The discography of Sam Cooke, an American singer and songwriter, consists of fourteen studio albums (including one collaborative album and two notable posthumous releases), two live albums, 49 singles, 13 compilations and 2 box sets. Over the course of his eight-year career, Cooke placed 29 singles in the Top 40 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart. He also placed 20 singles in the Top Ten of Billboard R&B chart, Black Singles chart. Between 1957 and 1960, Sam Cooke recorded for Keen Records; from 1960 through 1966, he recorded for RCA Victor.
Ownership of Cooke's material is split between RCA Records (roughly 1958–1963) and ABKCO (post-1963), with each label releasing their own compilations and rarely cross-licensing (The Man and His Music and Portrait of a Legend: 1951–1964 being the two exceptions). As a result, few of Cooke's original albums saw individual reissue on compact disc, and, consequently, digital distribution, although all of Cooke's recorded work has been released in various compilations and in boxed sets.
Albums Studio albums + List of studio albums, with selected details and chart positions Title Album details Peak chart positions US Sam Cooke Released: February 1958 Label: Keen 16 Encore Released: 1958 Label: Keen — Tribute to the Lady Released: 1959 Label: Keen — Cooke's Tour Released: May 1960 Label: RCA Victor — Hits of the 50's Released: August 1960 Label: RCA Victor — Swing Low Released: February 1961 Label: RCA Victor — My Kind of Blues Released: October 1961 Label: RCA Victor — Twistin' the Night Away Released: April 1962 Label: RCA Victor 74 Mr. Soul Released: February 1963 Label: RCA Victor 94 Night Beat Released: August 1963 Label: RCA Victor 62 Ain't That Good News Released: March 1, 1964 Label: RCA Victor 34 "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Posthumous studio albums + List of posthumous studio albums, with selected details and chart positions Title Album details Peak chart positions US US R&B Shake Released: January 1965 Label: RCA Victor 44 1 Try a Little Love Released: October 1965 Label: RCA Victor 120 — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Live albums + List of live albums, with selected details and chart positions Title Album details Peak chart positions US US R&B Sam Cooke at the Copa Released: October 1964 Label: RCA Victor 29 1 Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963 Released: June 1985 Label: RCA Victor — — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Collaboration albums + List of collaboration albums, with selected details Title Album details 3 Great Guys Released: February 1964 Label: RCA Victor
Compilation albums Numerous compilation albums and greatest hits collections of Cooke's work have been released, notably Portrait of a Legend: 1951–1964 in 2003. This list compiles the most notable compilation releases from major labels. Many cross-licensed compilations from smaller labels (most of which contain Cooke's gospel work with the Soul Stirrers) are not represented here. + List of compilations, with selected chart positions and certifications Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications US US R&B UK Hit Kit Released: 1959 Label: Keen — — — The Wonderful World of Sam Cooke Released 1960 Label: Keen——— I Thank God Released: 1960 Label: Keen — — — The Best of Sam Cooke Released: August 1962 Label: RCA Victor 22 — — BPI: Gold The Best of Sam Cooke, Volume II Released: July 1965 Label: RCA Victor 128 7 — The Unforgettable Sam Cooke Released: May 1966 Label: RCA Victor — — — The One and Only Released: 1969 Label: RCA Victor — — — This Is Sam Cooke Released: September 1970 Label: RCA Victor — — — The Man and His Music Released: February 1986 Label: RCA Victor 175 — 8 BPI: Gold The Rhythm and the Blues Released: October 24, 1995 Label: RCA — — — Greatest Hits Released: February 24, 1998 Label: RCA — — — Keep Movin' On Released: January 15, 2002 Label: ABKCO — — — Portrait of a Legend: 1951–1964 Released: June 17, 2003 Label: ABKCO 135 — 19 BPI: Platinum "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Box sets + List of box sets, with selected details Title Album details The Man Who Invented Soul Released: September 26, 2000 Label: RCA The RCA Albums Collection Released: November 22, 2011 Label: RCA/Legacy The Complete KEEN Years: 1957-1960 Released: January 22, 2020 Label: ABCKO
Singles + List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications Title(A-side / B-side) Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album US US R&B CAN UK "You Send Me""Summertime" 1957 181 1— 1— 29— Sam Cooke (Keen) "I'll Come Running Back to You""Forever" 1860 1— 8— 23— Non-album tracks "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons""Desire Me" 1747 1517 —— —— Non-album track/re-recorded for Mr. Soul Non-album track "That's All I Need to Know""I Don't Want to Cry" 1958 —— —— 41— —— Non-album tracks "You Were Made for Me""Lonely Island" 2726 710 —16 —— Non-album tracks "Stealing Kisses""All of My Life" —— —— —— —— Non-album tracks "Win Your Love for Me""Love Song from Houseboat (Almost in Your Arms)" 22— 4— 45— —— Non-album tracks "Blue Moon""Love You Most of All" —26 —12 —24 —— Non-album track "I Need You Now""Happy in Love" 1959 —— —— —— —— Non-album tracks "Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha""Little Things You Do" 31— 2— 14— —— Non-album tracks "Only Sixteen""Let's Go Steady Again" 28— 13— 21— 23— "Summertime (Part 1)""Summertime (Part 2)" —106 —— —— —— Non-album track Sam Cooke (Keen) "There, I've Said It Again""One Hour Ahead of the Posse" 81— 25— —— —— Non-album tracks "Mary, Mary Lou""Ee-Yi-Ee-Yi-Oh" 1960 —— —— —— —— EncoreNon-album track "T'Aint Nobody's Bizness""No One (Can Ever Take Your Place)" —103 —— —— —— Tribute to the Lady Non-album track "Teenage Sonata""If You Were the Only Girl" 50— 22— 3030 —— Non-album tracks "You Understand Me""I Belong to Your Heart" —— —— —— —— "Wonderful World""Along the Navajo Trail" 12— 2— 13— 27— Non-album trackEncore "With You""I Thank God" —— —— —— —— Non-album track I Thank God "Chain Gang""I Fall in Love Every Day" 2— 2— 4— 9— Swing Low Non-album track "So Glamorous""Steal Away" 81— 25— —— —— Non-album tracks "Sad Mood""Love Me" 29— 23— 18— —— Non-album tracks "That's It, I Quit, I'm Movin' On""What Do You Say" 1961 31— 25— 25— —— Twistin' the Night AwayNon-album track "Cupid""Farewell, My Darling" 17— 20— —— 7— Non-album tracks "Feel It""It's All Right" 5693 —— —— —— Non-album tracks "Just for You""Made for Me" —— —— —— —— Non-album tracks "Twistin' the Night Away""One More Time" 1962 9— 1— 35— 6— BPI: SilverTwistin' the Night Away Non-album track "Twistin' in the Kitchen with Dinah""A Whole Lotta Woman" —— —— —— —— Twistin' the Night Away "Bring It On Home to Me""Having a Party" 1317 24 —30 —— Non-album tracks "Nothing Can Change This Love""Somebody Have Mercy" 1270 23 —— —— Mr. SoulTwistin' the Night Away "Send Me Some Lovin'""Baby, Baby, Baby" 1366 2— —— —— Mr. Soul Non-album track "Another Saturday Night""Love Will Find a Way" 1963 10105 1— 30— 23— Ain't That Good News Non-album track "Frankie and Johnny""Cool Train" 14— 4— —— 30— Non-album tracks "Little Red Rooster""You Gotta Move" 11— 7— —— —— Night Beat "Good News""Basin Street Blues" 1964 11— —— — — Ain't That Good News Non-album track "Good Times""Tennessee Waltz" 1135 22— — —Ain't That Good News "That's Where It's At""Cousin of Mine" 9331 —40 —29 —— Non-album track "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Posthumous singles + List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications Title(A-side / B-side) Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album US US R&B CAN UK "Shake""A Change Is Gonna Come" 1964 731 29 — — —— BPI: GoldShakeAin't That Good News "Another Saturday Night""Send Me Some Lovin'" 1965 —— — — — — — — Ain't That Good NewsMr. Soul "It's Got The Whole World Shakin'""(Somebody) Ease My Troublin' Mind" 41115 15— 29— —— Shake "When a Boy Falls in Love""The Piper" 52— —— 15— —— Try a Little LoveNon-album track "Sugar Dumpling""Bridge of Tears" 32— 18— — — —— The Unforgettable Sam CookeTry a Little Love "Feel It""That's All" 1966 —— — — — — — — The Unforgettable Sam Cooke "Let's Go Steady Again""Trouble Blues" 97— —— — — —— Hit KitNight Beat "Meet Me at Mary's Place""If I Had a Hammer" —— —— — — —— Ain't That Good NewsSam Cooke at the Copa "The Last Mile of the Way""Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone" 1970 —— — — — — — — The Two Sides of Sam CookeThe Gospel Soul of Sam Cookewith the Soul Stirrers, Volume 1 "Bring It On Home to Me""Nothing Can Change This Love" 1985 —— — — — — — — BPI: SilverSam Cooke Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963 "Wonderful World""Chain Gang" 1986 —— — — — — 2 — BPI: SilverSam Cooke, The Man and His Music "Another Saturday Night""You Send Me" —— — — — — 75 — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Billboard Year-End performances Year Song Year-EndPosition 1957 "You Send Me" 20 1960 "Chain Gang" 29 "Wonderful World" 80 1962 "Twistin' the Night Away" 23 "Having a Party" 52 1963 "Little Red Rooster" 67 "Another Saturday Night" 88 1965 "Shake" 66
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