This article catalogs the ongoing discography of American musician, writer, visual artist, and filmmaker David Byrne, principal songwriter, lead vocalist, and guitarist of the rock band Talking Heads.
Albums Studio albums Title Album details Peak chart positions US AUSAustralian chart positions:
Everything That Happens Will Happen Today: American Utopia: BEL(Fl.) ITA NLD NZ SWE UK My Life in the Bush of GhostsReleased: February 1981 Rereleased: March 27, 2006 Label: Sire 44 476229—8— 29 Rei MomoReleased: October 3, 1989 Label: Luaka Bop, Sire 71 96——88—28 52 Uh-OhReleased: March 3, 1992 Label: Luaka Bop, Warner Bros. 125 67——523926 26 David ByrneReleased: May 24, 1994 Label: Luaka Bop, Warner Bros. 139 —————20 43 FeelingsReleased: June 17, 1997 Label: Luaka Bop, Warner Bros. 155 —————42 91 Look into the EyeballReleased: May 8, 2001 Label: Virgin 120 ——15——— 58 Grown BackwardsReleased: March 16, 2004 Label: Nonesuch, Warner Bros. 178 —5529——— 88 Everything That Happens Will Happen Today Released: August 18, 2008 Label: Todo Mundo 174 6658——31— — Love This Giant Released: September 10, 2012 Label: 4AD, Todo Mundo 23 —515283—— 40 American Utopia Released: March 9, 2018 Label: Nonesuch3 82193243—— 16 Who Is the Sky? Released: September 5, 2025 Label: Matador172187—1717—34"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Soundtracks and music for theater Title Album details Peak chart positions US BEL(Fl.) NLD NZ SWE UK The Catherine WheelReleased: December 1981 Label: Sire 104——3240 — Music for "The Knee Plays"Released: May 1985 Label: ECM 141———— — Sounds from True StoriesReleased: 1986 Label: Sire ————— — The Last EmperorReleased: 1987 Label: Virgin 152———— — The ForestReleased: June, 1991 Luaka Bop ————— — Your Action WorldReleased: January 1, 1999 Self-released ————— — In Spite of Wishing and WantingReleased: 1999 Self-released ————— — E.E.E.I. (Envisioning Emotional Epistemological Information)Released: July 2, 2003 Self-released ————— — Lead Us Not into TemptationReleased: September 30, 2003 Label: Thrill Jockey ————— — Big Love: HymnalReleased: August 19, 2008 Label: Todo Mundo, HBO, Play Tone ————— — Here Lies LoveReleased: April 6, 2010 Label: Todomundo, Nonesuch 969683—— 76 American Utopia on Broadway Original Cast RecordingReleased: October 25, 2019 Label: Nonesuch ————— —"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
In addition to the scores and soundtracks that Byrne recorded have been released as albums, Byrne has written music for several other productions: Dead End Kids: A Story of Nuclear Power by Joanne Akalaitis Main title theme for Alive from Off Center season 1 (1984) Something Wild by Jonathan Demme: "Loco de Amor" song co-written with Johnny Pacheco; sung with Celia Cruz backed by Ray Barretto's band (1986) Married to the Mob by Jonathan Demme (1988) A Young Man's Dream and a Woman's Secret by Philip Haas (1990) The Giant Woman and the Lightning Man by Philip Haas (1990)
Live albums Title Album details Peak chart positions USWorld PRT Between the TeethReleased: 1993 Format: VHS—— David Byrne Live at Union ChapelReleased: October 26, 2004 Label: Nonesuch Format: DVD—— Live from Austin, TexasReleased: October 2, 2007 Label: New West Format: CD, DVD—— Everything That Happens Will Happen on This Tour – David Byrne on Tour: Songs of David Byrne and Brian EnoReleased: May 11, 2009 Label: Todo Mundo Format: CD, digital download—— Live at Carnegie HallReleased: March 12, 2012 Label: Nonesuch828 "...The Best Live Show of All Time" —NMEReleased: December 11, 2018 Label: Nonesuch, Todo Mundo——"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Remix albums Title Album details The Visible Man Released: 1998 Label: Luaka Bop
Singles + List of singles as lead artist, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name Title Year Peak chart positions Album MEX USAlt. USAAA US Rock and Airplay "Regiment" b/w "America Is Waiting" 1981 — — — — My Life In the Bush of Ghosts — — — — "The Jezebel Spirit" — — — — "Big Blue Plymouth (Eyes Wide Open)" — — — — "The Last Emperor" 1987 — — — — The Last Emperor "Loco De Amor" — — — — Rei Momo "Make Believe Mambo" 1989 — 11 — — "Dirty Old Town" — 8 — — "Independence Day" 1990 — — — — "The Forestry" 1991 — — — — The Forest "Hanging Upside Down" 1992 — — — — Uh-Oh "She's Mad" — 3 — — "Girls on My Mind" — — — — "Angels" 1994 — 24 — — David Byrne "Back in the Box" — — — — "Sad Song" — — — — "Lillies of the Valley" — — — — "Dance on Vaseline" 1997 — — — — Feelings "Miss America" — — — — "Like Humans Do" 2001 — — 18 — Look Into the Eyeball "U.B. Jesus" — — — — "Desconocido Soy" — — — — "Strange Overtones" 2008 36 — 14 — Everything That Happens Will Happen Today "One Fine Day" 2009 — — — — "Who" 2012 — — — — Love This Giant "I Should Watch TV" 39 — — — "Everybody's Coming to My House" 2018 41 — 5 49 American Utopia "This Is That" — — — — "David Byrne Does Hard Times" 2024 — — — — "Everybody Laughs" 2025 — — 2 32 Who Is the Sky "She Explains Things To Me" — — — — "The Avant Garde" — — — — "What Is the Reason For It?" — — 26 — "T Shirt" — — — — "drivers license" 2026 — — — —
Compilation appearances YearReleaseTrack(s)1989Like a Girl I Want You to Keep Coming"Song for the Trees (or) I Know Sometimes the World Is Wrong"1990Red Hot + Blue"Don't Fence Me In"1993Caged/Uncaged: A Rock/Experimental Homage to John Cage"Cage and the Long Island Expressway" and "Enlightened Whistler"1994Beat the Retreat: Songs by Richard Thompson"Just the Motion", originally by Richard Thompson1995Afro-Peruvian Classics: The Soul of Black Peru"Maria Lando"1996Red Hot + Rio"Waters of March" with Marisa MonteOffbeat: A Red Hot Soundtrip"It Goes Back"1997Red Hot + Latin"Yolonda Niguas" with Café Tacuba1998Red Hot + Lisbon"Dreamworld: Marco de Canavezes" with Caetano Veloso2000Mantra Mix"Ain't Got So Far to Go"2002The Only Blip Hop Record You Will Ever Need, Vol. 1"Pocket Monster"2004The Wired CD"My Fair Lady"2007Plum"Ex-Guru", originally by The Fiery FurnacesThe Simpsons: Testify"Everybody Hates Ned Flanders" medley2009Dark Was the Night"Knotty Pine", with Dirty Projectors2022Ocean Child: Songs of Yoko Ono"Who Has Seen the Wind?"
Session work
As musician Year Artist Release Notes 1978 Dinosaur "Kiss Me Again" single Guitar 1980 Love of Life Orchestra "Extended Nicities" single Guitar Robert Fripp God Save the Queen/Under Heavy Manners Vocals on "Under Heavy Manners"; credited as Absalam el Habib 1984 The Staple Singers "Slippery People" single Guitar, Talking Heads cover version 1986 Philip Glass Song from Liquid Days Lyrics on "Liquid Days" and "Open the Kingdom" 1988 Tom Tom Club Boom Boom Chi Boom Boom Vocals on "Femme Fatale" "Femme Fatale" (Marshall Jefferson remix) Vocals 1990 Margareth Menezes Elegibô Vocals and production on "Canto pra Subir" and "Abra a Boca" Bernie Worrell Funk of Ages Co-writing and vocals on "Sing" 1992 Richard Thompson An Acoustic EveningRecorded live at St. Ann & The Holy Trinity, Brooklyn Heights, March 24, 1992. (Red Phantom: RPCD 1100) Balanescu Quartet Byrne/Moran/Lurie/Torke Composition on "High Life for Strings" Tom Zé Brazil Classics, Vol. 5: The Hips of Tradition Vocals and guitar on "Jingle do Disco", released on Luaka Bop 1994 Ryuichi Sakamoto Sweet Revenge Lyrics on "Psychedelic Afternoon" 1995 Selena Dreaming of You Vocals, co-writing, and production on "God's Child (Baila Conmigo)" 1996 Café Tacuba Avalanche de Exitos Vocals on "No Controles" John Cale Walking on Locusts Guitar on "Crazy Egypt"2000 Peret and Carol C Tributo a Peret Vocals on "Si Fulano" 2001 Vinicius Cantuária Vinicius Lyrics and vocals on "Rio" 2002 X-Press 2 Muzikizum Co-writing and vocals on "Lazy", later rearranged and released on Grown Backwards 2004 10,000 Maniacs Campfire Songs: The Popular, Obscure and Unknown Recordings Vocals "Let the Mystery Be", originally recorded for 1993's MTV Unplugged, along with cover versions of "Dallas" and "Jolene" Thievery Corporation The Cosmic Game Lyrics and vocals on "The Heart's a Lonely Hunter" 2005 Fischerspooner Odyssey Lyrics on "Get Confused" 2006 Forro in the Dark Bonfires of São João Vocals on "Asa Branca" and "I Wish (Bundle of Contradictions)" La Portuaria La Portuaria Lyrics and vocals on "Hoy no le temo a la muerte" 2007 Baby Elephant Turn My Teeth Up! Vocals on "How Does the Brainwave?" Marisa Monte Universo Ao Meu Redor Vocals on "State of Liberty" David Shrigley Worried Noodles Vocals on "For You" Paul Van Dyk In Between Vocals on "Fall with Me" 2008 The BPA and Dizzee Rascal I Think We're Gonna Need a Bigger Boat Vocals on "Toe Jam" 2009 N.A.S.A. The Spirit of Apollo Vocals on "The People Tree" and "Money" Brazilian Girls "I'm Losing Myself" Vocals 2010If By Yes "Salt on Sea Glass" Vocals on "Eliza" Maximum Balloon Maximum Balloon Vocals on "Apartment Wrestling" 2011 Arcade Fire The Suburbs (Deluxe Edition) Vocals on "Speaking in Tongues" 2013 Jun Miyake Lost Memory Theatre - act-1 Vocals on "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" Ryuichi Sakamoto "Psychedelic Afternoon" Re-recording of a 1994 collaboration; new lyrics and vocals 2014 Anna Calvi Strange Weather Vocals on "I'm the Man, That Will Find You (Connan Mockasin)" and "Strange Weather (Keren Ann)" 2016 De La Soul And the Anonymous Nobody... Co-writing and vocals on "Snoopies" 2022 Montaigne "Always Be You" single Vocals "Gravity" single Vocals 2022 Son Lux Everything Everywhere All At Once soundtrack Co-writing and vocals on "This Is a Life"
As producer Year Artist Release Notes 1982 The B-52's Mesopotamia Also played fretless bass, synthesizer, guitar, percussion 1983 Fun Boy Three Waiting Also played guitar 1986 Various artists Something Wild Co-produced, also co-write and sang on "Loco de Amor" 1990 Margareth Menezes Elegibô "Canto pra Subir" and "Abra a Boca" also performs vocals 1995 Selena Dreaming of You "God's Child (Baila Conmigo)" also performs vocals and co-wrote
Compositions The Forest (1991) – orchestral music for the 1988 Robert Wilson theatre piece of the same name, released as an album. "We're Not Like Ev'ryone Else", "Lullaby" (performed by Natalie Portman), "The Problem Is You", and "Open the Door" (with Hayley Williams) for the soundtrack of the 2025 film The Twits.
Other projects Byrne has released a handful of books, including Arboretum, a collection of sketches of some of his favorite trees, and The New Sins, a work about sin in the 21st century. He has also made several public art installations, speaking engagements on art and technology, and PowerPoint presentations. In addition to a recording career as a solo artist, he also founded the record Label Luaka Bop and Todo Mundo.
Notes
References
Discography from DavidByrne.com Discography from Discogs further reading: Sytze Steenstra: Song and Circumstance. The Work of David Byrne from Talking Heads to the Present. New York and London: Continuum, 2010.