Bad Brains discography
Encyclopedia
This is a comprehensive discography
Discography
Discography is the study and listing of the details concerning sound recordings, often by specified artists or within identified musical genres...

 of Bad Brains
Bad Brains
Bad Brains is an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1977. They are widely regarded as among the pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members objected to this term to describe their music. They are also an adept reggae band, while later recordings featured elements of...

, a Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

-based hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...

 band. To date, the band has released eight full-length studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...

s (counting an instrumental dub
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...

 album), two EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...

s, four live recordings
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...

, two compilation albums and twenty-five singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...

.

Studio albums

Year Title Comments
1982 Bad Brains
Bad Brains (album)
Bad Brains is the first full-length studio album recorded by Bad Brains. Adam Yauch of Beastie Boys has been quoted as saying that this album is "the best punk/hardcore album of all time"...

  • Label: ROIR Records
  • Formats: CD
    Compact Disc
    The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...

    , Vinyl LP
    Gramophone record
    A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...

    , Cassette
    Compact Cassette
    The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...

  • Debut studio album.
  • This album was originally released only on cassette.
  • In-Effect Records released a CD version with the same track listing entitled Attitude: The ROIR Sessions in 1991.
  • 1983 Rock for Light
    Rock For Light
    Rock for Light is the second official full-length album by hardcore punk pioneers Bad Brains. It was produced by Ric Ocasek of The Cars. The 1991 re-issue was remixed by Ocasek and bass player Darryl Jenifer...

  • Label: PVC Records
  • Formats: CD, Vinyl LP, Cassette
  • Contains a number of re-recorded tracks from their first album
    Bad Brains (album)
    Bad Brains is the first full-length studio album recorded by Bad Brains. Adam Yauch of Beastie Boys has been quoted as saying that this album is "the best punk/hardcore album of all time"...

    .
  • Reissued by Caroline Records
    Caroline Records
    Caroline Records started out as a subsidiary of Richard Branson's Virgin Records label during the early to mid 1970s. The label originally specialized in putting out budget price LPs by mainly progressive rock and jazz artists generally not considered to have a great deal of 'mainstream' or...

     in 1991. The reissue was remixed by the album's producer Ric Ocasek
    Ric Ocasek
    Ric Ocasek is an American musician and music producer. He is best known as lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the rock band, The Cars....

     and bassist Darryl Jenifer.
  • Bad Brains broke up for the first time after the release of this album.
  • 1986 I Against I
    I Against I
    I Against I is the third official full-length studio album by Bad Brains, released in 1986 as SST Records number 65. The best-selling album in the band's catalog, I Against I is a critically acclaimed album of American hardcore punk mixed with funk, soul, reggae and heavy metal. It is also...

  • Label: SST Records
    SST Records
    SST Records is an American independent record label formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California by musician Greg Ginn. The company was initially called Solid State Transmitters through which Ginn sold electronics equipment...

  • Formats: CD, Vinyl LP, Cassette
  • First release on SST Records
    SST Records
    SST Records is an American independent record label formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California by musician Greg Ginn. The company was initially called Solid State Transmitters through which Ginn sold electronics equipment...

    .
  • Regarded as the highest selling album in the band's catalogue, I Against I is a critically acclaimed album of American hardcore punk mixed with funk, soul, and heavy metal.
  • This is the only Bad Brains album that does not include reggae
    Reggae
    Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...

     music.
  • 1989 Quickness
    Quickness
    Quickness is the fourth full-length studio album by hardcore punk pioneers Bad Brains. At the time of its release, it was the best selling Bad Brains album and also featured an MTV video for the lead-off track "Soul Craft" directed by Paul Rachman who later went on to produce and direct the feature...

  • Label: Caroline Records
    Caroline Records
    Caroline Records started out as a subsidiary of Richard Branson's Virgin Records label during the early to mid 1970s. The label originally specialized in putting out budget price LPs by mainly progressive rock and jazz artists generally not considered to have a great deal of 'mainstream' or...

  • Formats: CD, Vinyl LP, Cassette
  • Last album with H.R.
    H.R.
    H.R. is the stage name of Paul D. Hudson, the lead singer of the hardcore punk band Bad Brains. His vocals can be quite diverse, ranging from a rapid-fire nasal whine, to feral growling and screeches, to smooth near-crooning or staccato reggae rhymes...

     on vocals and his brother Earl
    Earl Hudson
    Earl Hudson is the drummer for Bad Brains, regarded as one of punk rock's most influential and innovative bands. He is the younger brother of the band's lead singer H.R.. Although he has rarely recorded or performed outside of the band, he and fellow bandmates, guitarist Dr...

    , who remains credited but didn't actually play on the album, on drums. Mackie Jayson of Cro-Mags
    Cro-Mags
    Cro-Mags are a hardcore punk turned crossover thrash band from New York City. The band, which had a strong cult following, released many records, their first two considered the most influential...

     handled the drum tracks instead.
  • On this album, the band continues the same style they used on I Against I.
  • 1993 Rise
    Rise (Bad Brains album)
    Rise is the fifth full-length studio album by hardcore punk pioneers Bad Brains. It is the first Bad Brains album to be released on a major label and is notable for the absence of two original members: Here, a young Israel Joseph I replaces vocalist H.R...

  • Label: Epic Records
    Epic Records
    Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...

  • Formats: CD, Vinyl LP, Cassette
  • First Bad Brains album on a major label.
  • The only Bad Brains album without H.R. and his brother Earl. Their respective replacements were Israel Joseph I on vocals and Mackie Jayson, who was a session musician on Quickness, on drums.
  • 1995 God of Love
  • Label: Maverick Records
    Maverick Records
    Maverick Recording Company is an American record label owned and operated by Warner Music Group, and distributed through Warner Bros. Records.-Company history:...

  • Formats: CD, Vinyl LP, Cassette
  • The first Bad Brains album recorded with the original lineup in six years.
  • Final album before disbanding again.
  • 2002 I & I Survived
  • Label: Reggae Lounge
  • Formats: CD
  • Mostly an instrumental dub album featuring a large amount of reggae, ska, and dub elements with only occasional forays into hard rock and punk music, as opposed to their other albums which are the other way around.
  • Contains remakes of Bad Brains' past material.
  • H.R., the voice of the band, does not appear on this album.
  • 2007 Build a Nation
    Build a Nation
    Build a Nation is the eighth proper full-length studio album by hardcore punk pioneers Bad Brains. Released on June 26, 2007, it was produced by Adam Yauch of Beastie Boys, a longtime friend of the band. This album also celebrates the 30th anniversary of the band.Along with being available on CD,...

  • Label: Megaforce Records
    Megaforce Records
    Megaforce Records is an American independent record label which was founded in 1982 by Jon and Marsha Zazula to publish the first works of Metallica. It has offices in New York and Philadelphia. The label is distributed in the U.S. by Sony Music Entertainment/RED Distribution...

  • Formats: CD, Vinyl LP
  • Bad Brains' first album of original material in twelve years.

  • Live albums

    Year Title Comments
    1989 Live
    Live (Bad Brains album)
    Live is a live album from hardcore punk & reggae pioneers Bad Brains. It was recorded in early 1988 and features a complete set of blistering punk rock as well as a few funk selections from their most recent album at the time, the influential I Against I...

    • Label: SST Records
    • Format: CD, Vinyl LP, Cassette
  • This recording's concert is from the band's 1988 tour.
  • 1990 The Youth Are Getting Restless
    The Youth Are Getting Restless
    The Youth Are Getting Restless is a live album from hardcore punk and reggae pioneers Bad Brains, recorded live at the Paradiso Theater in Amsterdam, Holland, in 1987 by the VPRO. The show was part of the band's I Against I tour...

  • Label: Caroline Records
  • Format: CD, Vinyl LP, Cassette
  • Recorded live at the Paradiso (Amsterdam)
    Paradiso (Amsterdam)
    Paradiso is an iconic rock music venue and cultural center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.-History:It is housed in a converted former church building that dates from the nineteenth century and that was used until 1965 as the meeting hall for a liberal Dutch religious group known as the "Vrije...

     Theater in Amsterdam, Holland, in 1987 by the VPRO
    VPRO
    The VPRO was established in the Netherlands in 1926 as a religious broadcasting organization. Falling under the Protestant pillar, it represented the Liberal Protestant current...

    . The show was part of the band's I Against I tour.
  • 2001 A Bad Brains Reunion Live from Maritime Hall
    A Bad Brains Reunion Live from Maritime Hall
    A Bad Brains Reunion Live at Maritime Hall is the third live album from hardcore punk and reggae pioneers Bad Brains. It marks the reunion of the band after a four year breakup. At the time, the band were unable to use the name "Bad Brains" as they were embattled in legal turmoil with their prior...

  • Label: 2B1 Records
  • Format: CD
  • Recorded live in 1999.
  • During this time, the band were unable to use the name "Bad Brains" as they were embattled in legal turmoil with their prior management company. For over three years, the band had to tour under the name "Soul Brains" even though the original lineup of Bad Brains was intact.
  • 2006 Live at CBGB 1982
  • Label: MVD Records
  • Format: CD
  • Recorded live at the now-defunct New York City
    New York City
    New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

     club CBGB's
    CBGB
    CBGB was a music club at 315 Bowery at Bleecker Street in the borough of Manhattan in New York City.Founded by Hilly Kristal in 1973, it was originally intended to feature its namesake musical styles, but became a forum for American punk and New Wave bands like Ramones, Misfits, Television, the...

     in 1982.
  • A DVD of this concert was also released.

  • Compilation albums

    Year Title Comments
    1996 Black Dots
    Black Dots
    Black Dots is a collection of early songs recorded by Bad Brains. It was recorded at Inner Ear Studios in 1979, which at the time was in Don Zientara's basement. In between songs you can hear Zientara's son talking to H.R...

    • Label: Caroline Records
      Caroline Records
      Caroline Records started out as a subsidiary of Richard Branson's Virgin Records label during the early to mid 1970s. The label originally specialized in putting out budget price LPs by mainly progressive rock and jazz artists generally not considered to have a great deal of 'mainstream' or...

    • Format: CD, Vinyl LP, Cassette
  • This album - which served as the band's demo - was recorded at Inner Ear Studios in 1979, which at the time was in Don Zientara's basement.
  • 2003 Banned in D.C.
    Banned in D.C.
    Banned In D.C. is a compilation of hardcore punk and reggae songs by Bad Brains.All the tracks have been previously released, except for the instrumental version of "Riot Squad"...

  • Label: Caroline Records
    Caroline Records
    Caroline Records started out as a subsidiary of Richard Branson's Virgin Records label during the early to mid 1970s. The label originally specialized in putting out budget price LPs by mainly progressive rock and jazz artists generally not considered to have a great deal of 'mainstream' or...

  • Format: CD
  • This compilation spans all their material up to Quickness.
  • 2006
    This is a bootleg not an authorized release
    Pay To Cum 1979-1981
    • Label: Bad Brains Records
    • Format: Vinyl LP
  • Dots Studio 1979, Inner Ear Studios 1979, Omega Studios 1980, 171-A Studios 1981

  • Extended plays

    Year Title Comments
    1991 Spirit Electricity
    Spirit Electricity
    Spirit Electricity is an EP from hardcore punk and reggae pioneers Bad Brains recorded live in concert in 1988 during the same tour that spawned the live albums The Youth Are Getting Restless and Live...

    • Label: SST Records
      SST Records
      SST Records is an American independent record label formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California by musician Greg Ginn. The company was initially called Solid State Transmitters through which Ginn sold electronics equipment...

    • Format: CD, Vinyl LP, Cassette
  • Last release on SST Records
    SST Records
    SST Records is an American independent record label formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California by musician Greg Ginn. The company was initially called Solid State Transmitters through which Ginn sold electronics equipment...

    .
  • The EP was actually recorded live during the I Against I tour.
  • 1997 The Omega Sessions
    The Omega Sessions
    The Omega Sessions is an EP recorded in the early days of hardcore punk and reggae pioneers Bad Brains in 1980. The tracks were recorded and mixed at the original Omega Recording Studios in Kensington Maryland...

  • Label: Victory Records
    Victory Records
    Victory Records is a Chicago-based record label founded by Tony Brummel. It is a privately held corporation. It also operates a music publishing company called "Another Victory, Inc." and is the distributor of several smaller independent record labels....

  • Format: CD, Vinyl LP
  • The material on this EP was recorded in 1980, but wasn't released until seventeen years later.

  • Singles

    (This list is not completely accurate as some were EPs.)
    Year Title Album
    1980 "Pay to Cum"
    1982 "I Luv I Jah" Bad Brains
    1982 "Sailin' On" Bad Brains
    1982 "Attitude" Bad Brains
    1982 "Banned in D.C." Bad Brains
    1982 "F.V.K. (Fearless Vampire Killers)" Bad Brains
    1982 "Big Take Over" Bad Brains
    1983 "Joshua's Song" Rock for Light
    1983 "Destroy Babylon" Rock for Light
    1983 "At the Movies" Rock for Light
    1983 "Riot Squad" Rock for Light
    1983 "How Low Can a Punk Get?" Rock for Light
    1984 "I and I Survive" Rock for Light
    1984 "The Meek" Rock for Light
    1986 "I Against I" I Against I
    1987 "Re-Ignition" I Against I
    1987 "Sacred Love" I Against I
    1989 "Soul Craft" Quickness
    1989 "With the Quickness" Quickness
    1990 "The Prophet's Eye" Quickness
    1993 "Rise" Rise
    1995 "God of Love" God of Love
    2007 "Give Thanks and Praises" Build a Nation
    2007 "Jah Love" Build a Nation

    Other appearances

    • New York Thrash
      New York Thrash
      New York Thrash is a hardcore punk compilation album released by ROIR in 1982.Considered a definitive document of the early New York hardcore scene, New York Thrash features rare and otherwise unreleased recordings, including the first recorded material by the Beastie Boys, as well as material by...

       (1982)
    • Rat Music for Rat People (CD Presents, 1982) (Songs "How Low Can A Punk Get?" and "You")
    • Pump Up the Volume
      Pump Up the Volume (film)
      Pump Up the Volume is a 1990 comedy-drama film written and directed by Allan Moyle and starring Christian Slater and Samantha Mathis.- Plot summary :...

       Motion Picture Soundtrack (1990) (Song "Kick Out the Jams" with Henry Rollins
      Henry Rollins
      Henry Rollins is an American singer-songwriter, spoken word artist, writer, comedian, publisher, actor, and radio DJ....

      )
    • H.R. appeared on the song "Without Jah, Nothin'" by P.O.D.
      P.O.D.
      Payable on Death is an American Christian metal band formed in 1992. The band's line-up consists of vocalist Sonny Sandoval, drummer Wuv Bernardo, guitarist Marcos Curiel, and bassist Traa Daniels. Their Christian faith is an important part of their music.They have released seven studio albums and...

      , being track 13 on the 2001 album Satellite.
    • H.R. also appeared on the song "New Sun" on Long Beach Dub All-Stars' 1999 debut album Right Back.
    • The band contributed the music of their song "Re-Ignition" to a remix of Lil Jon's
      Lil Jon
      Jonathan Mortimer Smith , better known by his stage name Lil Jon, is an American rapper, music producer, entrepreneur, and occasional disc jockey who was a member of the group Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz. Lil Jon formed the group in 1997, and the group released several albums between then and 2004...

       "Real Nigga Roll Call".
    • The song "I Against I" appeared on the video game Matt Hoffman's pro BMX 2 as well as EA's skate.
    • The song "Soul Craft" was featured in the video game "Backyard Wrestling 2"
    • The song "Banned in DC" appeared on the video game Tony Hawk's Proving Ground
      Tony Hawk's Proving Ground
      Tony Hawk's Proving Ground is a video game developed by Neversoft for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 video game consoles; by Page 44 Studios for the PlayStation 2 and Wii; and by Vicarious Visions for the Nintendo DS...

      .
    • The song "Right Brigade" appeared on the video game Grand Theft Auto IV
      Grand Theft Auto IV
      Grand Theft Auto IV is a 2008 open world action video game published by Rockstar Games, and developed by British games developer Rockstar North. It has been released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 video game consoles, and for the Windows operating system...

      .
    • A considerable part of the American Hardcore
      American Hardcore (film)
      American Hardcore is a documentary directed by Paul Rachman and written by Steven Blush. It is based on the book American Hardcore: A Tribal History also written by Blush. It was released on September 22, 2006 on a limited basis...

       documentary (2006) is duly devoted to the Bad Brains.
    • H.R. and Darryl Jenifer contributed to rapper Ill Bill
      Ill Bill
      William Braunstein, better known as Ill Bill, is a American rapper and record producer from Brooklyn, New York. Having gained notoriety in the underground hip hop group Non Phixion, Ill Bill is known for his hardcore lyrics and as the producer, founder and CEO of Uncle Howie Records...

      's album The Hour of Reprisal
      The Hour of Reprisal
      The Hour of Reprisal is the second studio album by American hip hop musician Ill Bill. It was released on September 16, 2008 by Uncle Howie Records. Featured guests on the album include Howard Jones of Killswitch Engage, Vinnie Paz of Jedi Mind Tricks, H.R...

       on the track "Riya".
    • Drum and bass producer Hive
      Hive
      A hive may refer to a beehive, an enclosed structure in which some honey bee species live and raise their young.Hive may also refer to:-Arts:* The Hives, a Swedish rock band* Hive , a DJ and producer in the drum and bass music genre...

      has a track entitled "Ultrasonic Sound" which heavily samples the song "Re-Ignition" by Bad Brains.
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