Roy Orbison / discography

Roy Orbison, 1987

This discography is an overview of the released records of the American singer Roy Orbison . According to sources and record awards, he has sold more than 10.9 million records to date, over 5.5 million of them in his home country alone. Orbison's most successful release is the album Mystery Girl with over 2.4 million units sold.

Albums

Studio albums

year	title	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes)					Remarks
		DE	AT	CH	UK	US
1963	Lonely and Blue	-	-	-	UK14 (8 weeks) UK	-	First published: 1961 Producer: Fred Foster
1963	Crying	-	-	-	UK17 (3 weeks) UK	-	First published: 1962 Producer: Fred Foster
1963	In dreams	-	-	-	UK6 (58 weeks) UK	US35 (38 weeks) US	First published: July 1963 Producer: Fred Foster
1964	The Exciting Sounds of Roy Orbison	-	-	-	UK17 (2 weeks) UK	-	First published: July 1964 UK version of the 1961 album At the Rock House Producer: Sam Phillips
1964	Oh, pretty woman	-	-	-	UK5 (16 weeks) UK	-	First published: November 1964
1965	There is only one	-	-	-	UK10 (12 weeks) UK	US55 (17 weeks) US	First published: July 1965 Producers: Wesley Rose , Jim Vienneau
1965	Orbisongs	-	-	-	UK40 (1 week) UK	US136 (11 weeks) US	First published: October 1965 Chart entry in UK only in July 1967 Producer: Fred Foster
1966	The Orbison Way	-	-	-	UK11 (10 weeks) UK	US128 (3 weeks) US	First published: January 1966 Producers: Wesley Rose, Jim Vienneau
1966	The Classic Roy Orbison	-	-	-	UK12 (8 weeks) UK	-	First published: July 1966 Producers: Wesley Rose, Jim Vienneau
1989	Mystery girl	DE4th gold (50 weeks)DE	AT4 (16 weeks) AT	CH3 gold (14 weeks)CH	UK2 platinum (24 weeks)UK	US5 platinum (28 weeks)US	First published: February 1989 Executive Producer: Barbara Orbison
1992	King of Hearts	-	-	-	UK23 (4 weeks) UK	US179 (2 weeks) US	First published: October 1992 Executive Producer: Barbara Orbison

gray hatching : no chart data available for this year

More studio albums

• 1961: At the Rock House
• 1962: Orbiting With ( split album with Bristow Hopper)
• 1967: Roy Orbison Sings Don Gibson (released January)
• 1967: The Fastest Guitar Alive (released June)
• 1967: Cry Softly Lonely One (release: October)
• 1969: Roy Orbison's Many Moods (release: May)
• 1969: The Original Sound
• 1970: Hank Williams the Roy Orbison Way (release: August)
• 1970: The Big O
• 1972: Roy Orbison Sings (released May)
• 1972: Memphis (release: November)
• 1973: Milestones (release: September)
• 1976: I'm Still in Love with You
• 1977: regeneration
• 1979: Laminar Flow
• 1981: My Spell on You
• 1986: Class of '55 (with Johnny Cash , Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins ; release: May) - Grammy (best spoken or non-music recording) , for the interviews included
• 1987: Only the Lonely
• 2015: One of the Lonely Ones (release: December 4th)

Live albums

year	title	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes)					Remarks
		DE	AT	CH	UK	US
1989	A black and white night	-	-	-	UK51 (3 weeks) UK	US123 (12 weeks) US	First published: November 1989

More live albums

• 1989: The Big O: Live Birmingham, Alabama
• 1997: Combo Concert: 1965 Holland
• 1998: Live at the BBC
• 2003: Live from the Queens Theater, Hornchurch, England (Recorded October 18, 1975)
• 2003: Live in Birmingham, Alabama, 1980 (recorded July 13, 1980)
• 2009: The Last Concert (recorded December 4th, 1988)
• 2013: The Last Concert (CD + DVD)

Compilations

year	title	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes)					Remarks
		DE	AT	CH	UK	US
1963	Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits	DE31 (12 weeks) DE	-	-	UK40 (1 week) UK	US28 gold (90 weeks)US	First published: August 1962 Chart entry DE: February 1965 / UK: September 1967
1964	More of Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits	-	-	-	-	US19 (30 weeks) US	First published: July 1964
	Early Orbison	-	-	-	-	US101 (11 weeks) US	First published: October 1964
1966	The Very Best of Roy Orbison	-	-	-	-	US94 (10 weeks) US	First published: July 1966
1973	The All-Time Greatest Hits	-	-	-	UK39 (3 weeks) UK	-	First published: January 1973
1975	The Best of Roy Orbison	-	-	-	UK1 gold (20 weeks)UK	-	First published: November 1975
1981	Golden Days	-	-	-	UK63 gold (5 weeks)UK	-	First published: July 1981
1987	In Dreams: The Greatest Hits	-	-	-	UK86 silver (2 weeks)UK	US95 gold (15 weeks)US	First published: June 1987 Chart entry in US only in January 1989
1988	The Legendary Roy Orbison	-	-	-	UK1 × 2 Double platinum (38 weeks)UK	-	First published: October 1988
1989	For the Lonely: An Anthology, 1956-1965	-	-	-	-	US110 (13 weeks) US	First published: December 1988
	Blue Bayou: His 24 Most Beautiful Love Songs	DE13 (17 weeks) DE	-	-	-	-	First published: May 1989
1990	Ballads	-	-	-	UK38 (10 weeks) UK	-	First published: October 1990
1996	The Very Best of Roy Orbison	DE75 (4 weeks) DE	-	-	UK18th gold (11 weeks)UK	US186 (1 week) US	First published: November 1996
	The Very Best of Roy Orbison: The German Collection (DE) The Austrian Collection (AT)	DE77 (2 weeks) DE	AT24 (5 weeks) AT	-	-	-	First published: September 2000
2001	Love songs	-	-	-	UK4th gold (11 weeks)UK	-	First published: January 2001
2004	The Platinum Collection	-	-	-	UK16 silver (6 weeks)UK	-	First published: August 2004
2006	The very best of	-	-	-	UK20th platinum (6 weeks)UK	-	First published: October 2006
2011	Great hits	-	-	-	-	US104 gold (10 weeks)US	First published: February 2011
	Opus Collection	-	-	-	-	US65 (3 weeks) US	First published: May 2011
	The Monument Singles Collection	-	-	-	UK87 (1 week) UK	-	First published: June 2011
2017	A love so beautiful	-	-	-	UK2 platinum (24 weeks)UK	US151 (1 week) US	First published: November 3rd, 2017 with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
2018	Unchained Melodies	-	-	-	UK3 gold (13 weeks)UK	-	First published: November 16, 2018 with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
2019	A Love So Beautiful / Unchained Melodies	-	-	-	UK22 (1 week) UK	-	First published: June 14, 2019 with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

gray hatching : no chart data available for this year

More compilations

• 1964: Exciting Sounds of Roy Orbison
• 1970: The Great Songs of Roy Orbison
• 1986: The Very Best of Roy Orbison
• 1989: The Collection
• 1989: The All-Time Greatest Hits of Roy Orbison Volume One (US:platinum)
• 1989: The All-Time Greatest Hits of Roy Orbison Volume Two (US:gold)
• 1996: Pretty Woman: The Best of Roy Orbison (UK:gold)
• 1998: The Big O: The Original Singles Collection (2 CDs) (UK:silver)
• 1999: 16 Biggest Hits (US:gold)
• 2001: Orbison 1955–1965 (7 CDs)
• 2002: 20 golden hits
• 2002: Big Hits from the Big O (UK:gold)
• 2003: The Hits Collection (3 CDs) (UK:silver)
• 2005: The Anthology (UK:gold)
• 2006: The Essential Roy Orbison
• 2008: Playlist: The Very Best of Roy Orbison
• 2013: Anthology (3 CDs)
• 2014: The Sun Years 1956–1958
• 2015: Roy Orbison Sings
• 2015: The Real ... (3 CDs)
• 2015: The MGM Years 1965–1973
• 2016: The Ultimate Collection (UK:gold)

Singles

year	Title album	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes)						Remarks	[↑]: treated together with the previous entry; [←]: placed in both charts
		DE	AT	CH	UK	US	R&B
1956	Ooby Dooby At the Rock House	-	-	-	-	US59 (8 weeks) US	-	First published: May 1956 with The Teen Kings Authors: Wade Moore, Allen Penner
1960	Up Town Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits	-	-	-	-	US72 (6 weeks) US	-	First published: November 1959 Authors: Joe Melson, Roy Orbison
	Only the Lonely (Know the Way I Feel) Lonely and Blue	-	-	-	UK1 (24 weeks) UK	US2 (21 weeks) US	R&B14 (7 weeks) R&B	First published: May 1960 Grammy Hall of Fame 234th place on Rolling Stone 500 (2011 list) Authors: Joe Melson, Roy Orbison
	Blue Angel Lonely and Blue	-	-	-	UK11 (16 weeks) UK	US9 (14 weeks) US	R&B23 (4 weeks) R&B	First published: August 1960 Authors: Joe Melson, Roy Orbison
	I'm hurtin ' lonely and blue	-	-	-	-	US27 (8 weeks) US	-	First published: November 1960 Authors: Joe Melson, Roy Orbison
1961	Running Scared Crying	-	-	-	UK9 (15 weeks) UK	US1 (17 weeks) US	-	First published: March 1961 Authors: Joe Melson, Roy Orbison
	Candy Man Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits	-	-	-	-	US25 (24 weeks) US	-	First published: July 1961 Authors: Fred Neil , Beverly Ross Original: Steve Lawrence , 1959
	Cryin ' crying	-	-	-	UK25 (9 weeks) UK	US2 (16 weeks) US	-	First published: July 1961 Authors: Joe Melson, Roy Orbison
1962	Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream) Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits	-	-	-	UK2 (14 weeks) UK	US4 (12 weeks) US	-	First published: February 1962 Author: Cindy Walker
	The Crowd Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits	-	-	-	UK40 (4 weeks) UK	US26 (10 weeks) US	-	First published: May 1962 Authors: Joe Melson, Roy Orbison
	Workin 'for the Man More of Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits	-	-	-	UK50 (1 week) UK	US33 (11 weeks) US	-	First published: September 1962 Author: Roy Orbison
	Léah More of Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits	-	-	-	-	US25 (10 weeks) US	-	B-side of Workin 'for the Man Author: Roy Orbison
1963	In Dreams In Dreams	-	-	-	UK6 (23 weeks) UK	US7 (13 weeks) US	R&B19 (3 weeks) R&B	First published: January 1963 319th place on the Rolling Stone 500 (2011 list) Author: Roy Orbison
	Falling More of Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits	-	-	-	UK9 (11 weeks) UK	US22 (8 weeks) US	-	First published: May 1963 Author: Roy Orbison
	Mean Woman Blues More of Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits	-	-	-	UK3 (19 weeks) UK	US5 (13 weeks) US	R&B8 (6 weeks) R&B	First published: August 1963 Author: Claude Demetrius Original: Elvis Presley , 1957
	Blue Bayou In Dreams	-	-	-[UK: ↑]		US29 (10 weeks) US	R&B26 (3 weeks) R&B	B-side of Mean Woman Blues # 85 in Songs of the Century (BMI 1999 list) Authors: Joe Melson, Roy Orbison
	Pretty Paper More of Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits	DE28 (2 weeks) DE	-	-	UK6 (11 weeks) UK	US15 (7 weeks) US	-	First published: November 1963 Chart entry UK: November 1964 / DE: February 1965 Author: Willie Nelson Original: Steve Lawrence , 1963
1964	Borne on the Wind More of Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits	-	-	-	UK15 (10 weeks) UK	-	-	First published: February 1964 Authors: Bill Dees, Roy Orbison
	It's Over More of Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits	-	-	-	UK1 (18 weeks) UK	US9 (11 weeks) US	-	First published: March 1964 Authors: Bill Dees, Roy Orbison
	Oh, pretty woman orbisongs	DE1 gold (18 weeks)DE	AT5 (4 weeks) AT	-	UK1 silver (18 weeks)UK	US1 gold (15 weeks)US	-	First published: August 1964 Grammy (Best Pop Vocal, Male) (posthumously 1990) 224th place on the Rolling Stone 500 (2011 list) Authors: Bill Dees, Roy Orbison
1965	Goodnight orbisongs	DE29 (2 weeks) DE	-	-	UK14 (9 weeks) UK	US21 (7 weeks) US	-	First published: January 1965 Authors: Bill Dees, Roy Orbison
	(Say) You're My Girl Orbisongs	-	-	-	UK23 (8 weeks) UK	US39 (7 weeks) US	-	First published: June 1965 Authors: Bill Dees, Roy Orbison
	Ride Away There Is Only One	-	-	-	UK34 (5 weeks) UK	US25 (10 weeks) US	-	First published: August 1965 Author: Roy Orbison
	Crawlin 'Back The Orbison Way	-	-	-	UK19 (9 weeks) UK	US46 (7 weeks) US	-	First published: October 1965 Authors: Bill Dees, Roy Orbison
	Let the Good Times Roll Orbisongs	-	-	-	-	US81 (3 weeks) US	-	First published: November 1965 Authors: Shirley Goodman , Leonard Lee Original: Shirley & Lee, 1956
1966	Breakin 'Up Is Breakin' My Heart The Orbison Way	-	-	-	UK22 (6 weeks) UK	US31 (8 weeks) US	-	First published: January 22, 1966 Authors: Bill Dees, Roy Orbison
	Twinkle Toes The Classic Roy Orbison	-	-	-	UK29 (5 weeks) UK	US39 (6 weeks) US	-	First published: March 1966 Authors: Bill Dees, Roy Orbison
	Lana crying	-	-	-	UK15 (9 weeks) UK	-	-	First published: May 1966 Authors: Joe Melson, Roy Orbison
	Too Soon to Know Roy Orbison Sings Don Gibson	-	-	-	UK3 (17 weeks) UK	US68 (5 weeks) US	-	First published: July 1966 Author and original: Don Gibson , 1957
	There Won't Be Many Coming Home The Fastest Guitar Alive	-	-	-	UK12 (9 weeks) UK	-	-	First published: November 1966 Authors: Bill Dees, Roy Orbison
	Communication Breakdown Cry Softly Lonely One	-	-	-	-	US60 (7 weeks) US	-	First published: November 1966 Authors: Bill Dees, Roy Orbison
1967	So good	-	-	-	UK32 (6 weeks) UK	-	-	First published: February 1967 Authors: Bill Dees, Roy Orbison
	Cry Softly Lonely One Cry Softly Lonely One	-	-	-	-	US52 (6 weeks) US	-	First published: July 1967 Authors: Don Gant, Joe Melson
1968	Walk On Roy Orbison's Many Moods	-	-	-	UK39 (10 weeks) UK	-	-	First published: June 1968 Authors: Bill Dees, Roy Orbison
	Heartache Roy Orbison's Many Moods	-	-	-	UK44 (4 weeks) UK	-	-	First published: September 1968 Authors: Bill Dees, Roy Orbison
1969	My Friend The Great Songs of Roy Orbison	-	-	-	UK35 (4 weeks) UK	-	-	First published: March 1969 Authors: Bill Dees, Roy Orbison
	Penny Arcade The Big O	-	-	-	UK27 (14 weeks) UK	-	-	First published: August 1969 Author: Sammy King
1980	That Lovin 'You Feelin' Again Emmylou Harris: Duets	-	-	-	-	US55 (8 weeks) US	-	First published: May 21, 1980 with Emmylou Harris from the soundtrack of the film Roadie Grammy (Best Country Duo) Authors: Chris Price, Roy Orbison
1985	Wild Hearts (… Time) Shape of the Universe: A Souvenir of Insignificance	-	-	-	UK76 (4 weeks) UK	-	-	First release: May 1985 from the soundtrack of the film Insignificance. Authors: Will Jennings , Roy Orbison
1989	You Got It Mystery Girl	DE9 (18 weeks) DE	AT4 (16 weeks) AT	CH9 (11 weeks) CH	UK3 silver (10 weeks)UK	US9 (18 weeks) US	-	First published: January 1989 Authors: Jeff Lynne , Tom Petty , Roy Orbison Producer: Jeff Lynne
	She's a Mystery to Me Mystery Girl	-	-	-	UK27 (5 weeks) UK	-	-	First published: March 1989 Authors: David Evans , Paul Hewson Producer: Bono
	California Blue Mystery Girl	DE34 (15 weeks) DE	-	-	UK77 (3 weeks) UK	-	-	First published: June 1989 Authors: Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison Producer: Jeff Lynne
1992	I Drove All Night King of Hearts	DE52 (10 weeks) DE	-	-	UK7 (12 weeks) UK	-	-	First published: March 1992 Authors: Billy Steinberg , Tom Kelly Original: Cyndi Lauper , 1989
	Crying King of Hearts	-	-	-	UK13 (6 weeks) UK	-	-	First published: August 1992 with kd lang Grammy (Best Country Collaboration) Authors: Joe Melson, Roy Orbison Producers: David Was , Don Was , Pete Anderson
	Heartbreak Radio King of Hearts	DE69 (5 weeks) DE	-	-	UK36 (3 weeks) UK	-	-	First published: October 26, 1992 Authors: Frankie Miller, Troy Seals Original: Frankie Miller , 1980

gray hatching : no chart data available for this year

More singles

• 1956: Rockhouse (released September 24th)
• 1957: Sweet and Easy to Love (with The Roses; released January 24th)
• 1957: Chicken-Hearted (release: December)
• 1958: Seems to Me (release: October)
• 1959: Almost Eighteen (released January)
• 1959: Paper Boy (release: September)
• 1960: Sweet and Easy to Love (release: November 25th)
• 1967: Sweet Dreams (released June)
• 1967: She (release: October)
• 1968: Born to Be Loved by You (release: January)
• 1969: She Cheats on Me (release: November)
• 1970: So Young (love theme from Zabriskie Point ; release: April)
• 1971: (Love Me Like You Did It) Last Night (Release: August)
• 1972: God Love You (release: February)
• 1972: Remember the Good (released June)
• 1972: Memphis, Tennessee (released September)
• 1973: Blue Rain (Coming Down) (release: February)
• 1973: I Wanna Live (released September 23)
• 1974: Sweet Mamma Blue (release: August)
• 1975: Spanish Nights (release: February)
• 1975: It's Lonely (release: October)
• 1976: Belinda (release: February)
• 1976: (I'm A) Southern Man (released September)
• 1979: Easy Way Out (release: May)
• 1979: Poor Baby (release: October)
• 2001: Domino

Video albums

• 1988: A Black and White Night (UK:platinum, US: gold)
• 1989: Live Texas 86
• 1992: I Drove All Night: Starring Jason Priestley (released May 19)
• 1998: Combo Concert: Holland 1965 (release: January 13th)
• 1999: The Anthology
• 1999: In Dreams (released November 30th)
• 2001: Live at Austin City Limit (out April 10)
• 2003: Live at Austin City Limits August 5, 1982 (released March 18)
• 2003: Greatest Hits (release: July 15th)
• 2005: Live from Australia (released April 5th)
• 2007: In Dreams (released July 30th)
• 2007: The Legend Lives On (released December 7th)

statistics

Chart evaluation

DE  AT  CH  UK  US Number one albums DE-DE AT-AT CH-CH UK2UK US-US Top 10 albums DE1DE AT1AT CH1CH UK7thUK US1US Albums in the charts DE5DE AT2AT CH1CH UK24UK US16US

DE  AT  CH  UK  US  R&B Number one singles DE1DE AT-AT CH-CH UK3UK US2US R&B-R&B Top 10 singles DE2DE AT2AT CH1CH UK12UK US10US R&B1R&B Singles in the charts DE7thDE AT2AT CH1CH UK35UK US31US R&B5R&B

Awards for music sales

Golden record  Australia 1989: for the single You Got It 2005: for the album Roy Orbison: His Greatest Hits  Belgium 1997: for the album The Very Best of Roy Orbison  Finland 1989: for the album Mystery Girl  Canada 1989: for the single You Got It 2004: for the video album Greatest Hits  New Zealand 1989: for the album In Dreams: The Greatest Hits  Sweden 1989: for the album Mystery Girl  Spain 1990: for the album A Black and White Night

Platinum record  Australia 2007: for the video album Greatest Hits 2010: for the video album In Dreams 2010: for the video album 1973 Live From Australia 2010: for the album The Very Best Of Roy Orbison  Canada 1989: for the album The Legendary Roy Orbison 2007: for the video album A Black & White Night Live  New Zealand 1990: for the album Mystery Girl 2006: for the album The Very Best of Roy Orbison  Netherlands 1990: for the album Mystery Girl  Sweden 2000: for the album The Very Best of Roy Orbison  Spain 1989: for the album Mystery Girl

2 × platinum record  Australia 2007: for the video album Live At Austin City Limits 2016: for the album The Essential 3 × platinum record  Australia 1989: for the album Mystery Girl  Canada 1989: for the album Mystery Girl 11 × platinum record  Australia 2010: for the video album A Black & White Night Live

Note: Awards in countries from the chart tables or chart boxes can be found in these.

Country / Region	silver	gold	platinum	Sales	swell
Awards for music sales (country / region, awards, sales, sources)
Australia (ARIA)	-	2 × gold2	22 × platinum22nd	520,000	aria.com.au
Belgium (BEA)	-	gold1	-	25,000	ultratop.be
Germany (BVMI)	-	2 × gold2	-	750,000	musikindustrie.de
Finland (IFPI)	-	gold1	-	48,518	ifpi.fi
Canada (MC)	-	2 × gold2	5 × platinum5	510,000	musiccanada.com
New Zealand (RMNZ)	-	gold1	2 × platinum2	37,500	nztop40.co.nz
Netherlands (NVPI)	-	-	platinum1	100,000	nvpi.nl
Sweden (IFPI)	-	gold1	platinum1	110,000	sverigetopplistan.se
Switzerland (IFPI)	-	gold1	-	25,000	hitparade.ch
Spain (Promusicae)	-	gold1	platinum1	150,000	mediafire.com
United States (RIAA)	-	7 × gold7th	2 × platinum2	5,550,000	riaa.com
United Kingdom (BPI)	6 × silver6th	9 × gold9	6 × platinum6th	3,090,000	bpi.co.uk
All in all	6 × silver6th	28 × gold28	40 × platinum40

swell

1. ↑ ^{a b c d} Chart sources: Singles Albums DE UK US
2. ^ Joel Whitburn : Hot R&B Songs 1942–2010: 6th Edition, ISBN 978-0-89820-186-4 .
3. ↑ ^{a b c} RS500 Songs (List 2011)
4. ↑ BMI (list 1999)
5. ^ Günter Ehnert: Hit balance sheet - German chart singles 1956-1980 . 1st edition. Verlag popular music-literature, Norderstedt 2000, ISBN 3-922542-24-7 , p. 445 .
6. ↑ Gold for You Got It in Australia
7. ↑ Gold for Mystery Girl in Sweden (PDF file) ( Memento from May 21, 2012 in the Internet Archive )
8. ↑ 3 × platinum for Mystery Girl in Australia

Web links

• Roy Orbison at Allmusic (English)
• Roy Orbison at Discogs (English)