Jay-Z albums discography

This article is about the albums released by Jay-Z. For songs recorded by Jay-Z, see Jay-Z singles discography. For videos recorded by Jay-Z, see Jay-Z videography.
Jay-Z discography
Jay-Z performing in July 2008
Studio albums13
Soundtrack albums1
Live albums2
Compilation albums1
Collaborative albums5
Mixtapes1

American rapper Jay-Z has released thirteen solo studio albums, four collaboration albums, one live album, one compilation album, one soundtrack album, two extended plays, one hundred and fifteen singles (including forty-five as a featured artist), nine promotional singles and eighty-two music videos. As of December 2014, Jay-Z has sold 29,179,000 studio albums in the United States.[1]

Jay-Z began his music career in the 1980s, building a reputation as a fledgling rapper in his hometown of Brooklyn and collaborating with his mentor and fellow rapper Jaz-O.[2] Jay-Z later founded Roc-A-Fella Records with close friends Damon Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke and released his debut studio album Reasonable Doubt in June 1996.[2] The album peaked at number twenty-three on the United States Billboard 200 record chart and has since been recognized as a seminal work of the hip hop genre.[3][4] Its singles included "Dead Presidents", "Ain't No Nigga" and "Can't Knock the Hustle", all of which reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart.[5] In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 (1997), which saw Jay-Z collaborating with producers such as Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs and Teddy Riley,[6] peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and earned a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[3][7] Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life was released in September 1998 and became his first number-one album in the United States.[8] The album featured the international hits "Can I Get A..." and "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)", which both reached top twenty of the Billboard Hot 100.[8] Vol. 2 was certified five times platinum by the RIAA and won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album in 1999.[9] Two more chart-topping albums – Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter and The Dynasty: Roc La Familia – followed in December 1999 and October 2000 respectively. The albums included hit singles such as "Big Pimpin'" and "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)" and featured several guest appearances from artists signed to Roc-A-Fella Records.[2]

Jay-Z's fourth studio album The Blueprint, released in September 2001, topped the Billboard 200 and produced Jay-Z's first Billboard Hot 100 top ten single, "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)".[3][8] The Blueprint is critically reviewed as his best album. The Best of Both Worlds, a collaboration with American R&B singer R. Kelly, and The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse were both released the following year. The latter album peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 and featured the top ten singles "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" and "Excuse Me Miss".[3][8] The Black Album, released in November 2003, was intended by Jay-Z to be his final studio album and features his impending retirement as a recurring theme.[2][10] The album performed well commercially and was later certified 3x Multi-Platinum by the RIAA.[7]

Following a period of dormancy, Jay-Z became president of Def Jam Recordings in December 2004 and resumed his rap career two years later with the release of Kingdom Come, which peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 and was certified 2x Multi-Platinum by the RIAA.[3][7][11] The concept album American Gangster followed in 2007 and continued his streak of number-one albums in the United States.[3] With the release of The Blueprint 3 in September 2009, Jay-Z surpassed Elvis Presley as the solo artist with the most number-one albums on the Billboard 200.[12] The album included the international hits "Run This Town", "Empire State of Mind" and "Young Forever".[8] Watch the Throne, a collaborative album with American rapper Kanye West, followed in August 2011 and became Jay-Z's eleventh number-one album in the United States.[8] His album Magna Carta Holy Grail was released in July 2013 to great commercial success, topping the Billboard 200 and having the second-biggest sales week for 2013 at the time of its release.[13]

Studio albums

[edit]
List of studio albums, with selected chart positions, sales figures and certifications
Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales Certifications
US
[3] 		US
R&B
[14] 		CAN
[15] 		FRA
[16] 		GER
[17] 		NLD
[18] 		NOR
[19] 		SWE
[20] 		SWI
[21] 		UK
[22]
Reasonable Doubt 23 3 — — — — — — — 140
In My Lifetime, Vol. 1
  • Released: November 4, 1997 (US)[26]
  • Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
  • Formats: CD, LP, cassette, digital download
 3 2 36 — — — — — — 78
Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life
  • Released: September 29, 1998 (US)[27]
  • Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
  • Formats: CD, LP, cassette, digital download
 1 1 13 — 76 — — 34 49 109
Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter
  • Released: December 28, 1999 (US)[29]
  • Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
  • Formats: CD, LP, cassette, digital download
 1 1 8 — — — — — 75 155
The Dynasty: Roc La Familia
  • Released: October 31, 2000 (US)[30]
  • Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
  • Formats: CD, LP, cassette, digital download
 1 1 5 — 98 — — — 89 86
  • RIAA: 2× Platinum[7]
  • BPI: Silver[25]
The Blueprint
  • Released: September 11, 2001 (US)[31]
  • Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
  • Formats: CD, LP, cassette, digital download
 1 1 3 73 55 51 36 30 59 30
The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse
  • Released: November 12, 2002 (US)[33]
  • Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
  • Formats: CD, LP, cassette, digital download
 1 1 8 79 61 66 — — 52 23
  • RIAA: 3× Platinum[7]
  • BPI: Gold[25]
  • MC: 2× Platinum[28]
The Black Album
  • Released: November 14, 2003 (US)[34]
  • Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
 1 1 12 66 47 66 18 41 29 34
  • RIAA: 4× Platinum[7]
  • BPI: Platinum[25]
  • MC: Platinum[28]
Kingdom Come
  • Released: November 21, 2006 (US)[35]
  • Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
 1 1 6 79 76 71 — 45 17 35
American Gangster
  • Released: November 6, 2007 (US)[36]
  • Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
 1 1 3 58 99 64 29 — 17 30
The Blueprint 3 1 1 1 20 22 12 15 44 12 4
Magna Carta... Holy Grail
  • Released: July 9, 2013 (various)[A]
  • Label: Roc Nation, Roc-A-Fella
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
 1 1 1 12 9 7 2 8 1 1
4:44
  • Released: June 30, 2017
  • Label: Roc Nation
  • Format: CD, cassette, digital download
 1 1 1 43 15 11 11 16 5 3
  • RIAA: 2× Platinum[7]
  • BPI: Silver[25]

Collaborative albums

[edit]
List of collaborative albums, with selected chart positions, sales figures and certifications
Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales Certifications
US
[3] 		US
R&B
[14] 		CAN
[15] 		FRA
[16] 		GER
[17] 		NLD
[18] 		NOR
[19] 		SWE
[20] 		SWI
[21] 		UK
[22]
The Best of Both Worlds
(with R. Kelly)
  • Released: March 19, 2002 (US)[44]
  • Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam, Jive
  • Formats: CD, LP, cassette
 2 1 19 20 22 12 — 42 18 37
  • RIAA: Platinum[7]
Unfinished Business
(with R. Kelly)
  • Released: October 26, 2004 (US)[45]
  • Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam, Jive
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
 1 1 — 68 77 60 — — 65 61
  • RIAA: Platinum[7]
Collision Course
(with Linkin Park)
  • Released: November 30, 2004 (US)[46]
  • Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam, Machine Shop, Warner
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
 1 3 6 20 5 9 1 9 2 15
Watch the Throne
(with Kanye West)
  • Released: August 8, 2011 (US)[50]
  • Label: Roc Nation, Roc-A-Fella
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
 1 1 1 10 2 3 1 27 1 3
  • RIAA: 5× Platinum[7]
  • ARIA: Platinum[53]
  • BPI: Platinum[25]
  • MC: Platinum[28]
Everything Is Love
(with Beyoncé as The Carters)
  • Released: June 16, 2018 (US)[54]
  • Label: Roc Nation, Parkwood
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 2
[55]		 1 4
[56]		 44 23 4 11
[57]		 14
[58]		 5 5

Compilation albums

[edit]
List of compilation albums, with selected chart positions and certifications
Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
US
[3] 		US
R&B
[14] 		AUS
[59] 		GER
[17] 		NOR
[19] 		SWI
[21] 		UK
[22]
The Hits Collection, Volume One
  • Released: November 22, 2010 (US)[60]
  • Label: Roc Nation, Def Jam
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
 43 11 83 89 16 98 20

Soundtrack albums

[edit]
List of soundtrack album, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
[3] 		US
R&B
[14]
Streets Is Watching
  • Released: May 5, 1998 (US)[61]
  • Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
 27 3

Live albums

[edit]
List of live albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
US
[3] 		US
R&B
[14] 		UK
[22]
Jay-Z: Unplugged
  • Released: December 18, 2001 (US)[62]
  • Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download
 31 8 153
Live in Brooklyn
  • Released: October 9, 2012 (US)[63]
  • Label: Roc Nation, Def Jam
  • Formats: Digital download
 35 6 —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Mixtapes

[edit]
List of mixtape albums
Title Album details
S. Carter Collection
  • Released: April 18, 2003 (US)[64]
  • Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
  • Formats: Digital download
S. Carter: The Re-Mix
  • Released: 2004
  • Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam, Reebok
  • Formats: CD

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Magna Carta Holy Grail was released on July 4, 2013 worldwide to Samsung mobile users through a special mobile app.[41]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Paul Grein (June 5, 2014). "Chart Watch: 50 Cent's Sales Slide". Yahoo Chart Watch.
  2. ^ a b c d Birchmeier, Jason. "Jay Z". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Jay-Z – Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  4. ^ Lewis, Miles (November 27, 2006). "Hova's Slight Return". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on October 7, 2008. Retrieved February 9, 2008.
  5. ^ Peak chart positions for singles on the Hot Rap Songs chart in the United States:
  6. ^ Baker, Soren (December 26, 1997). "Review: In My Lifetime, Vol. 1". Chicago Tribune. p. 29. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v "American certifications – Jay-Z". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Peak chart positions for singles in the United States:
  9. ^ "Lauryn Hill, Shania Twain, and Sheryl Crow win the most nods". Entertainment Weekly. January 5, 1999. Archived from the original on December 13, 2014. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
  10. ^ Touré (November 19, 2003). "Jay-Z: The Black Album". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on April 1, 2009. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
  11. ^ Hall, Rashaun (December 8, 2004). "Jay-Z, Dame Dash Sell Roc-A-Fella Records; Jay Named Def Jam Prez". MTV. Viacom Media Networks. Archived from the original on March 21, 2013. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
  12. ^ "Jay-Z breaks Elvis album record". BBC News. September 16, 2009. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  13. ^ Caulfield, Keith (August 21, 2013). "Luke Bryan Nets No. 1 Album, Katy Perry's 'Roar' Tops Digital Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  14. ^ a b c d e "Jay-Z – Chart History: R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  15. ^ a b Peak chart positions for albums in Canada:
  16. ^ a b "Discographie Jay-Z". lescharts.com (in French). Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  17. ^ a b c "Chartverfolgung / Jay-Z / Longplay". musicline.de (in German). Media Control Charts. Archived from the original on August 14, 2017. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  18. ^ a b "Discografie Jay-Z". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  19. ^ a b c "Discography Jay-Z". norwegiancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  20. ^ a b "Discography Jay-Z". swedishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  21. ^ a b c "Discographie Jay-Z" (select "Charts" tab). swisscharts.com (in Swiss German). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  22. ^ a b c d Peak chart positions for albums in the United Kingdom:
  23. ^ "Reasonable Doubt by JAY Z". iTunes Store. Apple. 25 June 1996. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Trust, Gary (August 7, 2009). "Ask Billboard: Steve Vai, Jay-Z, Radiohead". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2018-02-14.
  25. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "British album certifications – Jay-Z". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved June 12, 2023. Select albums in the Format field. Type Jay-Z in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  26. ^ "In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 by JAY Z". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  27. ^ "Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life by JAY Z". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  28. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Canadian certifications – Jay-Z". Music Canada. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  29. ^ "Vol. 3: Life and Times of S. Carter by JAY Z". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  30. ^ "The Dynasty – Roc La Familia 2000 by JAY Z". iTunes Store. Apple. January 2000. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  31. ^ "The Blueprint by JAY Z". iTunes Store. Apple. 11 September 2001. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  32. ^ "Albums turning 20 years old in 2021". Official Charts. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  33. ^ "The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse by JAY Z". iTunes Store. Apple. 12 November 2002. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  34. ^ "The Black Album by JAY Z". iTunes Store. Apple. January 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  35. ^ "Kingdom Come by JAY Z". iTunes Store. Apple. January 2006. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  36. ^ "American Gangster by JAY Z". iTunes Store. Apple. 6 November 2007. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  37. ^ "The Blueprint 3 by JAY Z". iTunes Store. Apple. January 2009. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  38. ^ Allah, Sha Be (2021-09-08). "The Source |Today In Hip Hop History: Jay-Z Released His 11th LP 'The Blueprint 3' 11 Years Ago". The Source. Retrieved 2021-09-26.
  39. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2010 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
  40. ^ "Certifications Albums Or – année 2010". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Archived from the original on October 1, 2013. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  41. ^ Ramirez, Erika (June 16, 2013). "Jay-Z Announces New Album, 'Magna Carta Holy Grail,' In Samsung Commercial". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
  42. ^ Tardio, Andres (2014-02-26). "Hip Hop Album Sales: Week Ending 2/23/2014". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on 2015-04-27. Retrieved 2016-07-15.
  43. ^ "TOP 50 SELLERS OF 2017". Hitsdailydouble.com. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  44. ^ "The Best of Both Worlds by JAY Z & R. Kelly". iTunes Store. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  45. ^ "Unfinished Business by JAY Z & R Kelly". iTunes Store. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  46. ^ "Collision Course by JAY Z & Linkin Park". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  47. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2004 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  48. ^ "Gold–/Platin-Datenbank (Jay-Z)" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  49. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community (Certifications: Jay-Z)". swisscharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  50. ^ "Watch the Throne by JAY Z & Kanye West". iTunes Store. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  51. ^ Jacobs, Allen (May 23, 2012). "Hip Hop Album Sales: Week Ending 5/20/2012". HipHopDX. Cheri Media Group. Archived from the original on November 5, 2014. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
  52. ^ Alexis, Nadeska (November 8, 2011). "Jay-Z And Kanye West Receive Platinum Plaques For 'Watch The Throne'". MTV. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved February 21, 2013.
  53. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2016 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  54. ^ "Try the TIDAL Web Player". listen.tidal.com. Retrieved 2018-06-16.
  55. ^ a b Caulfield, Keith (June 24, 2018). "5 Seconds of Summer Earn Third No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With 'Youngblood'". Billboard. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  56. ^ "Xxxtentacion's Death Spurs Surge In Album Catalogue". FYIMusicNews. June 24, 2018. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  57. ^ "VG-lista – Topp 40 Album uke 25, 2018". VG-lista. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  58. ^ "Sverigetopplistan – Sveriges Officiella Topplista". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved June 22, 2018. Click on "Veckans albumlista".
  59. ^ "The ARIA Report: Issue 1088 (Week Commencing 3 January 2011)" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-01-20. Retrieved June 9, 2012.
  60. ^ "The Hits Collection, Vol. One by JAY Z". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  61. ^ "Streets Is Watching – Original Soundtrack". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  62. ^ "MTV Unplugged: Jay-Z (Live) by JAY Z". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  63. ^ "Live In Brooklyn by JAY Z". iTunes Store. Apple. Archived from the original on July 1, 2013. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  64. ^ "S. Carter Collection (15th Anniversary)". Tidal. 19 April 2003. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
[edit]
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