUS: Gold BPI: Platinum1973Berlin October 1973 98 59 51 — — — — — — 7BPI: Silver1974Sally Can't Dance September 1974 10 14 22 — — — 15 — — —1975Metal Machine Music July 1975 — — — — — — — — — —1976Coney Island Baby January 1976 41 25 — — — 16 4 — 23 52Rock and Roll Heart November 1976 Arista 64 68 91 — — — 19 — 40 —1978Street Hassle February 1978 89 24 — — — 9 — — — —1979The Bells May 1979 130 58 — — — 13 — — 44 —1980Growing Up in Public April 1980 158 — — — — 27 — — 35 —1982The Blue Mask February 1982 RCA 169 — — — 52 35 28 — 17 —1983Legendary Hearts March 1983 159 — — — — — — — 36 —1984New Sensations April 1984 56 56 96 — — 25 — — 30 921986Mistrial April 1986 47 47 54 — — 31 — — 14 691989New York January 1989 Sire 40 25 44 — 19 17 11 12 9 14RIAA: Gold ARIA: Platinum BPI: Gold1990Songs for Drella (with John Cale) April 1990 103 100 — — 28 42 14 — 43 221992Magic and Loss January 1992 80 56 56 — 17 20 11 10 9 61996Set the Twilight Reeling February 1996 Warner Bros. 110 109 46 — 18 — 26 17 23 262000Ecstasy April 2000 Reprise Records 183 121 — 48 24 — 68 20 — 542003The Raven January 2003 Sire — — — 60 45 — 50 — — —2007Hudson River Wind Meditations April 2007 Sounds True — — — — — — — — — —2011Lulu (with Metallica) October 2011 Warner Bros. 36 33 25 23 6 12 17 11 936 "—" denotes albums that did not chart, or albums not released in a particular territory.
Live albums Year Title Release date Label Peak chart positions Certifications(sales thresholds) US AUS CAN FRA GER NZ NLD UK1974Rock 'n' Roll Animal February 1974 RCA 45 20 55 — — — — 26RIAA: Gold1975Lou Reed Live March 1975 62 42 — — — 15 4 —1978Live: Take No Prisoners November 1978 Arista — — — — — 10 — —1984Live in Italy January 1984 RCA — — — — — — — —1996Live in Concert (reissue of Live in Italy) 1996 — — — — — — — —1998Perfect Night: Live in London April 1998 Sire — — — 56 98 — 197 —2001American Poet June 2001 Pilot — — — — — — — —2004Animal Serenade March 2004 Reprise — — — 157 — — — —Le Bataclan '72 with John Cale and Nico October 2004 Dynamic — — — — — — — —2007Metal Machine Music with Zeitkratzer September 4, 2007 Asphodel — — — — — — — —2008The Stone: Issue Three with John Zorn and Laurie Anderson April 2008 Tzadik — — — — — — — —Berlin: Live at St. Ann's Warehouse November 2008 Matador — — — 144 — — — —The Creation of the Universe December 2008 Best Seat in the House Productions — — — — — — — —2014Thinking of Another PlaceMarch 2014Easy Action — — — — — — — —2016Waltzing Matilda (Love Has Gone Away)2016 — — — — — — — —Alice Tully Hall — — — — — — — —2017In Their Own Words with Kris Kristofferson and Vin ScelsaSeptember 15, 2017The Bottom Line — — — — — — — —2020When Your Heart Is Made Out of IceMay 2020Easy Action — — — — — — — —Live at Alice Tully Hall (January 27, 1973 - 2nd Show)November 27, 2020RCA Victor/Legacy/Sony — — — — — — —2025Paris '74 December 17, 2025 Bandit — — — — — — — — "—" denotes albums that did not chart, or albums not released in a particular territory.
Compilation albums Year Title Release date Label Peak chart positions Certifications(sales thresholds) US AUS NZ NLD NOR SWE UK1977Walk on the Wild Side: The Best of Lou Reed April 1977 RCA 156 160 — — — — —1980Rock and Roll Diary: 1967–1980 December 1980 Arista 178 — — — — — —1985City Lights 1985 — — — — — — —1989Retro 1989, 1998 RCA — 125 33 — — — 29ARIA: Gold BPI: Silver1992Between Thought and Expression: The Lou Reed Anthology1992 — 165 — — — — —Walk on the Wild Side & Other Hits March 1992 — — — — — — —1995The Best of Lou Reed & The Velvet Underground 1995 Global TV — — — — — — 56BPI: Gold1996Different Times: Lou Reed in the '70s May 1996 RCA — — — — — — —1997Perfect Day October 1997 — — — — — — —1999The Definitive Collection August 1999 Arista — — — — — — —The Very Best of Lou Reed 1999 Camden Deluxe — — — — 19 — 94BPI: Silver2002Legendary Lou Reed July 2002 RCA/BMG — — — — — — —2003NYC Man (The Ultimate Collection 1967–2003) June 2003 — 195 31 91 — 42 312004NYC Man: Greatest Hits August 2004 — — — — — — 43 2008Playlist: The Very Best of Lou Reed July 2008 Legacy — — — — — — —2011The Essential Lou Reed September 13, 2011 RCA 155 — — — — — —2021I'm So Free: The 1971 RCA DemosDecember 24, 2021 — — — — — — —2022Words & Music, May 1965September 16, 2022Light in the Attic— ——————2024Why Don’t You Smile Now: Lou Reed at Pickwick Records 1964-65October 18, 2024— —————— "—" denotes albums that did not chart, or albums not released in a particular territory.
Box sets Year Title Release date Label Format Content 1990 Songs for Drella Limited Edition May 1990 (Germany) Sire/Warner Reprise Video CD+VHS LP-size box with video, deluxe digipack velvet-cover CD and liner notes with Factory-era photographs, German-translated lyrics and poster of Andy Warhol 1992 Between Thought and Expression: The Lou Reed Anthology April 14, 1992 RCA 3xCD/cassette Hits, highlights, b-sides and previously unreleased material from 1972-1988 with a 48-page book, also available on streaming 2008 Original Album Classics 2008 (Europe) RCA/Legacy/Sony 5xCD 5 albums from 1972-1976 2009 Original Album Classics September 25, 2009 5xCD 5 albums from 1982-1986 2010 Classic Albums: Transformer / Live at Montreux 2000 2010 (DVD) / 2014 (Blu-ray) Eagle Vision 2xDVD / 1 Blu-ray 2 videos from 2001-2005 2011 Original Album Classics October 7, 2011 RCA/Legacy/Sony 5xCD 5 albums from 1974-1980 2013 Original Album Series February 11, 2013 Rhino/Sire/Warner 5xCD 5 albums from 1989-2000 2015 The Sire Years: The Complete Albums Box October 30, 2015 Sire/Warner Bros. 10xCD 8 albums from 1989-2004, also available on streaming 2016 The RCA & Arista Album Collection October 7, 2016 RCA/Arista/Legacy/Sony Music 17xCD 16 albums from 1972-1986, 80-page book, 5 prints and poster The RCA & Arista Vinyl Collection Vol. 1 6xLP 6 albums from 1972-1982, 32-page book, booklets and poster 2020 New York: Limited Deluxe Edition September 25, 2020 Sire/Rhino/Warner Bros. 2xLP+3xCD+DVD+cassette Original album remastered, demos, singles, live audio and video, also available on streaming 2022 Words & Music, May 1965: Deluxe Edition October 6, 2022 Light in the Attic 2xLP+7"+CD Lou Reed Archive Series limited release of 7,500 copies with die-cut jacket, 28-page book, letter, previously unreleased demos and also available on streaming
Extended plays Year Title Release date Label Album2022Gee Whiz (1958-1964) October 21, 2022 Light in the AtticWords & Music, 1965 (Ltd. Deluxe Ed.)
Singles
Year Title Peak chart positionsCertificationsAlbum US US Main AUS UK1972"I Can't Stand It" — — — —Lou Reed"Walk and Talk It" — — — —"Walk on the Wild Side"Coupled with "Perfect Day", though it was not promoted as a double A-side. 16 — 95 10 BPI: PlatinumTransformer1973"Satellite of Love" — — — —BPI: Silver"Vicious" — — — —"How Do You Think It Feels" — — — —Berlin1974"Caroline Says" — — — —"Sweet Jane" — — — —Rock 'n' Roll Animal"Sally Can't Dance" — — — —Sally Can't Dance1976"Charley's Girl" — — — —Coney Island Baby"Crazy Feeling" — — — —"I Believe in Love" — — — —Rock and Roll Heart1977"Chooser and the Chosen One" — — — —"Rock and Roll Heart" — — — —1978"Street Hassle" — — — —Street Hassle1979"Disco Mystic" — — — —The Bells"City Lights" — — — —1980"The Power of Positive Drinking" — — — —Growing Up in Public1982"The Blue Mask" — — — —The Blue Mask"Women" — — — —1983"Don't Talk to Me About Work" — — — —Legendary Hearts"Martial Law" — — — —1984"I Love You, Suzanne" — 28 71 78New Sensations"My Red Joystick" — — — —"High in the City" — — — —1985"My Love Is Chemical" — — — —White Nights"September Song" — — — —Lost in the Stars: The Music of Kurt Weill1986"The Original Wrapper" — — — —Mistrial"No Money Down" — 19 75 — "Soul Man" (with Samuel David Moore) — — — 30Soul Man soundtrack1989"Romeo Had Juliette" — — — —New York"Dirty Blvd." — 18 45 —"Busload of Faith" — 47 — —1990"Nobody but You" — — — —Songs for Drella1992"Sword of Damocles" — — — —Magic and Loss"What's Good" — — — —1996"Adventurer" — — — —Set the Twilight Reeling"NYC Man" — — — —"Hookywooky" — — 172 —1997"Perfect Day" — — — 1 BPI: Platinum 2000"Future Farmers of America" — — — —Ecstasy"Modern Dance" — — — —"Paranoia Key of E" — — — —2002"Who Am I? (Tripitena's Song)" — — — —The Raven2003"Perfect Day (Sessions@AOL)" — — — — 2004"Sweet Jane (Live in Los Angeles, 2003)" — — — —Non-album single cut from Animal Serenade"Satellite of Love '04" — — 83 10NYC Man: Greatest Hits2007"Gravity"/"Safety Zone" — — — —Music Inspired by the Film Nanking"Tranquilize" — — 84 13Sawdust2011"The View" — — — —Lulu2022"Heroin (May 1965 Demo)" — — — —Words & Music, May 1965"Men of Good Fortune (May 1965 Demo)" — — — —2023"Open Invitation" — — — —Non-album single cut from New Sensations "—" denotes singles that did not chart, or singles not released in a particular territory.
Other album appearances Studio Year Song(s) Album Notes 1983 "Little Sister" Get Crazy soundtrackOriginal song 1985 "Hot Hips" Perfect soundtrack 1988 "Something Happened" Permanent Record soundtrack1990"One World One Voice"One World One VoiceA concept album for environmental awareness. Reed and his band perform a track with overdubs from Richard Galliano and Penguin Café Orchestra 1993"Tarbelly and Featherfoot"Sweet Relief: A Benefit for Victoria WilliamsVictoria Williams cover "Why Can't I Be Good" Faraway, So Close! soundtrackOriginal song 1995 "You'll Know You Were Loved" Friends soundtrack 1997 "This Magic Moment" Lost Highway soundtrackDoc Pomus & Mort Shuman cover2004"Gentle Breeze"Mary Had a Little AmpWritten and sung by Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson for a charity album2006"Leave Her Johnny"Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and ChanteysTraditional song2010"Solsbury Hill"And I'll Scratch YoursPeter Gabriel cover released as a single in 2010, released on And I'll Scratch Yours in 20132011"The Debt I Owe"Note of Hope - A Celebration of Woody GuthrieOriginal song based on Hank Williams' writings"Peggy Sue"Rave On Buddy HollyJerry Allison & Norman Petty cover
Live and remix Year Song(s) Album Type Notes1991"What's Good"Until the End of the World soundtrackRemixEarly mix1993 "Foot of Pride" The 30th Anniversary Concert CelebrationLive Recorded live on October 16, 1992, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.1996 "Sweet Jane" The Concert for the Rock and Roll Hall of FameRecorded live in 1995 with Soul Asylum 1997 "September Song" September Songs – The Music of Kurt WeillRemixNew version, released on video in 1994 2001 "Set the Twilight Reeling" The Best of Sessions at West 54thLiveBroadcast in 1998 2006 "Perfect Day" and "Vicious" The Bridge School Collection, Vol.1 "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean" The Harry Smith Project Live, Vol. 2
Guest appearances