The discography of James Taylor, an American singer-songwriter, consists of 20 studio albums, six compilation albums, at least five live albums, one tribute album, nine video albums, one extended play, and 42 singles.
Taylor signed his first recording contract with Apple Records, where he released his self-titled debut album in 1968. Prior to signing with Apple, Taylor released the single "Night Owl" with the group The Flying Machine. An album of their recordings, James Taylor and the Original Flying Machine was released in 1971 and reached No. 74 on the US pop charts. Taylor released his second studio album Sweet Baby James on Warner Bros. Records in 1970. Its lead single "Fire and Rain" became a significant international hit and gained Taylor his first major exposure as an artist. In April 1971, Taylor released his third studio album Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon, which became his second album to certify multi-platinum in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America and featured his first number one single "You've Got a Friend". In 1972 and 1973, he released his fourth studio album, One Man Dog and his fifth, Walking Man; both peaked within the Top 20 on the Billboard 200 albums list.
After releasing more albums between 1974 and 1976, Taylor signed with Columbia Records and issued JT in 1977, which peaked in the Top 5 and sold over two million copies in the United States, certifying two times multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. In 1979 and 1981, Taylor released Flag and Dad Loves His Work, respectively, which both certified platinum in the United States and produced Top 40 singles. Nearly four years later, Taylor's next studio album That's Why I'm Here was released and spawned a cover of Buddy Holly's "Everyday", which became a minor hit in the United States. This was followed by Never Die Young three years later and then by New Moon Shine in 1991, both of which sold over one million copies. After recording a two-disc live album in 1993, Taylor returned in 1997 with a fourteenth studio album titled Hourglass. The album not only peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard 200, but also received a Grammy Award for Best Pop Album the following year. His fifteenth studio release October Road was issued on August 13, 2002, on Sony BMG and certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. After recording a limited release holiday album in 2004, Taylor released his first major-release holiday album, James Taylor at Christmas on October 10, 2006.
One Man Band was released in 2007 and certified gold in the United States. This was followed by Taylor's first cover album in 2008 on the Hear Music label. There was also an extended play sequel, Other Covers in 2009. In 2015, Taylor released another live album, Georgia on My Mind: Live in Atlanta, 1981, and another studio album, Before This World, which became his first album to peak at No.1 in the United States.
Studio albums 1960s Title Album details Peak positions US AUS James Taylor Release date: December 6, 1968 Label: Apple Formats: LP, 8-track 62 12
1970s Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications(sales threshold) US AUS CAN NOR NLD NZ UK Sweet Baby James Release date: February 1970 Label: Warner Bros. Formats: LP, 8-track 3 7 3 — — — 6 RIAA: 3× Platinum BPI: Silver Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon Release date: March 16, 1971 Label: Warner Bros. Formats: LP, 8-track 2 12 4 17 — — 4 RIAA: 2× Platinum One Man Dog Release date: November 1, 1972 Label: Warner Bros. Formats: LP, 8-track 4 13 7 — — — 27 RIAA: Gold Walking Man Release date: June 1, 1974 Label: Warner Bros. Formats: LP, 8-track 13 50 11 — — — — Gorilla Release date: May 1, 1975 Label: Warner Bros. Formats: LP, 8-track 6 60 — — — — — RIAA: Gold In the Pocket Release date: June 1976 Label: Warner Bros. Formats: LP, 8-track 16 65 17 14 — — — RIAA: Gold JT Release date: June 1977 Label: Columbia Formats: LP, 8-track 4 10 2 — — 31 — RIAA: 3× Platinum MC: Platinum Flag Release date: May 1979 Label: Columbia Formats: LP, 8-track 10 18 9 17 17 50 — RIAA: Platinum "—" denotes releases that did not chart
1980s Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications(sales threshold) US AUS CAN NOR NLD NZ UK Dad Loves His Work Release date: March 1981 Label: Columbia Formats: CD, LP, 8-track 10 23 40 20 20 29 — RIAA: Platinum That's Why I'm Here Release date: October 1985 Label: Columbia Formats: CD, LP, cassette 34 24 — — — — — RIAA: Platinum Never Die Young Release date: January 1988 Label: Columbia Formats: CD, LP, cassette 25 26 37 — — — — RIAA: Platinum "—" denotes releases that did not chart
1990s Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications(sales threshold) US AUS CAN NOR NLD UK New Moon Shine Release date: September 24, 1991 Label: Columbia Formats: CD, LP, cassette 37 — — — — — RIAA: Platinum Hourglass Release date: May 20, 1997 Label: Columbia Formats: CD, LP, cassette, SACD 9 68 52 38 38 52 RIAA: Platinum BPI: Silver "—" denotes releases that did not chart
2000s Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications(sales threshold) US AUS CAN NOR NLD UK October Road Release date: August 13, 2002 Label: Sony BMG Formats: CD, LP 4 48 — 33 40 39 RIAA: PlatinumA Christmas Album Release date: November 1, 2004 Label: Hallmark Formats: CD, music download 122 — — — — — RIAA: Platinum Reissued as James Taylor at Christmas: October 10, 2006 Label: Columbia Formats: CD, LP, music download 16 — — — — — RIAA: Gold Covers Release date: September 30, 2008 Label: Hear Music Formats: CD, LP, music download 4 — 21 — 85 23 BPI: Silver "—" denotes releases that did not chart
2010s–2020s Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications(sales threshold) US AUS CAN NOR NLD UK Before This World Release date: June 16, 2015 Label: Concord Music Formats: CD, LP, music download 1 12 10 16 13 4 American Standard Release date: February 28, 2020 Label: Fantasy Formats: CD, LP, music download 4 23 1 — 55 11 "—" denotes releases that did not chart
Live albums Title Album details Peak chartpositions Certifications(sales threshold) US CAN Live Release date: August 10, 1993 Label: Columbia Records Formats: CD, LP, cassette 20 71 RIAA: 2× Platinum Best Live Release date: June 21, 1994 Label: Sony Music Entertainment Formats: CD, cassette — — One Man Band Release date: November 13, 2007 Label: Hear Music Formats: CD, LP, music download 17 — RIAA: Gold Amchitka(with Joni Mitchell and Phil Ochs) Release date: November 2009 Label: Greenpeace Formats: CD, music download — — Live at the Troubadour(with Carole King) Release date: May 4, 2010 Label: Concord Records Formats: CD, music download 4 21 RIAA: Gold "—" denotes releases that did not chart
Compilation albums Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications(sales threshold) US AUS CAN UK Greatest Hits Release date: November 1, 1976 Label: Warner Bros. Formats: LP, 8-track 15 67 27 — RIAA: 11× Platinum ARIA: 3× Platinum BPI: Platinum Classic Songs Release date: April 1987 Label: Warner Bros. Formats: LP, cassette — 48 — 53 BPI: Silver Greatest Hits Volume 2 Release date: November 7, 2000 Label: Columbia Formats: CD, cassette 97 — — — RIAA: Gold The Best of James Taylor Release date: April 8, 2003 Label: Warner Bros. Formats: CD 11 54 — 4 RIAA: Platinum ARIA: Platinum BPI: Gold The Essential James Taylor Release date: October 29, 2013 Label: Columbia/Sony Music Legacy Formats: CD, digital download — — — 50 The Warner Bros Albums 1970–1976 Release date: July 19, 2019 Label: Warner Bros./Rhino Formats: CD, digital download — — — — "—" denotes releases that did not chart
Extended plays Title Album details Peak positions US Other Covers Release date: April 7, 2009 Label: Hear Music Formats: CD, music download 122 Over the Rainbow: The American Standard EP Release date: November 20, 2020 Label: Fantasy Formats: CD, music download —
Singles Year Single Peak chart positions Certification Album US US AC US Country AUS CAN CAN AC NLD NZ UK 1969 "Carolina in My Mind" 118 — — — 64 — — — — James Taylor "Knocking 'Round the Zoo" — — — — — — — — — 1970 "Sweet Baby James" — — — — — — — — — Sweet Baby James "Fire and Rain" 3 7 — 6 2 — 18 — 42 BPI: Gold "Carolina in My Mind" (re-release) 67 — — — 64 — — — — James Taylor 1971 "Country Road" 37 9 — 95 19 3 — — — Sweet Baby James "You've Got a Friend" 1 1 — 25 2 12 14 — 4 RIAA: Gold BPI: Silver Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon "Long Ago and Far Away" 31 4 — — 12 — — — — 1972 "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" 14 3 — — 18 7 — — — One Man Dog 1973 "One Man Parade" 67 — — — — 55 — — — "Hymn" — — — — — — — — — 1974 "Let It All Fall Down" — — — — — — — — — Walking Man "Walking Man" — 26 — — — — — — — 1975 "How Sweet It Is (to Be Loved by You)" 5 1 — 35 1 1 — 30 — Gorilla "Mexico" 49 5 — — 83 8 — — — 1976 "Shower the People" 22 1 — — 54 1 — — — In the Pocket "Everybody Has the Blues" — — — — — — — — — 1977 "Woman's Gotta Have It" — 20 — — — 11 — — — "Handy Man" / "Bartender's Blues" 4— 1— —88 13— 1— 4— —— 24— —— JT "Your Smiling Face" 20 6 — — 11 4 — — — 1978 "Honey Don't Leave L.A." 61 — — — 63 — — — — 1979 "Up on the Roof" 28 7 — 70 36 — — — — Flag 1981 "Her Town Too" (with JD Souther) 11 5 — 54 19 5 — 29 — Dad Loves His Work "Hard Times" 72 23 — — — — — — — "Summer's Here" — 25 — — — 12 — — — 1985 "Everyday"[A] 61 3 26 — 93 1 — — — That's Why I'm Here 1986 "Only One" — 6 80 62 — 3 — — — "That's Why I'm Here" — 8 — — — 3 — — — 1988 "Never Die Young" 80 3 — 79 80 — — — — Never Die Young "Baby Boom Baby" — 16 — — 24 16 — — — 1991 "Copperline" — 13 — — 43 10 — — — New Moon Shine 1992 "(I've Got To) Stop Thinkin' 'Bout That" — 28 — — 71 19 — — — "Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha" — 19 — — 70 — — — — "Like Everyone She Knows" — 31 — — — — — — — 1997 "Little More Time with You" — 3 — — 68 13 — — — Hourglass 2002 "On the 4th of July" — 16 — — — — — — — October Road "Whenever You're Ready" — 21 — — — — — — — 2003 "September Grass" — 25 — — — — — — — 2008 "It's Growing" — 11 — — — — — — — Covers 2015 "Today Today Today" — — — — — — — — — Before This World "Angels of Fenway" — — — — — — — — — "Montana" — — — — — — — — — "—" denotes releases that did not chart
A^ "Everyday" also peaked at No. 21 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart.
Guest singles Year Single Artist Chart positionsCertification Album US US AC US Country US Christian AUS CAN CAN AC CAN Country UK 1974 "Mockingbird" Carly Simon 5 10 — — 8 3 — — 34 RIAA: Gold Hotcakes 1978 "(What a) Wonderful World" Art Garfunkel(with Paul Simon) 17 1 — — — 13 1 — — Watermark "Bartender's Blues" (re-recording) George Jones — — 6 — — — — 8 — Bartender's Blues "Devoted to You" Carly Simon 36 2 33 — — 50 2 39 — Boys in the Trees 1986 "Back in the High Life Again" Steve Winwood 13 1 — — — — — — 53 Back in the High Life 1994 "Crying in the Rain" Art Garfunkel — — — — — 61 25 — — Up 'til Now 2001 "Sailing to Philadelphia" Mark Knopfler — — — — — — — — — Sailing to Philadelphia 2012 "Soul Companion" Mary Chapin Carpenter — — — — — — — — — Ashes and Roses 2013 "Don't Try So Hard" Amy Grant — — — 24 — — — — — How Mercy Looks from Here 2018 "Change" Charlie Puth — — — — — — — — — Voicenotes "—" denotes releases that did not chart
Other charted songs Year Single Peak positions Album US AC US Rock 1981 "Stand and Fight"– 21 Dad Loves His Work 2001 "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" 4– October Road 2004 "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" 12– James Taylor: A Christmas Album "Deck the Halls" 5 "Winter Wonderland" 8– "—" denotes releases that did not chart
Other appearances