# Lou Reed discography

American rock musician Lou Reed released 22 studio albums, 17 compilation albums, 15 live albums, six video albums, 46 singles, 16 music videos, and one box-set.

## Albums
### Studio albums

| Year | Title | Release date | Label | 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 (sales thresholds) |
| Year | Title | Release date | Label | US | AUS | CAN | FRA | GER | NZ | NLD | NOR | SWE | UK | Certifications (sales thresholds) |
| 1972 | Lou Reed | May 1972 | RCA | 189 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1972 | Transformer | November 1972 | RCA | 29 | 12 | 12 | — | — | — | 6 | — | — | 13 | AUS: Gold BPI: Platinum |
| 1973 | Berlin | October 1973 | RCA | 98 | 59 | 51 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | BPI: Silver |
| 1974 | Sally Can't Dance | September 1974 | RCA | 10 | 14 | 22 | — | — | — | 15 | — | — | — | |
| 1975 | Metal Machine Music | July 1975 | RCA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1976 | Coney Island Baby | January 1976 | RCA | 41 | 25 | — | — | — | 16 | 4 | — | 23 | 52 | |
| 1976 | Rock and Roll Heart | November 1976 | Arista | 64 | 68 | 91 | — | — | — | 19 | — | 40 | — | |
| 1978 | Street Hassle | February 1978 | Arista | 89 | 24 | — | — | — | 9 | — | — | — | — | |
| 1979 | The Bells | May 1979 | Arista | 130 | 58 | — | — | — | 13 | — | — | 44 | — | |
| 1980 | Growing Up in Public | April 1980 | Arista | 158 | — | — | — | — | 27 | — | — | 35 | — | |
| 1982 | The Blue Mask | February 1982 | RCA | 169 | — | — | — | 52 | 35 | 28 | — | 17 | — | |
| 1983 | Legendary Hearts | March 1983 | RCA | 159 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 36 | — | |
| 1984 | New Sensations | April 1984 | RCA | 56 | 56 | 96 | — | — | 25 | — | — | 30 | 92 | |
| 1986 | Mistrial | April 1986 | RCA | 47 | 47 | 54 | — | — | 31 | — | — | 14 | 69 | |
| 1989 | New York | January 1989 | Sire | 40 | 25 | 44 | — | 19 | 17 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 14 | RIAA: Gold ARIA: Platinum BPI: Gold |
| 1990 | Songs for Drella (with John Cale) | April 1990 | Sire | 103 | 100 | — | — | 28 | 42 | 14 | — | 43 | 22 | |
| 1992 | Magic and Loss | January 1992 | Sire | 80 | 56 | 56 | — | 17 | 20 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 6 | |
| 1996 | Set the Twilight Reeling | February 1996 | Warner Bros. | 110 | 109 | 46 | — | 18 | — | 26 | 17 | 23 | 26 | |
| 2000 | Ecstasy | April 2000 | Reprise Records | 183 | 121 | — | 48 | 24 | — | 68 | 20 | — | 54 | |
| 2003 | The Raven | January 2003 | Sire | — | — | — | 60 | 45 | — | 50 | — | — | — | |
| 2007 | Hudson River Wind Meditations | April 2007 | Sounds True | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2011 | Lulu (with Metallica) | October 2011 | Warner Bros. | 36 | 33 | 25 | 23 | 6 | 12 | 17 | 11 | 9 | 36 |
| "—" denotes albums that did not chart, or albums not released in a particular territory. |||||||||||||||

### Live albums

| Year | Title | Release date | Label | 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 (sales thresholds) |
| Year | Title | Release date | Label | US | AUS | CAN | FRA | GER | NZ | NLD | UK | Certifications (sales thresholds) |
| 1974 | Rock 'n' Roll Animal | February 1974 | RCA | 45 | 20 | 55 | — | — | — | — | 26 | RIAA: Gold |
| 1975 | Lou Reed Live | March 1975 | RCA | 62 | 42 | — | — | — | 15 | 4 | — | |
| 1978 | Live: Take No Prisoners | November 1978 | Arista | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | — | |
| 1984 | Live in Italy | January 1984 | RCA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1996 | Live in Concert (reissue of Live in Italy) | 1996 | RCA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1998 | Perfect Night: Live in London | April 1998 | Sire | — | — | — | 56 | 98 | — | 197 | — | |
| 2001 | American Poet | June 2001 | Pilot | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2004 | Animal Serenade | March 2004 | Reprise | — | — | — | 157 | — | — | — | — | |
| 2004 | Le Bataclan '72 with John Cale and Nico | October 2004 | Dynamic | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2008 | The Stone: Issue Three with John Zorn and Laurie Anderson | April 2008 | Tzadik | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2008 | Berlin: Live at St. Ann's Warehouse | November 2008 | Matador | — | — | — | 144 | — | — | — | — | |
| 2008 | The Creation of the Universe | December 2008 | Best Seat in the House Productions | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2014 | Thinking of Another Place | March 2014 | Easy Action | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2016 | Waltzing Matilda (Love Has Gone Away) | 2016 | Easy Action | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2016 | Alice Tully Hall | 2016 | Easy Action | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "—" denotes albums that did not chart, or albums not released in a particular territory. |||||||||||||

### Compilation albums

| Year | Title | Release date | Label | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales thresholds) |
| Year | Title | Release date | Label | US | AUS | NZ | NLD | NOR | SWE | UK | Certifications (sales thresholds) |
| 1977 | Walk on the Wild Side: The Best of Lou Reed | April 1977 | RCA | 156 | 160 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1980 | Rock and Roll Diary: 1967–1980 | December 1980 | Arista | 178 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1985 | City Lights | 1985 | Arista | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1989 | Retro | 1989, 1998 | RCA | — | 125 | 33 | — | — | — | 29 | ARIA: Gold BPI: Silver |
| 1992 | Between Thought and Expression: The Lou Reed Anthology | 1992 | RCA | — | 165 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1992 | Walk on the Wild Side & Other Hits | March 1992 | RCA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1995 | The Best of Lou Reed & The Velvet Underground | 1995 | Global TV | — | — | — | — | — | — | 56 | BPI: Gold |
| 1996 | Different Times: Lou Reed in the '70s | May 1996 | RCA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1997 | Perfect Day | October 1997 | RCA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1999 | The Definitive Collection | August 1999 | Arista | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1999 | The Very Best of Lou Reed | 1999 | Camden Deluxe | — | — | — | — | 19 | — | 94 | BPI: Silver |
| 2002 | Legendary Lou Reed | July 2002 | RCA/BMG | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2003 | NYC Man (The Ultimate Collection 1967–2003) | June 2003 | RCA | — | 195 | 31 | 91 | — | 42 | 31 | |
| 2004 | NYC Man: Greatest Hits | August 2004 | RCA/BMG | — | — | — | — | — | — | 43 | |
| 2008 | Playlist: The Very Best of Lou Reed | July 2008 | Legacy | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2011 | The Essential Lou Reed | September 13, 2011 | RCA | 155 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2021 | I'm So Free: The 1971 RCA Demos | December 24, 2021 | RCA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2022 | Words & Music, May 1965 | September 16, 2022 | Light in the Attic Records | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "—" denotes albums that did not chart, or albums not released in a particular territory. ||||||||||||

## Singles

| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album |
| Year | Title | US | AUS | UK | US Alt | Certifications | Album |
| 1972 | "I Can't Stand It" | — | — | — | — | | Lou Reed |
| 1972 | "Walk and Talk It" | — | — | — | — | | Lou Reed |
| 1972 | "Walk on the Wild Side" | 16 | 100 | 10 | — | BPI: Platinum | Transformer |
| 1973 | "Satellite of Love" | — | — | — | — | | Transformer |
| 1973 | "Vicious" | — | — | — | — | | Transformer |
| 1973 | "How Do You Think It Feels" | — | — | — | — | | Berlin |
| 1974 | "Caroline Says" | — | — | — | — | | Berlin |
| 1974 | "Sweet Jane" | — | — | — | — | | Rock 'n' Roll Animal |
| 1974 | "Sally Can't Dance" | — | — | — | — | | Sally Can't Dance |
| 1976 | "Charley's Girl" | — | — | — | — | | Coney Island Baby |
| 1976 | "Crazy Feeling" | — | — | — | — | | Coney Island Baby |
| 1976 | "I Believe In Love" | — | — | — | — | | Rock and Roll Heart |
| 1977 | "Chooser and the Chosen One" | — | — | — | — | | Rock and Roll Heart |
| 1977 | "Rock and Roll Heart" | — | — | — | — | | Rock and Roll Heart |
| 1978 | "Street Hassle" | — | — | — | — | | Street Hassle |
| 1979 | "Disco Mystic" | — | — | — | — | | The Bells |
| 1979 | "City Lights" | — | — | — | — | | The Bells |
| 1980 | "The Power of Positive Drinking" | — | — | — | — | | Growing Up in Public |
| 1982 | "The Blue Mask" | — | — | — | — | | The Blue Mask |
| 1982 | "Women" | — | — | — | — | | The Blue Mask |
| 1983 | "Don't Talk to Me About Work" | — | — | — | — | | Legendary Hearts |
| 1983 | "Martial Law" | — | — | — | — | | Legendary Hearts |
| 1984 | "I Love You, Suzanne" | — | 71 | 78 | — | | New Sensations |
| 1984 | "My Red Joystick" | — | — | — | — | | New Sensations |
| 1984 | "High in the City" | — | — | — | — | | New Sensations |
| 1985 | "My Love Is Chemical" | — | — | — | — | | White Nights |
| 1985 | "September Song" | — | — | — | — | | Lost in the Stars: The Music of Kurt Weill |
| 1986 | "The Original Wrapper" | — | — | — | — | | Mistrial |
| 1986 | "No Money Down" | — | — | — | — | | Mistrial |
| 1986 | "Soul Man" (with Samuel David Moore) | — | — | 30 | — | | Soul Man soundtrack |
| 1989 | "Busload of Faith" | — | — | — | 11 | | New York |
| 1989 | "Romeo Had Juliette" | — | — | — | — | | New York |
| 1989 | "Dirty Blvd." | — | 45 | — | 1 | | New York |
| 1992 | "Sword of Damocles" | — | — | — | — | | Magic and Loss |
| 1992 | "What's Good" | — | — | 86 | 1 | | Magic and Loss |
| 1996 | "Adventurer" | — | — | — | — | | Set the Twilight Reeling |
| 1996 | "NYC Man" | — | — | — | — | | Set the Twilight Reeling |
| 1996 | "Hookywooky" | — | 172 | — | — | | Set the Twilight Reeling |
| 1997 | "Perfect Day" (as part of Artists for Children in Need) | — | — | 1 | — | BPI: Platinum | Non-album single |
| 2000 | "Future Farmers of America" | — | — | — | — | | Ecstasy |
| 2000 | "Modern Dance" | — | — | — | — | | Ecstasy |
| 2000 | "Paranoia Key of E" | — | — | — | — | | Ecstasy |
| 2002 | "Who Am I? (Tripitena's Song)" | — | — | — | — | | The Raven |
| 2004 | "Satellite of Love '04" | — | 83 | 10 | — | | NYC Man: Greatest Hits |
| 2007 | "Gravity"/"Safety Zone" | — | — | — | — | | Music Inspired by the Film Nanking |
| 2007 | "Tranquilize" (with The Killers) | — | 84 | 13 | — | | Sawdust |
| 2011 | "The View" (with Metallica) | — | — | — | — | | Lulu |
| "—" denotes singles that did not chart, or singles not released in a particular territory. ||||||||

## Other album appearances
### Studio

| Year | Song(s) | Album | Notes |
| 1983 | "Little Sister" | Get Crazy soundtrack | Original song |
| 1985 | "Hot Hips" | Perfect soundtrack | Original song |
| 1988 | "Something Happened" | Permanent Record soundtrack | Original song |
| 1990 | "One World One Voice" | One World One Voice | A concept album for environmental awareness. Reed and his band perform a track with overdubs from Richard Galliano and Penguin Café Orchestra |
| 1993 | "Tarbelly and Featherfoot" | Sweet Relief: A Benefit for Victoria Williams | Victoria Williams cover |
| 1993 | "Why Can't I Be Good" | Faraway, So Close! soundtrack | Original song |
| 1995 | "You'll Know You Were Loved" | Friends soundtrack | Original song |
| 1997 | "This Magic Moment" | Lost Highway soundtrack | Doc Pomus & Mort Shuman cover |
| 2004 | "Gentle Breeze" | Mary Had a Little Amp | Written and sung by Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson for a charity album |
| 2006 | "Leave Her Johnny" | Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteys | Traditional song |
| 2010 | "Solsbury Hill" | And I'll Scratch Yours | Peter Gabriel cover released as a single in 2010, released on And I'll Scratch Yours in 2013 |
| 2011 | "The Debt I Owe" | Note of Hope - A Celebration of Woody Guthrie | Original song based on Hank Williams' writings |
| 2011 | "Peggy Sue" | Rave On Buddy Holly | Jerry Allison & Norman Petty cover |

### Live and remix

| Year | Song(s) | Album | Type | Notes |
| 1991 | "What's Good" | Until the End of the World soundtrack | Remix | Early mix |
| 1993 | "Foot of Pride" | The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration | Live | Recorded live on October 16, 1992, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. |
| 1996 | "Sweet Jane" | The Concert for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame | Live | Recorded live in 1995 with Soul Asylum |
| 1997 | "September Song" | September Songs – The Music of Kurt Weill | Remix | New version, released on video in 1994 |
| 2001 | "Set the Twilight Reeling" | The Best of Sessions at West 54th | Live | Broadcast in 1998 |
| 2006 | "Perfect Day" and "Vicious" | The Bridge School Collection, Vol.1 | Live | |
| 2006 | "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean" | The Harry Smith Project Live, Vol. 2 | Live | |

### Guest appearances

| Year | Album | Artist | Details |
| 1976 | Wild Angel | Nelson Slater | Backing vocals, piano, producer |
| 1978 | Urban Desire | Genya Ravan | Duet Vocals ("Aye Co'lorado") |
| 1988 | Boom Boom Chi Boom Boom | Tom Tom Club | Backing vocals ("Femme Fatale") |
| 1988 | Nothing But the Truth | Rubén Blades | Guest vocals ("Hopes on Hold", "Letters to the Vatican", "The Calm Before the Storm") |
| 1988 | Duets | Rob Wasserman | Guest vocals ("One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)") |
| 1989 | Yo Frankie | Dion DiMucci | |
| 1989 | Street Fighting Years | Simple Minds | Guest vocals ("This Is Your Land") |
| 1991 | I Spent a Week There the Other Night | Maureen Tucker | Guitar ("Fired Up" and "I'm Not") |
| 1992 | I Still Believe in You | Vince Gill | backing vocals on "Under These Conditions" |
| 1994 | A Date with The Smithereens | The Smithereens | Guest vocals ("Point of No Return", "Long Way Back Again") |
| 1994 | Greetings from the Gutter | David A. Stewart | Guest vocals ("You Talk a Lot") |
| 1994 | Bright Red | Laurie Anderson | Vocals, lyrics ("In Our Sleep") |
| 1998 | Music for Children | John Zorn | Guest vocals ("Cycles Du Nord") |
| 2002 | Hitting the Ground | Gordon Gano | Guest vocals ("Catch 'Em In the Act") |
| 2002 | No Regrets | Jamie Richards | Backing vocals ("Don't Try to Find Me") |
| 2002 | Night Time! | Dan Zanes & Friends | Guest vocals ("What a Wonderful World") |
| 2005 | No Balance Palace | Kashmir | Guest vocals ("Black Building") |
| 2005 | I Am a Bird Now | Antony and the Johnsons | Guest vocals ("Fistful of Love") |
| 2006 | I Will Break Your Fall | Fernando Saunders | Guest vocals, guitar, writer ("Baton Rouge") |
| 2006 | Intersections 1985–2005 | Bruce Hornsby | Guest vocals ("The Mighty Quinn") |
| 2006 | A Portrait of Howard | Howard Tate | Guest vocals ("How Do You Think It Feels") |
| 2007 | Sawdust | The Killers | Guest vocals ("Tranquilize") |
| 2007 | Recitement | Stephen Emmer | Guest vocals ("Passengers") |
| 2008 | The Family Album | Lucibel Crater | Guest vocals ("Threadbare Funeral") |
| 2009 | Duets | The Blind Boys of Alabama | Guest vocals ("Jesus") |
| 2009 | Solid Ground | Sara Wasserman (Rob Wasserman's daughter) | Guest vocals ("Need To Know") |
| 2009 | Havana Winter | Kevin Hearn and Thin Buckle | Guest vocals ("Coma", "In The Shade", "Helicopter in the Sand") |
| 2010 | Plastic Beach | Gorillaz | Guest vocals ("Some Kind of Nature") |
| 2010 | Mayhem | Imelda May | Guest vocals ("Kentish Town Waltz") (non-album track) |
| 2011 | The Road from Memphis | Booker T. Jones | Guest vocals ("The Bronx") |
| 2012 | Synthetica | Metric | Guest vocals ("The Wanderlust") |

## Videography
### Video albums

| Year | Video details |
| 1990 | Songs for Drella Distributor: Warner Reprise Video Format: VHS/laserdisc |
| 1991 | A Night with Lou Reed Distributor: Image Entertainment Format: VHS |
| 1992 | Magic and Loss Live in Concert Distributor: Sire Records Format: VHS |
| 1992 | Coney Island Baby: Live in Jersey Distributor: Lionsgate Home Entertainment Format: VHS |
| 2005 | Lou Reed: Spanish Fly Distributor: Sanctuary Records Group Format: DVD |
| 2008 | Berlin: Live at St. Ann's Warehouse Distributor: Third Rail Releasing Format: Theatrical, DVD |

### Music videos

| Year | Title | Director(s) |
| 1982 | "Women" | |
| 1983 | "Legendary Hearts" | |
| 1983 | "Don't Talk to Me About Work" | |
| 1984 | "I Love You, Suzanne" | |
| 1984 | "My Red Joystick" | |
| 1986 | "The Original Wrapper" | Zbigniew Rybczyński |
| 1986 | "No Money Down" | Godley & Creme |
| 1989 | "Busload of Faith" | |
| 1990 | "Work" (with John Cale) | |
| 1992 | "What's Good" | Matt Mahurin |
| 1996 | "Hooky Wooky" | Matt Mahurin |
| 2000 | "Ecstasy" | Michele Civetta |
| 2000 | "Modern Dance" | Stefan Sagmeister |
| 2003 | "NYC Man" | |
| 2007 | "Tranquilize" (with The Killers) | Anthony Mandler |
| 2011 | "The View" (with Metallica) | Darren Aronofsky |