| Releases | ||
|---|---|---|
| ↙Studio albums | 43 | |
| ↙Live albums | 4 | |
| ↙Compilation albums | 15 | |
| ↙Singles | 109 | |
| ↙Soundtracks | 3 | |
This article presents the discography of Motown singing group The Temptations. It is a complete listing of all their singles and albums. Thirty-seven of their singles reached the Billboard Top 40 in the US, with four of them reaching #1. On the R&B singles chart, the group scored a record 71 Top 40 singles, with 14 of those reaching #1.
Contents |
All Temptations albums until 1977 were on the Gordy label except for the four Supremes/Temptations collaborative albums, which were released on Motown.
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
UK | ||
| 1964 | Meet the Temptations | 95 | — | — |
| 1965 | The Temptations Sing Smokey | 35 | 1 | — |
| The Temptin' Temptations | 11 | 1 | — | |
| 1966 | Gettin' Ready | 12 | 1 | 40 |
| 1967 | The Temptations with a Lot o' Soul | 7 | 1 | 19 |
| The Temptations in a Mellow Mood | 13 | 1 | — | |
| 1968 | The Temptations Wish It Would Rain | 13 | 1 | — |
| Diana Ross & the Supremes Join The Temptations (with Diana Ross & The Supremes) | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
| 1969 | Cloud Nine | 4 | 1 | 32 |
| Together (with Diana Ross & The Supremes) | 28 | 6 | 28 | |
| Puzzle People | 5 | 1 | 20 | |
| 1970 | Psychedelic Shack | 9 | 1 | — |
| The Temptations Christmas Card | 4 * | — | — | |
| 1971 | Sky's the Limit | 16 | 2 | — |
| 1972 | Solid Rock | 24 | 1 | 34 |
| All Directions | 2 | 1 | 19 | |
| 1973 | Masterpiece | 7 | 1 | 28 |
| 1990 | 19 | 2 | — | |
| 1975 | A Song for You | 13 | 1 | — |
| House Party | 40 | 11 | — | |
| Wings of Love | 29 | 3 | — | |
| 1976 | The Temptations Do the Temptations | 53 | 10 | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart "*" "Christmas Card"'s peak position regards the Top Christmas Albums Chart. |
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The following two albums were released by Atlantic Records.
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
||||
| 1977 | Hear to Tempt You | 113 | 38 | ||
| 1978 | Bare Back | — | 46 | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||
The Temptations return to Motown and the Gordy label.
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
|||
| 1980 | Power | 45 | 13 | |
| Give Love at Christmas | 6 * | — | ||
| 1981 | The Temptations | 119 | 36 | |
| 1982 | Reunion | 37 | 2 | |
| 1983 | Surface Thrills | 159 | 19 | |
| Back to Basics | 152 | 30 | ||
| 1984 | Truly for You | 55 | 3 | |
| 1985 | Touch Me | 146 | 20 | |
| 1986 | To Be Continued | 74 | 4 | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart "*" "Give Love at Christmas" charted only on the Top Christmas Albums catalog. |
||||
The Gordy label is absorbed into the main Motown label.
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
||||
| 1987 | Together Again | 112 | 12 | ||
| 1989 | Special | — | 25 | ||
| 1991 | Milestone | — | 88 | ||
| 1995 | For Lovers Only | — | 43 | ||
| 1998 | Phoenix Rising | 44 | 8 | ||
| 2000 | Ear-Resistible | 54 | 16 | ||
| 2001 | Awesome | 140 | 27 | ||
| 2004 | Legacy | 163 | 18 | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
||||
| 2006 | Reflections | 80 | 14 | ||
| 2007 | Back to Front | 108 | 19 | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
||||
| 2010 | Still Here | - | 49 | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
UK | ||
| 1967 | Temptations Live! | 10 | 1 | 20 |
| 1968 | Live at the Copa | 15 | 2 | — |
| 1970 | Live at London's Talk of the Town | 21 | 5 | — |
| 1973 | The Temptations in Japan | — | — | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
UK | ||
| 1966 | Greatest Hits | 5 | 1 | 17 |
| 1970 | Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 | 15 | 2 | 28 |
| 1973 | Anthology (version #1) | 65 | 5 | — |
| 1986 | Anthology (version #2) | — | — | — |
| The Temptations 25th Anniversary | 140 | 55 | — | |
| 1992 | Motown's Greatest Hits | — | — | 8 |
| 1994 | Emperors of Soul | — | — | — |
| 1995 | Anthology (version #3) | — | — | — |
| 1997 | The Ultimate Collection | 137 | 60 | — |
| 1999 | Lost and Found: You've Got to Earn It (1962–1968) | — | — | — |
| 2000 | 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Temptations, Vol. 1 - the 1960s | — | — | — |
| 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Temptations, Vol. 2 - the 1970s, 80s, and 90s | — | — | — | |
| 2001 | The Temptations at Their Very Best | — | — | 28 |
| 2002 | My Girl: The Very Best of the Temptations (re-released in 2005 as The Temptations: Gold) | 167 | — | — |
| 2003 | Psychedelic Soul | — | — | — |
| 2008 | Classic Soul Hits | — | — | 8 |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
UK | ||
| 1968 | TCB (with Diana Ross & The Supremes) | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| 1969 | The Temptations Show | 24 | 2 | — |
| On Broadway (with Diana Ross & The Supremes) | 38 | 4 | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
The following singles were released on Motown's Gordy label except for the following: "Oh Mother of Mine" and "Check Yourself" were released on Miracle, "Mind Over Matter (I'm Gonna Make You Mine)" was released on Mel-o-dy, and the three American-issued Supremes/Temptations duets were released on Motown. "I Second That Emotion" was released only in the United Kingdom on Tamla-Motown. Lead vocalists are identified for each of the following singles.
| Year | Song title | Lead vocal | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
UK | |||
| 1961 | "Oh Mother of Mine" | Paul Williams and Eddie Kendricks | — | — | — |
| "Check Yourself" | Paul Williams, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin | — | — | — | |
| 1962 | "Dream Come True" | Eddie Kendricks | — | 22 | — |
| "Mind Over Matter (I'm Gonna Make You Mine)" (credited as The Pirates) |
Eddie Kendricks | — | — | — | |
| "Paradise" | Eddie Kendricks and Melvin Franklin | 122 | — | — | |
| 1963 | "I Want A Love I Can See" | Paul Williams | — | — | — |
| "Farewell My Love" | Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin, and Eddie Kendricks | — | — | — | |
| 1964 | "The Way You Do the Things You Do" | Eddie Kendricks | 11 | 1* | — |
| "I'll Be in Trouble" / | Eddie Kendricks and Melvin Franklin | 33 | 22* | — | |
| "The Girl's Alright with Me" (B-side of "I'll Be In Trouble" ) |
Eddie Kendricks | 102 | 39* | — | |
| "Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)" | Eddie Kendricks | 26 | 11* | — | |
| "My Girl" | David Ruffin | 1 | 1 | 43 | |
| 1965 | "It's Growing" (additional background vocals by The Andantes) |
David Ruffin | 18 | 3 | 45 |
| "Since I Lost My Baby" / | David Ruffin and Melvin Franklin | 17 | 4 | — | |
| "You've Got to Earn It" (B-side of "Since I Lost My Baby") |
Eddie Kendricks | 123 | 22 | — | |
| "My Baby" / | David Ruffin | 13 | 4 | — | |
| "Don’t Look Back" (B-side of "My Baby") |
Paul Williams | 83 | 15 | — | |
| 1966 | "Get Ready" | Eddie Kendricks and Melvin Franklin | 29 | 1 | 10 |
| "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" | David Ruffin | 13 | 1 | 21 | |
| "Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" | David Ruffin | 3 | 1 | 18 | |
| "(I Know) I'm Losing You" | David Ruffin | 8 | 1 | 19 | |
| 1967 | "All I Need" | David Ruffin | 8 | 2 | — |
| "You're My Everything" / | Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin | 6 | 3 | 26 | |
| "I've Been Good To You"" (B-side of "You're My Everything") |
Eddie Kendricks and Melvin Franklin | 124 | — | — | |
| "(Loneliness Made Me Realize) It's You That I Need" | David Ruffin, Paul Williams, Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin and Eddie Kendricks | 14 | 3 | — | |
| 1968 | "I Wish It Would Rain" / | David Ruffin | 4 | 1 | 45 |
| "I Truly, Truly Believe" (B-side of "I Wish It Would Rain") |
Melvin Franklin | 116 | 41 | — | |
| "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)" | David Ruffin | 13 | 1 | 47 | |
| "Please Return Your Love To Me" | Eddie Kendricks | 26 | 4 | — | |
| "Cloud Nine" | Dennis Edwards, Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin |
6 | 2 | 15 | |
| "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" / | Eddie Kendricks, Melvin Franklin, Dennis Edwards, Paul Williams and Otis Williams |
— | — | — | |
| "Silent Night" (B-side of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer") |
Eddie Kendricks | — | — | — | |
| 1969 | "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" (Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations) |
Diana Ross and Eddie Kendricks (Spoken interlude by Otis Williams) |
2 | 2 | 3 |
| "Runaway Child, Running Wild" | Dennis Edwards, Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin |
6 | 1 | — | |
| "I'll Try Something New" (Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations) |
Diana Ross, Eddie Kendricks, and Melvin Franklin | 25 | 8 | — | |
| "Don't Let The Joneses Get You Down" | Dennis Edwards, Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin |
20 | 2 | — | |
| "I Second That Emotion" (Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations) |
Diana Ross and Eddie Kendricks | — | — | 18 | |
| "I Can't Get Next to You" | Dennis Edwards, Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin |
1 | 1 | 13 | |
| "The Weight" (Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations) |
Diana Ross, Eddie Kendricks, and Paul Williams | 46 | 4 | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||
(*) Denotes information derived from the Cashbox R&B chart, as there was no Billboard R&B Singles Chart from November 1963 to January 1965. When the Billboard R&B singles chart was reinstated on January 30, 1965, The Temptations' "My Girl" was the first #1 hit on the new chart.
The following singles were released on Motown's Gordy label except for "Why (Must We Fall in Love)" and "Law of the Land", released on Tamla-Motown in the United Kingdom. Lead vocalists are identified for each of the following singles.
| Year | Song title | Lead vocal | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | US AC | UK | |||
| 1970 | "Psychedelic Shack" | Dennis Edwards, Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin |
7 | 2 | — | 33 |
| "Why (Must We Fall in Love)" (Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations) |
Diana Ross and Eddie Kendricks | — | — | — | 31 | |
| "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" | Dennis Edwards, Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, and Melvin Franklin |
3 | 2 | — | 7 | |
| "Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite The World)" / | Dennis Edwards and Melvin Franklin | 33 | 8 | — | — | |
| "Hum Along and Dance" (B-side of "Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite The World)") |
Dennis Edwards, Eddie Kendricks, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin |
— | — | — | — | |
| 1971 | "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" | Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams | 1 | 1 | 33 | 8 |
| "It's Summer" | Dennis Edwards, Richard Street, and Melvin Franklin | 51 | 29 | — | — | |
| "Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)" | Dennis Edwards, Richard Street, Damon Harris, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin |
18 | 8 | — | 32 | |
| 1972 | "Take a Look Around" | Dennis Edwards, Richard Street, Damon Harris, and Otis Williams |
30 | 10 | — | 13 |
| "Mother Nature" / | Dennis Edwards | 92 | 27 | — | — | |
| "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On" (B-side of "Mother Nature") |
Dennis Edwards, Richard Street, Damon Harris, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin |
— | 27 | — | — | |
| "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" | Dennis Edwards, Richard Street, Damon Harris, and Melvin Franklin |
1 | 5 | — | 14 | |
| 1973 | "Masterpiece" | Dennis Edwards, Richard Street, Damon Harris, and Melvin Franklin (Spoken introduction by Otis Williams) |
7 | 1 | — | — |
| "Plastic Man" | Dennis Edwards, Richard Street, Damon Harris, and Melvin Franklin |
40 | 8 | — | — | |
| "Hey Girl (I Like Your Style)" | Richard Street | 35 | 2 | — | — | |
| "Law of the Land" | Dennis Edwards, Richard Street, and Damon Harris |
— | — | — | 41 | |
| "Let Your Hair Down" (instrumentation by Rose Royce) |
Dennis Edwards | 27 | 1 | — | — | |
| 1974 | "Heavenly" | Richard Street and Damon Harris | 43 | 8 | — | — |
| "You've Got My Soul on Fire" | Dennis Edwards | 74 | 8 | — | — | |
| "Happy People" (instrumentation by "The Temptations Band": The Commodores) |
Dennis Edwards and Melvin Franklin | 40 | 1 | — | — | |
| 1975 | "Shakey Ground" (instrumentation by The Eddie Hazel Band) |
Dennis Edwards | 26 | 1 | — | — |
| "Glasshouse" | Dennis Edwards, Otis Williams, Richard Street, Melvin Franklin and Damon Harris | 37 | 9 | — | — | |
| 1976 | "Keep Holdin' On" | Dennis Edwards | 54 | 3 | — | — |
| "Up The Creek (Without A Paddle)" | Dennis Edwards | 94 | 21 | — | — | |
| "Who Are You (and What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life)" | Dennis Edwards | — | 22 | — | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||||
The following four singles were released by Atlantic Records.
| Year | Song title | Lead vocal | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|---|
| US R&B | |||
| 1977 | "In a Lifetime" | Glenn Leonard | 21 |
| 1978 | "Think for Yourself" | Louis Price | 58 |
| "Bare Back" | Richard Street and Glenn Leonard | 42 | |
| "Ever Ready Love" | Glenn Leonard | 31 |
The Temptations return to Motown and the Gordy label.
| Year | Song title | Lead vocal | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | US AC | UK | |||
| 1980 | "Power" | Dennis Edwards, Glenn Leonard, Melvin Franklin & Richard Street | 43 | 11 | — | — |
| "Struck By Lightning Twice" | Dennis Edwards | — | 55 | — | — | |
| "Take Me Away" | Dennis Edwards & Richard Street | — | 69 | — | — | |
| 1981 | "Aiming At Your Heart" | Richard Street and Glenn Leonard | 67 | 36 | — | — |
| "Oh What a Night" | Glenn Leonard | 104 | — | — | — | |
| 1982 | "Standing On The Top - Pt. 1" (featuring Rick James) |
Rick James, Dennis Edwards, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Richard Street,and Melvin Franklin | 66 | 6 | — | 53 |
| "More On The Inside" | Dennis Edwards | — | 82 | — | — | |
| 1983 | "Love On My Mind Tonight" | Dennis Edwards | 88 | 17 | — | — |
| "Miss Busy Body (Get Your Body Busy)" | Dennis Edwards | — | 67 | — | — | |
| "Sail Away" | Ron Tyson | 54 | 13 | 17 | — | |
| 1984 | "Treat Her Like a Lady" | Ali-Ollie Woodson | 48 | 2 | — | 12 |
| 1985 | "My Love is True (Truly for You)" | Ron Tyson | — | 14 | — | 84 |
| "How Can You Say That It's Over" | Ron Tyson and Ali-Ollie Woodson | — | 81 | — | — | |
| "Do You Really Love Your Baby" | Ali-Ollie Woodson | — | 14 | — | 88 | |
| 1986 | "Touch Me" | Ali-Ollie Woodson | — | 63 | — | — |
| "A Fine Mess" | Ali-Ollie Woodson | — | 63 | 28 | — | |
| "My Girl" (re-issue) | David Ruffin | — | — | 27 | 92 | |
| "I'm Fascinated" | Richard Street | — | — | — | 84 | |
| "Lady Soul" | Ali-Ollie Woodson | 47 | 4 | — | — | |
| "To Be Continued..." | Ali-Ollie Woodson | — | 25 | — | — | |
| 1987 | "Someone" | Ali-Ollie Woodson | — | 45 | — | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||||
The Gordy label is absorbed into the main Motown label.
| Year | Song title | Lead vocal | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | US AC | UK | |||
| 1987 | "I Wonder Who She's Seeing Now" | Dennis Edwards | — | 3 | 36 | 90 |
| "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" (re-issue) | Dennis Edwards, Richard Street, Melvin Franklin and Damon Harris | — | — | — | 31 | |
| "Look What You Started" | Dennis Edwards | — | 8 | — | 63 | |
| 1988 | "Do You Wanna Go With Me" | Dennis Edwards | — | 53 | — | — |
| 1989 | "All I Want From You" | Ali-Ollie Woodson | — | 16 | — | 71 |
| "Special" | Ali-Ollie Woodson | — | 10 | — | — | |
| 1990 | "Soul to Soul" | Ali-Ollie Woodson | — | 12 | — | — |
| 1991 | "The Motown Song" (Rod Stewart ft. the Temptations; issued on Warner Bros) |
Rod Stewart and Ali-Ollie Woodson | 10 | — | 3 | — |
| "The Jones" | Otis Williams, Ron Tyson and Ali-Ollie Woodson | — | 41 | — | 69 | |
| 1992 | "My Girl" (re-issue) | David Ruffin | — | — | — | 2 |
| "Hoops of Fire" | Ali-Ollie Woodson | — | 68 | — | — | |
| 1994 | "Error of Our Ways" | Ali-Ollie Woodson | — | 86 | — | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||||
The following album cuts all charted, but were not available as commercially issued singles.
| Year | Song title | Lead vocal | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US R&B |
US Urban AC |
|||
| 1995 | "Silent Night" | Melvin Franklin, Dennis Edwards and Glenn Leonard | 16 | — |
| 1998 | "Stay" | Theo Peoples, Terry Weeks and Ron Tyson | 28 | 1 |
| 1999 | "This Is My Promise" | Theo Peoples | 54 | — |
| "How Could He Hurt You" | Barrington "Bo" Henderson | 57 | — | |
| 2000 | "I'm Here" | Terry Weeks | 40 | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||