The discography of Russell Watson, a British operatic and pop tenor, consists of fifteen studio albums, six compilation albums, thirteen singles, and a number of other appearances.
Watson's debut album, The Voice, was released in September 2000. A mixture of operatic arias and covers of pop songs, it topped the UK Classical Chart and eventually reached number five in the UK Albums Chart. Later, when released in the United States, the album took the number one spot and made history as the first time a British artist had held both the US and UK classical number one. The album contained a collaboration with former Happy Mondays singer Shaun Ryder, who lent his vocals to the Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé song "Barcelona". The album also featured a duet with Cleo of girl group Cleopatra on the song "Someone Like You". Cleo later duetted with Russell again on his third album Reprise on the song "The Best That Love Can Be".
In late 2002, Watson released the single, "Nothing Sacred – A Song for Kirsty", to raise money for the Francis House children's hospice in Didsbury, Manchester. The campaign to raise £5 million was fronted by Kirsty Howard, a seven-year-old girl with a serious heart defect. The song reached number 17 in the UK Singles Chart..
The self-styled "People's Tenor", who is also known as "The Voice" after his first album, won the Album of the Year at the Classical BRIT Awards in both 2001 and 2002, also collecting awards for Best-Selling Debut Album (2001) and Best-Selling Album (2002)....
Watson collaborated with Welsh singer Aled Jones for albums released in 2018, 2019 and 2022. Their most recent album, Christmas with Aled and Russell was released in November 2022 and charted at number 14 on the UK Albums chart. His fifteenth studio album, Shine, in collaboration with Helen Jane Long, was released in December 2024.
Albums Studio albums Year Album details Peak chart positions Certifications(sales thresholds)UKAUSIRENZPTSWEUSUS Classical2000 The Voice Released: 25 September 2000 Label: Decca Formats: CD 5 10 23 23 1 17 90 1 UK: 2× Platinum AUS: Gold2001 Encore Released: 29 October 2001 Label: Decca Formats: CD 6 15 27 1 — — 114 1 UK: 2× Platinum2002 Reprise Released: 18 November 2002 Label: Decca Formats: CD 13 11 55 6 — — — 6 UK: Platinum2004 Amore Musica Released: 25 October 2004 Label: Decca Formats: CD, digital download 10 10 — 2 5 — — 6 UK: Gold2007 That's Life Released: 5 March 2007 Label: Decca Formats: CD, digital download 4 — — — — — — — UK: Gold Outside In Released: 26 November 2007 Label: Decca Formats: CD, digital download 14 — — — 24 — — —2008 People Get Ready Released: 17 November 2008 Label: Decca Formats: CD, digital download 20 — — — — — — —2010 La Voce Released: 22 November 2010 Label: Epic Formats: CD, digital download 13 31 56 5 — — — —2012 Anthems – Music to Inspire a Nation Released: 28 May 2012 Label: Sony Classical Formats: CD, digital download 5 — — — — — — —2013 Only One Man Released: 11 November 2013 Label: Sony Classical Formats: CD, digital download 17 — — — — — — —2016 True Stories Released: 4 November 2016 Label: Sony Classical Formats: CD, digital download 30 — — — — — — —2018 In Harmony Released: 9 November 2018 Label: BMG Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 8 — — — — — — —2019 Back in Harmony Released: 1 November 2019 Label: BMG Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 7 — — — — — — —2022 Christmas with Aled and Russell Released: 11 November 2022 Label: BMG Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 14 — — — — — — —2024 Shine Released: 7 December 2024 Label: BLE Music Formats: CD, digital download, streaming — — — — — — — —
Compilation albums Year Album details Peak chart positionsUKAUSIRENZPTUS Classical2006 The Voice: The Ultimate Collection Released: 13 March 2006 Label: Decca Formats: CD, digital download 2 90 70 9 — 40 The Very Best of Russell Watson Released: June 2006 Label: Farol Música / Decca Formats: CD — — — — 7 —2008 The Ultimate Collection: Special Edition Released: 26 May 2008 Label: Decca Formats: CD, digital download 17 — — — — —2010 With Love from Russell Watson Released: 18 January 2010 Label: Decca Formats: CD, digital download — — — — — — The Platinum Collection Released: 15 November 2010 Label: Decca Formats: CD, digital download 14 84 — — — —2020 20 Released: 23 October 2020 Label: Decca Formats: CD, digital download 10 — — — — —
Singles Single Year Peak chart positions AlbumUKIRE "Swing Low '99"1999 38 —Non-album single "Barcelona (Friends Until the End)" (featuring Shaun Ryder)2000 68 —The Voice "Someone Like You" (featuring Faye Tozer)2002 10 46Non-album single "Nothing Sacred – A Song For Kirsty" 17 —Reprise "Can't Help Falling in Love"2006 69 —The Ultimate Collection"Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" 2016 — —True Stories"Do You Hear What I Hear?" — — "A Spaceman Came Travelling" (with Aled Jones) 2022 — — Christmas with Aled and Russell "O Holy Night" (with Aled Jones) — — "Shine" (with Helen Jane Long)2024 — —Shine "You (A Christmas Wish)" (with Helen Jane Long) — — Non-album single "Unremember" (The Electric Mix)(with Helen Jane Long)2025 — — "Unremember" (Radio Mix)(with Helen Jane Long) — —
Video albums Year DetailsNotes2001 The Voice: Live Released: 12 November 2001 Label: Decca Format: VHS, DVD Concert footage from Millennium Square on 25 May 2001.2002 The Voice Live in New Zealand Released: 11 November 2002 Label: Decca Format: VHS, DVD Concert footage from Auckland, New Zealand.2006 Live 2002 / The Voice: Live Released: 27 November 2006 Label: Decca Format: DVD Two live performances from Watson.2007 The Voice: The Ultimate Collection Released: 26 November 2007 Label: Decca Format: DVD Compilation of highlights from Watson's live concerts in Leeds, Atlantic City and Auckland.
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