# The Specials discography

English ska revival band the Specials have released a diverse discography since their debut in 1979, including: nine studio albums, one collaboration album, five live albums, eleven compilation albums, four extended plays, twenty-three singles, and filmed five videos.
Their debut album "The Specials" (1979) and "More Specials" (1980) both achieved Gold status, while their 2019 album "Encore" hit number 1 on the UK chart. The band collaborated with Desmond Dekker on the album "King of Kings" (1993). Their work spans various formats and has seen chart success in multiple countries.

## Albums
### Studio albums

| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Certifications |
| Title | Album details | UK | AUS | CAN | GER | NZ | SWE | SWI | US | Certifications |
| The Specials | Released: 19 October 1979 Label: 2 Tone Formats: LP, MC, 8-track | 4 | 20 | 21 | — | 5 | 34 | — | 84 | BPI: Gold |
| More Specials | Released: 19 September 1980 Label: 2 Tone Formats: LP, MC, 8-track | 5 | 86 | 49 | — | 28 | 30 | — | 98 | BPI: Gold |
| In the Studio (as the Special AKA) | Released: 15 June 1984 Label: 2 Tone Formats: CD, LP, MC | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Today's Specials | Released: 15 April 1996 Label: Kuff/Virgin Formats: CD, MC | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Guilty 'til Proved Innocent! | Released: 24 March 1998 Label: MCA Formats: CD, LP, MC | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Skinhead Girl | Released: 17 October 2000 Label: Receiver Formats: CD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Conquering Ruler | Released: 13 February 2001 Label: Receiver Formats: CD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Encore | Released: 1 February 2019 Label: Island Formats: CD, 2xCD, LP, 2xLP, digital download | 1 | — | — | 20 | — | — | — | — | BPI: Silver |
| Protest Songs 1924–2012 | Released: 1 October 2021 Label: Island Formats: CD, LP, MC, digital download | 2 | — | — | 47 | — | — | 85 | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. |||||||||||

### Collaboration albums

| Title | Album details |
| King of Kings (with Desmond Dekker) | Released: 8 November 1993 Label: Trojan Formats: CD, LP |

### Live albums

| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Album details | UK |
| BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert | Released: 1992 Label: Windsong International Formats: CD Split album with the Selecter | — |
| Live – Too Much Too Young | Released: April 1992 Label: Receiver Formats: CD, LP, MC | — |
| Live at the Moonlight Club | Released: May 1992 Label: 2 Tone Formats: CD, LP, MC | — |
| Blue Plate Specials Live | Released: 23 February 1999 Label: Big Ear Music Formats: CD | — |
| Ghost Town Live | Released: September 1999 Label: Receiver Formats: CD | — |
| More... Or Less: The Specials Live | Released: 6 August 2012 Label: Chrysalis Formats: 2xCD, 2xLP | 109 |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. |||

### Compilation albums

| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications |
| Title | Album details | UK | Certifications |
| Singles / The Singles Collection | Released: 29 January 1991 Label: 2 Tone Formats: CD, LP, MC | 10 | BPI: Gold |
| Dawning of a New Era (as the Coventry Automatics aka the Specials) | Released: March 1994 Label: Receiver Formats: CD, LP | — | |
| Too Much Too Young: The Gold Collection | Released: 13 May 1996 Label: EMI Gold Formats: CD, MC | — | BPI: Gold |
| Best of the Specials | Released: September 1996 Label: Disky Formats: CD | — | |
| Concrete Jungle (as the Specials and Friends) | Released: March 1998 Label: Receiver Formats: 2xCD | — | |
| BBC Sessions | Released: 26 October 1998 Label: EMI Formats: CD | — | |
| A Special Collection | Released: October 1999 Label: EMI Formats: CD | — | |
| Stereo-Typical: A's, B's and Rarities | Released: 28 August 2000 Label: EMI Formats: 3xCD | — | BPI: Silver |
| Archive | Released: 26 March 2001 Label: Rialto Formats: CD | — | |
| The Best of The Specials | Released: 31 March 2008 Label: Rhino Formats: CD+DVD | 24 | BPI: Gold |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. ||||

## EPs

| Title | EP details | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Certifications |
| Title | EP details | UK | UK Indie | BEL (FLA) | IRE | NL | NZ | Certifications |
| Too Much Too Young – The Special A.K.A. Live! | Released: 18 January 1980 Label: 2 Tone Formats: 7", 12" | 1 | — | 11 | 3 | 15 | 47 | BPI: Silver |
| The Peel Sessions | Released: February 1987 Label: Strange Fruit Formats: 12", MC | — | 17 | — | — | — | — | |
| 2 Tone EP | Released: 27 September 1993 Label: 2 Tone Formats: 7", CD, MC | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Too Much Too Young – The Specials E.P. Live! | Released: 21 April 2012 Label: 2 Tone Formats: 7" Live re-recording of original 1980 EP | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Dub Mixes Exclusive | Released: 24 October 2020 Label: 2 Tone Formats: 10" Record Store Day release | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. |||||||||

## Singles

| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album |
| Title | Year | UK | AUS | AUT | BEL (FLA) | IRE | NL | NOR | NZ | US Alt | US Dance | Certifications | Album |
| "Gangsters" | 1979 | 6 | — | — | 6 | 27 | 11 | — | 20 | — | — | BPI: Silver | Non-album single |
| "A Message to You Rudy" / "Nite Klub" | 1979 | 10 | 29 | 7 | 24 | 19 | 35 | — | 29 | — | — | BPI: Gold | The Specials |
| "Rat Race" / "Rude Buoys Outa Jail" | 1980 | 5 | — | — | — | 17 | — | — | — | — | 89 | | Non-album single |
| "Stereotype" / "International Jet Set" | 1980 | 6 | — | — | — | 12 | 41 | — | — | — | — | | More Specials |
| "Do Nothing" / "Maggie's Farm" | 1980 | 4 | — | — | — | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | BPI: Silver | More Specials Non-album track |
| "Sock It to Them J.B." | 1981 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | More Specials |
| "Concrete Jungle" (live) | 1981 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Dance Craze (soundtrack) |
| "Ghost Town" | 1981 | 1 | 68 | — | 15 | 3 | 12 | 7 | 20 | — | — | BPI: Platinum | Non-album singles |
| "The Boiler" | 1982 | 35 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album singles |
| "Jungle Music" | 1982 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album singles |
| "War Crimes" | 1982 | 84 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | In the Studio |
| "Racist Friend" / "Bright Lights" | 1983 | 60 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | In the Studio |
| "Free Nelson Mandela" / "Break Down the Door" | 1984 | 9 | 66 | — | 8 | 6 | 9 | — | 1 | — | 34 | | In the Studio |
| "What I Like Most About You Is Your Girlfriend" | 1984 | 51 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | In the Studio |
| "Free Nelson Mandela" (re-recording) | 1988 | 93 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album single |
| "Jamaica Ska" | 1993 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | King of Kings |
| "Coz I Luv You" | 1994 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album single |
| "Hypocrite" | 1995 | 66 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Today's Specials |
| "Pressure Drop" | 1996 | 100 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Today's Specials |
| "A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You" | 1996 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Today's Specials |
| "It's You" | 1998 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 29 | — | | Guilty 'til Proved Innocent! |
| "Bonediggin'" | 1998 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Guilty 'til Proved Innocent! |
| "Sock It to Them J.B." (dub) / "Rat Race" (dub) | 2014 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album single |
| "Vote for Me" | 2018 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Encore |
| "10 Commandments" / "You're Wondering Now" (live) | 2019 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Encore Non-album track |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. ||||||||||||||

## Compilation contributions

| Title | Release date | Label |
| The Specials vs. The Untouchables: Ska's Greatest Stars | 2002 | Big Eye Music |
| 80's New Wave Hits – Rearrangement of The Go-Go's' "Our Lips Are Sealed", with Jane Wiedlin, originally on The Specials vs The Untouchables: Ska's Greatest Stars | 2006 | Big Eye Music |

## Videography

* "Dance Craze – The Best of British Ska... Live!" (VHS)
* "The Special AKA on Film" (1981 VHS & Laserdisc)
* "The Specials: Too Much, Too Young" (2008 DVD)
* "The Best of the Specials" (CD/DVD 2008)
* "The Specials – 30th Anniversary Tour" (2009 DVD)

## Films

* Sixteen Candles (1984) – song – "Little Bitch"
* Natural Born Killers (1994) – song – "Ghost Town" (not included on the soundtrack album)
* Multiplicity (1996) – song – "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You"
* Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) – songs – "Pressure Drop", "A Message to You, Rudy" and "You're Wondering Now"
* SLC Punk! (1998) – songs – "Too Hot" and "Gangsters"
* 200 Cigarettes (1999) – song – "A Message to You, Rudy"
* Mystery Men (1999) – song – "Gangsters" (covered by Citizen King)
* A Room for Romeo Brass (1999) – song – "A Message to You, Rudy"
* An Extremely Goofy Movie (2000) – song – "Pressure Drop"
* Snatch (2000) – song – "Ghost Town"
* Garage Days (2002) – song – "Ghost Town"
* Shaun of the Dead (2004) – song – "Ghost Town"
* This Is England (2006) – songs – "Do the Dog", "Pressure Drop"
* We Own The Night (2007) – song – "A Message to You, Rudy"
* Vivarium (2019) – song – "A Message to You, Rudy"

## Television

* Father Ted – Episode – Think Fast, Father Ted – song – "Ghost Town"
* Six Feet Under – song – "Monkey Man"
* Misfits (TV series) – song – "A Message to You Rudy"

## Commercials

* The song "A Message to You, Rudy" was featured in a SFR television commercial directed by Bruno Aveillan, with world champion football player, Marcel Desailly in 2001
* The song "Blank Expression" was featured in a Ford Fiesta television commercial in 2003

## Video games

* Dance Dance Revolution – song – "Little Bitch" (remix)
* MLB 2K7 – Song – "A Message To You, Rudy"
* Skate 2 – Song – "Ghost Town"