Don McLean discography
Don McLean performing in 2009
Studio albums21
Live albums4
Compilation albums10
Singles16

The discography of American singer Don McLean consists of 20 studio albums, four live albums, 11 compilation albums, and 16 singles.

Studio albums

Year Album Chart positions Certifications
US
[1] 		AUS
[2] 		CAN
 UK
[3]
1970 Tapestry[A] 111 22 — 16
1971 American Pie 1 1 1 2
1972 Don McLean 23 15 15 —
1973 Playin' Favorites — 22 — 42
1974 Homeless Brother 120 65 — —
1977 Prime Time — — — —
1978 Chain Lightning[B] 28 41 25 19
1981 Believers 156 15 — —
1987 Love Tracks — — — —
1990 Headroom — — — —
1991 Christmas — — — —
1995 The River of Love — — — —
1997 Christmas Dreams — — — —
2001 Sings Marty Robbins — — — —
2003 You've Got to Share: Songs for Children — — — —
The Western Album — — — —
2005 Rearview Mirror: An American Musical Journey — — — —
2009 Addicted to Black — — — —
2018 Botanical Gardens — — — —
2020 Still Playin' Favorites — — — —
2024 American Boys — — — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Live albums

Year Album
1976 Solo
1982 Dominion
2001 Starry, Starry Night
2014 Don McLean: Live in Manchester

Compilation albums

Year Album Chart positions Certifications
AUS
[2][7] 		UK
[3]
1980 The Very Best of Don McLean 2 4
  • ARIA: Platinum[8]
  • BPI: Gold[9]
1986 For the Memories 63 —
1987 Don McLean's Greatest Hits · Then & Now — —
1989 For the Memories Vols I & II — —
And I Love You So — —
1991 The Best of Don McLean — —
1992 Favorites and Rarities — —
2000 American Pie – The Greatest Hits — 30
2002 Classic Collection 57 —
2003 Legendary Songs of Don McLean — 71
2004 Christmastime! — —
2007 The Legendary Don McLean — —
2008 American Pie & Other Hits — —
2012 American Troubadour — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US
[1] 		US A/C
[1] 		US Cou.
[1] 		AUS
[2] 		CAN
 CAN A/C
 CAN Cou.
 UK
[3]
1971 "Castles in the Air"[C] — 40 — — — — — — Tapestry
"American Pie" 1 1 — 1 1 1 — 2
  • RIAA: 3× Platinum[11]
  • MC: 5× Platinum[5]
  • BPI: 2× Platinum[12]
 American Pie
1972 "Vincent" 12 2 — 3 3 13 — 1
1973 "Dreidel" 21 7 — 34 16 5 — 56[D] Don McLean
"If We Try" 58 12 — 9 82 22 — —
"Everyday" — — — — — — — 38 Playin' Favorites
1974 "Mountains o' Mourne" — — — 90 — — — —
"Fool's Paradise" 107 25 — — — 90 — —
"La La Love You" —[E] — — — — — — — Homeless Brother
1975 "Wonderful Baby" 93 1 — — — — — 60[D]
1980 "Crying" 5 2 6 27 7 — 1 1 Chain Lightning
1981 "Since I Don't Have You" 23 6 68 — 45 2 — —
"It's Just the Sun" 83 20 — 92 — 12 — —
"Castles in the Air" 36 7 — 11 — 2 — 47 Believers
1987 "He's Got You" — — 73 — — — — — Greatest Hits Then & Now
"You Can't Blame the Train" — — 49 — — — — — Love Tracks
1988 "Love in My Heart" — — 65 — — — — —
1991 "American Pie" (reissue) — — — — — — — 12 The Best of Don McLean
2012 "American Pie" (2nd reissue) — — — — — — — 78
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Rarities

Year Title Additional information
1982 "The Flight of Dragons" This song was recorded for the film The Flight of Dragons in the early 1980s.
1994 "Vincent" (live version) Grammy's Greatest Moments Volume III[16]

Notes

  1. ^ Tapestry did not chart in Australia or the UK until 1972 after the success of American Pie.
  2. ^ Chain Lightning also peaked at #3 on the RPM Country Albums chart in Canada.
  3. ^ The original version of "Castles in the Air" was included on the Tapestry album. In February 1971, it was released as the first single from the album and reached No. 40 on the Billboard Easy Listening / Adult Contemporary chart. After the success of the "American Pie" single, "Castles in the Air" was included as the B-side to its follow-up, "Vincent", and received enough radio airplay to reach the Hot 100 chart as a "flip". McLean's 1981 version of the song, a slower ballad version of the more mid- to up-tempo original, first appeared on his album Believers, and later replaced the original version on some copies of Tapestry.
  4. ^ a b Chart position is from the official UK "Breakers List".
  5. ^ "La La Love You" reached No. 111 on the Cashbox singles chart.[14]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Don McLean US chart info". AllMusic. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2009.
  2. ^ a b c Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 187. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  3. ^ a b c "Don McLean UK chart history". OfficialCharts.com. Retrieved June 22, 2009.
  4. ^ "American album certifications – Don Mc Lean – American Pie". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c "Canadian certifications – Don McLean". Music Canada. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  6. ^ "Don Mclean - American Pie (album)". bpi.co.uk. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  7. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 183.
  8. ^ "Kent Music Report No 453 – 28 February 1983 > Platinum Albums 1982 (Continued)". Retrieved December 26, 2022 – via Imgur.com.
  9. ^ "The Very Best of Don Mclean". bpi.co.uk. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  10. ^ "British certifications – Don Mclean – American Pie - The Greatest Hits". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  11. ^ "American certifications – Don Mclean". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  12. ^ "British single certifications – Don Mclean – American Pie". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  13. ^ "British certifications – Don Mclean – Vincent". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  14. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2015). The Comparison Book Billboard/Cash Box/Record World 1954–1982. Sheridan Books. ISBN 978-0-89820-213-7.
  15. ^ "Don Mclean - Crying". bpi.co.uk. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  16. ^ "Grammy's Greatest Moments, Volume III: Various Artists". Amazon.com. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
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