Frank Zappa discography
This is a list of albums by Frank Zappa, including all those credited to the Mothers of Invention. During his lifetime, Zappa released 62 albums. Since 1994, the Zappa Family Trust has released 69 posthumous albums and box sets as of March 2026, making a total of 133 "Official Releases".
In 2012 the distribution of Zappa's recorded output moved to Universal Music Enterprises. In June 2022 the Zappa Trust announced that it had sold Zappa's entire catalog to Universal Music, including master tapes, song copyrights and trademarks.
A list of albums of Zappa's music as performed by other artists is also included here.
''AAAFNRAA Birthday Bundle'' series
Videos
Frank Zappa's 200 Motels A Token of His Extreme Baby Snakes Live at the Palladium / The Torture Never Stops The Dub Room Special! Does Humor Belong in Music? Video from Hell Uncle Meat The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels The Amazing Mr. Bickford Roxy the Movie Zappa- ''Cheaper Than Cheep''
Other appearances
- The Masters - "Breaktime", B-side of "Sixteen Tons", Zappa wrote and performed on the B-side
- The Hollywood Tornadoes - "The Inebriated Surfer", B-side of "Moon Dawg", Zappa produced the B-side
- The Penguins - "Memories of El Monte", writer and arranger
- Bob Guy - "Dear Jeepers", B-side "Letter from Jeepers", writer, arranger and producer
- Baby Ray & the Ferns - "The World's Greatest Sinner", B-side "How's Your Bird?", writer, performer and producer with Ray Collins on vocals
- The Persuaders - "Grunion Run", B-side of "Tijuana Surf", Zappa wrote and performed on the B-side
- Brian Lord & the Midnighters - "The Big Surfer", performer and producer
- Ned & Nelda - "Hey Nelda", B-side "Surf Along with Ned & Nelda", written and performed by Zappa and Ray Collins
- Ron Roman - "Love of My Life", B-side of "Tell Me", Zappa wrote and performed on the B-side with Ray Collins on vocals
- The Rotations - "Heavies", B-side "The Crusher", producer only, a few seconds of "Heavies" appears in "Nasal Retentive Calliope Music" on We're Only in It for the Money
- The Heartbreakers - "Every Time I See You", B-side "Cradle Rock", writer and performer
- Mr. Clean - "Mr. Clean", B-side "Jessie Lee", writer, performer and producer
- Bobby Jameson - "Gotta Find My Roogalator", B-side "Reconsider Baby", Zappa uncredited
- The Animals - Animalism, arranger only
- Burt Ward - "Boy Wonder I Love You", writer, producer and arranger
- Barry Goldberg - "Carry On"
- Wild Man Fischer - An Evening with Wild Man Fischer, writer, performer and producer
- The GTOs - Permanent Damage, producer only
- Captain Beefheart - Trout Mask Replica, producer and can be heard speaking on "Pena" and "The Blimp"; the backing track of "The Blimp" is the Mothers of Invention rehearsing a Zappa song known as "Charles Ives"
- Lenny Bruce - The Berkeley Concert, producer only, recorded 1965
- Jeff Simmons - Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up, writer, performer and producer
- Jean-Luc Ponty - King Kong: Jean-Luc Ponty Plays the Music of Frank Zappa, writer, performer and producer
- John Lennon - Some Time in New York City, writer and performer
- Ruben and the Jets - For Real!, writer, performer and producer
- George Duke - Feel, credited as Obdewl'l X
- Grand Funk Railroad - Good Singin', Good Playin', performer and producer
- Robert Charlebois - Swing Charlebois Swing
- Flint - Flint
- L. Shankar - Touch Me There, credited as Stucco Homes, performer and producer
- Dweezil Zappa - Havin' a Bad Day, producer only
- Pražský výběr - Adieu C. A.
- Lowell George & the Factory - Lightning-Rod Man, performer and producer on "Lightning-Rod Man" and "The Loved One", both recorded 1966
- Captain Beefheart - Bat Chain Puller, producer only, recorded 1976
Albums by other artists
- Jean-Luc Ponty - King Kong: Jean-Luc Ponty Plays the Music of Frank Zappa
- BRT Big Band - The BRT Big Band Plays Frank Zappa
- Yahonza - Yahozna Plays Zappa
- Joel Thome/Orchestra of Our Time - Zappa's Universe — A Celebration of 25 Years of Frank Zappa's Music
- Meridian Arts Ensemble - Smart Went Crazy
- Harmonia Ensemble - Harmonia Meets Zappa
- Jon Poole - What's the Ugliest Part of Your Body?
- Omnibus Wind Ensemble - Music by Frank Zappa
- Warren Cuccurullo - Thanks to Frank
- Meridian Arts Ensemble - Prime Meridian
- Meridian Arts Ensemble - Anxiety of Influence
- Muffin Men - Frankincense: The Muffin Men Play Zappa
- The Ed Palermo Big Band - Plays the Music of Frank Zappa
- CoCö Anderson - Dischordancies Abundant
- Pierre-Jean Gaucher - Zappe Zappa
- Meridian Arts Ensemble - Ear Mind I
- Ossi Duri - Sta Chitarra Ammazzera 'Tua Madre
- The Persuasions - Frankly a Cappella
- Ensemble Ambrosius - The Zappa Album
- Bohuslän Big Band - Bohuslän Big Band plays Frank Zappa
- Nasal Retentive Orchestra - Fric Out !
- Nasal Retentive Orchestra - Have a Bun
- Le Concert Impromptu & Bossini - Prophetic Attitude
- Ensemble Modern - Ensemble Modern Plays Frank Zappa: Greggery Peccary & Other Persuasions
- UMO Jazz Orchestra - UMO plays Frank Zappa feat. Marzi Nyman
- Nasal Retentive Orchestra - Tales of Brave Flegmar
- LeBocal - Oh No!... Just Another Frank Zappa Memorial Barbecue!
- Prząśniczki & Tymon Tymański - Zapparcie, czyli uboczne skutki jedzenia żółtego śniegu
- BRTN Philharmonic Orchestra & Zucchini Rocking Teenage Combo - The Purple Cucumber - A Zappa Tribute
- Nasal Retentive Orchestra - NRO Live Lemme Take You to the Beach: Surf Instrumental Bands Playing the Music of Zappa
- Colin Towns and the NDR bigband - Frank Zappa's Hot Licks
- Marc Guillermont - Zappostrophe
- The Ed Palermo Big Band - Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance
- Nasal Retentive Orchestra - Music for Hungry People
- Struber Z'Tett - Struber Z'Tett Plays Zappa Live : Les Noces de Dada
- Pierre-Jean Gaucher & Christophe Godin - 2G
- Dweezil Zappa - Zappa Plays Zappa
- The Ed Palermo Big Band - Eddy Loves Frank
- The Norwegian Wind Ensemble - The Brass from Utopia
- The Norwegian Radio Orchestra - Perfect Strangers
- Stefano Bollani - Sheik Yer Zappa
- Marco Pacassoni Group - ''Frank & Ruth''
Videos by other artists
- Joel Thome/Orchestra of Our Time - Zappa's Universe — A Celebration of 25 Years of Frank Zappa's Music
- Dweezil Zappa - Zappa Plays Zappa
- Quintorigo con Roberto Gatto - ''Around Zappa ''
Sales awards
- * January 1976: Gold record for Just Another Band From LA
- * January 1976: Gold record for Fillmore East
- * November 1991: Gold record for "Bobby Brown"
- * September 1979: Gold record for Sheik Yerbouti
- * November 1979: Gold record for Joe's Garage
- * 1991: Gold record for European releases
- * December 1979: Gold record for Sheik Yerbouti
- * January 1980: Gold record for Sheik Yerbouti
- * January 1980: Gold record for "Bobby Brown"
- * January 1980: Gold record for "Bobby Brown"
- * October 1993: Gold record for "Bobby Brown"
- * December 1980: Gold record for "Bobby Brown"
- * March 1979: Silver record for Zoot Allures
- * April 1976: Gold record for Apostrophe
- * November 1976: Gold record for Over-Nite Sensation
- * June 2006: Gold record for Does Humor Belong in Music? video
- * February 2015: Gold record for Baby Snakes video