They Might Be Giants discography

They Might Be Giants discography
Studio albums	22
Live albums	9
Compilation albums	10
Video albums	7
EPs	21
Singles	11

The following is a comprehensive discography of They Might Be Giants, an American alternative rock band comprising several artists including John Flansburgh, John Linnell, Marty Beller, Dan Miller, and Danny Weinkauf. The band's first release was the November 4, 1986 eponymously titled They Might Be Giants, but TMBG did not gain commercial success until their March 1990 single "Birdhouse in Your Soul" from the album Flood. "Birdhouse in Your Soul" reached #3 on the United States Modern Rock Tracks chart and #6 on the UK Singles Chart and remains their highest-charting single in both countries. Over the next two decades, They Might Be Giants released studio albums on a near-biennial fashion and currently have a total of 22 studio albums along with six live albums, eight compilation albums, 21 extended plays and 11 singles.

Studio albums

Year	Title	Chart peaks				Certifications (sales thresholds)	Notes
		UK	US	US Kids	AUS
1979	They Might Be Giants Label: Stiff Release Date: April 6, 1979 Format: Vinyl, CD, cassette	—	—	—	—		Debut album
1980	Lincoln Label: Stiff Release Date: September 26, 1980 Format: Vinyl, CD, cassette	—	89	—	—
1982	Flood Label: Stiff Release Date: January 15, 1982 Format: Vinyl, CD, cassette	14	75	—	99	US: Platinum	Major label debut Certified platinum by the RIAA
1984	Apollo 18 Label: Elektra Release Date: March 24, 1984 Format: Vinyl, CD, cassette	—	99	—	59
1986	John Henry Label: Elektra Release Date: September 13, 1986 Format: CD, cassette	—	61	—	—		First album with a backing band.
1988	Factory Showroom Label: Elektra Release Date: October 8, 1988 Format: CD, cassette	—	89	—	—
1991	Long Tall Weekend Label: eMusic Release date: July 19, 1991 Format: Digital download, promo CD	—	—	—	—		Download-only album, released on eMusic.com First full-length download-only album released by a major artist
1993	Mink Car Label: Restless Release date: September 11, 1993 Format: CD, digital download	—	134	—	—
1994	No! Label: Idlewild/Rounder Release date: June 11, 1994 Format: Enhanced CD, digital download	—	—	1	—		First children's album
2004	The Spine Label: Idlewild/Zoë Release date: July 13, 2004 Format: CD, digital download	—	130	—	—
2005	Here Come the ABCs Label: Idlewild/Disney Sound Release date: February 15, 2005 Format: CD, DVD, digital download	—	—	6	—		Second children's album Major label children's album debut
2007	The Else Label: Idlewild/Zoë Release date: May 15, 2007 Format: CD, vinyl, digital download	—	118	—	—		Released for download on the iTunes Store almost two months before physical release The CD release included a bonus disc, Cast Your Pod to the Wind
2008	Here Come the 123s Label: Idlewild/Disney Sound Release Date: February 5, 2008 Format: DVD/CD, digital download	—	172	9	—		Third children's album First album to win a Grammy Award
2009	Here Comes Science Label: Idlewild/ Disney Sound Release Date: September 1, 2009 Format: CD/DVD, digital download	—	91	4	—		Fourth children's album
2011	Join Us Label: Idlewild/Rounder Release Date: July 19, 2011 Format: CD, vinyl, digital download	—	32	—	—		First "rock" album since 2007
2013	Nanobots Label: Idlewild, Lojinx Release Date: March 5, 2013 Format: CD, vinyl, digital download	—	57	—	—
2015	Glean Label: Idlewild Release Date: April 21, 2015 Format: CD, vinyl, digital download	—	67	—	—		Composed entirely of songs from the band's 2015 Dial-A-Song project.
	Why? Label: Idlewild Release date: November 27, 2015 Format: CD, vinyl, digital download	—	181	—	—		Fifth children's album Composed largely of songs from the band's 2015 Dial-A-Song project.
2016	Phone Power Label: Idlewild Release date: March 9, 2016 Format: CD, vinyl, digital download	—	122	—	—		Composed entirely of songs from the band's 2015 Dial-A-Song project.
2018	I Like Fun Label: Idlewild Release date: January 19, 2018 Format: CD, vinyl, digital download	—	108	—	—		Composed entirely of songs from the band's 2018 Dial-A-Song project.
	My Murdered Remains Label: Idlewild Release date: December 10, 2018 Format: CD, vinyl, digital download	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA		Composed entirely of songs from the band's 2018 Dial-A-Song project. Included bonus disc composed mostly of songs from the band's 2015 Dial-A-Song project.
	The Escape Team Label: Idlewild Release date: December 10, 2018 Format: CD, vinyl, digital download	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA		Composed largely of songs from the band's 2018 Dial-A-Song project.

Live albums

Year	Title	Chart peaks	Notes
		US
1994	Live!! New York City 10/14/94 Label: Elektra Release Date: November 1994	—	Released as a promotional CD Distributed to members of the Hello Recording Club
1998	Severe Tire Damage Label: Restless Release Date: August 11, 1998	186	First major live album
1999	Live Label: BMG Special Products Release Date: November 23, 1999	—	Condensed version of Severe Tire Damage
2004	The Spine Hits the Road Label: Idlewild Release Date: August 31, 2004	—	Download only; exclusive to the iTunes Store
	Almanac Label: Idlewild Release Date: December 10, 2004	—	Download-only album
	Venue Songs Label: Idlewild Release Date: December 10, 2004	—	Download-only album
2012	At Large Label: Idlewild Release Date: August, 2012	—	Distributed to members of the They Might Be Giants Instant Fan Club
2014	First Album Live! Label: Idlewild Release Date: July, 2014	—	Released as a free digital download through NoiseTrade
2015	Flood Live In Australia Label: Idlewild Release Date: February 25, 2015	—	Released as a free digital download through their website
2016	Live In Brooklyn Release Date: July 19, 2016	—	Distributed to members of the They Might Be Giants Instant Fan Club
2018	TMBG Live 2018 Release Date: December 4, 2018	—	Distributed to members of the They Might Be Giants Instant Fan Club

Compilations

Year	Title	Notes
1989	Don't Let's Start Label: Rough Trade / One Little Indian	B-side and rarities collection Released exclusively in Europe
1991	Miscellaneous T Label: Restless / Bar/None Release Date: October 8, 1991 Format: CD, Cassette	US version of Don't Let's Start
1997	Then: The Earlier Years Label: Restless Release Date: March 25, 1997	Collects the band's first two studio albums and early rarities and B-sides
1999	Best of the Early Years Label: BMG Special Products Release Date: November 23, 1999	Condensed version of Then: The Earlier Years
2002	They Got Lost Label: Idlewild, Zoë Release Date: July 23, 2002	Rarities collection, including some songs from Long Tall Weekend
	Dial-A-Song: 20 Years of They Might Be Giants Label: Rhino Release Date: September 17, 2002	Best-of compilation
2005	A User's Guide to They Might Be Giants Label: Rhino Release Date: May 3, 2005	Condensed version of Dial-A-Song: 20 Years of They Might Be Giants
	Venue Songs DVD/CD Label: Idlewild Release Date: November 11, 2005	Collection of "venue songs": songs the band wrote about various venues in which they performed
2011	Album Raises New and Troubling Questions Label: Idlewild Release Date: November 1, 2011	Rarities collection, including five music videos Part of the July 26, 2012 Humble Music Bundle
2014	Idlewild Label: Idlewild, Lojinx Release Date: May 27, 2014	Contains 17 songs released between 1999 and 2013
2020	Modern Self-released Release date: April 15, 2020	First album since The Escape Team Download-only release to raise funds for band and crew after COVID-19 pandemic tour postponements

EPs

Year	Album Information
1993	Why Does the Sun Shine? (The Sun Is a Mass of Incandescent Gas) Released: September 14, 1993 Label: Elektra Format: CD
1994	Back to Skull Released: August 16, 1994 Label: Elektra Format: CD
2000	Working Undercover for the Man Released: May 16, 2000 Label: Good Noise Format:
2001	They Might Be Giants In...Holidayland Released: November 6, 2001 Label: Format:
2003	Bed, Bed, Bed Released: 2003 Label: Simon & Schuster Format: Book with CD
2004	Indestructible Object Released: April 4, 2004 Label: Barsuk Format: CD
	The Spine Surfs Alone Released: 2004 Label: Format: CD
2013	Nanobots EP Released: 2013 Label: Idlewild Recordings/Megaforce Format: Download only

Videography

Year	Title	Certifications (sales thresholds)
1999	Direct from Brooklyn Released: April 27, 1999 Label: Restless Format: VHS, DVD
2003	Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns) Released: Label: Format:
2005	Here Come the ABCs Released: Label: Format: DVD	US: Gold
	Venue Songs DVD/CD Released: November 11, 2005 Label: Idlewild Format: DVD
2008	Here Come the 123s Released: Label: Format: DVD	US: Gold
2009	Here Comes Science Released: Label: Format: DVD	US: Gold
2012	Them Ain't Big Eye Ants Released: Label: Format: DVD
2015	Live in Berlin Released: July 2015 Label: Idlewild Format: DVD

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name

Title	Year	Peak chart positions				Album
		US Alt.	AUS	NLD	UK
"Everything Right is Wrong Again"	1980	—	94	—	—	They Might Be Giants
"(She Was A) Hotel Detective"	1981	—	—	—	—
"Ana Ng"		11	—	—	—	Lincoln
"They'll Need a Crane"	1982	—	—	—	—
"Purple Toupee"		—	—	—	—
"Birdhouse in Your Soul"	1983	3	125	—	6	Flood
"Twisting"		22	—	—	—
"Istanbul (Not Constantinople)"		—	—	—	61
"The Statue Got Me High"	1985	24	—	—	92	Apollo 18
"The Guitar (The Lion Sleeps Tonight)"		—	—	—	—
"I Palindrome I"		—	—	—	—
"O Tannenbaum"	1986	—	—	—	—	Non-album single
"Snail Shell"	1987	19	—	—	—	John Henry
"S-E-X-X-Y"	1989	—	—	—	—	Factory Showroom
"Doctor Worm"	1991	—	—	—	—	Severe Tire Damage
"The Days in the Lives of Beau (End Theme)"	1997	—	29	89	21	Music from Malcolm in the Middle
"Man, It's So Loud in Here"		—	86	—	—	Mink Car
"Experimental Film"	2001	—	—	—	—	The Spine
"T-Shirt"	2001	—	—	—	—	Non-album single
"I'm Impressed"	2003	—	—	—	—	The Else
"Can't Keep Johnny Down"	2007	—	—	—	—	Join Us
"You're on Fire"	2009	—	—	—	—	Nanobots
"Erase"	2011	—	—	—	—	Glean
"I Left My Body"	2013	—	—	—	—	I Like Fun
"The Communists Have The Music"	2014	—	—	—	—	My Murdered Remains
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Contributions & other releases

• "Particle Man" & "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" for Tiny Toons in the MTV spoof episode
• "One More Parade" for Rubaiyat: Elektra's 40th Anniversary Tribute CD (1990)
• "SenSurround" for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie Soundtrack (1995)
• "25 O' Clock" for Testimonial Dinner: The Songs of XTC Tribute CD (1995)
• "Spiraling Shape" for Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy Soundtrack (1996)
• "Dr. Evil" for Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me Soundtrack (1999)
• "Boss of Me" and "Older" for Music from Malcolm in the Middle (2000)
• "Puppy Love" for Blue's Clues Commercial (2000)
• "I've Got A Fang" (Demo) for This Is Next Year: A Brooklyn-Based Compilation (2001)
• CD soundtrack to McSweeney's Quarterly, issue 6 (2001) (Contributions, and arrangement of music by others)
• "Courage the Cowardly Dog" for Cartoon Network promo (2001)
• "Darlin' Allison" for Gordon Gano's Hitting the Ground album (2002)
• "So to Be One of Us" for Return to Never Land Soundtrack (2002)
• "Now That You're One of Us" for Return to Never Land Soundtrack (2002)
• "The Long Grift" for Wig in a Box (2003)
• "Savoy Truffle" for Songs from the Material World (2003)
• "Hang On" and "Getting Better" for The Cat in the Hat Soundtrack (2003)
• "Baroque Hoedown" for DisneyMania 2 (2004) and Moog Soundtrack (2004)
• "Jenny/XJ9" for Nickelodeon promo (2004)
• "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too" for Future Soundtrack for America (2004)
• "Ana Ng" for Left of the Dial: Dispatches from the '80s Underground Compilation (2004)
• "Through Being Cool" for Sky High Soundtrack (2005)
• "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Theme Song" for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Soundtrack (2006)
• "Hot Dog!" for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Soundtrack (2006)
• "Happy Doesn't Have to Have an Ending" for Happily N'Ever After Soundtrack (2007)
• "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" a song for the Meet the Robinsons soundtrack (2007)
• "Havalina" (Pixies cover) for "Dig For Fire - a tribute to PIXIES" (2007)
• "Other Father's Song" for the film "Coraline" (2009)
• "Choo Choo Express" for the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse DVD Choo Choo Express (2008)
• "200 sbemails" for Strong Bad Emails Homestar Runner Email Thunder episode (2008)
• "I'm Not a Loser" for SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical (2016)
• "3rd Amendment" for 27: The Most Perfect Album (2018)