The following is the solo discography of the English rock musician Pete Townshend. Townshend's career as a published musician and songwriter began in 1964 as a member of rock band the Who, before branching out as a solo artist in the 1970s.
Studio albums Year Album details Peak chart positions CertificationsUKUK chart peaks: Top 100 peaks, except "English Boy": N.B. This site is missing positions 76–100 between 13 April 1991 and 30 January 1994 inclusive. "English Boy": Top 200 peaks from November 1994 to December 2010: AUSAustralian chart peaks until 19 June 1988: N.B. The Kent Music Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid-1983 and 19 June 1988.AUTGERGerman albums chart peaks: White City: The Iron Man: The Musical by Pete Townshend: NEDNZNORSWESWIUSUS Billboard 200 albums chart peaks: All peaks other than stated: N.B. This page is missing peaks for Rough Mix, White City: A Novel, Deep End Live! and Another Scoop. Peaks for Rough Mix, White City: A Novel, Deep End Live! and Another Scoop: 1972Who Came First3035———————691977Rough Mix (with Ronnie Lane)44————————451980Empty Glass1128———2140——5RIAA: Platinum1982All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes 3241———1733——26 1985White City: A Novel701626153120—171126RIAA: Gold BVMI: Gold1989The Iron Man: The Musical by Pete Townshend —59——39————58 1993Psychoderelict —————————118"—" denotes releases that did not chart
Live albums YearAlbumPeak chart positionsNotesUS1986Deep End Live!98Recorded 1985, expanded version Live: Brixton Academy '85 released 20041999A Benefit For Maryville Academy—Recorded 19982000Live: Sadler's Wells—Recorded 2000, from Townshend's Lifehouse concert seriesLive: The Empire—Recorded 1998Live: The Fillmore—Recorded 19962001Live: La Jolla 22/06/01—Recorded 2001Live: La Jolla 23/06/01—The Oceanic Concerts (with Raphael Rudd)—Recorded 1979–19802003Live: Bam 1993—Recorded 1993, on Townshend's Psychoderelict tour"—" denotes releases that did not chart
Soundtrack albums YearRecordingNotes1975TommyFrom Ken Russell's 1975 film
Compilations
Albums YearAlbumNotes1996The Best of Pete TownshendFeatures new song "Uneasy Street"2005Anthology2xCD2015Truancy: The Very Best of Pete TownshendFeatures new songs "Guantanamo" and "How Can I Help You"
Box sets and samplers YearAlbumNotes2000Lifehouse ChroniclesBox setLifehouse ElementsSampler of Lifehouse Chronicles.2001Jai BabaBox set of Happy Birthday, I Am, and With Love 2025The Studio AlbumsBox set
Singles Year Album details Peak chart positionsAlbumUKAUSBEL(FL)CANGERGerman singles chart peaks: "Face the Face": "Give Blood": NEDNZSWESWIUSBillboard Hot 100 and Bubbling Under chart peaks: Hot 100 peaks, other than "Face the Face": N.B. This page is missing the peak for "Face the Face". Bubbling Under peaks and "Face the Face": 1980"Rough Boys" 39————————89Empty Glass"Let My Love Open the Door" b/w "Greyhound Girl", non-album track4682—5—————9"A Little Is Enough" —————————72"Keep on Working" ——————————1982"Face Dances, Pt. 2" b/w "Man Watching", non-album track—————————105All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes"Uniforms (Corp d'Esprit)" b/w "Dance It Away", non-album track48—————————1985"Face the Face" 899141715141181426White City: A Novel"Give Blood" —77——61—————1986"Secondhand Love" ——————————"Barefootin'" ——————————Deep End Live!1989"A Friend Is a Friend" 12" b/w "Real World (Can You Really Dance?)", non-album track—113————————The Iron Man: The Musical by Pete Townshend"I Won't Run Anymore" ——————————1993"English Boy"87—————————Psychoderelict"I Believe My Own Eyes" ——————————"Don't Try to Make Me Real" ——————————1996"Let My Love Open the Door" (E. Cola mix)145—————————The Best of Pete Townshend2001"O' Parvardigar"——————————I Am/Who Came First2014"It Must Be Done" (with Nathan Barr)——————————N/A (for The Americans)2023"Can't Outrun the Truth"——————————N/A"—" denotes releases that did not chart
Other appearances YearSongAlbum1970"Content" (with Maud Kennedy), "Day of Silence", "Mary Jane", "The Seeker" (solo version), "Begin the Beguine", and "The Love Man"Happy Birthday1972"Baba O'Riley" (instrumental) and "O' Parvardigar"I Am"Classified"Glastonbury Fayre1976"His Hands", "Meher", "Sleeping Dog", and "Lantern Cabin"With Love1982"Ascension Two"Music & Rhythm1986"Life to Life"Playing for Keeps2012"Corrine, Corrina"Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan
Demos Albums YearAlbum1983Scoop1987Another Scoop2001Scoop 3
Compilation YearTitle2002Scooped
Production YearTitleArtistNotes1969"Wilhelmina"Thunderclap Newmanalso bassist1970"I See It All""Stormy Petrel"Hollywood Dream1979"Peppermint Lump"/"Breakfast in Naples"Angiealso arranger"Spread It Around"Straight Eightexecutive producer on B-sides "It Ain't Easy" and "Oh No"1983Sweet SoundSimon Townshend1991"She Blows My Mind"The Tambourines2003The AwakeningRaphael Ruddvocals on "The Awakening", recorded 1978
Theater and classical
Plays YearRecordingNotes1993TommyOriginal cast recording of a musical play with music & lyrics by Townshend and book by Townshend & Duff McAnuff. Produced by George Martin.
Adaptations YearRecordingNotes2015Classic Quadropheniaorchestrated by Rachel Fuller conducted by Robert Ziegler
References