# Girlschool discography

The discography of Girlschool, a British all-female heavy metal band, spans over 30 years of a career and consists of thirteen studio albums, six EPs and a large number of compilations. The band was formed in 1978 by Kim McAuliffe, Enid Williams, Kelly Johnson and Denise Dufort. Their first release was the single "Take It All Away" for the small British rock/punk label City Records (November 1979). The song did not chart, but came to the ear of Lemmy Kilmister and of Motörhead manager Doug Smith, who made Girlschool the supporting band on the Overkill tour and managed to get them a contract with the wealthy label Bronze Records.
During the explosion of the new wave of British heavy metal phenomenon, Girlschool released for Bronze four studio albums and many singles, which entered the British charts. Their greatest success came with the split EP St. Valentine's Day Massacre, recorded with Motörhead, which reached number five on the UK Single Chart. The band's following album Hit and Run peaked at number five on the UK Album Chart.
The band success in the United Kingdom rapidly declined in the following years, with the consequence of Girlschool signing for the US label PolyGram in 1985. As a five-piece group they released the album Running Wild, only for the American market, without any charting success. Alone among the band's studio albums, Running Wild would not be reissued in any format until its 2014 CD release. The band signed a new contract with the British label GWR in 1986 and released other two studio albums, before going into quiescence.
In 1989, Castle Communications, a company specialized in cheap reissues of old recordings, obtained the rights for Girlschool’s back catalogue from the bankrupt Bronze Records and later from GWR. During the 1990s, Castle licensed the songs to various labels specialized in mid-priced editions, reissuing also the band studio albums on economic double album compilations on CD. When Castle was acquired by Sanctuary Records in 2000, the rights of the songs changed hands again. In 2004, the new label released re-mastered editions full of bonus tracks of Girlschool's first four studio albums. The Sanctuary Records Group, which was absorbed by Universal Music Group in 2007 but was later divested by the latter through a sale in 2012, now owns the rights to Girlschool's old material, while Warner Music Group handles all global distribution and sales. Universal owns the rights to Running Wild, the band's only Mercury album released exclusively in the United States. The American rights to their other albums originally issued by Mercury were transferred to Warner Music's Alternative Distribution Alliance.
The band continued their recording career with four self-produced albums distributed by British indie label Communiqué, which received good reviews but no significant sale results. Their eleventh album Legacy was instead released by Wacken Records in 2008 and distributed by SPV/Steamhammer, followed by two more albums in 2011 and 2015 for WMG's German label UDR.
Girlschool's songs appear also on many heavy metal compilations published all over the world, often associated with other notable bands of the NWOBHM, such as Motörhead, Tygers of Pan Tang, Saxon, Angel Witch and Tank.

## Albums
### Studio albums

| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales thresholds) |
| Year | Album details | UK | CAN | NZ | US | Certifications (sales thresholds) |
| 1980 | Demolition Released: 30 June 1980 Label: Bronze (BRON 525) Format: LP, CS, CD | 28 | — | — | — | |
| 1981 | Hit and Run Released: 20 April 1981 Label: Bronze (BRON 534) Format: LP, CS, CD | 5 | 50 | 49 | 182* | CAN: Gold |
| 1982 | Screaming Blue Murder Released: 7 June 1982 Label: Bronze (BRON 541) Format: LP, CS, CD | 27 | 84 | — | 207 | |
| 1983 | Play Dirty Released: 8 November 1983 Label: Bronze (BRON 548) Format: LP, CS, CD | 66 | — | — | 207 | |
| 1985 | Running Wild Released: 1 February 1985 Label: Mercury (422-824611-1) Format: LP, CS | — | — | — | — | |
| 1986 | Nightmare at Maple Cross Released: May 1986 Label: GWR (GWLP 2) Format: LP, CS, CD | — | — | — | — | |
| 1988 | Take a Bite Released: 3 October 1988 Label: GWR (GWLP 21) Format: LP, CS, CD | — | — | — | — | |
| 1992 | Girlschool Released: November 1992 Label: Communiqué (CMG CD006) Format: CD | — | — | — | — | |
| 2002 | 21st Anniversary: Not That Innocent Released: 14 January 2002 Label: Communiqué (CMG CD024) Format: CD | — | — | — | — | |
| 2004 | Believe** Released: 26 July 2004 Label: Communiqué (CMG CD027) Format: CD | — | — | — | — | |
| 2008 | Legacy Released: 24 October 2008 Label: Wacken Records - SPV/Steamhammer (SPV92732 CD) Format: CD | — | — | — | — | |
| 2011 | Hit and Run – Revisited Released: 26 September 2011 Label: Wacken Records - UDR (UDR 0051) Format: LP, CD | — | — | — | — | |
| 2015 | Guilty as Sin Released: 13 November 2015 Label: UDR (UDR 056P01) Format: LP, CD | — | — | — | — | |
| 2023 | WTFortyfive? Released: 28 July 2023 Label: Silver Lining Music (SLM050P42) Format: LP, CD | — | — | — | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that country. |||||||
| * the album was a compilation of songs from Demolition and Hit and Run |||||||
| ** the album was also re-issued by the band themselves in combination with the DVD Around the World |||||||

### Live albums

| Year | Album details |
| 1995 | Girlschool Live Released: 1 November 1995 Label: Communiqué (CMG CD013) Format: CD |
| 1997 | King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents Girlschool Released: 17 June 1997 Label: King Biscuit Flower Hour (70710-88032-2) Format: CD |
| 1998 | Race with the Devil Live Released: 24 April 1998 Label: Receiver (RRCD 254) Format: CD |
| 2002 | Race with the Devil Released: 6 June 2002 Label: Disky (SI 794122) Format: CD |

### Compilation albums

| Year | Album details |
| 1986 | Race with the Devil Released: 1986 Label: Raw Power / Castle Communications (RAW LP013) Format: double LP |
| 1989 | Cheers You Lot! Released: 1989 Label: Razor Records (METALPM 127) Format: LP, CS, CD |
| 1991 | C'mon Let's Go Released: September 1991 Label: Castle - Marble Arch (CMA CD 149) Format: CS, CD |
| 1991 | The Collection Released: 1991 Label: Castle (CCSCD 314) Format: LP, CD |
| 1993 | The Best of Girlschool Released: 1993 Label: Castle - Dojo (DOJO CD 103) Format: CD |
| 1994 | From the Vaults Released: 1994 Label: Castle - Sequel (NEM CD 642) Format: CD |
| 1997 | Emergency Released: 1997 Label: Snapper (SMD CD 126) Format: CD |
| 1998 | The Collection (2CD) Released: 1998 Label: Renaissance - Castle (CCSCD 830) Format: CD |
| 1999 | Can't Keep a Good Girl Down Released: 18 November 1999 Label: Delta Music (47 005) Format: CD |
| 2002 | The Very Best of Girlschool Released: 2002 Label: Castle - Sanctuary (NEM CD 642) Format: CD |
| 2003 | Wild at Heart Released: 2003 Label: Pickwick (781022) Format: CD |
| 2007 | The Singles (2CD) Released: 2007 Label: Lemon Recordings - Cherry Red (CD LEM DD101) Format: CD |
| 2012 | Private Lessons (2CD) Released: 2012 Label: Southworld Recordings Format: CD |
| 2013 | The Bronze Years (4CD) Released: 2013 Label: Lemon Recordings (CD LEMBOX 210) Format: CD |

### Split albums

| Year | Album | Other artist | Songs |
| 1998 | British Steel: Heavyweights of Metal Live & Loud Label: Music Collection International | Angel Witch, Samson, Tank | "C'mon Let's Go", "Emergency", "Take It All Away" |
| 2003 | The Second Wave: 25 Years of NWOBHM Label: Communiqué | Oliver/Dawson Saxon, Tygers of Pan Tang | "Passion", "Mad Mad Sister", Coming Your Way", "Believe", "Innocent" |

## Extended plays

| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales thresholds) | Notes |
| Year | Album details | UK | Certifications (sales thresholds) | Notes |
| 1981 | St. Valentine's Day Massacre Released: 1 February 1981 Label: Bronze | 5 | UK: Silver | a collaboration between Motörhead and Girlschool. |
| 1981 | Hard Rock on 12 Inch / Stay Clean Released: 1981 Label: Bronze | — | | split EP by Motörhead and Girlschool, containing the songs "Please Don't Touch" and "Demolition Boys" (live) |
| 1982 | Live and More Released: January 1982 Label: Victor | — | | released only in Japan before the 1982 tour |
| 1982 | Wildlife Released: 29 March 1982 Label: Bronze | 58 | | |
| 1983 | 1-2-3-4 Rock and Roll Released: August 1983 Label: Bronze | — | | released also as a 7 inch single, with an edited version of "1-2-3-4 Rock and Roll". |
| 2015 | Propaganda! Released: 2015 Label: UDR/Morriello Music | — | | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that country. |||||

## Singles

| Year | Titles | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Album |
| Year | Titles | UK | AUS | Album |
| 1979 | "Take It All Away / It Could Be Better" | — | — | Non-album track |
| 1980 | "Emergency / Furniture Fire" | — | — | Demolition |
| 1980 | "Nothing to Lose / Baby Doll" | — | — | Demolition |
| 1980 | "Race with the Devil / Take It All Away" | 49 | — | Demolition |
| 1980 | "Yeah Right / The Hunter" | — | — | Hit and Run |
| 1981 | "Hit and Run / Tonight" | 32 | — | Hit and Run |
| 1981 | "C'mon Let's Go / Tonight (live)" | 42 | — | Hit and Run |
| 1982 | "Don't Call It Love / Wildlife" | — | — | Screaming Blue Murder |
| 1983 | "20th Century Boy / Breaking All the Rules" | — | — | Play Dirty |
| 1984 | "Burning in the Heat / Surrender" | — | — | Play Dirty |
| 1986 | "I'm the Leader of the Gang (I Am) with Gary Glitter / Never Too Late" | — | 12 | Nightmare at Maple Cross |
| 1987 | "All Day All Night / Play with Fire" | — | — | Nightmare at Maple Cross |
| 1988 | "Head over Heels" (US only promo single) | — | — | Take a Bite |
| 1988 | "Fox on the Run" (US only promo single) | — | — | Take a Bite |
| "—" denotes singles that did not chart, have not charted yet, or were not released. |||||

## Other appearances

| Year | Song | Album | Comments |
| 1986 | "Nowhere to Run" | Reform School Girls soundtrack | Rhino Records RNLP 70310 |
| 1989 | "I'm the Leader of the Gang (I Am)" (live) | Gary Glitter's Gangshow: The Gang, the Band, the Leader | Recorded during the 1989 tour in support of Gary Glitter. |
| 1994 | "Twas the Night Before Christmas" | X-Mas: The Metal Way | Metal version of a Christmas classic. |
| 2008 | "Auld Lang Syne" | We Wish You a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year deluxe edition | Metal version of a Christmas classic previously released for download on Eagle Rock Entertainment website. |
| 2008 | "Metropolis" | Sheep in Wolves' Clothing: A Tribute to Motorhead | Motörhead cover recorded with Eddie Clarke for Motörhead fan club tribute album, which preceded its release on Legacy by a few months |

## Video albums

| Year | Video details | Notes |
| 1985 | Play Dirty Live Released: 1985 Label: Castle (CMV 1017) Format: VHS | The show was filmed in London on 7 December 1984, before the US-only release of the album Running Wild. It was directed by Marc Over and released in the USA by PolyGram Videos. |
| 2005 | Live from London Released: 2005 Label: Iguana Project (B0009U5DGW) Format: DVD | This is a re-release in DVD of Play Dirty Live by the British label Iguana Project, specialized in new editions on DVD of old material. The DVD has the same content of the VHS, with the addition of a presentation of the musicians. |
| 2005 | Around the World Released: 2005 Label: self-released Format: DVD | Self-released DVD, containing live footage from tours in the 2000s, interviews and photos. It was sold through the Girlschool Official website combined with the album Believe. |

## Music videos

| Year | Song | Director |
| 1980 | "Race with the Devil" | ??? |
| 1980 | "Emergency" | ??? |
| 1980 | "Yeah Right" | ??? |
| 1982 | "Don't Call It Love" | ??? |
| 1982 | "Tush" | ??? |
| 1983 | "20th Century Boy" | Sebastian Harris |
| 1983 | "Play Dirty" | Sebastian Harris |
| 1985 | "Running Wild" | ??? |
| 1986 | "I'm the Leader of the Gang (I Am)" | ??? |
| 1988 | "Fox on the Run" | Jean Pellerin |
| 2004 | "Come On Up" | ??? |
| 2005 | "Emergency" | ??? |
| 2023 | "Are You Ready?" | ??? |