The Pogues are an English or Anglo-Irish Celtic punk band fronted by Shane MacGowan and others, founded in King's Cross, London in 1982, as Pogue Mahone – the anglicisation of the Irish Gaelic póg mo thóin, meaning 'kiss my arse'.
The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s, recording several hit albums and singles. MacGowan left the band in 1991 owing to drinking problems, but the band continued – first with Joe Strummer and then with Spider Stacy on vocals – before breaking up in 1996. The Pogues re-formed in late 2001, and played regularly across the UK and Ireland and on the US East Coast, until dissolving again in 2014. The group did not record any new material during this second incarnation. Following MacGowan's death in 2023, Stacy along with other surviving members Jem Finer and James Fearnley reformed the band and announced a tour of the UK and Ireland for 2025.
Their politically-tinged music is informed by MacGowan and Stacy's punk backgrounds,[ allmusic (((The Pogues > Biography)))] yet used traditional Irish instruments such as the tin whistle, banjo, cittern, mandolin and accordion.
During the 1980s the Irish charts were based on sales to retailers from distributors, then in 1992 was changed to sales from retailers to the general public.
Albums Studio albums Title Details Peak chart positions Certifications(sales thresholds) AUS N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart. AUT GER NL NOR NZ SWE SWI UK US Red Roses for Me Released: October 1984 Label: Warner Music Group Formats: CD, Cassette, LP — — — — — — — — 89 — BPI: Silver Rum Sodomy & the Lash Released: August 1985 Label: Warner Music Group Formats: CD, Cassette, LP 89 — — — — 17 39 — 13 — BPI: Gold If I Should Fall from Grace with God Released: January 1988 Label: Warner Music Group Formats: CD, Cassette, LP 36 — — 52 15 4 9 9 3 88 BPI: Gold MC: Gold Peace and Love Released: July 1989 Label: Warner Music Group Formats: CD, Cassette, LP 61 — 13 53 13 32 7 17 5 118 BPI: Gold Hell's Ditch Released: 6 November 1990 Label: Warner Music Group Formats: CD, Cassette, LP 82 — — — — 41 17 33 12 187 BPI: Silver Waiting for Herb Released: September 1993 Label: Warner Music Group Formats: CD, Cassette, LP 172 30 32 — — — 15 29 20 — Pogue Mahone Released: 27 February 1996 Label: Warner Music Group Formats: CD, Cassette, LP — 38 — — — — — — 118 — "—" denotes an album that did not chart or was not released.
Live albums Title Details Peak chart positions UK Streams of Whiskey:Live in Leysin, Switzerland 1991 Released: 2002 Formats: CD, LP, digital download — The Ultimate Collection IncludingLive at the Brixton Academy 2001 Released: 2005 Formats: CD, LP, digital download 15 The Pogues in Paris: 30thAnniversary Concert at the Olympia Released: 2012 Formats: CD, LP, digital download — Live in London The Pogues with Joe Strummer Released: 2013 Formats: CD. LP, digital download; released on CD as part of 2013 30 Years collection, released on LP as a 2014 Record Store Day exclusive release — BBC Sessions 1984–1986 Released: 2020 Formats: LP – Record Store Day exclusive, limited to 5000 copies; CD, digital download, streaming — "—" denotes an album that did not chart or was not released.
Compilation albums Title Details Peak chart positions Certifications(sales thresholds) IRE AUS NOR NZ SWE SWI UK The Best of The Pogues Released: September 1991 Label: Warner Music Group Formats: CD, cassette, LP 21 94 — 10 34 25 11 ARIA: Gold BPI: Gold Essential Pogues Released: 19 November 1991 Label: Island Formats: CD, cassette, LP — — — — — — — The Rest of The Best Released: 15 June 1992 Label: Warner Music Group Formats: CD, cassette, LP — 182 — — — — — The Very Best of The Pogues Released: 2001 Label: Warner Music Group Formats: CD, cassette, LP 2 167 40 12 — 87 18 BPI: Platinum ARIA: Gold The Ultimate Collection Released: 2005 Label: Warner Music Group Formats: CD, LP, digital download 12 — 13 8 41 — 15 BPI: Gold Dirty Old Town:The Platinum Collection Released: 2005 Label: Warner Music Group Formats: CD, LP 46 — — — — — — BPI: Silver Just Look Them Straight in theEye and Say... POGUE MAHONE(The Pogues Box Set) Released: 2008 Label: Warner Music Group Formats: CD, LP, digital download 40 — — — — — — The Pogues: Original Album Series Released: 2010 Label: Warner Music Group Formats: CD box set — 121 — — — — — The Very Best of The Pogues Released: 2013 Label: Warner Music Group Formats: CD, LP, digital download — — — — — — — 30:30: The Essential Collection Released: 2013 Label: Warner Music Group Formats: CD, LP, digital download 91 194 — — — — — 30 Years The Pogues Released: 2013 Label: Warner Music Group Formats: CD, LP, digital download — — — — — — — The Stiff Records B-Sides (1984–1987) Released: April 22, 2023 Label: Warner Music Group Formats: LP Note: Record Store Day comp released only through independent record stores — — — — — — — "—" denotes an album that did not chart or was not released.
Tributes Title Details Tribute to the Pogues Released: 17 March 2016 Label: Independent Russian Release Formats: Digital download, CD
Videos Title Details Notes Live at The Town & Country Club London 1988 Released: VHS, 1988; DVD, 2003 Formats: VHS, DVD Saturday Night Live Released: 1990 Formats: VHS, DVD Season 15, Episode 16 – "Rob Lowe/The Pogues" Poguevision Released: VHS, 1991; DVD, 2002 Formats: VHS, DVD Music video collection Completely Pogued Released: VHS 1991; DVD, 2003 Formats: VHS, DVD Documentary As extra on Live at the Town & Country The Pogues in Paris – 30th Anniversary Released: November 2012 Formats: DVD Length: 1h40:17 Video recording taken from two shows performed on 11 & 12 September 2012 at L'Olympia in Paris, France
Singles
Year Title Peak chart positions Certifications Album IRE AUS For "Yeah Yeah Yeah" For "Summer in Siam" NL NOR NZ SWE SWI UK US Club US Rock 1984 "Dark Streets of London" — — — — — — — — — — Red Roses for Me "Boys from the County Hell" — — — — — — — — — — 1985 "A Pair of Brown Eyes" — — — — — — — 72 — — Rum Sodomy & the Lash "Sally MacLennane" — — — — — — — 51 — — "Dirty Old Town" 27 — — — — — — 62 — — BPI: Gold RMNZ: Gold 1986 Poguetry in Motion (EP) 11 — — — 9 — — 29 — — "Haunted" 7 — — — — — — 42 — — Sid and Nancy Soundtrack 1987 "The Irish Rover"(featuring The Dubliners) 1 — — — 25 — — 8 — — 25 Years Celebration "Fairytale of New York"(featuring Kirsty MacColl) 1 33 52 8 5 14 40 2 — — RMNZ: 3× Platinum If I Should Fall from Grace with God 1988 "If I Should Fall from Grace with God" 4 — — — 27 — — 58 — — "Fiesta" 11 — 23 — — — — 24 — — "Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah" 6 111 — — 19 — — 43 36 17 Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah1989 "Misty Morning, Albert Bridge" 8 159 — — — — — 41 — — Peace and Love "White City" 22 — — — — — — 90 — — 1990 "Summer in Siam" 21 139 — — — — — 64 — — Hell's Ditch "Jack's Heroes"(featuring The Dubliners) 4 — — — — — — 63 — — Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah "Miss Otis Regrets / Just One of Those Things"(with Kirsty MacColl) — — — — — — — — — — Red Hot + Blue 1991 "Sunny Side of the Street" — — — — — — — — — 23 Hell's Ditch "A Rainy Night in Soho" (remix) 24 — — — — — — 67 — — Poguetry in Motion "Fairytale of New York" (re-issue) 10 — — — — — — 36 — — If I Should Fall from Grace with God 1992 "Honky Tonk Women" — 166 — — — — — 56 — — Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah 1993 "Tuesday Morning" 26 166 — — — — — 18 — 11 Waiting for Herb "Once Upon a Time" — — — — — — — 66 — — 2005 "Fairytale of New York" (re-release) 3 — — — — — — 3 — — BPI: 7× Platinum If I Should Fall from Grace with God
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