The discography of American singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter consists of 17 studio albums, four compilation albums, three video albums, 41 singles, 15 music videos, and 88 album appearances. After recording a demo tape, she was signed to Columbia Records in 1987 and released her debut studio album Hometown Girl (1987). In June 1989, Carpenter's second studio album State of the Heart was issued, which transitioned more towards country music. Among its four singles, both "Never Had It So Good" and "Quittin' Time" became top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot Country Singles and Tracks chart.
Carpenter entered the 1990s with her third album, Shooting Straight in the Dark, which was released in October 1990 and certified platinum in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America. Its third single "Down at the Twist and Shout" won the Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 1992 and became a top 10 hit. In June 1992, Carpenter released Come On Come On, which became her best-selling record. From seven singles issued, the songs "I Feel Lucky", "Passionate Kisses", and "He Thinks He'll Keep Her" became top 10 hits on the Billboard country chart. Her fifth album Stones in the Road (1994) debuted at No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart and No. 10 on the Billboard 200. Its lead single "Shut Up and Kiss Me" topped the Billboard country chart in 1994. Her sixth studio release entitled A Place in the World (1996) certified gold in sales in the United States. Party Doll and Other Favorites (1998) was Carpenter's first compilation album, also certifying gold in sales from the RIAA.
Carpenter entered the 2000s with her seventh studio album Time* Sex* Love* (2001), debuting at No. 6 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The release was nominated by the Grammy Awards in 2002 for Best-Engineered Album. Her second compilation album, The Essential Mary Chapin Carpenter, was released in 2003. Her eighth studio album, Between Here and Gone was released in 2004. The record was co-produced by Carpenter and pianist Matt Rollings. She returned in 2007 with her ninth studio album The Calling on Zoë Records. The project debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and sold 100,000 copies within its first few weeks. Carpenter's first holiday album, Come Darkness, Come Light: Twelve Songs of Christmas, was released in 2008.
Carpenter entered the 2010s with her 11th studio album, The Age of Miracles, released in April 2010. Among other entries, The Age or Miracles debuted within the top 10 of the Billboard Top Rock Albums chart. She followed with her 13th studio album Ashes and Roses (2012). Carpenter then collaborated with arranger Vince Mendoza to issue Songs from the Movie (2014), an album of orchestral music. In May 2016, The Things That We Are Made Of marked a return to traditional roots music and debuted at No. 8 on the Top Country Albums chart. Carpenter's 15th studio album Sometimes Just the Sky (2018) contained new versions of previously recorded material and debuted at No. 13 on the Billboard folk albums chart. Carpenter's 16th studio album, The Dirt and the Stars, was released in 2020. Her 17th, Personal History, was released in 2025.
Albums Studio albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing other relevant details Title Album details Peak chart positions CertificationsUSUSUSAUS N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart. CANCANUK Hometown Girl Released: July 30, 1987 Label: Columbia Formats: Vinyl, cassette, CD — — — 178 — — — State of the Heart Released: June 13, 1989 Label: Columbia Formats: Vinyl, cassette, CD 183 28 — — — — — RIAA: Gold Shooting Straight in the Dark Released: October 9, 1990 Label: Columbia Formats: Cassette, CD 70 11 — 111 — — — MC: Gold RIAA: Platinum Come On Come On Released: June 30, 1992 Label: Columbia Formats: Cassette, CD 31 6 — 162 — 4 — BPI: Silver MC: 2× Platinum RIAA: 4× Platinum Stones in the Road Released: October 4, 1994 Label: Columbia Formats: Cassette, CD 10 1 — 81 29 1 26 BPI: Silver MC: Platinum RIAA: 2× Platinum A Place in the World Released: October 22, 1996 Label: Columbia Formats: Cassette, CD 20 3 — 121 — 13 36 MC: Gold RIAA: Gold Time* Sex* Love* Released: May 29, 2001 Label: Columbia Formats: Cassette, CD 52 6 — 164 — — 57 Between Here and Gone Released: April 27, 2004 Label: Columbia Formats: CD, music download 50 5 — — — — 92 The Calling Released: March 6, 2007 Label: Zoë Formats: CD, music download 59 10 — — — — 95 Come Darkness, Come Light:Twelve Songs of Christmas Released: September 30, 2008 Label: Zoë Formats: CD, music download 155 30 — — — — — The Age of Miracles Released: April 27, 2010 Label: Zoë Formats: CD, music download 28 6 1 — — — 101 Ashes and Roses Released: June 12, 2012 Label: Zoë Formats: CD, music download 72 16 7 — — — 26 Songs from the Movie Released: January 14, 2014 Label: Zoë Formats: CD, music download 75 — 6 — — — 95 The Things That We Are Made Of Released: May 6, 2016 Label: Lambent Light Records Formats: CD, music download, vinyl 102 8 3 — — — 47 Sometimes Just the Sky Released: March 30, 2018 Label: Lambent Light Records Formats: CD, music download — 29 13 — — — 74 The Dirt and the Stars Released: August 7, 2020 Label: Lambent Light Records Formats: CD, music download — 35 6 — — — — Looking for the Thread Released: January 24, 2025 Label: Lambent Light Records Formats: CD, music download — — — — — — — Personal History Released: June 6, 2025 Label: Lambent Light Records Formats: CD, vinyl, music download — — — — — — — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Compilation albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing other relevant details Title Album details Peak chartpositions CertificationsUSUSAUS Party Doll and Other Favorites Released: May 25, 1999 Label: Columbia Formats: Cassette, CD, music download 43 4 164 RIAA: Gold The Essential Mary ChapinCarpenter Released: November 4, 2003 Label: Columbia Formats: CD, music download — 60 — Super Hits Released: May 22, 2007 Label: Columbia/Legacy Formats: CD, music download — — — Playlist: The Very Best of MaryChapin Carpenter Released: August 19, 2008 Label: Columbia/Legacy Formats: CD, music download — — — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Live albums + List of albums, with other relevant details Title Album details Jubilee: Live at Wolf Trap Released: January 9, 1996 Label: Columbia Records Formats: VHS, DVD One Night Lonely Released: August 13, 2021 Label: Lambent Light Formats: CD, music download, vinyl
Singles As lead artist + List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing other relevant details Title Year Peak chart positions AlbumUSUSCou.USACCANCANCou.CANACUK "A Lot Like Me" 1987 — — — — — — — Hometown Girl "Just Because" 1988 — — — — — — — "How Do" 1989 — 19 — — 44 — — State of the Heart "Never Had It So Good" — 8 — — 6 — — "Quittin' Time" 1990 — 7 — — 8 — — "Something of a Dreamer" — 14 — — 8 — — "You Win Again" — 16 — — 6 — — Shooting Straight in the Dark "Right Now" 1991 — 15 — — 14 — — "Down at the Twist and Shout" — 2 — — 7 — — "Going Out Tonight" — 14 — — 13 — — "I Feel Lucky" 1992 — 4 — — 3 16 — Come On Come On "Not Too Much to Ask" — 15 — — 12 — — "Passionate Kisses" 1993 57 4 11 39 5 17 78 "The Hard Way" — 11 — — 11 — — "The Bug" — 16 — — 24 — — "He Thinks He'll Keep Her" — 2 — — 6 — 71 "I Take My Chances" 1994 — 2 — — 2 — — "Shut Up and Kiss Me" 90 1 — — 5 — 35 Stones in the Road "Tender When I Want to Be" — 6 — — 2 — — "House of Cards" 1995 — 21 — — 22 — — "Why Walk When You Can Fly" — 45 — — 43 — — "Grow Old with Me" 1996 — — 17 — — — — Working Class Hero: A Tribute to John Lennon "Let Me into Your Heart" — 11 — — 5 — — A Place in the World "I Want to Be Your Girlfriend" 1997 — 35 — — 33 — — "The Better to Dream of You" — 64 — — 85 — — "Keeping the Faith" — 58 — — — — — "Almost Home" 1999 85 22 — — 45 — — Party Doll and Other Favorites "Wherever You Are" — 55 — — 74 — — "Simple Life" 2001 — 53 — — — — — Time* Sex* Love* "This Is Me Leaving You" — — — — — — — "Beautiful Racket" 2004 — — — — — — — Between Here and Gone "What Would You Say to Me" — — — — — — — "On with the Song" 2007 — — — — — — — The Calling "It Must Have Happened" — — — — — — — "Christmas Time in the City" 2008 — — — — — — — Come Darkness, Come Light: Twelve Songs of Christmas "I Put My Ring Back On" 2010 — — — — — — — The Age of Miracles "The Way I Feel" — — — — — — — "Soul Companion" 2012 — — — — — — — Ashes and Roses "Ideas Are Like Stars" 2014 — — — — — — — Songs from the Movie "Something Tamed Something Wild" 2016 — — — — — — — The Things That We Are Made Of "Heroes and Heroines" 2018 — — — — — — — Sometimes Just the Sky "Our Man Walter Cronkite" 2019 — — — — — — — The Dirt and the Stars "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
As featured artist + List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing other relevant details Title Year Peak chart positions AlbumUSUSCou.CANCou.UK "Romeo" 1993 50 27 33 — Slow Dancing with the Moon "One Cool Remove" 1995 — — — 40 Cover Girl "It's Only Love" 1998 — 67 — — Crown of Jewels "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Videography Video albums + List of video albums, showing all relevant details Title Album details My Record Company Made Me Do This Released: November 1, 1994 Label: Columbia Formats: VHS Jubilee: Live at Wolf Trap Released: January 9, 1996 Label: Sony Formats: DVD, VHS Musical Tribute to the Red Cross(with Kevin Pollak and Sawyer Brown) Released: October 27, 2006 Label: Unicorn Formats: DVD
Music videos + List of music videos, showing year released and director Title Year Director(s) "Never Had It So Good" 1989 Ken Ross "This Shirt" 1990 Bill Pope "You Win Again" "Down at the Twist and Shout" 1991 Jack Cole "I Feel Lucky" 1992 "Passionate Kisses" 1993 Markus Blunder "Romeo"(as Dolly Parton and Friends) Randee St. Nicholas "He Thinks He'll Keep Her" 1994 Bud Schaetzle "Shut Up and Kiss Me" Michael Salomon "Tender When I Want to Be" 1995 "House of Cards" "One Cool Remove" David Hogan "Let Me Into Your Heart" 1996 Steven Goldmann "The Better to Dream of You" 1997 "Almost Home" 1999 Randy Spear "Wherever You Are" Steven Goldmann
Other appearances