The discography of the American pop group The Carpenters consists of twelve studio albums, two Christmas albums, two live albums, forty-six singles, and numerous compilation albums. The duo was made up of siblings Karen (lead vocals and drums) and Richard Carpenter (keyboards and vocals).
The siblings started their musical career together in the latter half of the 1960s. In October 1969, a half year after they signed a contract with A&M Records, the Carpenters released their debut album Offering (its title was later changed to Ticket to Ride). Within a year, they rose to prominence with the chart-topping single "(They Long to Be) Close to You", a cover version of Bacharach/David composition.
The Carpenters garnered worldwide commercial success, scoring big hits mainly in the first half of the 1970s. RIAA-certified sales of their records (albums, singles and videos) have been estimated at around 34.6 million units. In the United Kingdom, they are ranked as the seventh top-selling albums artist on the official record chart of the 1970s. They have also been the third-best-selling international music act in the Japanese market, only behind Mariah Carey and The Beatles. To date, they have reportedly sold more than 100 million copies of records worldwide.
Throughout their career, the Carpenters released twelve original albums. Most recently they released As Time Goes By in 2001 in Japan, and 2004 internationally. This includes two Christmas albums released by the group.
There are two live albums that the Carpenters have released officially, though neither of them were issued in their homeland.
Following releases are "greatest-hits" albums of the Carpenters released in the United States and/or the United Kingdom.
^ I Album only downloadable in the UK.
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.
Golden Prize (Japan only)
Released: September 10, 1971
Label: A&M/King Records
Format: LP, cassette
Chart position(s): #3 (JAP)
Golden Double Deluxe (Japan only)
Released: February 10, 1972
Label: A&M/King Records
Format: LP
Chart position(s): #10 (JAP)
GEM I (Japan only)
Released: October 10, 1972
Label: A&M/King Records
Format: LP
Chart position(s): #13 (JAP)
MAX 20 (Japan only)
Released: March 10, 1973
Label: A&M/King Records
Format: LP
Chart position(s): #26 (JAP)
GEM II (Japan only)
Released: October 25, 1973
Label: A&M/King Records
Format(s): LP
Chart position(s): #3 (JAP)
Golden Prize Volume II (Japan only)
Released: April 10, 1974
Label: A&M/King Records
Format(s): LP, cassette
Chart position(s): #1 (JAP)
Big Star (Japan only)
Released: June 1, 1974
Label: A&M/King Records
Format(s): Cassette
Chart position(s): #20 (JAP)
Special Series (Japan only)
Released: November 1, 1976
Format(s): Cassette
Label: A&M/King Records
Chart position(s): #36 (JAP)
Ketteiban (The Definitive) (Japan only)
Released: June 21, 1982
Format(s): Cassette
Label: A&M/Alfa Records
Chart position(s): #61 (JAP)
The Very Best of the Carpenters (Australia and New Zealand only)
Released: 1983
Format(s): LP
Label: A&M/Festival Records
Chart position(s): #1 (AUS), #2 (NZ)
Only Yesterday (a.k.a. Their Greatest Hits)
Released: March 1990
Label: A&M Records
Format(s): LP, cassette, CD, digital download
Chart position(s): #1 (UK), #8 (NOR), #9 (AUS), #25 (JAP), #25 (NZ)
Certification(s): 5× Platinum (UK), Platinum (JAP)
Seishun no Kagayaki: The Best of (22 Hits of the Carpenters) (Japan only)
Released: November 10, 1995
Label: A&M / Polydor Japan
Format(s): CD, MD, cassette
Chart position(s): #3 (JAP)
Certification(s): 12× Platinum (JAP)
Yesterday Once More: De Nederlandse Singles Collectie (Netherlands only)
Released: 2001
Label: A&M / Universal
Format(s): CD
Chart position(s): #22 (NL)
"Top of the World" charted four times in Japan, at #21 in 1972 and again in 1973 (to coincide with the song's US success), when it peaked at #52. In 1995 it was the B-side of the reissue of "I Need to Be in Love", and subsequently it charted a fourth time (as an A-side) at #83.
"Sweet, Sweet Smile" peaked at #8 on Billboard's Country singles chart.
"Superstar" and "For All We Know" were released as a double A-side in the UK.
"I Won't Last a Day Without You" was originally released as an A-side in the UK in 1972 with "Goodbye to Love" as the B-side. However, the sides were switched shortly after the record's release. The former was later released as an A-side in the UK in 1974 to coincide with its first US release as an A-side.
"Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" reached #1 in the Republic of Ireland, becoming the duo's biggest hit there.
The UK re-issue of "Merry Christmas, Darling" in 1990 features the second recorded version of the song from their 1978 Christmas Portrait album as opposed to the original 1970 version.
