Blues guitarist Eric Clapton is probably one of the most well known blues musicians in modern times. Originally a member of the famous Yard Birds (that also spawned such guitarists as Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck!). Clapton constantly receives reviews stating that he is one of the most influential guitarists ever to have lived. With a #4 spot in both The Rolling Stones “100 Greatest Guitarists of all Time” and Gibsons “Top 50 guitarists of all time” along with countless other accolades he is the only blues guitarist to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of fame 3 times, for his solo performances, and with his two bands the Yardbirds and Cream.
Top 5 Songs
Layla
Cocaine
Tears In Heaven
Wonderful Tonight
Sunshine Of Your Love
Top 3 Albums
MTV Unplugged
Strange Brew
Riding with The King
Discography
Early career (1960s)
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales threshilds) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | US | ||||
| with The Yardbirds (1963-1965) | |||||
| 1963 | London 1963: The First Recordings! | — | — | ||
| 1964 | Five Live Yardbirds (live) | — | — | ||
| 1965 | For Your Love | — | — | ||
| Having a Rave Up (compilation) | — | — | |||
| 1966 | Sonny Boy Williamson and The Yardbirds (live) | — | — | ||
| 1971 | Guitar Boogie (compilation) | — | — | ||
| with The Immediate All-Stars (1965) | |||||
| 1968 | Blues Anytime Vol. 1 (compilation) | — | — | ||
| Blues Anytime Vol. 2 (compilation) | — | — | |||
| Blues Anytime Vol. 3 (compilation) | — | — | |||
| with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers (1965-1966) | |||||
| 1966 | Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton | 6 | — | ||
| with Powerhouse (1966) | |||||
| 1966 | What’s Shakin’ (compilation) | — | — | ||
| with Cream (1966-1968, reunion 2005)[1] | |||||
| 1966 | Fresh Cream | 6 | 39 | US: Gold | |
| 1967 | Disraeli Gears | 5 | 4 | US: Platinum | |
| 1968 | Wheels of Fire | 3 | 1 | US: Gold | |
| 1969 | Goodbye | 1 | 2 | US: Gold | |
| Best of Cream (compilation) | 6 | 3 | US: Gold | ||
| 1970 | Live Cream (live) | 4 | 15 | ||
| 1972 | Live Cream Volume II (live) | 15 | 27 | ||
| Heavy Cream (compilation) | — | — | |||
| 1983 | Strange Brew (compilation) | — | — | US: Platinum | |
| 1995 | The Very Best of Cream (compilation) | — | — | US: Gold | |
| 1997 | Those Were the Days (box set) | — | — | ||
| 2000 | 20th Century Masters (compilation) | — | — | ||
| 2003 | BBC Sessions (compilation) | — | — | ||
| 2005 | Cream Gold (compilation) | — | — | ||
| I Feel Free Ultimate Cream (compilation) | — | — | |||
| Royal Albert Hall London May 2-3-5-6, 2005 (live) | — | — | |||
| with Blind Faith (1968-1969)[2] | |||||
| 1969 | Blind Faith | 1 | 1 | US: Platinum | |
| with John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band (1969) | |||||
| 1969 | Live Peace in Toronto 1969 (live) | — | — | ||
| with Delaney & Bonnie & Friends (1969-1970) | |||||
| 1970 | On Tour with Eric Clapton (live) | 39 | 29 | US: Gold | |
| with Vivian Stanshall and the Sean Head Showband (1970) | |||||
| 1974 | The History of the Bonzos (compilation) | — | — | ||
| 1992 | Cornology (compilation) | — | — | ||
| 2000 | New Tricks (compilation) | — | — | ||
| with Derek and the Dominos (1970)[3] | |||||
| 1970 | Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs | — | 16 | US: Gold | |
| 1973 | In Concert (live) | 36 | 20 | US: Gold | |
| 1990 | The Layla Sessions: 20th Anniversary Edition (box set) | — | — | ||
| 1994 | Live at the Fillmore (live) | — | — | ||
| “—” denotes releases that did not chart | |||||
Solo career (1970s-present)
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions[4] | Certifications | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | US | |||
| 1970 | Eric Clapton | 17 | 13 | |
| 1974 | 461 Ocean Boulevard | 3 | 1 | US: Gold |
| 1975 | There’s One in Every Crowd | 15 | 21 | |
| 1976 | No Reason to Cry | 8 | 15 | |
| 1977 | Slowhand | 23 | 2 | US: 3× Multi-Platinum |
| 1978 | Backless | 18 | 8 | US: Platinum |
| 1981 | Another Ticket | 18 | 7 | US: Gold |
| 1983 | Money and Cigarettes | 13 | 16 | |
| 1985 | Behind the Sun | 8 | 34 | US: Platinum |
| 1986 | August | 3 | 37 | US: Gold |
| 1989 | Journeyman | 2 | 16 | US: 2× Multi-Platinum |
| 1994 | From the Cradle | 1 | 1 | US: 3× Multi-Platinum |
| 1998 | Pilgrim | 6 | 4 | US: Platinum |
| 2000 | Riding with the King (with B.B. King) | 15 | 77 | US: 2× Multi-Platinum |
| 2001 | Reptile | 7 | 5 | US: Gold |
| 2004 | Me and Mr. Johnson | 10 | 6 | US: Gold |
| Sessions for Robert J (CD and DVD package) | 105 | 172 | ||
| 2005 | Back Home | 19 | 13 | US: Gold |
| 2006 | The Road to Escondido (with JJ Cale) | 50 | 23 | US: Gold |
| “—” denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
[edit]Live albums
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions[4] | Certifications | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | US | |||
| 1973 | Eric Clapton’s Rainbow Concert | 19 | — | |
| 1975 | E. C. Was Here | 14 | — | |
| 1980 | Just One Night | 3 | — | US: Gold |
| 1983 | Time Pieces Vol.II Live In The Seventies | — | — | |
| 1991 | 24 Nights | 17 | 38 | US: Gold |
| 1992 | Unplugged | 2 | 1 | US: Diamond (10× Multi-Platinum) |
| 1996 | Crossroads 2: Live in the Seventies (box set) | 115 | 137 | |
| 2002 | One More Car, One More Rider | 69 | — | |
| 2009 | Live from Madison Square Garden with Steve Winwood | — | 14 | |
| “—” denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
Compilation albums
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions[4] | Certifications | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | US | ||||
| 1972 | The History of Eric Clapton | 20 | — | ||
| Eric Clapton at His Best | — | 87 | |||
| 1973 | Clapton | — | — | ||
| 1981 | Steppin’ Out | — | — | ||
| 1982 | Time Pieces: The Best of Eric Clapton | 20 | 101 | US: 7× Multi-Platinum | UK: Gold |
| 1984 | Backtrackin’ | 29 | — | ||
| 1987 | The Cream of Eric Clapton (UK) | — | — | UK: 3× Multi-Platinum | |
| 1988 | Crossroads (box set) | — | 34 | US: 3× Multi-Platinum | |
| 1991 | Eric Clapton Story | — | — | ||
| 1995 | The Cream of Clapton (US) | 3 | — | US: 2× Multi-Platinum | |
| 1999 | Blues | 52 | 52 | US: Gold | |
| Clapton Chronicles: The Best of Eric Clapton | 6 | 20 | US: Platinum | UK: Platinum | |
| 2003 | Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues: Eric Clapton | — | — | ||
| 2007 | Complete Clapton | 2 | 14 | ||
| “—” denotes releases that did not chart | |||||
Soundtracks
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 1985 | Back to the Future: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack – track “Heaven Is One Step Away” |
| Edge of Darkness – soundtrack album for the television drama Edge of Darkness | |
| 1987 | Lethal Weapon – soundtrack album for the film, Lethal Weapon, by Michael Kamen, Eric Clapton and David Sanborn |
| 1988 | Homeboy – soundtrack album for film, Homeboy, by Michael Kamen and Eric Clapton |
| 1989 | Lethal Weapon 2 – soundtrack album for the film, Lethal Weapon 2, by Michael Kamen and Eric Clapton |
| 1991 | Rush – soundtrack album for the film, Rush |
| 1992 | Lethal Weapon 3 – soundtrack album for the film, Lethal Weapon 3, by Michael Kamen and Eric Clapton |
| 1996 | Phenomenon: Music From The Motion Picture – track “Change the World“ |
| 1998 | Lethal Weapon 4 – soundtrack album for the film, Lethal Weapon 4, by Michael Kamen, Eric Clapton and David Sanborn |
| 1999 | The Story of Us – soundtrack album for the film, The Story of Us |
Collaborations and guest appearances
With George Harrison
(largely uncredited due to contractual constraints)
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 1968 | The Beatles, (appears on “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” with The Beatles) |
| Wonderwall Music (soundtrack from the 1968 film, Wonderwall) | |
| 1970 | All Things Must Pass |
| 1971 | The Concert for Bangladesh (live, with various artists) |
| 1974 | Dark Horse |
| 1976 | The Best of George Harrison (compilation) |
| 1979 | George Harrison |
| 1987 | Cloud Nine |
| 1989 | Best of Dark Horse 1976–1989 (compilation) |
| 1992 | Live in Japan (live) |
| 2003 | Concert for George (live, with various artists) |
| 2004 | The Dark Horse Years 1976–1992 (box set) |
With other artists
| Year | Title | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Lady Soul (appears on “Good To Me As I Am To You”) | Aretha Franklin |
| 1968 | Lumpy Gravy | Frank Zappa |
| 1970 | Stephen Stills (appears on “Go Back Home”) | Stephen Stills (Stills’ solo debut) |
| Leon Russell | Leon Russell | |
| 1971 | The London Howlin’ Wolf Sessions | Howlin’ Wolf |
| The Sun, Moon & Herbs | Dr. John | |
| 1977 | Rough Mix | Pete Townshend and Ronnie Lane |
| 1978 | The Last Waltz (appears on “Further on up the Road” (live)) | The Band, et al. |
| White Mansions | Waylon Jennings, et al. | |
| 1980 | The Party LP (live) | Alexis Korner |
| 1981 | Face Value (appears on “The Roof Is Leaking” and “If Leaving Me Is Easy“) | Phil Collins |
| The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball (live) | Jeff Beck, et al. | |
| 1984 | The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking | Roger Waters (Waters’ solo debut) |
| 1986 | Persona | Liona Boyd |
| Deep In The Heart Of Nowhere | Bob Geldof | |
| Dancing on the Ceiling | Lionel Richie | |
| 1987 | …Nothing Like the Sun | Sting |
| 1988 | Taking It Home | Buckwheat Zydeco |
| 1989 | …But Seriously (appears on “I Wish it Would Rain Down”) | Phil Collins |
| Oro incenso e birra (appears on “A Wonderful World”) | Zucchero | |
| 1991 | Johnnie B. Bad | Johnnie Johnson |
| Stranger in This Town (appears on “Mr. Bluesman”) | Richie Sambora (Sambora’s solo debut) | |
| Zucchero | Zucchero | |
| 1992 | The One (appears on “Runaway Train”) | Elton John |
| 1993 | “It’s Probably Me” (single) | Sting |
| 1997 | Retail Therapy | TDF |
| 1999 | Mary (appears on “Give Me You”) | Mary J. Blige |
| Supernatural (appears on “The Calling”) | Santana | |
| Anyway the Wind Blows | Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings | |
| 2003 | Ringo Rama‘ (appears on “Never Without You” and Imagine Me There”) | Ringo Starr |
| 2004 | Zu & Co. (appears on “A Wonderful World”) | Zucchero |
| Zu & Co. Live at the Royal Albert Hall (live) | Zucchero | |
| Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III (appears on “Blue Moon“) | Rod Stewart | |
| 2005 | Africa Unite: The Singles Collection (appears on “Slogans“) | Bob Marley |
| 2006 | Live at Montreux 1986 (live) | Otis Rush |
| 2008 | Nine Lives (appears on “Dirty City“) | Steve Winwood |
| The City that Care Forgot | Dr. John | |
| Skin Deep | Buddy Guy | |
| 2009 | Roll On (appears on “Roll On”) | JJ Cale |
| 2010 | Supernatural (Legacy Edition) (appears on “The Calling” and disc two’s “The Calling Jam”) | Santana |
Singles
Early career (1960s – early 1970s)
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | US | CAN | |||
| with The Yardbirds (1963-1965) | |||||
| 1964 | “I Wish You Would” / “A Certain Girl” | — | — | — | |
| “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl” / “I Ain’t Got You” | — | — | — | ||
| 1965 | “For Your Love” / “Got To Hurry” | 3 | 6 | 1 | |
| with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers (1965-1966) | |||||
| 1965 | “I’m Your Witchdoctor” / “Telephone Blues” | — | — | — | |
| 1966 | “Lonely Years” / “Bernard Jenkins” | — | — | — | |
| “Parchman Farm” / “Key to Love” | — | — | — | ||
| with Cream (1966-1968) | |||||
| 1966 | “Wrapping Paper” / “Cat’s Squirrel” | 34 | — | — | |
| “I Feel Free” / “N.S.U.” | 11 | 116 | — | ||
| 1967 | “Strange Brew” / “Tales of Brave Ulysses“ | 17 | — | — | |
| “Spoonful – Part 1” / “Spoonful – Part 2” | — | — | — | ||
| 1968 | “Sunshine of Your Love” / “SWLABR” | 25 | 5 | 3 | |
| “Anyone for Tennis (The Savage Seven theme)” / “Pressed Rat and Warthog“ | 40 | 64 | 37 | ||
| “White Room” / “Those Were the Days” | 28 | 6 | 2 | ||
| 1969 | “Crossroads” (live) / “Passing the Time“ | — | 28 | 13 | |
| “Badge” / “What a Bringdown” | 18 | 60 | 49 | ||
| “Lawdy Mama” / “Sweet Wine” | — | — | — | ||
| with John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band (1969) | |||||
| 1969 | “Cold Turkey” / “Don’t Worry Kyoko” | — | 30 | — | |
| with Delaney & Bonnie & Friends (1969-1970) | |||||
| 1969 | “Comin’ Home” / “Groupie (Superstar)” | 16 | 84 | — | |
| with Vivian Stanshall and the Sean Head Showband (1970) | |||||
| 1970 | “Labio-Dental Fricative” / “Paper Round” | — | — | — | |
| with Derek and the Dominos (1970) | |||||
| 1970 | “Tell the Truth” / “Roll It Over” | — | — | — | |
| 1971 | “Bell Bottom Blues” / “Keep on Growing” | — | 91 | — | |
| “Layla” / “I am Yours” | — | 10 | 9 | ||
| 1972 | “Layla” / “Bell Bottom Blues” | 7 | — | — | |
| 1973 | “Bell Bottom Blues” / “Little Wing“ | — | 78 | — | |
| “Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad” (live) / “Presence of the Lord” (live) | — | — | — | ||
| 1982 | “Layla” / “Bell Bottom Blues” (re-issue) | 4 | — | — | |
| “—” denotes releases that did not chart | |||||
Solo career (1970s – present)
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | US | CAN | ||
| 1970 | “After Midnight” “Easy Now” |
— | 18 | 10 |
| 1972 | “Let It Rain” “Easy Now” |
— | 48 | 42 |
| 1974 | “I Shot the Sheriff” “Give Me Strength” |
9 | 1 | 1 |
| “Willie and the Hand Jive” “Mainline Florida” |
— | 26 | 31 | |
| 1975 | “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” “Pretty Blue Eyes” |
19 | — | — |
| “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” “Someone Like You” |
38 | — | — | |
| 1976 | “Hello Old Friend” “All Our Past Times” |
— | 24 | 37 |
| 1977 | “Carnival” “Hungry” |
— | — | — |
| “Lay Down Sally” “Cocaine” |
39 | — | — | |
| 1978 | “Lay Down Sally” “Next Time You See Her” |
— | 3 | 3 |
| “Wonderful Tonight” “Peaches and Diesel” |
— | 16 | 15 | |
| “Promises” “Watch Out For Lucy” |
37 | 9 | 7 | |
| 1979 | “If I Don’t Be There By Morning” “Tulsa Time” |
— | — | — |
| 1980 | “Cocaine” (live) “Tulsa Time” (live) |
— | 30 | 3 |
| “Blues Power” (live) “Early in the Morning” |
— | 76 | — | |
| 1981 | “I Can’t Stand It” “Black Rose” |
— | 10 | 15 |
| “Another Ticket” “Rita Mae” |
— | 78 | — | |
| 1982 | “I Shot the Sheriff” “Give Me Strength” |
64 | — | — |
| 1983 | “I’ve Got a Rock n Roll Heart” “Man In Love” |
83 | 18 | 17 |
| “The Shape You’re In” “Crosscut Saw” |
75 | — | — | |
| “Slow Down Linda” “Crazy Country Hop” |
— | — | — | |
| 1985 | “Forever Man” “Too Bad” |
51 | 26 | — |
| “She’s Waiting” “Jailbait” |
— | — | — | |
| “See What Love Can Do” “She’s Waiting” |
— | 89 | — | |
| 1987 | “Behind the Mask” “Grand Illusion” |
15 | — | — |
| “It’s In the Way That You Use It” “Bad Influence” |
77 | — | — | |
| “Tearing Us Apart” “Hold On” |
56 | — | — | |
| “Holy Mother” “Tangled In Love” |
95 | — | — | |
| 1989 | “Bad Love” “Journeyman” |
25 | — | — |
| “Pretending” “Journeyman” |
— | 55 | 24 | |
| 1990 | “No Alibis” “Running on Faith” |
53 | — | — |
| “Bad Love” “Hard Times” |
— | 88 | 36 | |
| “Pretending” “Hard Times” |
96 | — | — | |
| 1991 | “Wonderful Tonight” (live) | 30 | — | — |
| 1992 | “Layla” (live, unplugged) “Signe” |
45 | 12 | 1 |
| 1994 | “Motherless Child” “Driftin’“ |
63 | — | 9 |
| 1998 | “My Father’s Eyes” “Change the World” |
33 | 16 | — |
| “Circus” | 39 | — | — | |
| 2001 | “I Ain’t Gonna Stand For It” “Losing Hand” |
— | — | — |
| “—” denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
Soundtracks
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | US | CAN | ||
| 1985 | “Edge of Darkness” / “Shoot Out” (with Michael Kamen; BBC-TV drama theme from Edge of Darkness) |
65 | — | — |
| 1992 | “Tears in Heaven” / “Tracks and Lines” (from Rush, soundtrack from the 1991 film Rush) |
5 | 2 | — |
| 1996 | “Change the World” / “Danny Boy” (with Babyface; from Phenomenon, soundtrack from the 1996 film Phenomenon) |
18 | 5 | 10 |
| 1999 | “Blue Eyes Blue” (written by Diane Warren; from Runaway Bride, soundtrack from the 1999 film Runaway Bride) |
— | — | — |
| “—” denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
Collaborations and guest appearances
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | US | CAN | ||
| 1992 | “Runaway Train” (with Elton John) |
31 | — | — |
| “It’s Probably Me” (with Sting) |
30 | — | — | |
| 1995 | “Love Can Build a Bridge” (with Cher, Chrissie Hynde & Neneh Cherry) |
1 | — | — |
| 1999 | “Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good to You” (with Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings) |
— | — | — |
| 2000 | “Forever Man (How Many Times)” (with Beatchuggers) |
26 | — | — |
| 2004 | “Blue Moon” (with Rod Stewart) |
— | — | — |
| 2008 | “Dirty City” (with Steve Winwood) |
— | — | — |
| “—” denotes releases that did not chart | ||||
