Billy Idol discography


This is the discography of Billy Idol, an English rock singer who has sold 40 million records worldwide. His solo recordings post-Generation X consists of seven studio albums, one live album, seven compilation albums, three extended plays, and 37 singles. In 1982 Idol released his eponymous debut studio album. The album debuted at number 45 on the Billboard 200 and number 5 in New Zealand. The album has since been certified platinum by the Music Canada and RMNZ. He followed this up with Rebel Yell in 1983, the album quickly became a commercial success peaking at number 6 on the Billboard 200 and number 2 in both Germany and New Zealand. This album produced the two hit singles one being the title track "Rebel Yell" and the other "Eyes Without a Face" which reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Rebel Yell" also garnered Idol his first Grammy nomination for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance at the 27th Annual Grammy Awards. The album has since been certified platinum by the RIAA, RMNZ, Music Canada and Pro-Música Brasil.
Idols third studio album Whiplash Smile became an even bigger commercial success then its predecessor, charting at number 3 in Finland, number 4 in both Sweden and Switzerland, along with charting in the top 10 in 7 other countries. His single "To Be a Lover" peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 3 in both Australia and Finland and number 2 in the New Zealand. The song also garnered him another nomination for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance at the 29th Annual Grammy Awards. The album has since been certified platinum in the US, Canada and New Zealand.
A remix album was released in 1987, titled Vital Idol. The album featured a live rendition of his cover of Tommy James' "Mony Mony". In 1987, the single topped the United States chart and reached number 7 in the UK. The following year in 1988 a compilation album titled Idol Songs: 11 of the Best was released, it charted at number 2 in both the UK and Iceland along with reaching number 1 in Finland. It has since gone platinum multiple countries.
In 1990 Idol released his fourth studio album Charmed Life it charted in the top ten in 7 countries along with peaking at number 4 in Switzerland, 3 in New Zealand along with topping the charts in Finland. It produced the single "Cradle of Love" which peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 along with topping the US Mainstream Rock Charts. The single also earned Idol a third Grammy nomination for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance at the 33rd Annual Grammy Awards. The album has since been certified gold by the RIAA and Canada Music.
In 1993 he released his fifth studio album Cyberpunk achieving moderate chart success peaking within the top 20 in 7 countries, along with getting into the top 10 in Austria and Finland. In 2002 he released a semi-acoustic live album titled VH1 Storytellers. Then following a 12 year hiatus Idol released Devil's Playground in 2005 the album reached No. 46 on the Billboard 200 and charted the highest in Germany at number 15. The following year he released a Christmas album titled Happy Holidays.
Following another hiatus of 8 years, Idol released Kings & Queens of the Underground which debuted at number 34 on the Billboard 200, along with charting a number 10 in Switzerland and 8 in Germany. Then following another 11 years in between albums Idol released his 9th and most recent album Dream into it 2025. The album charted in the top 5 in both Switzerland and Austria with its highest placement peaking a number 2 in Germany.

Extended plays

+ Greatest Hits and Devil's Playground failed to chart in The Official UK Top 75 Albums Chart, but did chart on the complete Top 200 UK Chart published by Charts+Plus.

Singles

Starting with the 1983 re-release of "White Wedding", Chrysalis issued Idol's singles with an "Idol" vanity catalogue numbering system, which lasted for roughly seven years and sixteen singles until the release of "Prodigal Blues" in 1990.

2000s–2020s

+ "Mony Mony", "Dancing with Myself", and "Shock to the System" did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100 but appeared on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.

Videography

Music videos

Versions of "Hot in the City":
  1. Original Version
  2. Uncensored Version
  3. Ur-Version
Versions of "Sweet Sixteen":
  1. Original Version
  2. Colored Version
Versions of "Cradle of Love":
  1. Original Version
  2. Extended Billy Idol Only Version
Versions of "Heroin":
  1. LP Version
  2. Radio Edit
  3. Uncut Version
  4. Blendo Version
  5. Overlords Version
  6. Overlords-R rated Version
  7. Garcia Mix
  8. Garcia Mix-R rated
Versions of "Shock to the System":
  1. Original Version
  2. Blendo Version