With the introduction of 10" and 12" Long-Playing records in the late 1940s, Decca released several original albums of Ella Fitzgerald's music and reissued many of her previous releases. From 1935 to the late 1940s Decca issued Ella Fitzgerald's recordings on 78 rpm singles and album collections, in book form, of four singles that included eight tracks. These recordings have been re-issued on a series of 15 compact discs by the French record label Classics Records between 1992 and 2008.
Ella Fitzgerald signed with the Norman Granz label Verve Records in 1956, and recorded with Verve until the mid-1960s. This era featured a series of eight Song Book albums, with interpretations of much of the Great American Songbook, based on tunes from Cole Porter (1956), Rodgers & Hart (1956), Duke Ellington (1957), Irving Berlin (1958), George and Ira Gershwin (1959), Harold Arlen (1961), Jerome Kern (1963), and Johnny Mercer (1964). The many standalone singles Fitzgerald released throughout her Verve years were re-issued on Jukebox Ella: The Complete Verve Singles, Vol. 1 (2003) and Jukebox Ella: The Complete Verve Singles, Vol. 2 (2025).
The late 1960s and early 1970s saw Fitzgerald release albums on several major record labels, including three albums on Capitol Records and two on the Reprise Records label. In 1972 Norman Granz formed Pablo Records, the label continued to release Ella Fitzgerald's albums up until her last recorded album All That Jazz in 1990.
The Ella Fitzgerald catalogue has continued to grow in recent years, with complete albums of previously unreleased live material and alternative recordings from her studio sessions.
Studio albums 1950s + List of studio albums, with selected chart positions, and other relevant details Title Album details Peak chart positionsUSUSJazzUK Souvenir Album Released: 1947 Recorded: February 15, 1940–July 31, 1941 Label: Decca Formats: 4 x 78 RPM, LP — — — Ella Sings Gershwin Released: 1950 Recorded: September 11–12, 1950 Label: Decca Formats: 4 x 78 RPM, LP — — 13 Songs in a Mellow Mood Released: 1954 Recorded: March 29–30, 1954 Label: Decca Formats: LP — — — Lullabies of Birdland Released: 1955 Recorded: October 4, 1945–May 3, 1955 Label: Decca Formats: LP — — — Sweet and Hot Released: 1955 Recorded: June 26, 1952–April 27, 1955 Label: Decca Formats: LP — — — Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book Released: May 15, 1956 Label: Verve Formats: LP 15 — — Ella and Louis Released: October 1956 Label: Verve Formats: LP 12 3 — Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers & Hart Song Book Released: 1956 Label: Verve Formats: LP 11 — — Ella And Her Fellas Released: 1957 Recorded: May 2, 1938–November 23, 1951 Label: Decca Formats: LP — — — Ella and Louis Again Released: October 1957 Label: Verve Formats: LP — 12 — Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book Released: 1957 Label: Verve Formats: LP — — — Like Someone in Love Released: 1957 Label: Verve Formats: LP — — — Porgy and Bess Released: 1957 Label: Verve Formats: LP — — — Miss Ella Fitzgerald & Mr Gordon Jenkins Released: 1958 Recorded: April 27, 1949–March 24, 1954 Label: Decca Formats: LP — — — The First Lady Of Song Released: 1958 Recorded: March 19, 1947–August 1, 1955 Label: Decca Formats: LP — — — Ella Swings Lightly Released: 1958 Label: Verve Formats: LP — — — Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book Released: 1958 Label: Verve Formats: LP — — 5 For Sentimental Reasons Released: 1959 Recorded: November 6, 1944–September 19, 1952 Label: Decca Formats: LP — — — Hello, Love Released: 1959 Label: Verve Formats: LP, CD, Reel-to-Reel — — — Get Happy! Released: 1959 Label: Verve Formats: LP, CD, Reel-to-Reel — — — Ella Fitzgerald Sings Sweet Songs for Swingers Released: 1959 Label: Verve Formats: LP, CD, Reel-to-Reel — — — Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Song Book Released: 1959 Label: Verve Formats: LP, CD — — — "—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released.
1960s + List of studio albums, with selected chart positions, and other relevant details Title Album details Peak chart positions US USJazz BEL NLD NOR SWE UK Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas Released: 1960 Label: Verve Formats: LP 45 5 55 37 33 33 44 Ella Fitzgerald Sings Songs from the Soundtrack of "Let No Man Write My Epitaph" Released: 1960 Label: Verve Formats: LP — — — — — — — Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Harold Arlen Song Book Released: 1961 Label: Verve Formats: LP — — — — — — — Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie! Released: 1961 Label: Verve Formats: LP — — — — — — — Rhythm Is My Business Released: 1962 Label: Verve Formats: LP — — — — — — — Ella Swings Brightly with Nelson Released: 1962 Label: Verve Formats: LP — — — — — — — Ella Swings Gently with Nelson Released: 1962 Label: Verve Formats: LP — — — — — — — Ella Sings Broadway Released: 1963 Label: Verve Formats: LP — — — — — — — Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Jerome Kern Song Book Released: 1963 Label: Verve Formats: LP — — — — — — — Ella and Basie! Released: 1963 Label: Verve Formats: LP 69 — — — — — — These Are the Blues Released: 1963 Label: Verve Formats: LP — — — — — — — Hello, Dolly! Released: July 1964 Label: Verve Formats: LP 146 — — — — — — Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Johnny Mercer Song Book Released: 1964 Label: Verve Formats: LP — — — — — — — Ella at Duke's Place Released: 1965 Label: Verve Formats: LP — — — — — — — Whisper Not Released: 1966 Label: Verve Formats: LP — — — — — — — Brighten the Corner Released: August 1967 Label: Capitol Formats: LP 172 — — — — — — Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas Released: November 1967 Label: Capitol Formats: LP — — — — — — — 30 by Ella Released: 1968 Label: Capitol Formats: LP — — — — — — — Misty Blue Released: 1968 Label: Capitol Formats: LP — — — — — — — Ella Released: 1969 Label: Reprise Formats: LP 196 — — — — — — "—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released.
1970s + List of studio albums, showing all relevant details Title Album details Things Ain't What They Used to Be (And You Better Believe It) Released: 1970 Label: Reprise Formats: LP Ella Loves Cole Released: 1972 Label: Atlantic Formats: LP Take Love Easy Released: 1973 Label: Pablo Formats: LP, cassette Ella and Oscar Released: 1975 Label: Pablo Formats: LP, cassette Fitzgerald and Pass... Again Released: 1976 Label: Pablo Formats: LP, cassette Lady Time Released: 1978 Label: Pablo Formats: LP, cassette Fine and Mellow Released: 1979 Label: Pablo Formats: LP, cassette A Classy Pair Released: 1979 Label: Pablo Formats: LP, cassette
1980s + List of studio albums, showing all relevant details Title Album details Ella Abraça Jobim Released: 1981 Label: Pablo Formats: LP, cassette The Best Is Yet to Come Released: 1982 Label: Pablo Formats: LP, cassette Speak Love Released: 1983 Label: Pablo Formats: LP Nice Work If You Can Get It Released: 1983 Label: Pablo Formats: LP, cassette Easy Living Released: 1986 Label: Pablo Formats: LP, CD, cassette All That Jazz Released: 1990 Label: Pablo Formats: LP, CD, cassette
Live albums The albums are sorted by release date. TitleAlbum detailsNotesJazz at the Hollywood BowlReleased: 1957 Label: VerveElla Fitzgerald And Billie Holiday At Newport Released: 1958 Label: VerveElla At The Opera House Released: 1958 Label: VerveElla In Berlin: Mack The Knife Released: 1960 Label: VerveLater re-issued as The Complete Ella In Berlin: Mack The Knife with additional tracks.Ella In Hollywood Released: 1961 Label: VerveElla At Juan-Les-Pins Released: 1964 Label: VerveElla In Hamburg Released: 1965 Label: VerveDuke & Ella In Concerto (with Duke Ellington) Released: 1966 Label: VerveElla And Duke At The Cote D'Azur (with Duke Ellington) Released: 1966 Label: VerveSunshine Of Your Love Released: 1968 Label: MPSJ.A.T.P. In Tokyo: Live At The Nichigeki Theatre 1953Recorded: 1953 Released: 1972 Label: VerveJazz At Santa Monica Civic '72 Recorded: 1972 Released: 1972 Label: PabloNewport Jazz Festival: Live At Carnegie Hall, July 5, 1973 Released: 1973 Label: ColumbiaElla In London Recorded: 1974 Released: 1974 Label: PabloElla Fitzgerald And Her Orchestra Live From The Roseland Ballroom, 1940 Released: 1974 Label: SunbeamElla Fitzgerald At The Montreux Jazz Festival 1975 Released: 1975 Label: PabloMontreux '77 (with the Tommy Flanagan Trio) Recorded: 1977 Released: 1977 Label: PabloDigital III At Montreux Released: 1979 Label: PabloA Perfect Match (with Count Basie) Released: 1979 Label: PabloElla À Nice Released: 1982 Label: PabloReturn To Happiness: Jazz At The Philharmonic, Yoyogi National Stadium, Tokyo, 1983Recorded: 1983 Released: 1983 Label: PabloThe Stockholm Concert, 1966 (with Duke Ellington) Released: 1984 Label: PabloElla In Rome: The Birthday Concert Recorded: 1958 Released: 1988 Label: VerveThe Greatest Jazz Concert In The World (with Duke Ellington) Released: 1990 Label: PabloElla Returns To Berlin Released: 1991 Label: VerveThe Complete Ella In Berlin: Mack The Knife Released: 1993 Label: VerveRe-issue of the album Ella In Berlin: Mack The Knife with additional tracks.Ella Fitzgerald With The Tommy Flanagan Trio Released: 1996 Label: LaserLightLive From The Cave Supper Club: Vancouver BC, Canada, 19 May 1968 Recorded: 1968 Released: 1999 Label: Jazz Band RecordsElla Fitzgerald In Budapest Released: 1999 Label: PabloSophisticated Lady (with Joe Pass) Released: 2001 Label: PabloLive At Mister Kelly's Released: 2007 Label: VerveTwelve Nights In Hollywood Released: 2009 Label: VerveElla In Japan: 'S Wonderful Released: 2011 Label: VerveLive in Paris, Vol. 1 (May 8 – October 7, 1957) Released: 2012 Label: FremeauxPreviously unreleased live recordings, released over 3 volumes, from a series of concerts recorded between 1957 and 1962 at the Paris Olympia.Live in Paris, Vol. 2 (May 1, 1958; February 23 & 29, 1960) Released: 2012 Label: FremeauxLive in Paris, Vol. 3 (February 28 & March 11, 1961; March 16, 1962) Released: 2013 Label: FremeauxElla At Zardi's Released: 2017 Label: VervePreviously unreleased live concert recording from Zardi's Jazzland on Hollywood Boulevard, L.A., February 2, 1956.Ella: The Lost Berlin Tapes Released: 2020 Label: VervePreviously unreleased live concert recording from Berlin, Germany, 1962. In Concert - Falkoner Centret Copenhagen, Denmark May 21, 1959 (with the Roy Eldridge Quintet) Released: October 15, 2022 Label: SteepleChase (SCCD 36503) Format: CD Previously unreleased archival live concert recording from Copenhagen, Denmark. The physical sleeve lists May 21, 1959, but the concert occurred on April 21, 1959.Live in East Berlin 1967 Released: 2023 Label: The Lost RecordingsPreviously unreleased live concert recording from Friedrichstadt-Palast, 1967
Notable guest appearances The albums are sorted by release date. 1949 – Sing The Song Hits From "South Pacific" 1955 – Songs from Pete Kelly's Blues 1956 – Metronome All-Stars 1956 1957 – One O'Clock Jump 1958 – Billie, Ella, Lena, Sarah! 1960 – The Drum Battle: Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich at J.A.T.P. 1989 – Back on the Block 1992 – The Setting Sun: Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Compact Disc RCA VICTOR VICP 8084, Japan. Ella Fitzgerald sings "The Setting Sun". It was her last professional recording, recorded at Warner Bros. Studios in January 1992 with arrangements by Billy May. 2002 – Classic Duets (Three duets with Frank Sinatra, originally recorded in 1957 on the ABC TV series The Frank Sinatra Show)
Boxed sets and compilations
1994 – The Complete Ella Fitzgerald Song Books 1995 – Ella: The Legendary Decca Recordings 1997 – The Complete Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong on Verve 1998 – Swingsation: Ella Fitzgerald with Chick Webb 2013 – The Complete Chick Webb and Ella Fitzgerald Decca Sessions 1934-1941 2017 – Ella 100: 100 Songs for a Centennial Ella Fitzgerald: 100 Songs for a Centennial at allmusic.com