The discography of Jars of Clay, a multi-stylistic American rock and Christian band from Nashville, Tennessee consists of 11 studio albums, 44 singles, 16 extended plays, three compilation albums, a part-studio, part-live double-album, a live DVD, and several releases of other types. While Jars of Clay has never released a major, full-length live album strictly speaking, the second disc of the part-studio, part-live double-album, Furthermore (2003), fulfills the same expectation. In addition, the band has released Live Monsters (2007), a live EP of performances from the tour following the release of Good Monsters (2006), and five more EPs of live performances in smaller, more intimate settings.
Jars of Clay's self-titled debut album (1995) was released on Essential Records as well as on Essential's parent label, Silvertone. The album hit No. 1 on the Billboard Top Christian albums for a total of 22 weeks in 1996. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and stayed on the Billboard 200 for a total of 66 weeks, peaking at No. 46. Its first single, "Flood" reached No. 12 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks, No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100[ AllMusic.com's Summary of Jars of Clay's Billboard radio singles] and No. 1 one on the CCM Rock chart. The single's performance made Jars of Clay an overnight success in both the mainstream and Christian radio markets. The debut album was certified platinum by RIAA having sold more than 1 million copies just one year following its release. It was certified 2× platinum in 1999. Two other singles from the album also hit No. 1 on the CCM charts, "Love Song for a Savior" and "Liquid". The album was followed by a successful holiday single, "Drummer Boy", from the 1995 EP Drummer Boy, which reached No. 3 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart.
Between the debut of their self-titled album and their final project with Essential, Greatest Hits (2008), Jars of Clay would release six more studio albums, two major hits albums and the part-studio, part-live album Furthermore: From the Studio, From the Stage (2003). All (except the hits albums) would peak on the Billboard Top Christian Albums charts within the top five positions with If I Left the Zoo (1999) and Redemption Songs (2005) each spending one week at No. 1. The band's sophomore release, Much Afraid (1997) reached No. 2 on the Top Christian Albums charts, but would become the band's highest-charting album on the Billboard 200, reaching the No. 8 spot. Much Afraid was certified platinum by the RIAA in 2000. If I Left the Zoo and Furthermore were certified gold in 2000 and 2005 respectively. Much Afraid, If I Left the Zoo, and The Eleventh Hour (2002), (their second, third, and fourth albums, respectively), each earned a Grammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album.
After their tenure with Essential ended in 2007, Jars of Clay created their own record label, Gray Matters, on which they released five more albums. Christmas Songs (2008) became their first independent release. The Long Fall Back to Earth (2009) followed, reaching No. 1 on the Top Christian Albums chart and earned the band their eighth Grammy nomination. The Tucker Martine-produced Inland (2013), the band's fourth independent release and eleventh studio album overall, reached No. 2 on the Top Christian Albums charts.
Other notable albums include the Grammy-nominated Who We Are Instead (2003), an intimate exploration of the band's Nashville roots in folk and rural Americana, and Good Monsters (2006), the critically acclaimed release that the band described as their "first ever rock record." Good Monsters was named "Album of the Year" by CCM Magazine in its September 2006 issue, praising it as "the most profound album the Christian music community has released in years." In addition to their Grammys, the band earned three GMA Dove Awards for a best album category for The Eleventh Hour, Good Monsters, and The Long Fall Back to Earth.
Jars of Clay has also released video of most of their live recordings, notably 11Live: Jars of Clay in Concert (2002) on DVD and VHS, and digital video released with the four-volume EP series, Live at Gray Matters (2010–11), among other, more limited releases of live video performances.
Albums Studio albums + List of studio albums, with chart positions and certificationsTitleDetailsPeak chart positionsCertificationsUSUSChrist.USRockUSAlt.USHeat.USHol. Jars of Clay Release date: October 24, 1995 Formats: CD, CS, digital, LP Label: Essential, Silvertone 46 1 — — 1 —RIAA: 2× Platinum MC: Gold Much Afraid Release date: September 16, 1997 Formats: CD, CS, digital, LP Label: Essential, Silvertone 8 2 — — — —RIAA: Platinum If I Left the Zoo Release date: November 9, 1999 Formats: CD, CS, digital, LP Label: Essential, Silvertone 44 1 — — — — RIAA: Gold The Eleventh Hour Release date: March 5, 2002 Formats: CD, CS, digital Label: Essential, Silvertone 28 3 — — — — Who We Are Instead Release date: November 4, 2003 Formats: CD, digital Label: Essential, Silvertone 103 4 — — — — Redemption Songs Release date: March 22, 2005 Formats: CD, digital Label: Essential, Silvertone 71 1 — — — — Good Monsters Release date: September 5, 2006 Formats: CD, digital Label: Essential 58 3 20 — — — Christmas Songs Release date: October 16, 2007 Formats: CD, digital, LP Label: Gray Matters, Nettwerk 130 7 — — — 11 The Long Fall Back to Earth Release date: April 21, 2009 Formats: CD, digital, LP Label: Gray Matters, Essential 29 1 — — — — Jars of Clay Presents:The Shelter Release date: October 5, 2010 Formats: CD, digital Label: Gray Matters 78 5 25 13 — — Inland Release date: August 27, 2013 Formats: CD, digital, LP Label: Gray Matters 70 2 20 11 — — "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
Part-studio, part-live albums + List of part-studio, part-live albums, with chart positions and certificationsTitleDetailsPeak chart positionsCertificationsUSUSChrist. Furthermore: From the Studio, from the Stage Release date: February 4, 2003 Formats: CD, digital Label: Essential/Silvertone 64 3 RIAA: Gold
Compilation albums + List of compilation albums, with chart positionsTitleDetailsPeak chart positionsUSChrist. The Essential Jars of Clay Release date: September 4, 2007 Formats: CD, digital Label: Essential/Legacy — Greatest Hits Release date: April 1, 2008 Formats: CD, digital Label: Essential 22 20 Release date: August 19, 2014 Formats: CD, digital Label: Gray Matters 28 "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
Extended plays + List of extended plays, with chart positionsTitleDetailsPeak chart positionsUSChrist.USUSHol.USCat.USHeat. Drummer Boy Released: November 22, 1995; November 22, 1997 Formats: 12", CD, CS, digital Label: Essential (1995)/Silvertone (1997) 5 101 19 32 3 Roots & Wings EP Released: March 1, 2005 Formats: Digital Label: Essential — — — — — Mini Monsters EP Released: August 8, 2006 Formats: Digital Label: Essential — — — — — Live Monsters Released: September 4, 2007 Formats: CD, digital Label: Essential — — — — — Closer EP Released: July 29, 2008 Formats: CD, digital Label: Essential/Gray Matters/Nettwerk 44 — — — — Live at Gray Matters, Vol. 1: Songs from The Long Fall Back to Earth Released: February 2, 2010 Formats: Digital/digital video Label: Gray Matters — — — — — Flood(ed): A Benefit Released: March 11, 2010 Formats: Digital Label: Provident Label Group – — – — — Live at Gray Matters, Vol. 2: The Rewind Edition Released: July 27, 2010 Formats: Digital/digital video Label: Gray Matters — — — — — Live at Gray Matters, Vol. 3: The Christmas Edition Released: November 16, 2010 Formats: Digital/digital video Label: Gray Matters — — — — – Live at Gray Matters, Vol. 4: One Mic Released: March 29, 2011 Formats: Digital/digital video Label: Gray Matters — — — — – More Christmas Songs EP Released: October 27, 2011 Formats: CD, digital Label: Gray Matters — — — — — Reinvent, Remember, Replay Released: November 28, 2011 Formats: CD, digital Label: Gray Matters — — — — — Under the Weather (Live in Sellersville, PA) Released: March 19, 2013 Formats: Digital Label: Gray Matters — — — — — NoiseTrade Eastside Manor Sessions Released: July 25, 2013 Formats: Digital Label: Not on label — — — — — The Others EP Released: January 9, 2015 Formats: Digital Label: Not on label — — — — — "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
Other albums + List of other albums, with descriptions Title Details Frail Released: July 5, 1994 Formats: CD Label: Independent Description: Independently released demo album containing tracks later re-recorded for their first two studio albums Stringtown Released: January 25, 1999 Formats: CD/CD-ROM Label: Essential Description: Live album originally released to Fan Club members, including a CD-ROM featuring tour multimedia and music videos Front Yard Luge Released: September 2, 1999 Formats: CD Label: TN2 Entertainment Description: Live mini-album available with pre-order of If I Left the Zoo from select retailers The White Elephant Sessions Released: March 26, 2000 Formats: CD Label: Essential Description: Limited full-length release featuring demos and other rarities packaged with copies of If I Left the Zoo Jar of Gems Released: September 25, 2001 Formats: CD Label: Essential/Zomba Description: Released only in Singapore and the Philippines, a compilation of early hits iTunes Originals – Jars of Clay Released: November 8, 2005 Formats: Digital Label: Provident Label Group Description: Exclusive to iTunes Store, part of the iTunes Originals series featuring the work and history of recording artists Gather and Build: A Collection Released: October 25, 2011 Formats: Digital Label: Gray Matters Description: A compilation available on NoiseTrade also featuring tracks previously unreleased Daytrotter Presents: Jars of Clay Released: December 13, 2013 Formats: Digital, LP Label: Daytrotter Description: A seven-track mini-album featuring studio sessions of songs from the album Inland Inlandia: The Remix Collection Released: March 4, 2014 Formats: CD, digital Label: Gray Matters Description: A seven-track mini-album featuring remixes of songs from the album Inland A Jars of Clay in-studio Performance of the "Much Afraid" Album Released: March 2021 Formats: Digital, LP Label: Gray Matters Description: Limited vinyl release of a livestreamed benefit concert during the COVID-19 pandemic featuring a fan-selected album Live in Manila Released: September 14, 2021 Formats: LP/DVD Label: Gray Matters
Special editions + List of special editions of albums and extended plays, with descriptionsTitleDetails Jars of Clay Interactive Released: October 25, 1995 Formats: CD-ROM Label: Essential Description: Features behind-the-scenes photography, the "Flood" music video, and audio from the independent release Frail Jars of Clay Platinum Released: December 8, 1996 Formats: CD Label: Essential/Silvertone Description: Limited double-disc release of the self-titled debut album released to commemorate RIAA Platinum status Much Afraid Exclusive Seatbelt Tuba Edition Released: September 16, 1997 Formats: CD Label: Essential Description: Limited release available by pre-order through Family Christian Bookstores featuring a three-track bonus disc—Seatbelt Tuba: The Acoustic Sessions Who We Are Instead (Special Edition) Released: November 4, 2003 Formats: CD Label: Essential Christmas Songs USB Released: November 29, 2007 Formats: USB thumb drive/digital Label: Gray Matters The Long Fall Back to Earth Deluxe Edition (2009) Released: April 21, 2009 Formats: Digital Label: Essential Under the Weather with Jars of Clay Deluxe Edition Released: March 19, 2013 Formats: Digital/digital video Label: Gray Matters The Long Fall Back to Earth Deluxe Edition (2015) Released: October 23, 2015 Formats: CD/DVD, digital Label: Essential
Singles