The Carpenters discography

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The Carpenters discography

Richard and Karen Carpenter at The White House on August 1, 1972
Releases
↙Studio albums 14
↙Live albums 2
↙Compilation albums 11
↙Singles 46
↙B-sides 15
↙Video albums 3
↙Soundtracks 2
↙Tribute and cover albums 1

The discography of the American pop group the Carpenters, consists of twelve studio albums, two christmas albums, two live albums, forty-six singles, and numerous compilation albums. The duo made up of Karen Carpenter (lead vocals and drums) and her elder brother Richard Carpenter (keyboards and vocals).

The siblings started their musical career together since the latter half of 1960s. In October 1969, a half year after they made a contract with A&M Records, the Carpenters released their debut album Offering (later its title was changed to "Ticket to Ride"). Within a year, they came into prominence with the chart-topping single "(They Long to Be) Close to You", a cover version of Bacharach/David composition.

The Carpenters garnered worldwide commercial success, scoring big hits mainly in the first half of the 1970s. RIAA-certified sales of their albums have been estimated at over 24.5 million units.[1] In the United Kingdom, they are ranked at the seventh top-selling albums artist on the official record chart of the 1970s.[2] They have also been the third-best-selling international music act in the Japanese market, only behind Mariah Carey and The Beatles.[3][4][5] To date, they have reportedly sold more than 100 million copies of records worldwide.[6]

Contents

[edit] Albums

[edit] Studio albums

Throughout their career, the Carpenters released twelve original albums. Most recently they released As Time Goes By in 2002. This includes two Christmas albums released by the group.

Year Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales thresholds)
US
[7]		 UK
[8]		 JP
[9]		 AUS
[10]
1969 Ticket to Ride (First released under the title Offering) 150 20 88 19
1970 Close to You
  • Released: August 19, 1970
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP, cassette, CD, digital download
 2 23 53 16
  • US: 2× Platinum [11]
1971 Carpenters
  • Released: May 14, 1971
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP, cassette, CD, digital download
 2 12 47 16
  • US: 4× Platinum [11]
1972 A Song for You
  • Released: June 13, 1972
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP, cassette, CD, digital download
 4 13 5 6
  • US: 3× Platinum [11]
1973 Now & Then
  • Released: May 9, 1973
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP, cassette, CD, digital download
 2 2 1 3
1975 Horizon
  • Released: June 6, 1975
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP, cassette, CD, digital download
 13 1 1 21
1976 A Kind of Hush
  • Released: June 11, 1976
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP, cassette, CD, digital download
 33 3 5 57
1977 Passage
  • Released: September 23, 1977
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP, cassette, 8 track CD, digital download
 49 12 7 48
1978 Christmas Portrait
  • Released: October 13, 1978
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP, cassette, CD, digital download
 126 104 — —
1981 Made in America
  • Released: June 16, 1981
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP, cassette, CD, digital download
 52 12 44 50
1983 Voice of the Heart
  • Released: October 18, 1983
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP, cassette, CD, digital download
 46 6 41 54
1985 An Old-Fashioned Christmas
  • Released: 1985
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP, cassette, CD, digital download
 190 — — —
1989 Lovelines
  • Released: October 31, 1989
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP, cassette, CD, digital download
 — 73 — —
2001 As Time Goes By
  • Released: August 1, 2001
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 — — 18 —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

[edit] Live albums

There are two live albums that the Carpenters have released officially, though neither of them were issued in their homeland.

Year Title Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales thresholds)
UK
[8]		 JP
[9]
1975 Live in Japan — 8
1977 Live at the Palladium 28 24

[edit] Solo albums

Year Title Notes
1987 Time
1996 Karen Carpenter
  • Released on October 8, 1996
  • Karen's first and only solo album, released posthumously
  • Outtakes of Karen's recording sessions with Phil Ramone in New York City in 1979–1980
  • Out of print in United States
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: Cassette tape, compact disc, digital download
1998 Pianist, Arranger
Composer, Conductor
  • Released on January 27, 1998
  • Richard's second and latest solo album
  • Includes instrumentals of popular songs of Carpenters
  • Dedicated to Richard's deceased mother, Agnes Carpenter[16]
  • Out of print
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: Cassette tape, compact disc, digital download

[edit] Compilations

Following materials are "greatest-hits" albums of the Carpenters released in the United States.

Year Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales thresholds)
US
[7]		 UK
[8]		 JP
[9][17]
1973 The Singles: 1969-1973 1 1 —
1985 Yesterday Once More
  • Released: April 1985
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: LP, cassette, CD, digital download
 144 10 35
  • US: 2× Platinum [11]
  • UK: Platinum [12]
1995 Interpretations
  • Released: February 7, 1995
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: Cassette, CD, digital download
 — 29 —
1997 Love Songs
  • Released: 1997
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: Cassette, CD, digital download
 106 47 —
1998 Reflections
  • Released: June 30, 1998
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: Cassette, CD, digital download[I]
 — — —
2000 The Singles: 1969-1981
  • Released: 2000
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: Cassette, CD, digital download
 — — 73
2003 Carpenters Perform Carpenter
  • Released: July 29, 2003
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: Cassette, CD, digital download
 — — —
2004 Gold: 35th Anniversary Edition
  • Expanded version of the European compilation released in 2000
  • Released: February 10, 2004
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 101 4 79
2006 The Ultimate Collection
  • Released: November 26, 2006
  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 — — —
2009 40/40
  • Released: April 22, 2009
  • Label: A&M / Universal
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 — 21 3

^ I CD only downloadable in the UK.
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

[edit] Box sets

Year Album details
1991

From the Top

  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
2002

The Essential Collection: 1965-1997

  • Label: A&M Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download

[edit] Limited releases

  • Golden Prize (Japan only)
    • Released: September 10, 1971
    • Label A&M/ King Records
    • Format: LP, cassette
    • Chart position(s): #3 (JP)
  • Golden Double Deluxe (Japan only)
    • Released: February 10, 1972
    • Label A&M / King Records
    • Format: LP
    • Chart position(s): #10 (JP)
  • GEM I (Japan only)
    • Released: October 10, 1972
    • Label A&M / King Records
    • Format: LP
    • Chart position(s): #13 (JP)
  • MAX 20 (Japan only)
    • Released: March 10, 1973
    • Label A&M / King Records
    • Format: LP
    • Chart position(s): #26 (JP)
  • GEM II (Japan only)
    • Released: October 25, 1973
    • Label A&M / King Records
    • Format(s): LP
    • Chart position(s): #3 (JP)
  • Golden Prize Volume II (Japan only)
    • Released: April 10, 1974
    • Label A&M / King Records
    • Format(s): LP, cassette
    • Chart position(s): #1 (JP)
  • Big Star (Japan only)
    • Released: June 1, 1974
    • Label A&M / King Records
    • Format(s): Cassette
    • Chart position(s): #20 (JP)
  • Special Series (Japan only)
    • Released: November 1, 1976
    • Format(s): Cassette
    • Label A&M / King Records
    • Chart position(s): #36 (JP)
  • Ketteiban (The Definitive) (Japan only)
    • Released: June 21, 1982
    • Format(s): Cassette
    • Label A&M / Alfa Records
    • Chart position(s): #61 (JP)
  • Only Yesterday (a.k.a. Their Greatest Hits)
    • Released: March 1990
    • Label: A&M Records
    • Format(s): LP, cassette, CD, digital download
    • Chart position(s): #1 (UK), #8 (NO),#9 (AU), #25 (JP), #25 (NZ)
    • Certification(s): 5x Platinum (UK)[20], Platinum (JP)
  • Seishun no Kagayaki: The Best of (22 Hits of the Carpenters) (Japan only)
    • Released: November 10, 1995
    • Label: A&M / Polydor Japan
    • Format(s): CD, MD, cassette
    • Chart position(s): #3 (JP)
    • Certification(s): 12x Platinum (JP)
  • Yesterday Once More: De Nederlandse Singles Collectie (Netherlands only)
    • Released: 2001
    • Label: A&M / Universal
    • Format(s): CD
    • Chart position(s): #22 (NL)[21]

[edit] Singles

Year Song Chart positions B-side RIAA
cert.[22]		 U.S. catalogue
number		 Album
U.S. Hot 100 U.S. AC UK JPN CAN AUS
1966 "Looking for Love"
(Karen Carpenter)		 - - - - - - "I'll Be Yours" - Magic Lamp 704 From the Top,
The Essential Collection
1969 "Ticket to Ride" 54 19 - - - - "Your Wonderful Parade" - A&M 1142 Offering
1970 "(They Long to Be) Close to You" 1 1 6 71 1 1 "I Kept on Loving You" Gold A&M 1183 Close to You
"We've Only Just Begun" 2 1 28 71 1 6 "All of My Life" Gold A&M 1217
"Merry Christmas, Darling" - - 45 - 50 - "Mr. Guder" A&M 1236 Christmas Portrait
1971 "For All We Know (Theme from Lovers and Other Strangers)" 3 1 18 - 7 10 "Don't Be Afraid" Gold A&M 1243 Carpenters
"Rainy Days and Mondays" 2 1 - 72 3 35 "Saturday" Gold A&M 1260
"Superstar" 2 1 18 7 3 35 "Theme from Bless the Beasts and Children" Gold A&M 1289
"Theme from Bless the Beasts and Children" 67 26 - 85 - - B-side of "Superstar" A Song for You
1972 "Hurting Each Other" 2 1 - 56 2 4 "Maybe It's You" Gold A&M 1322
"It's Going to Take Some Time" 12 2 - 48 13 24 "Flat Baroque" - A&M 1351
"Goodbye to Love" 7 2 9 55 4 25 "Crystal Lullaby" - A&M 1367
1973 "Sing" 3 1 - 18 4 24 "Druscilla Penny" Gold A&M 1413 Now & Then
"Yesterday Once More" 2 1 2 5 1 9 "Road Ode" Gold A&M 1446
"Top of the World" 1 2 5 21 1 1 "Heather" Gold A&M 1468 A Song for You
1974 "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)" - - 12 28 - 95 "Mr. Guder" (UK) - — Now & Then
"I Won't Last a Day Without You" 11 1 32 40 7 63 "One Love" - A&M 1521 A Song for You
"Please Mr. Postman" 1 1 2 11 1 1 "This Masquerade" Gold A&M 1646 Horizon
"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" - - 35 - - - "Merry Christmas, Darling" A&M 1648 An Old Fashioned Christmas
1975 "Only Yesterday" 4 1 7 12 2 16 "Happy" A&M 1677 Horizon
"Solitaire" 17 1 32 44 12 61 "Love Me for What I Am" - A&M 1721
1976 "There's a Kind of Hush (All Over the World)" 12 1 22 27 11 33 "(I'm Caught Between) Goodbye and I Love You" - A&M 1800 A Kind of Hush
"I Need to Be in Love" 25 1 36 62 31 47 "Sandy" - A&M 1828
"Goofus" 56 4 - - 82 - "Boat to Sail" - A&M 1859
"Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" - - - 71 - - "I Have You" - —
1977 "All You Get from Love Is a Love Song" 35 4 - 68 38 89 "I Have You" - A&M 1940 Passage
"Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" (The Recognized Anthem of World Contact Day) 32 18 9 - 9 13 "Can't Smile Without You" - A&M 1978
"The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" - - - - - - "Merry Christmas, Darling" - A&M 1991 Christmas Portrait
1978 "Sweet, Sweet Smile" 44 7 40 59 33 100 "I Have You" - A&M 2008 Passage
"I Believe You" 68 9 - - 81 - "B'wana, She No Home" - A&M 2097 Made in America
1981 "Touch Me When We're Dancing" 16 1 - - - 78 "Because We Are in Love (The Wedding Song)" - A&M 2344
"(Want You) Back in My Life Again" 72 14 - - - - "Somebody's Been Lyin'" - A&M 2370
"Those Good Old Dreams" 63 21 - - - - "When It's Gone (It's Just Gone)" - A&M 2386
1982 "Beechwood 4-5789" 74 18 - - - - "Two Sides" - A&M 2405
1983 "Make Believe It's Your First Time" 101 7 60 - - 80 "Look to Your Dreams" - A&M 2585 Voice of the Heart
1984 "Your Baby Doesn't Love You Anymore" - 12 - - - - "Sailing on the Tide" - A&M 2620
"Now" - - - - - - "Look to Your Dreams" - A&M 166
"Little Altar Boy" - - - - - - "Do You Hear What I Hear?" - A&M 2700 An Old Fashioned Christmas
1986 "Honolulu City Lights" - - - - - - "I Just Fall in Love Again" - A&M 886677 Lovelines
1987 "Something in Your Eyes"
(Richard Carpenter featuring Dusty Springfield)		 - 12 84 - - - "Time" - — Time
1989 "If I Had You"
(Karen Carpenter)		 - 18 - - - - "The Uninvited Guest" - A&M CD17926 Lovelines
1990 "Merry Christmas, Darling" / "(They Long to Be) Close to You" (UK re-issue) - - 25 - - - — - — Close to You (1970)
1991 "Let Me Be the One" - - - - - - no B-side; promo CD only - A&M 750217308-2 "From The Top"
1993 "Rainy Days and Mondays" (UK re-issue) - - 63 - - - — - —
1994 "Tryin' to Get the Feeling Again" - - 44 - - - — - — Interpretations
1995 "I Need to Be In Love" (Japan re-issue) - - - 5 - - "Top of the World" - — 22 Hits of the Carpenters
1996 "Ave Maria" - - - - - - "Merry Christmas, Darling" - — Christmas Portrait
1998 "Karen's Theme"
(Richard Carpenter)		 - - - - - - — - — Pianist, Arranger, Composer, Conductor
2001 "The Rainbow Connection" - - - 47 - - "Leave Yesterday Behind" / "Medley: Superstar — Rainy Days and Mondays" - — As Time Goes By
2003 "Top of the World" (Japan re-issue) - - - 83 - - "Top of the World" (karaoke) / "Sing" (karaoke) - — Gold (Japanese edition)

[edit] Note

  • "Top of the World" charted four times in Japan, at #21 in 1972 and again in 1973 (to coincide with the song's U.S. success), when it peaked at #52. In 1995 it was the B-side of the reissue of "I Need to Be in Love," and subsequently it charted a fourth time (as an A-side) at #83.
  • "Sweet, Sweet Smile" peaked at #8 on Billboard's Country singles chart.
  • "Superstar" and "For All We Know" were released as a double A-side in the UK.
  • "I Won't Last a Day Without You" was originally released as an A-side in the UK in 1972 with "Goodbye to Love" as the B-side. However, the sides were switched shortly after the record's release. The former was later released as an A-side in the UK in 1974 to coincide with its first U.S. release as an A-side.
  • "Only Yesterday" and "Happy" were released as a double A-side in the UK. Both tracks feature on the compilation album "The Singles 1974-1978", which was not released in North America.
  • "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" reached #1 in the Republic of Ireland, becoming the duo's biggest hit there.
  • The UK re-issue of "Merry Christmas, Darling" in 1990 features the second recorded version of the song from their 1978 Christmas Portrait album as opposed to the original 1970 version.

[edit] Videos

Title Notes RIAA certifications[11]
Gold: Greatest Hits
  • Released originally in 1985 under the name Yesterday Once More
  • Repackaged in 2002 under the name Gold: Greatest Hits
  • Carpenters' first video compilation
  • Label: A&M Video
  • Formats: Betamax, video cassette, laserdisc, DVD
 Gold
Interpretations
  • Released on May 9, 1995
  • Carpenters' second video compilation
  • Label: A&M Video
  • Formats: Video cassette, laserdisc, DVD
 —
Close to You:
Remembering the Carpenters
  • Released on March 1, 1998
  • Carpenters' first DVD documentary
  • Label: MPI Home Video
  • Formats: Video cassette, laserdisc, DVD
 Gold
"—" denotes DVDs that are not certified by RIAA.

[edit] Soundtracks

Year Song Notes Album
1971 "Bless the Beasts and Children"
  • Original performers of the song in the summer of 1971.
 Bless the Beasts and Children (soundtrack version)
A Song for You (album version)
1978 "Leave Yesterday Behind" As Time Goes By (released in 2004)

[edit] References

  1. ^ RIAA "Top Selling Artists". riaa.com. Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinum.php?content_selector=top-selling-artists RIAA. Retrieved 2011-08-17. 
  2. ^ ChartsPlus172 "22/22 Jonathan's Top Twenty Commentary - History Corner - The Top20 Best-Selling Albums Artists of the 1970's". ukchartsplus.co.uk. The Official Charts Company. http://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/ChartsPlus172.pdf ChartsPlus172. Retrieved 2011-08-17. 
  3. ^ "SONGS｜これまでの放送｜第88回 カーペンターズ". Japan Broadcasting Corporation. http://www.nhk.or.jp/songs/archive/090429.html. Retrieved 2011-08-17. 
  4. ^ Okamoto, Satoshi (2006). Oricon Single Chart Book: Complete Edition 1968-2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. ISBN 4871310760. 
  5. ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4871310779. 
  6. ^ Carpenter, Richard (2005). "Carpenters Biography 2005". The Carpenters official website. pp. 1–10. http://www.richardandkarencarpenter.com/biography.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-30. 
  7. ^ a b "Billboard 200". Billboard.com. Archived from the original on 2008-01-24. http://web.archive.org/web/20080124123522/http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/searchResult.jsp?exp=y&Ntt=Carpenters&Ntk=Keyword&an=bbcom&nor=10&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&N=36. Retrieved 2008-01-19. 
  8. ^ a b c "UK Top 40 Hit Database". EveryHit.com. http://www.everyhit.com/index.html. Retrieved 2008-01-19.  Note: User must define search parameters, i.e. "Carpenters."
  9. ^ a b c d e f a-カーペンターズ "Yamachan Land (Japanese Chart Archives) - Albums Chart Daijiten - Carpenters" (in Japanese). Original Confidence. 2007-12-30. http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~yamag/album/al_carpenters.html a-カーペンターズ. Retrieved 2011-08-17. 
  10. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. Note: This reference gives Australian albums and singles information. It is used for chart peak positions as the early albums were released before ARIA regulated the Australian charts itself in 1989
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Carpenters" RIAA - Gold & Platinum "SEARCH RESULTS". http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist="Carpenters" RIAA - Gold & Platinum. Retrieved 2011-08-17. 
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Certified Awards Search". British Phonographic Industry. http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx. Retrieved August 19, 2010.  Note: User needs to enter "Carpenters" in the "Search" field, "Artist" in the "Search by" field, "Album" in the "Format" field and click the "Go" button.
  13. ^ a b c "Gold and Platinum Search". http://www.musiccanada.com/GPSearchResult.aspx?st=&ica=False&sa=Carpenters&sl=&smt=0&sat=-1&ssb=Artist. Retrieved 2011-08-17. 
  14. ^ "music.goo.ne.jp CD information Carpenters - Live in Japan". http://music.goo.ne.jp/cd/201038-1/index.html. Retrieved 2008-02-08. 
  15. ^ "music.goo.ne.jp CD information Carpenters - Live at the Palladium". http://music.goo.ne.jp/cd/201037-1/index.html. Retrieved 2008-02-08. 
  16. ^ Carpenter, Richard. "Richard and Karen Carpenter - Official website". http://www.richardandkarencarpenter.com/. Retrieved 2008-01-17. 
  17. ^ カーペンターズのCDアルバムランキング "　CD Album sales ranking of the Carpenters" (in Japanese). oricon.co.jp. Original Confidence. http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/53241/ranking/cd_album/ カーペンターズのCDアルバムランキング. Retrieved 2011-08-08. Note: Reference indicates chart positions from 1988 onwards, and part of the information currently unavailable
  18. ^ NVPI "de branchevereniging van de entertainmentindustrie". http://ifpi.nl/nvpi/pagina.asp?pagkey=60461#resultaat NVPI. Retrieved 2011-08-17. Note: User needs to enter "Carpenters" in the "Artiest" field and click below "zoek" button.
  19. ^ 財団法人　日本レコード協会 > 各種統計 > ゴールド等認定 > 2009年6月 "(RIAJ - Statistics - Certification Awards - June 2009)" (in Japanese). riaj.or.jp. Recording Industry Association of Japan. http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/gold/200906.html 財団法人　日本レコード協会 > 各種統計 > ゴールド等認定 > 2009年6月. Retrieved October 16, 2009. 
  20. ^ Platinum Awards Content
  21. ^ "dutchcharts.nl - Carpenters -Yesterday Once More - De Nederlandse Singles Collectie". http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Carpenters&titel=Yesterday+Once+More+%2D+De+Nederlandse+singles+collectie&cat=a. Retrieved 2008-07-03. 
  22. ^ "RIAA Gold and Platinum Search for singles by the Carpenters". http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS&artist=Carpenters&format=SINGLE&go=Search&perPage=50. Retrieved 2008-07-03. 

[edit] See also

The Carpenters
Albums
Compilations
Other
TV specials
DVDs
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