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The Specials discography

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The Specials discography
The Specials performing live at the Vic Theatre in Chicago, IL in 2013
Studio albums9
EPs5
Live albums6
Compilation albums10
Singles25
Video albums5
Collaboration album1

English ska revival band the Specials have released a diverse discography since their debut in 1979, including: nine studio albums, one collaboration album, five live albums, eleven compilation albums, four extended plays, twenty-three singles, and filmed five videos.

Their debut album "The Specials" (1979) and "More Specials" (1980) both achieved Gold status, while their 2019 album "Encore" hit number 1 on the UK chart. The band collaborated with Desmond Dekker on the album "King of Kings" (1993). Their work spans various formats and has seen chart success in multiple countries.

Albums

[edit]

Studio albums

[edit]
Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
UK
[1][2]
AUS
[3]
CAN
[4]
GER
[5]
NZ
[6]
SWE
[7]
SWI
[8]
US
[9]
The Specials 4 20 21 5 34 84
More Specials
  • Released: 19 September 1980
  • Label: 2 Tone
  • Formats: LP, MC, 8-track
5 86 49 28 30 98
In the Studio
(as the Special AKA)
  • Released: 15 June 1984
  • Label: 2 Tone
  • Formats: CD, LP, MC
34
Today's Specials
  • Released: 15 April 1996
  • Label: Kuff/Virgin
  • Formats: CD, MC
Guilty 'til Proved Innocent!
  • Released: 24 March 1998
  • Label: MCA
  • Formats: CD, LP, MC
Skinhead Girl
  • Released: 17 October 2000
  • Label: Receiver
  • Formats: CD
Conquering Ruler
  • Released: 13 February 2001
  • Label: Receiver
  • Formats: CD
Encore 1 20
Protest Songs 1924–2012
  • Released: 1 October 2021
  • Label: Island
  • Formats: CD, LP, MC, digital download
2 47 85
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Collaboration albums

[edit]
Title Album details
King of Kings
(with Desmond Dekker)
  • Released: 8 November 1993[11]
  • Label: Trojan
  • Formats: CD, LP

Live albums

[edit]
Title Album details Peak chart positions
UK
[12]
BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert
Live – Too Much Too Young
  • Released: April 1992
  • Label: Receiver
  • Formats: CD, LP, MC
Live at the Moonlight Club
  • Released: May 1992
  • Label: 2 Tone
  • Formats: CD, LP, MC
Blue Plate Specials Live
  • Released: 23 February 1999
  • Label: Big Ear Music
  • Formats: CD
Ghost Town Live
  • Released: September 1999
  • Label: Receiver
  • Formats: CD
More... Or Less: The Specials Live
  • Released: 6 August 2012
  • Label: Chrysalis
  • Formats: 2xCD, 2xLP
109
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Compilation albums

[edit]
Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
UK
[1]
Singles / The Singles Collection
  • Released: 29 January 1991
  • Label: 2 Tone
  • Formats: CD, LP, MC
10
Dawning of a New Era
(as the Coventry Automatics aka the Specials)
  • Released: March 1994
  • Label: Receiver
  • Formats: CD, LP
Too Much Too Young: The Gold Collection
  • Released: 13 May 1996
  • Label: EMI Gold
  • Formats: CD, MC
Best of the Specials
  • Released: September 1996
  • Label: Disky
  • Formats: CD
Concrete Jungle
(as the Specials and Friends)
  • Released: March 1998
  • Label: Receiver
  • Formats: 2xCD
BBC Sessions
  • Released: 26 October 1998
  • Label: EMI
  • Formats: CD
A Special Collection
  • Released: October 1999
  • Label: EMI
  • Formats: CD
Stereo-Typical: A's, B's and Rarities
  • Released: 28 August 2000
  • Label: EMI
  • Formats: 3xCD
Archive
  • Released: 26 March 2001
  • Label: Rialto
  • Formats: CD
The Best of the Specials
  • Released: 31 March 2008
  • Label: Rhino
  • Formats: CD+DVD
24
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

EPs

[edit]
Title EP details Peak chart positions Certifications
UK
[13]
UK Indie
[14]
BEL (FLA)
[15]
IRE
[16]
NL
[17]
NZ
[18]
Too Much Too Young – The Special A.K.A. Live! [A]
  • Released: 18 January 1980
  • Label: 2 Tone
  • Formats: 7", 12"
1 11 3 15 47
The Peel Sessions 17
2 Tone EP [B]
  • Released: 27 September 1993
  • Label: 2 Tone
  • Formats: 7", CD, MC
30
Too Much Too Young – The Specials E.P. Live!
  • Released: 21 April 2012
  • Label: 2 Tone
  • Formats: 7"
  • Live re-recording of original 1980 EP
Dub Mixes Exclusive
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Singles

[edit]
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
UK
[1][19]
AUS
[3]
AUT
[20]
BEL (FLA)
[15]
IRE
[16]
NL
[17]
NOR
[21]
NZ
[18]
US Alt
[22]
US Dance
[23]
"Gangsters" [C] 1979 6 6 27 11 20 Non-album single
"A Message to You Rudy" / "Nite Klub" [D] 10 29 7 24 19 35 29 The Specials
"Rat Race" / "Rude Buoys Outa Jail" 1980 5 17 89 Non-album single
"Stereotype" / "International Jet Set" 6 12 41 More Specials
"Do Nothing" / "Maggie's Farm" [E] 4 13 More Specials

Non-album track

"Sock It to Them J.B." [F] 1981 More Specials
"Concrete Jungle" (live) [G] Dance Craze (soundtrack)
"Ghost Town" 1 68 15 3 12 7 20 Non-album singles
"The Boiler" [H] 1982 35
"Jungle Music" [I]
"War Crimes" [C] 84 In the Studio
"Racist Friend" / "Bright Lights" [C] 1983 60
"Free Nelson Mandela" / "Break Down the Door" [C] 1984 9 66 8 6 9 1 34
"What I Like Most About You Is Your Girlfriend" [C] 51
"Free Nelson Mandela" (re-recording) [J] 1988 93 Non-album single
"Jamaica Ska" [K] 1993 King of Kings
"Coz I Luv You" [L] 1994 Non-album single
"Hypocrite" [M] 1995 66 Today's Specials
"Pressure Drop" [M] 1996 100
"A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" [N]
"It's You" 1998 29 Guilty 'til Proved Innocent!
"Bonediggin'" [O]
"Sock It to Them J.B." (dub) / "Rat Race" (dub) [P] 2014 Non-album single
"Vote for Me" 2018 Encore
"10 Commandments" / "You're Wondering Now" (live) [Q][P] 2019 Encore

Non-album track

"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Compilation contributions

[edit]
Title Release
date
Label
The Specials vs. The Untouchables: Ska's Greatest Stars 2002 Big Eye Music
80's New Wave Hits – Rearrangement of The Go-Go's' "Our Lips Are Sealed", with Jane Wiedlin,
originally on The Specials vs The Untouchables: Ska's Greatest Stars
2006 Big Eye Music

Videography

[edit]
  • "Dance Craze – The Best of British Ska... Live!" (VHS)
  • "The Special AKA on Film" (1981 VHS & Laserdisc)
  • "The Specials: Too Much, Too Young" (2008 DVD)
  • "The Best of the Specials" (CD/DVD 2008)
  • "The Specials – 30th Anniversary Tour" (2009 DVD)

Films

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Television

[edit]

Commercials

[edit]
  • The song "A Message to You, Rudy" was featured in a SFR television commercial directed by Bruno Aveillan, with world champion football player, Marcel Desailly in 2001
  • The song "Blank Expression" was featured in a Ford Fiesta television commercial in 2003

Video games

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ This EP is credited as the Special AKA featuring Rico. In some countries, such as France and Germany, the EP was instead released as a 7-inch single consisting of "Too Much Too Young" as the A-side and "Guns of Navarone" as the B-side.
  2. ^ The 2 Tone EP is a various artists EP that features "Gangsters" as the first track.
  3. ^ a b c d e Credited as the Special AKA.
  4. ^ Both sides credited as the Specials featuring Rico.
  5. ^ "Do Nothing" is credited as the Specials featuring Rico with the Ice Rink String Sounds.
  6. ^ "Sock It to Them J.B." was only released as a single in France.
  7. ^ "Concrete Jungle" was only released as a single in the Netherlands.
  8. ^ Credited as Rhoda with the Special AKA.
  9. ^ Credited as Rico and the Special AKA.
  10. ^ Credited as the Special AKA featuring Ndonda Khuze and Jonas Gwangwa.
  11. ^ Credited as Desmond Dekker and the Specials.
  12. ^ Credited as the X Specials.
  13. ^ a b Credited as the Specials featuring Kendell Smith and Sheena Staple.
  14. ^ "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" was only released as a single in the US.
  15. ^ "Bonediggin'" was only released as a promotional single in the US.
  16. ^ a b Record Store Day release.
  17. ^ "10 Commandments" features Saffiyah Khan, whilst "You're Wondering Now" is a live version from 2009 and features Amy Winehouse.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Specials | full Official Chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  2. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 519. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. ^ a b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 286. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  4. ^ "Search – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  5. ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". www.offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  6. ^ Steffen Hung. "New Zealand charts portal". charts.nz. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  7. ^ Steffen Hung. "Swedish Charts Portal". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  8. ^ "Die Offizielle Schweizer Hitparade - hitparade.ch". swisscharts.com. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  9. ^ "The Specials – Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "British certifications – Specials". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 3 December 2022. Type Specials in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  11. ^ "King of Kings" (PDF). Music Week. 30 October 1993. p. 7. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  12. ^ "Chart Log UK – 2012 + Weekly Updates + Sales 2012". www.zobbel.de. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  13. ^ "swedishcharts.com - Swedish Charts Portal". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  14. ^ Lazell, Barry (1997). Indie Hits 1980–1989. Cherry Red Books. ISBN 0-9517206-9-4.
  15. ^ a b "Discografie The Specials - ultratop.be". www.ultratop.be. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  16. ^ a b "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  17. ^ a b Steffen Hung. "Dutch charts portal". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  18. ^ a b Steffen Hung. "New Zealand charts portal". charts.nz. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  19. ^ "Chart Log UK: DJ S - The System Of Life". www.zobbel.de. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  20. ^ Steffen Hung. "Austria Top 40 - Hitparade Österreich". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  21. ^ Steffen Hung. "Norwegian charts portal". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  22. ^ "The Specials – Alternative Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  23. ^ "The Specials – Dance Club Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 13 November 2022.