Adam Ant discography

Last updated

Adam Ant discography
Studio albums11
Live albums3
Compilation albums13
Video albums9
Music videos26
EPs3
Singles29
Box sets4

Adam Ant is a British post-punk, new wave artist. He was the lead singer of Adam & the Ants until their split in early 1982, by which time they had recorded three studio albums. Ant, however, would go solo, and release an additional five studio albums throughout the 1980s and early 1990s (one other album recorded during this period remains unreleased but circulates widely as a bootleg). After a gap of nearly 18 years, his sixth released solo studio album came out in early 2013. A planned follow-up album recorded the following year currently officially remains at developmental stage.

Contents

His greatest UK chart success was Adam & the Ants' 1980 album Kings of the Wild Frontier which was number one in the UK Albums Chart for a total of twelve weeks. However, it was the follow-up album, Prince Charming which produced the biggest hit singles with "Stand and Deliver" and the title track, achieving five weeks and four weeks respectively as number one singles on the UK Singles Chart.

In the United States, Ant's biggest chart success was his solo debut, 1982's Friend or Foe album, which reached the Top 20 on the Billboard 200. Three other Ant albums have reached the middle area of the Top 100. Friend or Foe also included the hit single "Goody Two Shoes" which was a Top 20 hit single on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as a third number one single for Ant on the UK Singles Chart. Ant would achieve further US singles chart success in the 1990s, with "Room at the Top" a second Top 20 hit in 1990 and the "Wonderful" title track a third Top 40 hit in 1995. Friend or Foe achieved US Gold Disc status within a year of its release, Kings of the Wild Frontier crawled to the same certification after nearly 14 years. [1]

Besides regular studio albums there are a number of live albums, box sets and compilations. The three Peel Sessions first appeared in 1990 (minus two tracks from the first session), while the complete integral one collection appeared in 2001. [2] [3]

Albums

Studio albums

TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions Certifications
UK
[4] [5]
UK
Indie

[6] [7]
AUS
[8] [9]
AUT
[10]
CAN
[11]
GER
[12]
NL
[13]
NZ
[14]
SWE
[15]
US
[16]
As Adam & the Ants
Dirk Wears White Sox
  • Released: 30 November 1979
  • Label: Do It
  • Formats: LP, MC
16
[upper-alpha 1]
1
Kings of the Wild Frontier
  • Released: 7 November 1980
  • Label: CBS
  • Formats: LP, MC
12182111117444
Prince Charming
  • Released: 6 November 1981
  • Label: CBS
  • Formats: LP, MC, 8-track
2745215432994
  • AUS: 2× Platinum [18]
  • UK: Platinum [17]
As Adam Ant
Friend or Foe
  • Released: 11 October 1982
  • Label: CBS
  • Formats: LP, MC, 8-track
5601455333616
Strip
  • Released: 7 November 1983
  • Label: CBS
  • Formats: LP, MC, 8-track
20844465
Vive Le Rock
  • Released: 2 September 1985
  • Label: CBS
  • Formats: CD, LP, MC
42131
Manners & Physique
  • Released: 12 March 1990
  • Label: MCA
  • Formats: CD, LP, MC
191387657
Persuasion
Wonderful
  • Released: 7 March 1995
  • Label: EMI
  • Formats: CD, MC
24143
Adam Ant Is the Blueblack Hussar in Marrying the Gunner's Daughter
  • Released: 21 January 2013
  • Label: Blueblack Hussar
  • Formats: CD, 2xLP, digital download
253
Bravest of the Brave
  • Released: 2024 or later
  • Label: Blueblack Hussar
  • Formats: N/A
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Live albums

TitleAlbum details
Live
Live at The Bloomsbury
  • Released: 12 December 2008
  • Artist credit: Adam Ant
  • Recording date: 24 September 2007
  • Recording location: Bloomsbury Theatre, London, England
  • Label: Essential Works Limited
  • Formats: CD
  • Limited release
Kings of the Wild Frontier
Disc Two
  • Released: 20 May 2016
  • Artist credit: Adam and the Ants
  • Recording date 16 April 1981
  • Recording location: Park West Club, Chicago, Illinois
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: CD
  • Bonus disc with 2016 reissue of Kings of the Wild Frontier

Compilation albums

TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions Certifications
UK
[4] [5]
Hits
  • Released: September 1986
  • Label: CBS
  • Formats: LP, MC
Antics in the Forbidden Zone
  • Released: 23 October 1990
  • Label: Epic
  • Formats: LP, MC
Peel Sessions
Antmusic: The Very Best of Adam Ant
  • Released: August 1993
  • Label: Arcade
  • Formats: CD, MC
6
B-Side Babies
  • Released: 27 September 1994
  • Label: Epic/Legacy
  • Formats: CD
Super Hits
  • Released: 27 January 1998
  • Label: Epic/Legacy
  • Formats: CD, MC
The Very Best of Adam and the Ants
  • Released: 5 April 1999
  • Label: Columbia
  • Formats: CD, MD
33
The Complete Radio 1 Sessions
  • Released: 9 July 2001
  • Label: Strange Fruit
  • Formats: CD, MC
The Essential Adam Ant
  • Released: 1 April 2003
  • Label: Epic/Legacy
  • Formats: CD
Redux
  • Released: 11 April 2005
  • Label: Epic
  • Formats: CD
Stand and Deliver: The Very Best of Adam & the Ants
  • Released: 26 September 2006
  • Label: Columbia
  • Formats: CD
39
Dandy Highwaymen: The Best Of
  • Released: 26 November 2007
  • Label: Music Club
  • Formats: 2xCD
Playlist: The Very Best of Adam Ant
  • Released: 9 October 2012
  • Label: Epic/Legacy
  • Formats: CD
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Box sets

TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
UK
[19]
Antbox
  • Released: 4 December 2000
  • Label: Columbia
  • Formats: 3xCD
Adam Ant Remastered
  • Released: 11 April 2005
  • Label: Columbia
  • Formats: 4xCD
  • Limited collector's edition
  • A 7xCD version was released in 2006
188
Original Album Classics
  • Released: 26 September 2011
  • Label: Sony Music/Columbia
  • Formats: 3xCD
Kings of the Wild Frontier Super Deluxe Edition
  • Released: 20 May 2016
  • Label: Sony Music/Legacy
  • Formats: 2xCD+DVD+LP
  • Limited collector's edition
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

EPs

TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
UK
[4]
The B-Sides
  • Released: 5 March 1982
  • Label: Do It
  • Formats: 7", 12"
46
Four Play Volume Twelve
  • Released: March 1988
  • Label: CBS
  • Formats: 7", CD
  • Australia-only release
Save the Gorilla
  • Released: November 2003
  • Label: NV
  • Formats: CD
  • Withdrawn – blocked by EMI Music Publishing
    (a small number of copies were dispatched to purchasers)
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Singles

TitleYearPeak chart positions Certifications Album
UK
[4] [5]
AUS
[8] [9] [20]
BEL
(FL)

[21]
CAN
[22]
GER
[12]
IRE
[23]
NL
[24]
NZ
[25]
US
[26]
US Dance
[27]
As Adam & the Ants
"Young Parisians"1978Non-album singles
"Zerox"1979 [upper-alpha 3]
"Cartrouble"(re-recording [upper-alpha 4] )1980 [upper-alpha 3] Dirk Wears White Sox (contains original recording)
"Kings of the Wild Frontier"4819Kings of the Wild Frontier
"Dog Eat Dog"4221631
"Antmusic"21304416
"Young Parisians" (re-release)919Non-album singles
"Zerox" (re-release)198145
"Cartrouble" (re-release)33Dirk Wears White Sox (contains original recording)
"Kings of the Wild Frontier" (re-release)25Kings of the Wild Frontier
"Stand and Deliver"11278243238Prince Charming
"Prince Charming"1481018
"Ant Rap"343404
"Deutscher Girls"1982136614 Jubilee soundtrack
As Adam Ant
"Goody Two Shoes" [upper-alpha 5] 19821116452132912Friend or Foe
"Friend or Foe"94931319
"Desperate But Not Serious"331866
"Puss 'n Boots"19835842667522Strip
"Strip"4142
"Apollo 9"19841310Vive Le Rock
"Vive Le Rock"19855029
"Out of Bounds" (with Stewart Copeland; US-only release)1986 Out of Bounds soundtrack
"Room at the Top"1990131163021173Manners & Physique
"Rough Stuff"16014
"Can't Set Rules About Love"47
"Wonderful"199532939Wonderful
"Beautiful Dream" (withdrawn & promo-only release)
"Gotta Be a Sin"48
"Cool Zombie"2012154Adam Ant Is the Blueblack Hussar in Marrying the Gunner's Daughter
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Videos

Video albums

TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
UK
US
[28]
King of the Wild Frontier – Live in Japan
  • Released: 1981
  • Label: Home Video Productions
  • Formats: VHS, Betamax
The Prince Charming Revue
  • Released: 1982
  • Label: CBS Video
  • Formats: VHS, Betamax
Hits4 [29]
Antics in the Forbidden Zone24
Antmusic: The Very Best of Adam Ant
  • Released: August 1993
  • Label: Arcade
  • Formats: VHS
1 [30]
Antvideo
Stand and Deliver: The Very Best of Adam & the Ants
  • Released: 11 December 2006
  • Label: Sony BMG
  • Formats: 2xDVD
46 [31]
The Blueblack Hussar
  • Released: 7 July 2014
  • Label: Sunrise Pictures
  • Formats: DVD, Blu-ray
2 [32]
Dirk Live at the Apollo
  • Released: April 2015
  • Label: BlueBlack Hussar
  • Formats: DVD
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Music videos

TitleYearDirector
"Plastic Surgery" [upper-alpha 6] 1977unknown
"Tabletalk" [upper-alpha 7] 1979Stephanie Gluck/Clive Richardson
"Cartrouble pt2"
"Zerox" [upper-alpha 8]
"Kings of the Wild Frontier" [upper-alpha 9] 1980
"Dog Eat Dog" [upper-alpha 10] ( Top of the Pops outtake licensed to CBS)
"Antmusic" Steve Barron/Daniel Kleinman
"Dog Eat Dog"/"Kings of the Wild Frontier"/"Physical (You're So)" (live in Manchester) [upper-alpha 11] Steve Barron
"Stand and Deliver"1981 Mike Mansfield/Adam Ant
"Prince Charming"
"Ant Rap"
"Goody Two Shoes"1982
"Friend or Foe" [upper-alpha 12] Adam Ant
"Desperate But Not Serious"Mike Mansfield/Adam Ant
"Puss 'n Boots"1983
"Strip"
"Apollo 9"1984Daniel Kleinman
"Vive Le Rock"1985Frances de Lea
"Room at the Top"1990Daniel Kleinman
"Rough Stuff"
"Can't Set Rules About Love"
"Wonderful"1995 Tony Kunewalder
"Beautiful Dream"
"Gotta Be a Sin"
"Cool Zombie"2012Adam Ant/Adam Ross

Notes

  1. This position was reached in February 1981, 15 months after release, essentially on the strength of the commercial success of the next album.
  2. Was planned for released in 1992/1993; however bootlegs do exist.
  3. 1 2 "Zerox" and "Cartrouble" did not enter the UK Singles Chart when originally released, but both did top the UK Independent Singles Chart. [6]
  4. "Cartrouble" the single is a re-recorded version of Part 2 of the track "Cartrouble Parts 1 & 2" which featured on Dirk Wears White Sox. The single featured also different personnel including new band member Marco Pirroni and session drummer Jon Moss (later of Culture Club). Nonetheless, it was recorded and released while Dirk Wears White Sox was the current album, and to fulfil the same contract with Do It Records as under which the album was released. As such, it qualifies as a single from Dirk Wears White Sox.
  5. Some UK copies of the single "Goody Two Shoes" were credited to Adam and the Ants although it was intended as the first Adam Ant solo release (with Marco Pirroni as co-songwriter and guitarist and Chris 'Merrick' Hughes as drummer and producer). The album version of the song is a different mix from the single, which was released months before the album and not long after Adam and the Ants had split up, thus causing some UK copies to be credited under the old bandname. The US edition of the single featured the album version and hit its chart peak in early 1983, nearly a year after the UK.
  6. Support video footage for the Derek Jarman film Jubilee of the Ants (including Kenny Morris guesting on drums) performing in an empty studio. This video was used in the film as a television screen image in a scene of Ant's character Kid watching himself and his band on TV performing on Top of the Pops. Although Jarman directed the film, he was not present for this video shoot. This footage should not be confused with the performance of this song filmed at Drury Lane Theatre and featured elsewhere in the film to represent Kid's audition for media mogul character Borgia Ginz.
  7. This video and "Cartrouble pt2" were demonstration videos made as audition footage for Malcolm McLaren and were filmed in Richardson's back garden.
  8. Surviving footage from "video film" project "Xerox Machine" filmed at the studio of artist Laurie-Rae Chamberlain. There is one complete take of Ant performing the song in front of a set of neon lights plus short takes of Ant singing the outro while sat in a dentist's chair and a slideshow of "Xerography" still images created by Chamberlain of this and other video footage from the session. "Xerography" includes images of other takes of the song, including one performed in front of a stack of art equipment illuminated by disco lights.
  9. Stills from this video (and alternative takes, of which at least one survives) were used for the sleeve art for the Kings of the Wild Frontier album and "Dog Eat Dog" single.
  10. Alternative take of performance of the song on 16 October 1980 edition of Top of the Pops. This has represented the song on video compilations since Antmusic – The Very Best of Adam Ant in 1993
  11. Concert footage from Manchester Apollo, 16 December 1980. Footage of "Dog Eat Dog" represented that single on the 1986 Hits video compilation. Footage of "Physical (You're So)" has represented The Antmusic EP on video compilations since Antmusic - The Very Best of Adam Ant in 1993
  12. Although made in the same general style as the Ant/Mansfield collaborations of 1981–1983, this video was directed by Ant alone.

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References

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  11. Peak positions for Adam Ant's albums in Canada:
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  22. Peak positions for Adam Ant's singles in Canada:
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