The Japanese musician Ryuichi Sakamoto (1952–2023) released over 20 solo studio albums, over 25 collaboration albums, 3 remix albums, more than 10 live albums, several compilation albums, over 40 EPs and singles, and about 50 soundtracks. Several of the albums exist in both Japanese and internationally released versions, sometimes containing different track listings. Sakamoto has also released many video albums and music videos.
Albums Solo studio albums YearAlbum detailsPeak chart positions JPN AUS USCla. 1978Thousand Knives Released: October 25, 1978 Labels: Nippon Columbia Formats: LP — — — 1980B-2 Unit Released: September 21, 1980 Labels: Alfa Records Formats: LP 19 — — 1981Left-Handed Dream Released: October 5, 1981 Labels: Alfa Records Formats: LP 20 — — 1983Coda Released: December 10, 1983 Labels: London Records Formats: LP 38 1984Ongaku Zukan Released: October 24, 1984 Labels: Midi Formats: LP 5 — — 1985 Esperanto (music for a dance performance) Released: October 5, 1985 Labels: Midi Formats: LP 9 — — 1986Futurista Released: April 21, 1986 Labels: Midi Formats: LP 5 — — 1987Neo Geo Released: July 1, 1987 Labels: Sony Music Formats: LP 8 — — 1989Beauty Released: November 21, 1989 Labels: Virgin Records Formats: LP 14 — — 1991Heartbeat Released: October 21, 1991 Labels: Virgin Records Formats: LP 6 94 — 1994Sweet Revenge Released: June 17, 1994 Labels: For Life Music Formats: LP 7 — — 1995Smoochy Released: October 20, 1995 Labels: For Life Music Formats: LP 28 — — 19961996 Released: May 17, 1996 Labels: For Life Music Formats: LP — — — 1998BTTB Released: November 30, 1998 Labels: Warner Music Japan Formats: LP 26 — — 2002Comica Released: February 27, 2002 Labels: Warner Music Japan Formats: LP — — — 2002Elephantism Released: May 15, 2002 Labels: Warner Music Japan Formats: LP — — — 2004Chasm Released: February 25, 2004 Labels: Warner Music Japan Formats: LP 19 — — 2004/04 Released: November 24, 2004 Labels: Warner Music Japan Formats: LP — 2005/05 Released: September 28, 2005 Labels: Warner Music Japan Formats: LP 28 2009Out of Noise Released: March 4, 2009 Labels: Commmons Formats: LP 16 — — 2009Playing the Piano Released: September 23, 2009 Labels: Commmons Formats: LP 41 — 10 2016Plankton (music for an installation) Released: 2016 Labels: Milan Formats: LP / CD / digital 2017async Released: April 28, 2017 Labels: Milan Formats: CD / digital / 2xLP 20 — 5202312 Released: January 17, 2023 Labels: Milan Formats: Digital 4 — — "—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart.
A Released internationally in 1986, with an altered track listing, as Illustrated Musical Encyclopedia.
Remix albums Year Album details Peak chart positions JPN 2006Bricolages Released: 24 May 2006 Labels: Warner Formats: CD 81 2018async - Remodels Released: 16 February 2018 Labels: Milan Formats: Digital, CD, LP — 2022To the Moon and Back Released: 30 November 2022 Labels: Milan Formats: Digital —
Collaboration albums YearAlbum details 1975Disappointment-Hateruma (with Tsuchitori Toshiyuki) 1978Paraiso (with Haruomi Hosono) 1979Summer Nerves (with Kakutougi Session) 1982The End of Asia (with Danceries) 1982The Arrangement (with Robin Scott) (originally released as an EP and later expanded into a full album with album-free singles) 1983Chanconette Tedesche (with Danceries) 1993Asian Games [live] (with Yōsuke Yamashita and Bill Laswell) 2001Casa (with Jaques and Paula Morelenbaum, as Morelenbaum²/Sakamoto) 2001Morelenbaum²/Sakamoto "Live in Tokyo" [live] (with Jaques and Paula Morelenbaum, as Morelenbaum²/Sakamoto) 2002Vrioon (with Carsten Nicolai, as alva noto + ryuichi sakamoto) 2003A Day in New York (with Jaques and Paula Morelenbaum, as Morelenbaum²/Sakamoto) 2005Insen (with Carsten Nicolai, as alva noto + ryuichi sakamoto) 2007Cendre (with Fennesz) 2007Ocean Fire (with Christopher Willits, as Willits + Sakamoto) 2008utp_ [live] (with Alva Noto and Ensemble Modern) 2010UTAU (with Taeko Onuki) 2011Flumina (with Fennesz) 2011Summvs (with Carsten Nicolai, as alva noto + ryuichi sakamoto) 2012Ancient Future (with Christopher Willits, as Willits + Sakamoto) 2012Three (with Jaques Morelenbaum and Judy Kang) 2012Snow, Silence, Partially Sunny [live] (with Sachiko M) 2013Disappearance (with Taylor Deupree) 2015Perpetual (with Taylor Deupree and Illuha, as Taylor Deupree / Illuha / Ryuichi Sakamoto) 2018Glass [live] (with Alva Noto) 2018Glenn Gould Gathering [live] (with Alva Noto, Nilo, Fennesz, Francesco Tristano) 2019TWO: Live at Sydney Opera House [live] (with Alva Noto) 2019Live in London [live] (with Taylor Deupree)202612 Conversations (with Alva Noto)
Live albums YearAlbum detailsPeak chart positions JPN USCla. 1986Media Bahn Live Released: September 21, 1986 Label: Midi Formats: LP — — 1988Playing the Orchestra Released: December 16, 1988 Label: Virgin Records Formats: LP — —1995Sweet Revenge Tour 94 Released: January 20, 1995 Labels: For Life/Güt Formats: CD 1997Discord Released: July 2, 1997 Label: Güt Formats: CD 1999Cinemage Released: 1999 Label: Sony Classical Records Formats: LP — — 2000Audio Life Released: February 23, 2000 Label: Warner Music Japan Formats: LP — — 2001In The Lobby: At G.E.H. in London Released: March 22, 2001 Label: Warner Music Japan Formats: LP — — 2011playing the piano usa 2010 / Korea 2011 - ustream viewers selection Released: December 14, 2011 Label: Commmons Formats: CD — — 2013Playing the Orchestra 2013 Released: December 11, 2013 Label: Commmons Formats: CD — — 2015The Best of 'Playing the Orchestra 2014''' Released: December 16, 1988 Label: Commmons Formats: LP |align="center"| |align="center"| |- | 2020 |Playing the Piano 12122020Released: December 12, 2021 Label: KAB America Inc. Formats: LP |align="center"| — |align="center"| — |- | 2021 |Garden Of Shadows And Light (with David Toop) Released: July 9, 2021 Label: ThirtyThree Records Formats: LP |align="center"| |align="center"| |- |2024 |Opus'' Released: August 9, 2024 Label: Commmons Formats: LP, CD, Blu-ray "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
Soundtrack albums Year Album Notes Ref.1983 Daijōbu, My Friend Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence 1986 The Adventures of Chatran: Original Soundtrack1987 Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise The Last EmperorWith David Byrne and Cong Su1989 Fantasy of Light and Life Tengai Makyou: ZiriaPC-Engine CD video game1990 The Sheltering Sky The Handmaid's Tale 1991 Peachboy "Momotaro"1992 High Heels Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights Tokyo Decadence 1993 Wild Palms 1994 Little Buddha 1997 The Other Side Of Love Soundtrack for television series Stalker: Nigekirenu Ai1998 Snake Eyes Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon1999 Gohatto Cinemage Poppoya Composed the main theme 2000 L.O.L.: Lack of Love Dreamcast video game for which Sakamoto was also the scenario writer2002 Femme Fatale Century of Reform Derrida Certain tracks from the film were released on the compilation album Minha Vida Como Um Filme (2002) Alexei and the Spring Certain tracks from the film were released on the compilation album Minha Vida Como Um Filme (2002) 2004 Seven Samurai 20XX PlayStation 2 video game2005 Shining Boy & Little Randy Tony Takitani 2006 Dawn of Mana PlayStation 2 video game 2007 Silk 2008 Indigo Short film 2009 Women Without Men2011 Dhobi Ghat Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai 2012 I Have to Buy New Shoes With Kotringo2015 Living With My Mother Album released in 2016 under the alternative English title Nagasaki: Memories of My Son. The Revenant With Alva Noto, additional music by Bryce Dessner 2016 Rage 2017 The Fortress2018 Your Face Taiwanese documentary My Tyrano: Together, Forever2019 Black Mirror: Smithereens TV show Proxima2020 The Staggering Girl Short film Minamata Love After Love 2021 Beckett2022 After Yang Exception TV show 2023 Monster 2 new original tracks
Compilation albums Year Album details Peak chart positions JPN 1982 Tokyo Joe(with Kazumi Watanabe) Released: 1982 Labels: Nippon Columbia Formats: LP — 1983Favorite Visions Released: 1983 Labels: Better Days Formats: LP — 1986Ryuichi Sakamoto Best Selection Released: 1986 Labels: Alfa Records Formats: LP — 1989Gruppo Musicale Released: 1989 Labels: MIDI Formats: CD — 1994 Soundbytes Released: May 17, 1994 Labels: Mesa/Bluemoon Recordings Formats: LP — 1998The Very Best of Güt Years 1994–1997 Released: 1998 Labels: Güt Formats: CD — 2002 Works I – CM Released: November 20, 2002 Labels: Midi Formats: LP — 2003 Moto.tronic Released: November 11, 2003 Labels: Sony Music Formats: LP — 2012Complete Güt Box Released: December 4, 2012 Labels: Güt Formats: CD — 2015 Year Book 2005–2014 Released: January 17, 2015 Labels: Commmons Formats: LP 46 2016 Year Book 1971–1979 Released: January 17, 2016 Labels: Commmons Formats: LP 77 2017 Year Book 1980–1984 Released: March 29, 2017 Labels: Commmons Formats: CD — 2018 Year Book 1985–1989 Released: February 18, 2018 Labels: Commmons Formats: CD —2023Travesía (compiled by Alejandro González Iñárritu) Released: May 5, 2023 Label: Milan Records Formats: LP, CD— "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
Mini-albums Year Album details Ref. 1997 Music for Yohji Yamamoto: Collection, 1995 Released: January 29, 1997 Labels: Gut Records Formats: Mini-LP 2001 Zero Landmine(as part of N.M.L. No More Landmines) Released: April 25, 2001 Labels: Warner-Elektra-Atlantic Records Formats: EP
Singles and EPs YearSingleAlbum 1980"Riot in Lagos"B-2 Unit"War Head"Non-album single 1981"Computer Obaachan" (with Syuko Sakai)Non-album single"Front Line"Non-album single 1982"Ike Nai Rouge Magic" (with Kiyoshiro Imawano)Non-album single"Bamboo Houses" (with David Sylvian)Non-album single"The Arrangement" (with Robin Scott)Non-album single 1983"Life in Japan"Non-album single"Forbidden Colours" (with David Sylvian) Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence"Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" 1985"Field Work" (with Thomas Dolby) Non-album single"Steppin' into Asia" Non-album single 1986"G.T."Futurista"Neo-Plant" (with Koharu Kisaragi)Non-album single 1987"Risky" (with Iggy Pop) Neo Geo"The Last Emperor" (with David Byrne) The Last Emperor"Behind the Mask"Non-album single 1989"Undo #1"Non-album single 1990"We Love You"Beauty"You Do Me" (with Jill Jones) Beauty (international version only) 1992"Heartbeat (Tainai Kaiki II)" (with David Sylvian) Heartbeat 1994"Moving On"Sweet Revenge"Love & Hate" (with Holly Johnson) "Futari No Ha-Te (Sentimental)" (with Taeko Onuki)Non-album single 1997"The Other Side of Love" (featuring Sister M)Non-album single 1998"Prayer / Salvation"Non-album remix single"Anger / Grief"Non-album remix single 1999"– ウラBTTB"BTTB 2000"Lost Child"Non-album single 2001"O Grande Amor" (with Morelenbaum²)Casa 2003"World Citizen" (with David Sylvian) Chasm 2004"Undercooled" 2005Sala Santa Cecilia (with Fennesz) Live EP 2006Revep (with Alva Noto) EP 2008"Koko"UTAU2015"A Word I Give" (with Goldmund)Sometimes (Goldmund album) 2018"Ff2"Non-album single 2019"エナジー風呂 / Energy Flow" (with U-zhaan)Non-album single 2020"After Yang Main Theme"After Yang 2021"Tong Poo for JUNYA WATANABE"Non-album single"Monomom" (with Alva Noto)Summvs re-release 2022"Ieta"Non-album single"Barco" (with Alva Noto)Insen re-release"City Radieuse" (with Alva Noto)Revep re-release"Suite for Krug in 2008"Non-album single"Freeflow" (with Alex Heffes)Non-album single"Kizuna"Summvs re-release2023Crystalline (with Alex Heffes)EP2025The Unfinished (with Alex Heffes)Posthumous EP
Video albums Year Video details Ref. 1985 TV War(with Radical TV) Distributor: CBS/Sony Format: LaserDisc 1986 Adelic Penguins Distributor: Sony Video Software Format: LaserDisc 2006 Insen Live(as alva noto + ryuichi sakamoto) Released: October 2006 Distributor: Raster-Noton Format: DVD 2008 LIFE - fluid, invisible, inaudible...(as Ryuichi Sakamoto + Shiro Takatani) Released: May 28, 2008 Distributor: Commmons Format: DVD 2015 Playing the Orchestra 2014 Released: April 7, 2015 Distributor: Commmons