| Sparks discography | |
|---|---|
| Studio albums | 27 |
| Soundtrack albums | 2 |
| Live albums | 1 |
| Compilation albums | 12 |
| Singles | 79 |
| Video albums | 4 |
| Music videos | 44 |
The following is a comprehensive discography of Sparks , an American rock and pop music duo formed in Los Angeles in 1970 by brothers Ron (keyboards) and Russell Mael (vocals), initially under the name Halfnelson. Best known for their quirky approach to songwriting, [1] Sparks' music is often accompanied by cutting and acerbic lyrics, [2] and an idiosyncratic stage presence, typified in the contrast between Russell's wide-eyed hyperactive frontman antics and Ron's sedentary scowling. [3]
| Title | Album details | Chart positions | Certifications (sales thresholds) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [4] | AUS [5] | CAN [6] | FRA [7] | GER [8] | NLD [9] | NOR [10] | SCO [11] | SWE [12] | UK [11] | |||
| Halfnelson (as Halfnelson) |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Kimono My House |
| 101 | 22 | 58 | — | — | 10 | — | — | — | 4 | |
| Propaganda |
| 63 | 75 | 81 | — | 49 | — | 16 | — | 50 | 9 |
|
| Indiscreet |
| 169 | — | 86 | — | — | 19 | 18 | — | 6 | 18 | |
| Big Beat |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 24 | — | |
| Introducing Sparks |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 41 | — | |
| No. 1 in Heaven | — | 63 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 43 | 73 | ||
| Terminal Jive |
| — | 96 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Whomp That Sucker |
| 182 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Angst in My Pants |
| 173 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| In Outer Space |
| 88 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Music That You Can Dance To |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Interior Design |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins |
| — | — | — | — | 29 [16] | — | — | 45 [17] | — | 150 [18] | |
| Plagiarism |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Balls |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 22 [19] | — | — | |
| Lil' Beethoven |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 13 [19] | — | — | |
| Hello Young Lovers |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 49 [19] | 48 | 66 | |
| Exotic Creatures of the Deep |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 28 [20] | — | 54 | |
| The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman |
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17 [20] | — | — | |
| FFS (as FFS) | — | 85 [22] | — | 27 | 22 | 13 | — | 8 [23] | — | 17 | ||
| Hippopotamus |
| — | — | — | 108 | 88 | 38 | — | 7 [24] | 45 | 7 | |
| A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip |
| 75 | — | 32 | 159 | 24 | 88 | — | 2 [26] | — | 7 | |
| The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte |
| 48 | — | — | 128 | 37 | — | — | 2 [28] | — | 7 | |
| Mad! |
| 27 | — | — | — | 48 | — | — | 1 | — | 2 | |
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Two Hands, One Mouth: Live in Europe |
|
| Title | Album details | Chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEL (FL) [29] | FRA [7] | GER [8] | SCO [30] | ||
| Annette |
| 68 | 90 | 72 | 32 |
| The Sparks Brothers |
| — | — | — | — |
| Annette – An Opera by Sparks (The Original 2013 Recordings) |
| — | — | — | — |
| Year | Single | Chart positions | Album | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | AUS [5] | BEL (FL) [29] | BEL (WA) [29] | GER [33] | IRE [34] | NLD [35] | SWI [36] | UK [11] [18] | |||
| 1972 | "Wonder Girl" | 112 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Sparks |
| 1974 | "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us" | — | 69 | 4 | 3 | 12 | — | 4 | 7 | 2 | Kimono My House |
| "Girl from Germany" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 51 [A] | A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing | |
| "Amateur Hour" | — | — | 22 | 36 | 12 | 19 | 6 | — | 7 | Kimono My House | |
| "Talent Is an Asset" (US and New Zealand only) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth" | — | — | — | 48 | 40 | — | — | — | 13 | Propaganda | |
| "Propaganda/At Home, at Work, at Play" (FR only) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1975 | "Something for the Girl with Everything" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17 | |
| "Achoo" (US only) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Get in the Swing" | — | — | — | 38 | — | — | — | — | 27 | Indiscreet | |
| "Looks, Looks, Looks" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 26 | ||
| 1976 | "I Want to Hold Your Hand" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| "Big Boy" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Big Beat | |
| "I Like Girls" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977 | "Over the Summer" (US only) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Introducing Sparks |
| "A Big Surprise" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979 | "La Dolce Vita" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | No. 1 In Heaven |
| "The Number One Song in Heaven" | — | 85 | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | 14 | ||
| "Beat the Clock" | — | — | 10 | — | — | — | 16 | — | 10 | ||
| "Tryouts for the Human Race" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 45 | ||
| Year | Single | Chart positions | Album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot 100 [37] | US D-P [37] [38] | US D-S [37] | AUS [5] | FRA [7] | UK [11] [18] | |||
| 1980 | "When I'm with You" | — | — | — | 17 | 1 | — | Terminal Jive |
| "Young Girls" | — | — | — | — | — | — [B] | ||
| 1981 | "Tips for Teens" | — | — | — | — | — | — [C] | Whomp That Sucker |
| "Funny Face" | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1982 | "I Predict" | 60 | — | — | — | — | — | Angst in My Pants |
| "Angst in My Pants" (DE only) | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Eaten by the Monster of Love" (US only) | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Modesty Plays" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1983 | "Get Crazy"/"Hot Shot" (Malcolm McDowell)(Split single) | — | — | — | — | — | — | Get Crazy (OST) |
| "Cool Places" (with Jane Wiedlin) | 49 | 13 | — | — | — | — | In Outer Space | |
| "All You Ever Think About Is Sex" (US only) | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Please Baby, Please" (FR only) | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984 | "With All My Might" | 104 | 28 | — | — | — | — | Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat |
| "Progress" (US 12" only) | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Pretending to Be Drunk"/"Kiss Me Quick" | — | 60 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1985 | "Give It Up" (Evelyn "Champagne" King)/"Armies of the Night" (Split single) | — | — | — | — | — | — | Music That You Can Dance To |
| "Change" | — | — | — | — | — | 85 | ||
| 1986 | "Music That You Can Dance To" | — | 6 | 11 | — | — | — | |
| "Fingertips/The Scene" (US 12" only) | — | 38 | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1987 | "Rosebud" (UK only) | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1988 | "So Important" | — | 8 | — | — | — | — | Interior Design |
| 1989 | "Madonna" (FR only) | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Just Got Back from Heaven" | — | 7 | 24 | — | — | — | ||
| "Singing in the Shower" (Les Rita Mitsouko and Sparks) | — | 24 | — | — | 37 | — | Marc & Robert | |
| Year | Single | Chart positions | Album | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US D-P [37] | AUS [41] | BEL (FL) [29] | BEL (WA) [29] | GER [33] | NLD [35] | SCO | SWI [36] | UK [11] [18] | |||
| 1993 | "National Crime Awareness Week" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1994 | "When Do I Get to Sing 'My Way'" | 9 | — | 16 | 12 | 7 | 35 | 41 | 22 | 38 | Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins |
| 1995 | "When I Kiss You (I Hear Charlie Parker Playing)" | 24 | — | — | — | 61 | — | 38 | — | 36 | |
| "When Do I Get to Sing 'My Way'" (UK re-issue) | — | — | — | — | — | — | 35 | — | 32 | ||
| "Now That I Own the BBC" | — | — | — | — | 81 | — | 53 | — | 60 | ||
| 1997 | "The Number One Song in Heaven" | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | 54 | — | 70 | Plagiarism |
| "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us" (with Faith No More) | — | 69 | — | — | — | — | 39 | — | 40 | ||
| 1999 | "More Than a Sex Machine" (DE only) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Balls |
| Year | Single | Chart positions | Album | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US D-P [37] | AUS [41] | BEL (FL) [29] | BEL (WA) [29] | GER [33] | NLD [35] | SCO | SWI [36] | UK [11] [18] | |||
| 2000 | "The Calm Before the Storm" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Balls |
| "The Angels" (DE only) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003 | "Suburban Homeboy" (UK only) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 142 | Lil' Beethoven |
| 2006 | "Perfume" (UK only) | — | — | — | — | — | — | 46 | — | 80 | Hello Young Lovers |
| "Dick Around/Waterproof" | — | — | — | — | — | — | 67 | — | 139 | ||
| 2008 | "Good Morning" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 147 | Exotic Creatures of the Deep |
| 2009 | "Lighten Up, Morrissey" (UK only) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Year | Single | Chart positions | Album | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US D-P [37] | AUS [41] | BEL (FL) [29] | BEL (WA) [29] | GER [33] | NLD [35] | SCO | SWI [36] | UK [11] [18] | |||
| 2015 | "Johnny Delusional" | — | — | 90 | — | — | — | — | — | — | FFS |
| "Call Girl" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Police Encounters" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Christmas Without a Prayer" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | |
| 2017 | "Hippopotamus" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Hippopotamus |
| "What the Hell Is It This Time?" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Edith Piaf (Said It Better Than Me)" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "I Wish You Were Fun" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018 | "You Earned The Right to Be a Dick" (Hippopotamus shaped disc) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Record Store Day exclusive single |
| 2019 | "Please Don't Fuck Up My World" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip |
| Year | Single | Chart positions | Album | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US D-P [37] | AUS [41] | BEL (FL) [29] | BEL (WA) [29] | GER [33] | NLD [35] | SCO | SWI [36] | UK [11] [18] | |||
| 2020 | "Self-Effacing" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip |
| "I'm Toast" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "One for the Ages" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Lawnmower" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021 | "Your Fandango" (with Todd Rundgren) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Space Force |
| 2023 | "The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte |
| "Veronica Lake" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Nothing Is as Good as They Say It Is" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2024 | "Don't Go Away" (with Max Richter) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Spaceman (OST) |
| 2025 | "Do Things My Own Way" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | MAD! |
| "JanSport Backpack" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Drowned in a Sea of Tears" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "My Devotion" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "A Little Bit of Light Banter" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us" | |
| 1977 | "Occupation" | |
| 1979 | "The Number One Song in Heaven" | Bruce Gowers [42] |
| "Beat the Clock" | Brian Grant [42] | |
| "La Dolce Vita" | Bruce Gowers [42] | |
| "Tryouts for the Human Race" | Brian Grant [42] | |
| 1980 | "When I'm with You" | Brian Grant [42] |
| "Stereo" | Brian Grant [42] | |
| 1981 | "Tips for Teens" | |
| "Funny Face" | ||
| 1982 | "I Predict" | Steve and Doug Martin |
| 1983 | "Minnie Mouse" | The Walt Disney Company |
| "Cool Places" | Graeme Whifler [43] | |
| "All You Ever Think About Is Sex" | Pat Warner | |
| 1984 | "With All My Might" | Graeme Whifler |
| 1986 | "Music That You Can Dance To" | Ron & Russell Mael |
| 1988 | "So Important" | Ron & Russell Mael |
| 1989 | "Singing in the Shower" | |
| 1993 | "National Crime Awareness Week" | Finitribe |
| 1994 | "When Do I Get to Sing 'My Way'" | Sophie Muller [42] |
| 1995 | "When I Kiss You (I Hear Charlie Parker Playing)" | Sophie Muller [42] |
| "Now That I Own the BBC" | Oliver Kuntzel & Florence Deygas | |
| 1997 | "No. 1 Song In Heaven (Plagiarism) " | Oliver Kuntzel & Florence Deygas |
| 2000 | "The Calm Before the Storm" | Oliver Kuntzel & Florence Deygas |
| 2003 | "The Rhythm Thief" | Oliver Kuntzel & Florence Deygas |
| "I Married Myself" | Oliver Kuntzel & Florence Deygas | |
| 2004 | "My Baby's Taking Me Home" | Shaw Petronio [42] |
| 2006 | "Perfume" | Shaw Petronio |
| "Dick Around" | Shaw Petronio | |
| 2009 | "Lighten Up Morrissey" | Shaw Petronio |
| 2015 | "Christmas Without A Prayer" | |
| 2017 | "Hippopotamus" | Scott Peters |
| "What The Hell Is It This Time?" | Galen Johnson and Evan Johnson | |
| "Edith Piaf (Said It Better Than Me)" | Joseph Wallace | |
| 2020 | "One For The Ages" | Chintis Lundgren |
| "Lawnmower" | Ron & Russell Mael | |
| "The Existential Threat" | Cyriak Harris | |
| "iPhone" | ||
| 2021 | "Left Out In The Cold" | |
| "Your Fandango" | Liisa Vääriskoski | |
| "So May We Start" | Leos Carax | |
| 2023 | "The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte" | Richie Starzec, Ron & Russell Mael |
| "Escalator" | Paul Trewartha, Ron & Russell Mael | |
| 2025 | "Do Things My Own Way" | Ambar Navarro |
| "Drowned In A Sea Of Tears" | Ambar Navarro |
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