| Simple Minds discography | |
|---|---|
 Simple Minds at Rock the Ring, 2018 | |
| Studio albums | 21 |
| EPs | 7 |
| Live albums | 12 |
| Compilation albums | 10 |
| Singles | 67 |
| Video albums | 5 |
| Music videos | 55 |
| Promotional singles | 12 |
| Box sets | 14 |
| Website releases | 7 |
The Scottish rock band Simple Minds has released 21 studio albums, eleven live albums, ten compilation albums, fourteen box sets, 68 singles, and five video albums. The band formed in Glasgow under the name Johnny & the Self-Abusers in 1977 before releasing their debut album Life in a Day (1979) under the Simple Minds name. The album achieved moderate commercial success for the band, reaching the top forty of the albums charts in the United Kingdom. [1] Their second album, Real to Real Cacophony , was released at the end of 1979 and failed to chart, whilst their third album, Empires and Dance (1980) just missed the top forty in the United Kingdom. [2] Their fourth album, the double album release Sons and Fascination/Sister Feelings Call (1981) produced the commercially successful singe "Love Song" which became their highest charting single in the United Kingdom up until that point.
Contents
- Albums
- Studio albums
- Unreleased studio album
- Live albums
- Compilation albums
- Box sets
- Website releases
- EPs
- Singles
- 1970s–1980s
- 1990s
- 2000s–present
- Promotional singles
- Videos
- Video albums
- Music videos
- Notes
- References
- External links
In 1982, they released their fourth studio album, New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84) , which marked the beginning of increased popularity and commercial success for the band. Considered one of the "defining albums of the new wave movement of the early 1980s", it produced the critically acclaimed singles "Promised You a Miracle", "Glittering Prize" and "Someone Somewhere in Summertime", all of which performed strongly in singles charts across European territories as well as in some international markets including Australia and New Zealand. [3] [4] The album was both commercially and critically successful, peaking within the top five in the United Kingdom and New Zealand, and was as becoming their first album to chart within the US Billboard 200 albums charts. It was certified Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for sales in excess of 300,000 copies. [5] In November 1983, they released "Waterfront" was the lead single from their sixth album, Sparkle in the Rain (1984).
Immediately before the release of Sparkle in the Rain in February 1984, the band released the second single from the album, "Speed Your Love to Me". The album marked the beginning of increased media interest in the band, and became their first album to reach number one in the albums charts in the United Kingdom where it was certified Platinum by the BPI. [6] It achieved moderate commercial success in the United States, an international territory where the band were to experience a significant commercial breakthrough in 1985 with the release of the single "Don't You (Forget About Me)" which was recorded for inclusion in the movie The Breakfast Club . It reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and remained on the chart for a total of 22 weeks. [7] Commercial success in the United States continued with their next single, "Alive and Kicking" which supported the release of their seventh studio album Once Upon a Time (1985).
In May 1989, they released their eighth album Street Fighting Years which was supported by its lead single "Belfast Child". The song became the bands first single to reach number one on the singles charts in the United Kingdom. Described as a more political album than the bands previous releases, a promotional single, "Mandela Day" was released in the United States in February 1989. The album was certified 2× Platinum by the BPI in the United Kingdom, and sold in excess of 2 million copies across Europe. [8] Further album releases – Real Life (1991) and Good News from the Next World (1995) continued commercial success for the band, before experiencing a decline in popularity with the release of Néapolis (1998), Neon Lights (2001) and Cry (2002). The album Black & White 050505 (2005) achieved moderate commercial success, including in Italy where it was certified Gold by the Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana (FMI). [9]
The band returned to commercial prominence in 2009 with the release of their fifteenth studio album Graffiti Soul , a trend which continued with further releases Big Music (2014), Acoustic (2016), Walk Between Worlds (2018) and Direction of the Heart (2022). Described as "one of the most commercially successful Scottish bands of the 1980s", [10] Simple Minds have sold more than 60 million albums worldwide. [11] They were awarded the Q Inspiration Award in 2014 for their contribution to the music industry and an Ivor Novello Award in 2016 for Outstanding Song Collection from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors (BASCA). [12] Their other notable recognitions include nominations for both the MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction and MTV Video Music Award for Best Art Direction for "Don't You (Forget About Me)" in 1985, nomination for the Brit Award for British Group in 1986 and for the American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group in 1987. [13]
