The Roots discography
 The Roots performing in Toronto, Ontario on March 24, 2007. | |
| Releases | |
|---|---|
| ↙Studio albums | 14 |
| ↙Live albums | 2 |
| ↙Compilation albums | 3 |
| ↙Singles | 18 |
| ↙Music videos | 24 |
The discography of The Roots, an American hip hop band, consists of eleven solo studio albums, three collaborative studio albums, three compilation albums, two extended plays, and two live albums. The Roots began performing in 1989 as The Square Roots with rapper Black Thought and drummer Questlove. Rapper Malik B., and bassist Leonard Hubbard joined the band in 1991.[1] Over its history, Questlove and Black Thought have always remained with The Roots while their lineup of backing musicians has changed.
In 1993, The Roots debuted with independently released album Organix, and signed to DGC Records (later MCA Records) that same year. The Roots' debuted on Geffen with Do You Want More?!!!??!, an album that was unique in hip hop for using no sampling, and being embraced more by fans of alternative rock than fans of hip hop.[2] Do You Want More?!!!??! peaked at only number 104 on the Billboard 200 chart in the US.[3] Illadelph Halflife, the third album by the Roots, peaked at number twenty-one on the Billboard 200.[3] In 1999, The Roots' fourth album Things Fall Apart became the band's biggest success. The album was certified gold in the US,[4] and its single "You Got Me" peaked at number thirty-nine on the Billboard Hot 100, and number nineteen on the Hot Rap Tracks chart.[5] "You Got Me" won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 2000.[6] In 2002, The Roots released Phrenology, which contained the band's second single to chart on the Hot 100. "Break You Off", which featured Musiq Soulchild, peaked at number ninety-nine.[5]
The Roots founded the company Okayplayer, and released The Tipping Point in 2004.[2] In 2006, The Roots signed to Def Jam, and released Game Theory under Def Jam and Rising Down in 2008; the band's album How I Got Over was released in 2010. The Roots released two live concert albums, the first being The Roots Come Alive in 2000, and the next The Roots Present in 2005. In 2009, The Roots became the house band for the late-night show Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
Albums
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales thresholds) | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [3] |
US R&B [3] |
AUS [7] |
CAN [3] |
FIN [8] |
FRA [9] |
GER [10] |
NLD [11] |
NOR [12] |
SWE [13] |
SWI [14] |
UK [15] | ||||
| 1993 | Organix
|
— | 93 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995 | Do You Want More?!!!??!
|
28 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 87 | — | — | ||
| 1996 | Illadelph Halflife
|
21 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 56 | — | — | ||
| 1999 | Things Fall Apart
|
4 | 2 | — | 7 | — | 41 | 64 | 92 | — | — | 40 | 84 |
| |
| 2002 | Phrenology
|
28 | 11 | — | — | 14 | 117 | — | 54 | — | — | 57 | 112 |
| |
| 2004 | The Tipping Point
|
4 | 2 | — | — | 22 | 35 | 44 | 44 | 20 | 37 | 3 | 71 | ||
| 2006 | Game Theory
|
9 | 5 | — | — | 36 | 69 | 95 | 78 | 26 | — | 7 | 76 | ||
| 2008 | Rising Down
|
6 | 3 | 100 | 14 | — | 95 | — | — | 34 | — | 10 | 95 | ||
| 2010 | How I Got Over
|
6 | 3 | 71 | 14 | — | 117 | 70 | 33 | — | — | 3 | 111 | ||
| Wake Up! (with John Legend)
|
8 | 3 | 42 | 16 | — | 95 | 69 | 6 | — | 29 | 15 | 26 | |||
| 2011 | Betty Wright: The Movie (with Betty Wright)
|
197 | 27 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
Undun
|
17 | 4 | 66 | 20 | — | — | 87 | — | 91 | — | 30 | 178 | |||
| 2013 | Wise Up Ghost (with Elvis Costello)
|
16 | — | 40 | — | — | 131 | 29 | 35 | 26 | — | 12 | 28 | ||
| 2014 | …And Then You Shoot Your Cousin
|
11 | 3 | 34 | 20 | — | 127 | 79 | 63 | — | — | 9 | 111 | ||
| "—" denotes a release that did not chart. | |||||||||||||||
Compilation albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [3] |
US R&B [3] | ||||||||
| 2005 | Home Grown! The Beginners Guide to Understanding The Roots, Vol. 1
|
161 | 41 | ||||||
Home Grown! The Beginners Guide to Understanding The Roots, Vol. 2
|
187 | 46 | |||||||
| "—" denotes a release that did not chart. | |||||||||
Live albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [3] |
US R&B [3] | ||||||||
| 1999 | The Roots Come Alive
|
50 | 12 | ||||||
| 2003 | Nagoya Blue Note: Live In Japan - September 7, 2004
|
— | — | ||||||
| "—" denotes a release that did not chart. | |||||||||
Extended plays
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 1994 | From the Ground Up
|
| 1999 | The Legendary
|
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [5] |
US R&B [5] |
US Rap [5] |
FIN [8] |
FRA [9] |
GER [10] |
NLD [11] |
NZL [17] |
SWI [14] |
UK [15] | ||||
| 1994 | "Distortion to Static" | — | 96 | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Do You Want More?!!!??! | |
| 1995 | "Proceed" | 123[A] | 79 | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Silent Treatment" | — | 105[A] | 31 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 1996 | "Clones" | 101[A] | 62 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Illadelph Halflife | |
| "What They Do" (featuring Raphael Saadiq) | 34 | 21 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 49 | |||
| 1998 | "Adrenaline!" | — | 73 | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Things Fall Apart | |
| "You Got Me" (featuring Erykah Badu and Eve) | 39 | 11 | 19 | — | 28 | 25 | 46 | 37 | 15 | 31 | |||
| 1999 | "The Next Movement" (featuring DJ Jazzy Jeff and Jazzyfatnastees) | — | 103[A] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Don't See Us" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "What You Want" | — | 82 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | The Roots Come Alive | ||
| 2002 | "Break You Off" (featuring Musiq Soulchild) | 99 | 55 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 59 | Phrenology | |
| 2003 | "The Seed (2.0)" (featuring Cody ChesnuTT) | — | — | — | 5 | — | 67 | 31 | — | 22 | 33 | ||
| 2004 | "Don't Say Nuthin'" | — | 66 | — | — | — | 66 | — | — | 27 | 92 | The Tipping Point | |
| "I Don't Care" (featuring Dom) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 54 | 97 | |||
| "Stay Cool" | 53[B] | 31[B] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 2006 | "Don't Feel Right" (featuring Maimouna Youssef) | — | 48[B] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 200 | Game Theory | |
| 2008 | "Birthday Girl" (featuring Patrick Stump) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Rising Down | |
| "Rising Up" (featuring Chrisette Michele and Wale) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 2009 | "How I Got Over" (featuring Dice Raw) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | How I Got Over | |
| 2010 | "Let It Be" (Jennifer Hudson featuring The Roots) | 98 | 19[C] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 97 | Hope for Haiti Now | |
| "Dear God 2.0" (featuring Monsters of Folk) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | How I Got Over | ||
| "The Fire" (featuring John Legend) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Wake Up Everybody" (with John Legend featuring Common & Melanie Fiona) | — | 53 | — | — | — | — | 21 | — | 62 | 179 | Wake Up! | ||
| "Hard Times" (with John Legend) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Well, Well, Well" (with Duffy) | — | — | — | 11 | — | 24 | 58 | — | 19 | 41 | Endlessly | ||
| 2011 | "Shine" (with John Legend) | — | 64 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Wake Up! | |
| "Make My" (featuring Big K.R.I.T.) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Undun | ||
| "Tip the Scale" (featuring Dice Raw) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 2014 | "When the People Cheer" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | …And Then You Shoot Your Cousin | |
| "—" denotes a release that did not chart. | |||||||||||||
- A. ^ Charted only on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles or Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles charts, 25-song extensions to the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts respectively.
- B. ^ Charted only on the Hot Singles Sales or Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales charts.[18]
- C. ^ Charted only on the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Songs chart.
Music videos
- 1993: "Pass the Popcorn"
- 1994: "Distortion to Static"
- 1994: "Proceed"
- 1994: "Proceed II"
- 1995: "Silent Treatment"
- 1996: "Clones"
- 1996: "Concerto of the Desperado"
- 1996: "What They Do"
- 1999: "You Got Me"
- 1999: "The Next Movement"
- 1999: "What You Want"
- 2000: "Glitches"
- 2002: "Break You Off"
- 2003: "The Seed 2.0"
- 2004: "Don't Say Nothin'"
- 2004: "Star"
- 2004: "I Don't Care"
- 2006: "In the Music/Here I Come/Don't Feel Right"
- 2008: "75 Bars (Black's Reconstruction)"
- 2008: "Get Busy"
- 2008: "Birthday Girl"
- 2008: "Rising Up"
- 2009: "How I Got Over"
- 2010: "Dear God 2.0"
- 2010: "The Fire"
- 2010: "Hard Times (Studio Video)"
- 2010: "I Can't Write Left Handed (Studio Video)"
- 2010: "Wake Up Everybody"
- 2011: "Undun: The Short Clips ("Make My", "Stomp", "Tip The Scale", "Sleep")
- 2014: "When the People Cheer"
- 2014: "Understand"
References
- ↑ "The Roots". Bonaroo. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bush, John. "The Roots > Biography". allmusic. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 "The Roots > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Gold & Platinum: The Roots". RIAA. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 "The Roots > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
- ↑ "The Roots > Charts & Awards > Grammy Awards". allmusic. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
- ↑ "Discography The Roots". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved August 6, 2010.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Discography The Roots". Finnishcharts.com (in Finnish). Retrieved June 16, 2010.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Discographie The Roots". Lescharts.com (in French). Retrieved June 16, 2010.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Peak chart positions for The Roots in Germany:
- "Chartverfolgung / The Roots / Longplay" (in German). PhonoNet. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
- "Chartverfolgung / The Roots / Single" (in German). PhonoNet. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
- "Chartverfolgung / John Legend & The Roots / Longplay" (in German). PhonoNet. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
- "Chartverfolgung / Duffy / Single" (in German). PhonoNet. Retrieved 2010-12-18.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Discografie The Roots". Dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved June 16, 2010.
- ↑ "Discography The Roots". Norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
- ↑ "Discography The Roots". Swedishcharts.com. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Discographie The Roots". Hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved June 16, 2010.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Peak chart positions for The Roots in the United Kingdom:
- "The Roots". Chart Stats. Archived from the original on January 19, 2013. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
- Zywietz, Tobias. "Chart Log UK: The Rabble Army – RZA". Zobbel. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
- ↑ http://pitchfork.com/news/54685-the-roots-share-new-single-when-the-people-cheer-announce-album-release-date/
- ↑ "Discography The Roots". Charts.org.nz. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
- ↑ "Billboard chart search" (XML). Billboard.com. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
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