Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, generating several hit ballads. The group had a steady stream of hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Second only to the Beach Boys in Billboard singles and albums chart success among American bands, Chicago is one of the longest-running and most successful rock groups, and one of the world's best-selling groups of all time, having sold more than 100 million records.Ruhlmann, William. [ Chicago]. Biography, AllMusic. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
Chicago has sold over 40 million units in the US, with 23 gold, 18 platinum, and 8 multi-platinum albums. Over the course of their career they have had five number-one albums and 21 top-ten singles. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 8, 2016, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Albums
Canon albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions, sales figures and certifications No. Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications US AUSAustralian chart peaks: Top 100 (Kent Music Report) peaks to June 19, 1988: N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid-1983 and June 19, 1988. Top 50 (ARIA Chart) peaks from June 26, 1988: "I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love" (ARIA Chart) peak: Top 100 (ARIA Chart) peaks from January 1990 to December 2010: CANFINFR GER ITANDLNONZSWE UK 1 The Chicago Transit AuthorityReleased: April 28, 1969 Label: Columbia Formats: LP, cassette, CD, 8-track Cover design: Painted shingle 17 23 10 — 1 — — 6 8 — — 9US: 2× Platinum CAN: Platinum 2 ChicagoReleased: January 26, 1970 Label: Columbia Formats: LP, cassette, CD, 8-track Cover design: Silver bar 4 5 4 — 13 20 8 2 — — 7 6US: Platinum CAN: 3× Platinum 3 Chicago IIIReleased: January 11, 1971 Label: Columbia Formats: LP, cassette, 8-track Cover design: Tattered flag 2 6 7 6 — 17 9 5 8 — 5 9US: Platinum CAN: Gold 4 Chicago at Carnegie HallReleased: October 25, 1971 Label: Columbia Formats: LP, cassette, CD, 8-track Cover design: White tile 3 26 3 — — — — — — — — —US: Platinum CAN: Gold 5 Chicago VReleased: July 10, 1972 Label: Columbia Formats: LP, cassette, CD, 8-track Cover design: Carved wood 1 5 1 14 — — 13 4 7 — 5 24US: 2× Platinum CAN: Platinum 6 Chicago VIReleased: June 25, 1973 Label: Columbia Formats: LP, cassette, CD, 8-track Cover design: Engraved bill 1 12 2 26 — — 22 — 13 — 3 —US: 2× Platinum CAN: Platinum 7 Chicago VIIReleased: March 11, 1974 Label: Columbia Formats: LP, cassette, CD, 8-track Cover design: Embossed leather 1 13 4 — — — — — 13 — 18 —US: Platinum CAN: Gold 8 Chicago VIIIReleased: March 24, 1975 Label: Columbia Formats: LP, cassette, CD, 8-track Cover design: Embroidered textile 1 27 3 — 17 — — — 6 30 25 —US: Platinum CAN: Gold 9 Chicago IX: Chicago's Greatest HitsReleased: November 10, 1975 Label: Columbia Formats: LP, cassette, CD, 8-track Cover design: Painted billboard 1 16 1 — — — — — — 7 — —US: 5× Platinum CAN: 3× Platinum 10 Chicago XReleased: June 14, 1976 Label: Columbia Formats: LP, cassette, CD, 8-track Cover design: Chocolate bar 3 3 3—— 5 84766 21US: 2× Platinum CAN: Platinum UK: Silver 11 Chicago XIReleased: September 12, 1977 Label: Columbia Formats: LP, cassette, CD, 8-track Cover design: Regional map 6 7 4—8 39 15125—8 —US: Platinum CAN: Platinum 12 Hot StreetsReleased: October 2, 1978 Label: Columbia Formats: LP, cassette, CD, 8-track Cover design: Photo of band 12 14 10—25 — ——7923 —US: Platinum CAN: Platinum 13 Chicago 13Released: August 13, 1979 Label: Columbia Formats: LP, cassette, CD, 8-track Cover design: Marina City tower 21 24 21—— — ——16—30 —US: Gold CAN: Gold 14 Chicago XIVReleased: July 21, 1980 Label: Columbia Formats: LP, cassette, CD, 8-track Cover design: Fingerprint 71 71 60—— — ————46 — 15 Greatest Hits, Volume IIReleased: November 23, 1981 Label: Columbia Formats: LP, cassette, CD, 8-track Cover design: Series of signs 171 — ——— — ————— — 16 Chicago 16Released: June 7, 1982 Label: Full Moon Formats: LP, cassette, CD, 8-track Cover design: Computer chip 9 22 17—— 11 1333—24— 44US: Platinum CAN: Gold 17 Chicago 17Released: May 14, 1984 Label: Full Moon Formats: LP, cassette, CD, 8-track Cover design: Brown paper package 4 65 4—23 12 —2014251 24US: 6× Platinum UK: Gold 18 Chicago 18Released: September 29, 1986 Label: Full Moon Formats: LP, cassette, CD, 8-track Cover design: Mosaic tiles 35 — 5331— 49 ——12—15 —US: Gold 19 Chicago 19Released: June 20, 1988 Label: Full Moon Formats: LP, cassette, CD, 8-track Cover design: Modern painting 37 — 3839— 42 ——5—7 —US: Platinum 20 Greatest Hits 1982–1989 Issued as: The Heart of Chicago in Europe.Released: November 21, 1989 Label: Full Moon Formats: LP, cassette, CD Cover design: Masonry 37 71 73 — — 47 23 — — — — 6US: 5× Platinum AUS: Gold CAN: Gold UK: Platinum 21 Twenty 1Released: January 29, 1991 Label: Full Moon Formats: LP, cassette, CD Cover design: Painted number "1" 66 — 7340— 66 —5211—18 — 22 Night & Day: Big BandReleased: May 23, 1995 Label: Giant Formats: cassette, CD Cover design: Musical instruments 90 — ——— — ————— — 23 The Heart of Chicago 1967–1997Released: April 22, 1997 Label: Reprise Formats: cassette, CD Cover design: Red satin 55 — 478— — —2441— 21US: Gold AUS: Gold 24 The Heart of Chicago 1967–1998 Volume IIReleased: May 12, 1998 Label: Reprise Formats: cassette, CD Cover design: Blue satin 154 — ——— — ————— — 25 Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album Reissued as: What's It Gonna Be, Santa? (2003).Released: August 25, 1998 Label: Chicago Formats: cassette, CD Cover design: Christmas wreath 47 — ——— — ————— —US: Gold 26 Chicago XXVI: Live in ConcertReleased: October 12, 1999 Label: Chicago Formats: CD Cover design: Billboard on highway — — ——— — ————— — 27 The Very Best of Chicago: Only the Beginning Issued as: The Chicago Story: Complete Greatest Hits in Europe.Released: July 2, 2002 Label: Rhino Formats: CD Cover design: Green grass logo 20 86 ——— 25 —4——— 11US: 2× Platinum AUS: Gold UK: Gold 28 The BoxReleased: July 22, 2003 Label: Rhino Formats: CD Cover design: Pushed out pins — — ——— — ————— — 29 Love SongsReleased: January 25, 2005 Label: Rhino Formats: CD, download Cover design: Rose petals with box of chocolates & stemmed roses 57 — ——— — ————5 — 30 Chicago XXXReleased: March 21, 2006 Label: Rhino Formats: CD, download Cover design: Granite inlay on concrete with jackhammered XXX cutouts 41 — ——— — ————— — 31 The Best of Chicago: 40th Anniversary EditionReleased: October 2, 2007 Label: Rhino Formats: CD, download Cover design: Red wax seal 100 — ——— — ————— —US: Gold 32 Chicago XXXII: Stone of SisyphusReleased: June 17, 2008 Label: Rhino Formats: CD, download Cover design: Chiseled out of stone boulder 122 — — — — — — — — — — — 33 Chicago XXXIII: O Christmas ThreeReleased: October 4, 2011 Label: Chicago Records II Formats: CD, download Cover design: Candy cane 170 — — — — — — — — — — — 34 Chicago XXXIV: Live in '75Released: May 24, 2011 Label: Rhino Formats: CD, download Cover design: Sun and clouds special logo — — ——— — ————— — 35 Chicago XXXV: The Nashville SessionsReleased: April 26, 2013 Label: Chicago Records II Formats: CD, download Cover design: Map with Nashville at top — — — — — — — — — — — — 36 Chicago XXXVI: NowReleased: July 4, 2014 Label: Frontiers Formats: CD, download Cover design: Swirling black-and-white checkerboard 82 — — — — 56 — — — — — 181 37 Chicago XXXVII: Chicago ChristmasReleased: October 11, 2019 Label: Rhino Formats: LP, CD, download Cover design: Green-and-white striped wrapped gift with red bow — — — — — — — — — — — — 38 Chicago XXXVIII: Born for This MomentReleased: July 15, 2022 Label: BMG Formats: LP, CD, download Cover design: Brushed gold — — — — — — — — — — — — 39 Chicago Greatest Christmas HitsReleased: November 3, 2023 Label: Rhino Formats: LP, CD, download Cover design: Ornaments and garland on tree — — — — — — — — — — — — 40 Chicago at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington D.C. (9/16/71)Released: September 27, 2024 Label: Rhino Formats: LP, CD, download Cover design: Psychedelic pattern — — — — — — — — — — — —
Notes:
Studio albums
Live albums
Compilation albums
Box sets
Other albums Live albums 1972: Live in Japan 2015: Chicago at Symphony Hall 2018: Chicago: VI Decades Live (This is What We Do) (box set) 2018: Chicago: Chicago II Live on Soundstage 2018: Chicago: Greatest Hits Live 2018: Chicago: Live at the Isle of Wight Festival
Compilation albums 1983: If You Leave Me Now 1984: The Ultimate Collection 1985: Take Me Back to Chicago 1991: Group Portrait 1995: Overtime 1995: 25 Years of Gold – AUS #30 1996: The Very Best of Chicago 1997: Chicago Presents the Innovative Guitar of Terry Kath 2013: Chicago Collector's Edition (3 CD set from Madacy Records) 2016: Quadio 2025: Greatest Hits Expanded (Chicago IX)
Unauthorized releases In 1969, Chicago appeared at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival, the same one day rock festival that produced John Lennon's Live Peace in Toronto 1969. (Also appearing at the festival were Alice Cooper, Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry - whose performances of the event were also issued on albums.) Since 1978, there have been innumerable unauthorized LP, Cassette and CD releases of the same poor-quality recording of this performance.
There were eight songs recorded at the gig, seven from Chicago Transit Authority plus the then-unreleased "25 or 6 to 4." Almost all of these releases include only seven of the songs; "Beginnings" is nearly always omitted, its title often being wrongly given to the first track "Introduction". "South California Purples" is often listed as "Purples", "Purple Song" or "South Carolina Purples", and sometimes given an incorrect writing credit—i.e., to composer Carl Michalski or "John Gunner/J.Marks".
The one song in the set not to appear previously on any official live album is "Liberation", which is frequently edited or faded early and whose correct total runtime is approximately 16:05. On some versions, all the songs are faded early. Some LP versions include talking between songs, most notably Lamm pointing out that "25 or 6 to 4" was a brand new song.
Despite its shortcomings, some reviewers have regarded the recording quite positively. For example, the 1984 LP release Chicago: Toronto Rock 'n' Roll Revival 69 by Design Records is considered by reviewer Doug Stone to be a "choice concert souvenir...captur(ing) the group in its live prime. Supporting the Chicago Transit Authority debut, before mastering wedding material, Chicago was a rock & roll force to be reckoned with."[ Review of Toronto Rock 'n' Roll Revival 69; AllMusic] A reviewer of an earlier version of the same recording, entitled Toronto Rock 'n' Roll Revival 1969, Volume 1 (Accord, 1981) considers that "...there's certainly nothing wrong with the performance. In some ways, the at times fuzzy sound works in the album's favor, giving Chicago a garage-y edge rarely found on their studio works."Bob Koch, Vinyl Cave: Toronto Rock 'n Roll Revival 1969, Volume I by Chicago Transit Authority ; Thedailypage.com, November 10, 2008.
Singles