This is the discography of Australian singer-songwriter Nick Cave. In addition to his career as lead singer of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, he has released 1 studio album, 11 soundtrack albums, 1 extended play, 2 short soundtracks, 3 singles, 3 live albums, and 1 compilation album. Since 2005, the majority of his work has been written and recorded in collaboration with Bad Seeds member and multi-instrumentalist Warren Ellis.
Studio Albums YearTitleNotes2021Carnagewith Warren Ellis
Soundtracks YearTitleNotes1989Ghosts... of the Civil Deadwith Blixa Bargeld & Mick Harvey2005The Propositionwith Warren Ellis2007The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Fordwith Ellis2009The Roadwith Ellis2012West of Memphiswith Ellis2014Far from Menwith Ellis2016Marswith Ellis2017War Machinewith EllisWind Riverwith EllisKingswith Ellis2021La Panthère des neigeswith Ellis2022Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Storywith EllisBlondewith Ellis2024Back to Blackwith Ellis
EPs YearTitleNotes2022Seven Psalmsfeaturing Ellis
Short soundtracks YearTitleNotes2012 Days of Gracewith Warren Ellis2016Hell or High Waterwith Ellis
Singles YearTitleNotes1992"What a Wonderful World"/"Rainy Night in Soho"Bob Thiele & George David Weiss and the Pogues cover, "What a Wonderful World" with Shane MacGowan2002"Bad Cover Version"split single with Pulp, a cover of "Disco 2000"2022"Letter to Cynthia"featuring Warren Ellis, backed with instrumental version"Letter to Daniel & Vera"
Other appearances YearTitleReleaseNotes1989"Helpless"The BridgeNeil Young cover1993"Faraway, So Close!" and "Cassiel's Song"Faraway, So Close!original songs1995"There Is a Light"Batman Foreveroriginal song1996"Time Jesum Transeuntum et Non Riverentum" and "X-Files Theme"Songs in the Key of Xwith Dirty Three1997"Mack the Knife"September Songs: The Music of Kurt WeillBertolt Brecht & Kurt Weill cover1998"The Big Hurt" and "Mojo"Mojo"The Big Hurt" with Gallon Drunk, 1997 film1999"Goodbye Marylou"A Tribute to PolnareffMichel Polnareff cover2001"To Be by Your Side"Winged Migrationoriginal song2002"Let It Be" and "Here Comes the Sun" (bonus track)I Am SamThe Beatles cover, 2001 film2006"Fire Down Below" and "Pinery Boy"Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteystraditional songs2010"Ramblin' Mind" and "Free to Walk"We Are Only Riders: The Jeffrey Lee Pierce Sessions Projectbased on Jeffrey Lee Pierce demos, "Free to Walk" with Debbie Harry2011"She's Not There"True Blood: Volume 3The Zombies cover with Neko Case2012"City in Pain" and "The Breaking Hands"The Journey Is Long: The Jeffrey Lee Pierce Sessions Projectbased on Jeffrey Lee Pierce demos, "The Breaking Hands" with Debbie Harry2013"Pirate Jenny"Son of Rogues Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs & Chanteystraditional song with Shilpa Ray and Warren Ellis2014"Nobody's City"Axels & Sockets: The Jeffrey Lee Pierce Sessions Projectbased on Jeffrey Lee Pierce demo, with Iggy Pop2015"All the Gold in California"True DetectiveLarry Gatlin cover with Ellis2020"Cosmic Dancer"AngelHeaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan & T.RexT. Rex cover2022"Wood Dove"For the Birds: The Birdsong Project, Vol. 1with Ellis 2024 "Slap That Bass" / "Get Happy" / "What the World Needs Now Is Love" Joker: Folie à Deux (Music from the Motion Picture) Covers 2026 TBA Honora Provides lead vocals on the debut solo album by Flea
Live
Albums
Live at Hammersmith Apollo (2015) Live at the Royal Albert Hall (2015) Idiot Prayer (Nick Cave Alone at Alexandra Palace) (2020) Australian Carnage – Live at the Sydney Opera House (2023)
Other appearances
Nick Cave i Przyjaciele (Nick Cave and Friends) (1999). A live tribute album by Polish musicians. Cave appears on "Into My Arms" and "The Weeping Song". "I'm Your Man" and "Suzanne" performed by Cave in the documentary/concert film Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man (2006). The Harry Smith Project: Anthology of American Folk Music Revisited (2006), Concert album featuring Nick Cave performing "John the Revelator" and "Shine on Me".
Compilation
White Lunar, soundtrack compilation (2009) – composed with Ellis (2CDs). Disc one contains highlights from The Proposition, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, and The Road. Disc 2 contains excerpts from unreleased soundtracks as well as four unreleased pieces from their archives.
Session work
Send Me a Lullaby (1981), album by The Go-Betweens, features Cave's vocals on "After the Fireworks". Burnin' the Ice (1982), album by Die Haut features Cave's vocals on "Stow-a-Way", "Truck Love", "Pleasure Is the Boss", "Dumb Europe". Annie Hogan Plays "Kickabye" EP (1985), features Cave's vocals and production on "Vixo". Recorded in October 1983. Oedipus Schmoedipus (1996), album by Barry Adamson, Cave appears on "The Sweetest Embrace". "Music for Expelling the Demon" (1999), a short animation by Devlin Crow, written by A-Soma. Punishing Kiss (2000), album by Ute Lemper, Cave co-wrote (with Bruno Pisek) "Little Water Song". Next Wave (2002), album by Chris Coco, Cave performs a cover version of The Velvet Underground's "Sunday Morning" with Chris Coco. American IV: The Man Comes Around (2003) duet with Johnny Cash on "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry". Small World Big Band Friends 3 – Jack o the Green (2003), album by Jools Holland, "Kiss of Love" duet with Sam Brown. I Started Out with Nothin (2008), album by Seasick Steve, "Just Like a King" includes Cave's vocals. The Real Work (2022), album by Party Dozen, Cave features on "Macca the Mutt".
Unreleased soundtracks
The English Surgeon (2007) – excerpts released on White Lunar The Girls of Phnom Penh (2009) – excerpts released on White Lunar Lawless (2012) – "End Crawl" released on Lawless various artists album The Case Against Adnan Syed (2019) – unreleased
Compositions To Have and to Hold (1996) – film score to John Hillcoat's film of the same name, with Blixa Bargeld and Mick Harvey. Woyzeck (2005) – theatre score composed with Warren Ellis The Metamorphosis (2006) – theatre score composed with Ellis Faust (2009) – theatre score composed with Ellis Shell Shock (2014) – opera with libretto by Cave L.I.T.A.N.I.E.S (2020) – opera with libretto by Cave
Readings "The Atra Virago or the Vargus Barking Spider" (1987) – excerpt of And the Ass Saw the Angel, from Smack My Crack "And the Ass Saw the Angel" (1988) – further excerpts, released with Tender Prey The Secret Life of the Love Song & the Flesh Made Word: Two Lectures (2000) The Death of Bunny Munro (2009) – 7-disc audiobook, with backing music composed with Ellis
References