The following is a comprehensive discography of Sparks, an American pop and rock music duo formed in Los Angeles in 1970 by brothers Ron (keyboards) and Russell Mael (vocals), initially under the name Halfnelson. Best known for their quirky approach to songwriting, Sparks' music is often accompanied by cutting and acerbic lyrics, and an idiosyncratic stage presence, typified in the contrast between Russell's wide-eyed hyperactive frontman antics and Ron's sedentary scowling.
Albums Studio albums + List of studio albums, with selected details, chart positions and certifications Title Album details Chart positions Certifications US AUS CAN FRA GER NLD NOR SCO SWE Charts cover period from 1975 to 2005 UK Halfnelson Sparks Released: 1971 Re-released: February 1972 Labels: Bearsville, Warner Bros. — — — — — — — — — — A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing Released: October 1972The Burning Midnight Amp | Sparks - A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing (1972) | https://burningmidnightamp.captivate.fm/episode/009-sparks-a-woofer-in-tweeters-clothing-1972 | 2024-08-11 Labels: Bearsville, Warner Bros. — — — — — — — — — — Kimono My House Released: May 1974 Label: Island 101 22 58 — — 10 — — — 4 BPI: Gold Propaganda Released: November 1974 Label: Island 63 75 81 — 49 — 16 — 50 9 BPI: Silver Indiscreet Released: October 1975 Label: Island 169 — 86 — — 19 18 — 6 18 Big Beat Released: October 1976 Labels: Island, Columbia — — — — — — — — 24 — Introducing Sparks Released: October 1977 Labels: Columbia, CBS — — — — — — — — 41 — No. 1 in Heaven Released: September 1979 Labels: Virgin, Elektra, Warner Bros., Ariola, Oasis — 63 — — — — — — 43 73 Terminal Jive Released: 1980 Labels: Virgin, Carrere/Underdog, Ariola, Oasis — 96 — — — — — — — — Whomp That Sucker Released: 1981 Labels: Why-Fi, Carrere, Ariola, Oasis, RCA 182 — — — — — — — — — Angst in My Pants Released: May 1982 Labels: Atlantic, Carrere 173 — — — — — — — — — In Outer Space Released: April 1983 Labels: Atlantic, Carrere/Underdog, Oasis 88 — — — — — — — — — Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat Released: 1984 Labels: Atlantic, Oasis — — — — — — — — — — Music That You Can Dance To Released: September 1986 Labels: MCA, Consolidated Allied, Disques Vogue — — — — — — — — — — Interior Design Released: August 1988 Labels: Rhino/Fine Art, Carrere — — — — — — — — — — Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins Released: November 1994 Label: Logic — — — — 29 — — 45 — 150 Plagiarism Released: June 23, 1997 Labels: Roadrunner, Virgin Schallplatten — — — — — — — — — — Balls Released: August 28, 2000 Labels: Recognition, Strange Ways, Oglio — — — — — — — 22 — — Lil' Beethoven Released: November 26, 2002 Labels: Artful/Lil' Beethoven — — — — — — — 13 — — Hello Young Lovers Released: February 6, 2006 Labels: Gut, In the Red — — — — — — — 28 48 66 Exotic Creatures of the Deep Released: May 19, 2008 Label: Lil' Beethoven — — — — — — — 28 — 54 The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman Released: August 15, 2009 Labels: SR, Lil' Beethoven — — — — — — — 17 — — Hippopotamus Released: September 8, 2017 Label: BMG — — — 108 88 38 — 7 45 7 A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip Released: May 15, 2020 Label: BMG — — — 159 24 88 — 2 — 7 The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte Released: May 26, 2023 Label: Island — — — 128 37 — — 2 — 7 Mad! Released: May 23, 2025 Label: Transgressive — — — — 48 — — 1 — 2
Extended plays + List of extended plays with selected details Title EP details Chartpositions UKVinyl Madder! Released: October 3, 2025 Label: Transgressive 1
Collaborative albums + List of collaborative albums, with selected details and chart positions Title Album details Chart positions AUS AUT FRA GER ITA NLD SCO SPA SWI UK FFS (with Franz Ferdinand as FFS) Released: June 8, 2015 Label: Domino 85 36 27 22 60 13 8 53 19 17
Soundtrack albums + List of soundtrack albums, with selected details and chart positions Title Album details Chart positions BEL(FL) FRA GER SCO Annette Released: July 2, 2021 Labels: Sony 68 90 72 32 The Sparks Brothers Released: March 2022 Label: Waxwork — — — — Annette – An Opera by Sparks (The Original 2013 Recordings) Released: November 14, 2024 Label: Lil' Beethoven — — — —
Live albums + List of live albums, with selected details Title Album details Two Hands, One Mouth: Live in EuropeReleased: March 2013 Label: Lil' Beethoven Sparks Live on the Moon Released: August 14, 2026 Label: Transgressive
Compilation albums 2 Originals of Sparks (1975, Bearsville) – Double LP set consisting of Halfnelson and A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing The Best of Sparks (1978, Island Records) The History of the Sparks (1981, Carrere) Mael Intuition (The Best of the Sparks 1974-76) (1990, Island) Profile: The Ultimate Sparks Collection (1991, Rhino) The Heaven Collection (1993, Underdog/Sony France) The Hell Collection (1993, Underdog/Sony France) In the Swing (1993, Spectrum/Karussell) The 12 Inch Mixes (1996, Kiosk) 12" Mixes (1999, Oglio Records) The Best of Sparks (2000, Repertoire Records) This Album's Big Enough… The Best of Sparks (2002, Music Club) Shortcuts – The 7inch Mixes (1979–1984) (2012, Repertoire) Extended – The 12inch Mixes (1979–1984) (2012, Repertoire) Real Extended: The 12 inch Mixes (1979–1984) (2012, Repertoire) Improved and Corrected Version of above New Music for Amnesiacs: The Essential Collection (2013, Lil Beethoven Records) The Best & The Rest Of The Island Years 74-78 (2018, Island Records, 2 (Limited Edition, Remastered, Red Translucent) Vinyle LP) Past Tense – The Best of Sparks (2019, BMG Rights Management UK) SC #23, UK #73
Compilation EPs On Tour EP (1983, Atlantic) 4 Track EP (1983, Virgin) Dick Around (2006, In the Red) Past Tense, the best of (2019, BMG)
Singles 1970s Year Single Chart positions Album US AUS BEL(FL) BEL(WA) GER IRE NLD SWI UK 1972 "Wonder Girl" 112 — — — — — — — — Sparks 1974 "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us" — 69 4 3 12 — 4 7 2 Kimono My House "Girl from Germany" — — — — — — — — 51 A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing "Amateur Hour" — — 22 36 12 19 6 — 7 Kimono My House "Talent Is an Asset" — — — — — — — — — "Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth" — — — 48 40 — — — 13 Propaganda "Propaganda/At Home, at Work, at Play" — — — — — — — — — 1975 "Something for the Girl with Everything" — — — — — — — — 17 "Achoo" — — — — — — — — — "Get in the Swing" — — — 38 — — — — 27 Indiscreet "Looks, Looks, Looks" — — — — — — — — 26 1976 "I Want to Hold Your Hand" — — — — — — — — — Non-album single "Big Boy" — — — — — — — — — Big Beat "I Like Girls" — — — — — — — — — 1977 "Over the Summer" — — — — — — — — — Introducing Sparks "A Big Surprise" — — — — — — — — — 1979 "La Dolce Vita" — — — — — — — — — No. 1 in Heaven "The Number One Song in Heaven" — 85 — — — 5 — — 14 "Beat the Clock" — — 10 — — — 16 — 10 "Tryouts for the Human Race" — — — — — — — — 45
1980s Year Single Chart positions Album US Hot 100 US D-P US AUS FRA UK 1980 "When I'm with You" — — — 17 1 — Terminal Jive "Young Girls" — — — — — — 1981 "Tips for Teens" — — — — — — Whomp That Sucker "Funny Face" — — — — — — 1982 "I Predict" 60 — — — — — Angst in My Pants "Angst in My Pants" — — — — — — "Eaten by the Monster of Love" — — — — — — "Modesty Plays" — — — — — — Non-album single 1983 "Get Crazy/Hot Shot" — — — — — — Get Crazy (OST) "Cool Places" 49 13 — — — — In Outer Space "All You Ever Think About Is Sex" — — — — — — "Please Baby, Please" — — — — — — 1984 "With All My Might" 104 28 — — — — Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat "Progress" — — — — — "Pretending to Be Drunk/Kiss Me Quick" — 60 — — — — 1985 "Give It Up" /"Armies of the Night" — — — — — — Music That You Can Dance To "Change" — — — — — 85 1986 "Music That You Can Dance To" — 6 11 — — — "Fingertips/The Scene" — 38 — — — — 1987 "Rosebud" — — — — — — 1988 "So Important" — 8 — — — — Interior Design 1989 "Madonna" — — — — — — "Just Got Back from Heaven" — 7 24 — — — "Singing in the Shower" — 24 — — 37 — Marc & Robert
1990s YearSingleChart positionsAlbum US AUS BEL(FL) BEL(WA) GER NLD SCO SWI UK 1993 "National Crime Awareness Week" — — — — — — — — — Non-album single 1994 "When Do I Get to Sing 'My Way'" 9 — 16 12 7 35 41 22 38 Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins 1995 "When I Kiss You (I Hear Charlie Parker Playing)" 24 — — — 61 — 38 — 36 "When Do I Get to Sing 'My Way — — — — — — 35 — 32 "Now That I Own the BBC" — — — — 81 — 53 — 60 1997 "The Number One Song in Heaven" 28 — — — — — 54 — 70 Plagiarism "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us" — 69 — — — — 39 — 40 1999 "More Than a Sex Machine" — — — — — — — — — Balls
2000s Year Single Chart positions Album SCO UK 2000 "The Calm Before the Storm" — — Balls"The Angels" — — 2003 "Suburban Homeboy" — 142 Lil' Beethoven 2006 "Perfume" 46 80 Hello Young Lovers "Dick Around/Waterproof" 67 139 2008 "Good Morning" — 147 Exotic Creatures of the Deep 2009 "Lighten Up, Morrissey" — —
2010s Year Single Chart positions Album BEL(FL) 2015 "Johnny Delusional" 90 FFS "Call Girl" — "Police Encounters" — "Christmas Without a Prayer" — Non-album single 2017 "Hippopotamus" — Hippopotamus "What the Hell Is It This Time?" — "Edith Piaf (Said It Better Than Me)" — "I Wish You Were Fun" — "Check Out Time 11am" — Record Store Day exclusive single 2018 "You Earned the Right to Be a Dick" — Record Store Day exclusive single 2019 "Please Don't Fuck Up My World" — A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip
2020s Year Single Chart positions Album/EP IRE NZHot UK 2020 "Self-Effacing" — — — A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip "I'm Toast" — — — "One for the Ages" — — — "Lawnmower" — — — 2021 "Your Fandango" — — — Space Force 2023 "The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte" — — — The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte "Veronica Lake" — — — "Nothing Is as Good as They Say It Is" — — — 2024 "Don't Go Away" — — — Spaceman (OST) 2025 "Do Things My Own Way" — — — Mad! "JanSport Backpack" — — — "Drowned in a Sea of Tears" — — — "My Devotion" — — — "A Little Bit of Light Banter" — — — "Porcupine" — — — Madder! "The Happy Dictator" 77 13 73 The Mountain 2026 "Whippings and Apologies" — — — Sparks Live on the Moon "Lord Have Mercy" — — —
Collaborations and contributions 1979 – produced and wrote an album called Is There More to Life Than Dancing? for singer Noël. 1979 – produced the album Pas Dormir for a French band Bijou. 1979 – produced the single "C'est Sheep" by Adrian Munsey. 1981 – wrote the lyrics for the album Sex by Telex. 1981 – Russell Mael contributed backing vocals for the album Pleasant Dreams by Ramones. 1982 – worked with Lio on her album Suite Sixtine, which was a compilation of French rarities and English versions (translated by Sparks) of tracks from her first album. 1983 – "Minnie Mouse" for The Walt Disney Company from Splashdance. 1984 – co-wrote the song "Yes or No" for the Go-Go's album Talk Show. 1987 – Russell Mael provided backing vocals for Salon Music for This Is Salon Music. 1988 – "In My Life" and "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye" with Salon Music for O Boy. 1988 – "Singing in the Shower", "Live in Las Vegas" and "Hip Kit" with Les Rita Mitsouko from Marc & Robert. 1990 – Russell Mael contributed backing vocals to the song "You Drive, I'll Steer" for the album Busted by Cheap Trick. 2001 – "Kimono" with Pizzicato Five from Çà et là du Japon. 2001 – "La Nuit Est Là" and "Yo Quiero Màs Dinero" with Grand Popo Football Club from Shampoo Victims. 2003 – "We Are the Clash", a cover for Uncut magazine's the Clash tribute CD White Riot. 2004 – "Acid Pants" with Orbital from Blue Album. 2006 – remixed Morrissey's song, "Suedehead", for the compilation Future Retro. 2010 – remixed the song "Give Me Something" by Yoko Ono. 2010 – remixed the song "A Happy Place" by Katie Melua as Sparks Vs Katie Melua. 2012 – produced Gemma Ray's cover versions of Sparks songs "How Do I Get to Carnegie Hall" and "Eaten by the Monster of Love". 2019 – featured on Sebastian's 2019 song "Handcuffed to a Parking Meter" off his 2019 album Thirst