This is a discography chronicling the musical career of James Brown. Brown joined Bobby Byrd's vocal group the Flames in 1953, first as a drummer and then as leading front man. Later becoming the Famous Flames, they signed with Federal Records in 1956 and recorded their first hit single, "Please, Please, Please", which sold over a million copies.
After the hit release of "Try Me", following nine relative failures, the group scored a series of hit albums and recordings in the early 1960s. Brown's solo aspirations started around 1962. By the time of "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag", he used the Flames less and less as he became a full-fledged solo artist who was now involved in the development of a new R&B subgenre, funk. Eventually the Famous Flames left him in 1968 as did his James Brown band by 1970 and Brown hired The J.B.'s who helped contribute to his continuing success in the 1970s. After their disbanding, Brown struggled for a number of years with recordings before the release of 1985's "Living in America", and having success with the albums Gravity (1986) and I'm Real (1988).
Between 1958 and 1986, Brown charted at least 93 entries on the Billboard Hot 100 and 115 entries on the R&B chart between 1956 and 1993. Seventeen of Brown's singles, including five credited as "James Brown and the Famous Flames", hit number-one on the R&B chart. He recorded several more hits pseudonymously, notably "(Do the) Mashed Potatoes" and "Doing It to Death". In addition to his own hits, Brown wrote and produced charting records by many other performers, including Bobby Byrd, Hank Ballard, Tammy Montgomery, Lyn Collins, Marva Whitney, and The J.B.'s. In contrast to his chart success, few of Brown's hit recordings were certified by the RIAA, partly due to the reluctance of his record labels to pay the required fees.Wolk, Douglas. (2004). Live at the Apollo, 114. New York: Continuum. He had just two certified gold singles - "Get on the Good Foot" (1972) and "The Payback" (1974) - and one gold album, 1973's The Payback.Bloom, Steve. "Anything Left in Papa's Bag?" Down Beat September 1, 1980. Rpt. in The James Brown Reader: Fifty Years of Writing About the Godfather of Soul. Ed. Nelson George and Alan Leeds. New York: Plume, 2008. 160-170. However, two 1991 compilations of his work earned RIAA certification: Star Time (gold) and 20 All-Time Greatest Hits! (platinum).
Brown is one of a handful of artists to chart a combined 1,000 weeks on the US Billboard charts, with Brown accumulating a total of 1,459 cumulative weeks, with 795 weeks on the Billboard 200 and 664 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100.
Albums
Studio albums +TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positionsCertificationsUS US studio album chart peaks:
US R&B US studio album R&B chart peaks:
CAN Canadian studio album chart peaks:
SWIUKPlease Please Please (James Brown and The Famous Flames) Released: Label: King—————Try Me! (James Brown and The Famous Flames) Released: Label: King—————Think! (James Brown and The Famous Flames) Released: Label: King—————The Amazing James Brown and The Famous Flames (James Brown and The Famous Flames) Released: Label: King—————James Brown and His Famous Flames Tour the U.S.A. (James Brown and The Famous Flames) Released: Label: King—————Prisoner of Love Released: Label: King73————Showtime Released: Label: Smash61————Grits & Soul Released: Label: Smash1249———Out of Sight Released: Label: Smash657———James Brown Plays James Brown Today & Yesterday Released: Label: Smash423———James Brown Plays New Breed (The Boo-Ga-Loo) Released: Label: Smash10127———Handful of Soul Released: Label: Smash13524———James Brown Sings Christmas Songs Released: Label: King—————James Brown Sings Raw Soul Released: Label: King8814———James Brown Plays the Real Thing Released: Label: Smash16427———Cold Sweat (James Brown and The Famous Flames) Released: Label: King355———I Can't Stand Myself When You Touch Me Released: Label: King174———I Got the Feelin' Released: Label: King13523———James Brown Plays Nothing But Soul Released: Label: King15028———Thinking About Little Willie John and a Few Nice Things Released: Label: King—————A Soulful Christmas Released: Label: King—————Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud Released: Label: King536———Gettin' Down to It Released: Label: King9926———The Popcorn Released: Label: King14831———It's a Mother Released: Label: King26349——Ain't It Funky Released: Label: King435———Soul on Top Released: Label: King12512———It's a New Day – Let a Man Come In Released: Label: King12119———Hey America Released: Label: King—————Sho Is Funky Down Here Released: Label: King13726———Hot Pants Released: Label: Polydor224———There It Is Released: Label: Polydor6010———Get on the Good Foot Released: Label: Polydor688———Black Caesar Released: Label: Polydor312———Slaughter's Big Rip-Off Released: Label: Polydor9215———The Payback Released: Label: Polydor34192—— US: GoldHell Released: Label: Polydor35278——Reality Released: Label: Polydor5611———Sex Machine Today Released: Label: Polydor1032460——Everybody's Doin' the Hustle & Dead on the Double Bump Released: Label: Polydor19331———Hot Released: Label: Polydor19835———Get Up Offa That Thing Released: Label: Polydor1471412——Bodyheat Released: Label: Polydor12620———Mutha's Nature Released: Label: Polydor—38———Jam 1980's Released: Label: Polydor12132———Take a Look at Those Cakes Released: Label: Polydor—55———The Original Disco Man Released: Label: Polydor15237———People Released: Label: Polydor—————Soul Syndrome Released: Label: TK—63———Nonstop! Released: Label: Polydor—————Bring It On! Released: Label: Augusta Sound—————Gravity Released: Label: Scotti Brothers15638——85I'm Real Released: Label: Scotti Brothers9615—1927Love Over-Due Released: Label: Scotti Brothers—51—35—Universal James Released: Label: Scotti Brothers———34—I'm Back Released: Label: Inferno—————The Merry Christmas Album Released: Label: Waxworks—————The Next Step Released: Label: Fome—72———"—" denotes items that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Compilation albums +TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positionsCertificationsUS US studio album chart peaks:
US R&B US studio album R&B chart peaks:
NEDSWIUKTwist Around Released: Label: King—————Good, Good, Twistin' Released: Label: King—————Papa's Got a Brand New Bag Released: Label: King262———I Got You (I Feel Good) Released: January 1966 Label: King363———Mighty Instrumentals Released: Label: King—————It's a Man's Man's Man's World Released: Label: King908———Soul Classics Released: Label: Polydor8313———Soul Classics, Volume II Released: Label: Polydor—31———Solid Gold, 30 Golden Hits Released: Label: Polydor—————The Fabulous James Brown Released: Label: HRB Music Company—————Can Your Heart Stand It? Released: Label: Solid Smoke—————The Best of James Brown Released: Label: Polydor—————The Federal Years, Part I Released: Label: King—————The Federal Years, Part II Released: Label: King—————Roots of a Revolution, 1956–1965 Released: Label: Polydor—————Ain't That a Groove, 1966–1969 Released: Label: Polydor—————Doing It to Death, 1970–1973 Released: Label: Polydor—————Dead on the Heavy Funk, 1974–1976 Released: Label: Polydor—————The CD of JB: (Sex Machine and Other Soul Classics) Released: Label: Polydor—————In the Jungle Groove Released: Label: Polydor—————The CD of JB II, Cold Sweat and Other Soul Classics Released: Label: Polydor—————The Best of James Brown Released: Label: K-tel————17 UK: GoldMotherlode Released: Label: Polydor—————The Great James Brown, Soul Brother Number One Released: Label: Polydor——33——Dance Machine Released: Label: Polydor—————Messin' with the Blues Released: Label: Polydor—————Star Time Released: Label: Polydor—89——— US: Gold20 All-Time Greatest Hits! Released: Label: Polydor13399——— US: PlatinumSex Machine: The Very Best of James Brown Released: Label: Polydor————19 UK: GoldGreatest Hits of the Fourth Decade Released: Label: Attic—————Living in America Released: Label: Polydor—————Roots of a Revolution 1956–1963 Released: Label: Polydor—————James Brown's Funky Christmas Released: Label: Polydor—————Foundations of Funk, A Brand New Bag, 1964–1969 Released: Label: Polydor—————Funk Power 1970, A Brand New Thang Released: Label: Polydor—————Make It Funky, The Big Payback, 1971–1975 Released: Label: Polydor—————JB40 – 40th Anniversary Collection Released: Label: Polydor—————Dead on the Heavy Funk, 1975–1983 Released: Label: Polydor—————20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of James Brown Released: Label: Polydor—————Classic James Brown, Universal Masters Collection Released: Label: Polydor—————20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of James Brown, Vol. 2: The 70's Released: Label: Polydor—————The Godfather: The Very Best of James Brown Released: Label: Universal———6130 UK: GoldClassic James Brown, Volume II, Universal Masters Collection Released: Label: Polydor—————20th Century Masters, The Christmas Collection Released: Label: Polydor—————50th Anniversary Collection Released: Label: Universal—————The Singles, Volume I: The Federal Years, 1956–1960 Released: Label: Hip-O—————The Singles, Volume II: 1960–1963 Released: Label: Hip-O—————The Singles, Volume III: 1964–1965 Released: Label: Hip-O—————A Family Affair (with daughters Yamma and Venisha) Released: Label: Let Them Eat Vinyl—————The Singles, Volume IV: 1966–1967 Released: Label: Hip-O—————Number 1's Released: Label: Universal—————Soul Brother No. 1 Released: Label: Universal170————The Singles, Volume V: 1967–1969 Released: Label: Hip-O—————The Singles, Volume VI: 1969–1970 Released: Label: Hip-O—————The Singles, Volume VII: 1970–1972 Released: Label: Hip-O—————The Singles, Volume VIII: 1972–1973 Released: Label: Hip-O—————Icon Released: Label: Polydor—————The Singles, Volume IX: 1973–1975 Released: Label: Hip-O—————The Complete James Brown Christmas Released: Label: Hip-O—————The Singles, Volume X: 1975–1979 Released: Label: Hip-O—————The Singles, Volume XI: 1979–1981 Released: Label: Hip-O—————Get On Up, The James Brown Story Released: Label: Polydor619———"—" denotes items that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Live albums +TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positionsNotesUS US studio album chart peaks:
US R&B US studio album R&B chart peaks:
GER US studio album chart peaks:
NEDLive at the Apollo (James Brown and The Famous Flames) Recorded: Released: Label: King2———Re-sequenced and re-released with bonus tracks in 2004Pure Dynamite!, Live at the Royal (James Brown and The Famous Flames) Recorded: Released: Label: King10———Includes 2 studio tracks with overdubbed audienceThe James Brown Show Recorded: Released: Label: Smash————Partly liveLive at the Garden (James Brown and The Famous Flames) Recorded: Released: Label: King416——Includes one studio track with overdubbed audience; re-sequenced and re-released with bonus tracks in 2009Live at the Apollo, Volume II (James Brown and The Famous Flames) Recorded: Released: Label: King3223219Double LP; re-sequenced and re-released with unreleased and extended performances in 2001Sex Machine Recorded: Released: Label: King294——Double LP; 1st record contains studio tracks overdubbed with audience; 2nd record contains live concert with one studio track overdubbed with audienceSuper Bad Released: c. Label: King614——Features studio tracks with overdubbed audience.Revolution of the Mind, Live at the Apollo, Volume III Recorded: Released: Label: Polydor397——Double LPHot on the One Recorded: Released: Label: Polydor————Double LPLive in New York Recorded: Released: Label: Knockout————Double LP; includes two studio instrumentals by the Bay Ridge BandLive at Chastain Park Recorded: Released: