The discography of Irish new wave group The Boomtown Rats consists of seven studio albums, seven compilation albums, 23 singles and three video albums. The Boomtown Rats' debut release was the 1977 single "Lookin' After No. 1" which was originally written by frontman Bob Geldof in 1975 while waiting for his local unemployment office to open in his native Dun Laoghaire then a major port an hour south of central Dublin. The group's next single "Mary of the 4th Form" was released in the same year, along with their self-titled debut album.
Albums Studio albums + Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications AUS AUT CANCanadian Albums:
GER NED NZ NOR SWE UK US The Boomtown Rats Released: September 1977 Label: Ensign — — — — — — — — 18 — UK: Silver A Tonic for the Troops Released: June 1978 Label: Ensign 95 — — — — 25 — — 8 112 UK: Platinum The Fine Art of Surfacing Released: October 1979 Label: Ensign 11 — 6 35 33 10 7 10 7 73 CAN: Platinum UK: Gold Mondo Bongo Released: January 1981 Label: Mercury 24 19 22 16 — 50 17 5 6 116 UK: Gold V Deep Released: March 1982 Label: Mercury — — 37 — — — 27 — 64 103 In the Long Grass Released: May 1984 Label: Mercury — — 80 — — — — — — 188 Citizens of Boomtown Released: March 2020 Label: BMG — 73 — 41 — — — — 48 — "—" denotes items that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Live albums + Title Album details Live in the UK 2013, Dublin Released: 2013 Label: Concert Live Live in the UK 2013, London Released: 2013 Label: Concert Live Rewind Festival - Aug 17 2014 Released: 2014 Label: Concert Live Live Germany 78 Released: 2016 Label: Let Them Eat Vinyl
Compilation albums + Title Album details Peak chartpositions Certifications IRE SCOScottish Albums:
UK Ratrospective Released: 1983 Label: Columbia — — — The Boomtown Rats' Greatest Hits Released: 1987 Label: Columbia — — — Loudmouth Released: 27 June 1994 Label: Vertigo — 33 10 The Best ofThe Boomtown Rats Released: 2003 Label: Universal 75 41 43 UK: Silver 20th Century Masters:The Best of The Boomtown Rats -Millennium Collection Released: 2005 Label: Mercury — — — Back to Boomtown:Classic Rats Hits Released: 9 September 2013 Label: Virgin EMI 35 — — So Modern –The Boomtown Rats Collection Released: 2014 Label: Spectrum Audio — — — Dawn of the Rats: B-Sides, Demos and Live 1975-1979 Released: 12 April 2025 Label: Universal — — — "—" denotes items that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
EPs + Title Album details Ratlife 1. "The Boomtown Rats" (5:14) 2. "Back to Boomtown (The Remix)" (4:05) 3. "Ratlife" (4:49) 4. "Ratified" (4:12) Released: 21 October 2013 Label: Mercury
Singles Year Title Peak chart positions Certifications Album IRE AUS CANCanadian singles:
GERGerman singles:
NED NZ NOR SWE UK US 1977 "Lookin' After No. 1" 2 — — — — — — — 11 — The Boomtown Rats "Mary of the 4th Form" 12 — — — — — — — 15 — 1978 "She's So Modern" 10 — — — — — — — 12 — A Tonic for the Troops "Like Clockwork" 5 — — — — — — — 6 — UK: Silver "Rat Trap" 2 94 — — — — — — 1 — UK: Gold 1979 "I Don't Like Mondays" 1 1 4 6 2 3 3 2 1 73 CAN: Gold UK: Gold The Fine Art of Surfacing "Diamond Smiles" 3 42 — — 42 — — — 13 — 1980 "Someone's Looking at You" 2 — 86 — 48 — 6 — 4 — "Banana Republic" 3 18 47 3 35 — 3 7 3 — UK: Silver Mondo Bongo 1981 "The Elephants Graveyard (Guilty)" 7 — — — — — — — 26 — "Go Man Go" — — — — — — — — — — "Up All Night" — — — 38 — — — — — — V Deep "Never in a Million Years" — — — — — — — — 62 — 1982 "House on Fire" 19 — — 67 — — — — 24 — "Charmed Lives" — — — — — — — — — — 1984 "Tonight" — — — — — — — — 73 — In the Long Grass "Drag Me Down" — — — — — — — — 50 — "Dave" — — — — — — — — 81 — 1985 "A Hold of Me" — — — — — — — — 78 — 1994 "I Don't Like Mondays" (re-issue) — — — — — — — — 38 — Loudmouth 2020 "Trash Glam Baby" — — — — — — — — — — Citizens of Boomtown "There's No Tomorrow Like Today" — — — — — — — — — — "Here's a Postcard (Hot Mix)" — — — — — — — — — — "—" denotes items that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Videography Video albums Title Album details The Boomtown Rats on Film 1976–1986: Someone's Looking At You Released: 7 February 2005 Label: Mercury Formats: DVD Live at Hammersmith Odeon 1978 Released: 8 March 2005 Label: Eagle Vision Format: DVD On a Night Like This Released: 15 September 2008 Label: Cherry Red Formats: DVD Live in Germany '78 (DVD/CD) Released: 8 June 2015 Label: Gonzo Formats: DVD/CD
Music videos Title Year Director(s) "Rat Trap" 1978 David Mallet "I Don't Like Mondays" 1979 "Diamond Smiles" "Up All Night" 1981 "Never in a Million Years" 1982 David Mallet "Drag Me Down" 1984 Nigel Dick "Dave" "Tonight" Mike Brady
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