The Roots discographyThe Roots performing in 2016
Studio albums 14 EPs 2 Live albums 2 Compilation albums 3 Singles 18 Music videos 24
The discography of the Roots , an American hip hop band, consists of fourteen studio albums (including three collaborative studio albums), three compilation albums, two extended plays , and two live albums. The Roots began performing in 1989 as the Square Roots with rapper Black Thought and drummer Questlove . Rapper Malik B. , and bassist Leonard Hubbard joined the band in 1991.[ 1] Over its history, Questlove and Black Thought have always remained with the Roots while their lineup of backing musicians has changed.
In 1993, the Roots debuted with independently released album Organix , and signed to DGC Records (later MCA Records ) that same year. The Roots' debuted on Geffen with Do You Want More?!!!??! , an album that was unique in hip hop for using no sampling, and being embraced more by fans of alternative rock than fans of hip hop.[ 2] Do You Want More?!!!??! peaked at only number 104 on the Billboard 200 chart in the US.[ 3] Illadelph Halflife , the third album by the Roots, peaked at number twenty-one on the Billboard 200.[ 3] In 1999, the Roots' fourth album Things Fall Apart became the band's biggest success. The album was certified gold in the US,[ 4] and its single "You Got Me " peaked at number thirty-nine on the Billboard Hot 100 , and number nineteen on the Hot Rap Tracks chart.[ 5] "You Got Me" won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 2000.[ 6] In 2002, The Roots released Phrenology , which contained the band's second single to chart on the Hot 100. "Break You Off", which featured Musiq Soulchild , peaked at number ninety-nine.[ 5]
The Roots founded the company Okayplayer , and released The Tipping Point in 2004.[ 2] In 2006, the Roots signed to Def Jam , and released Game Theory under Def Jam and Rising Down in 2008; the band's album How I Got Over was released in 2010. The Roots released two live concert albums, the first being The Roots Come Alive in 2000, and the next The Roots Present in 2005. In 2009, the Roots became the house band for the late-night show Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and in 2014, upon Fallon's take over of The Tonight Show , the Roots moved to that series.
Albums
Studio albums
Year
Album details
Peak chart positions
Certifications(sales thresholds )
US [ 3]
US R&B [ 3]
AUS [ 7]
CAN [ 3]
FIN [ 8]
FRA [ 9]
GER [ 10]
NLD [ 11]
NOR [ 12]
SWE [ 13]
SWI [ 14]
UK [ 15]
1993
Organix
Released: May 19, 1993
Label: Remedy
Format: CD, cassette, digital download
—
93
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
1995
Do You Want More?!!!??!
Released: January 17, 1995
Label: DGC (24714)
Format: CD, cassette, digital download
104
22
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
87
—
—
1996
Illadelph Halflife
Released: September 24, 1996
Label: DGC (24972)
Format: CD, cassette, digital download, LP
21
4
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
56
—
—
1999
Things Fall Apart
Released: February 23, 1999
Label: MCA (11948)
Format: CD, cassette, digital download, LP
4
2
—
7
—
41
64
92
—
—
40
84
2002
Phrenology
Released: November 26, 2002
Label: MCA (112996)
Format: CD, digital download, LP
28
11
—
—
14
117
—
54
—
—
57
112
2004
The Tipping Point
Released: July 13, 2004
Label: Geffen (000257302)
Format: CD, digital download, LP
4
2
—
—
22
35
44
44
20
37
3
71
2006
Game Theory
Released: August 29, 2006
Label: Def Jam (0007222)
Format: CD, digital download, LP
9
5
—
—
36
69
95
78
26
—
7
76
2008
Rising Down
Released: April 29, 2008
Label: Def Jam (001113802)
Format: CD, digital download, LP
6
3
100
14
—
95
—
—
34
—
10
95
2010
How I Got Over
Released: June 22, 2010
Label: Def Jam
Format: CD, digital download, LP
6
3
71
14
—
117
70
33
—
—
3
111
Wake Up! (with John Legend )
8
3
42
16
—
95
69
6
—
29
15
26
2011
Betty Wright: The Movie (with Betty Wright )
Released: November 15, 2011
Label: S-Curve[ 19]
Format: CD, digital download, LP
197
27
—
—
—
—
—
44
—
—
—
—
Undun
Released: December 6, 2011
Label: Def Jam
Format: CD, digital download, LP
17
4
66
20
—
—
87
—
91
—
30
178
2013
Wise Up Ghost (with Elvis Costello )
Released: September 17, 2013
Label: Blue Note Records
Format: CD, digital download, LP
16
—
40
—
—
131
29
35
26
—
12
28
2014
...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin
Released: May 13, 2014
Label: Def Jam
Format: CD, digital download, LP
11
3
34
20
—
127
79
63
—
—
9
111
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.
Compilation albums
Year
Album details
Peak chart positions
US[ 3]
US R&B[ 3]
2005
Home Grown! The Beginners Guide to Understanding The Roots, Vol. 1
Released: November 15, 2005
Label: Geffen (000567002)
Format: CD, digital download, LP
161
41
Home Grown! The Beginners Guide to Understanding The Roots, Vol. 2
Released: November 15, 2005
Label: Geffen (000567102)
Format: CD, digital download, LP
187
46
Live albums
Year
Album details
Peak chart positions
US[ 3]
US R&B[ 3]
1999
The Roots Come Alive
Released: November 2, 1999
Label: MCA (12059)
Format: CD, cassette, digital download, LP
50
12
2004
Nagoya Blue Note: Live In Japan – September 7, 2004
Released: 2004
Label: Okapi (unofficial)
Format: CD
—
—
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.
Extended plays
Year
Album details
1994
From the Ground Up
Released: April 1, 1994
Label: Geffen (5189412)
Format: CD
1999
The Legendary
Released: July 20, 1999
Label: MCA (55539)
Format: CD
Singles
Year
Single
Peak chart positions
Album
US [ 5]
US R&B [ 5]
US Rap [ 5]
AUS [ 7]
FRA[ 9]
GER[ 10]
NLD[ 11]
NZL [ 20]
SWI [ 14]
UK [ 15]
1994
"Distortion to Static"
—
96
25
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Do You Want More?!!!??!
1995
"Proceed"
123[A]
79
13
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
"Silent Treatment"
—
105[A]
31
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
1996
"Clones"
101[A]
62
11
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Illadelph Halflife
"What They Do" (featuring Raphael Saadiq )
34
21
5
—
—
—
—
—
—
49
1997
"Concerto of the Desperado"
71
57
9
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
1998
"Adrenaline!"
—
73
29
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Things Fall Apart
"You Got Me " (featuring Erykah Badu and Eve )
39
11
19
—
28
25
46
37
15
31
1999
"The Next Movement " (featuring DJ Jazzy Jeff and Jazzyfatnastees )
—
103[A]
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
"What You Want"
—
82
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
The Best Man (soundtrack) / The Roots Come Alive
2001
"Glitches (The Skin You're In)"
(featuring Amel Larrieux )
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Down to Earth (soundtrack)
2002
"Break You Off" (featuring Musiq Soulchild )
99
55
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
59
Phrenology
2003
"The Seed (2.0) " (featuring Cody ChesnuTT )
—
—
—
78
—
67
31
—
22
33
2004
"Don't Say Nuthin'"
—
66
—
—
—
66
—
—
27
92
The Tipping Point
"I Don't Care" (featuring Dom)
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
54
97
"Stay Cool"
53[B]
31[B]
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
2006
"Don't Feel Right" (featuring Maimouna Youssef)
—
48[B]
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
200
Game Theory
2008
"Birthday Girl" (featuring Patrick Stump )
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Rising Down
"Rising Up" (featuring Chrisette Michele and Wale )
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
2009
"How I Got Over" (featuring Dice Raw )
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
How I Got Over
2010
"Dear God 2.0" (featuring Monsters of Folk )
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
"The Fire" (featuring John Legend )
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
"Wake Up Everybody " (with John Legend featuring Common & Melanie Fiona )
—
53
—
—
—
—
21
—
62
179
Wake Up!
"Hard Times" (with John Legend)
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
2011
"Shine" (with John Legend)
—
64
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
"Make My" (featuring Big K.R.I.T. )
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Undun
"Tip the Scale" (featuring Dice Raw)
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
2014
"Understand"
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
...And Then You Shoot Your Cousin
"When the People Cheer"
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.
Other appearances
Music videos
1993 : "Pass the Popcorn" (as The Square Roots )
1994: "Distortion to Static"
1994: "Proceed"
1994: "Proceed II"
1995: "Silent Treatment"
1996: "Clones"
1996: "Concerto of the Desperado"
1996: "What They Do"
1999: "You Got Me"
1999: "The Next Movement"
1999: "What You Want"
2000: "Glitches"
2002: "Break You Off"
2002: "The Seed 2.0"
2004: "Don't Say Nothin'"
2004: "Star"
2004: "I Don't Care"
2006: "In the Music/Here I Come/Don't Feel Right"
2008: "75 Bars (Black's Reconstruction)"
2008: "Get Busy"
2008: "Birthday Girl"
2008: "Rising Up"
2009: "How I Got Over"
2010: "Dear God 2.0"
2010: "The Fire"
2010: "Hard Times (Studio Video) "
2010: "I Can't Write Left Handed (Studio Video) "
2010: "Wake Up Everybody"
2011: "Undun: The Short Clips" ("Make My"; "Stomp"; "Tip The Scale"; "Sleep")
2014: "When the People Cheer"
2014: "Understand"
References
^ "The Roots" . Bonaroo. Retrieved June 16, 2010 .
^ a b Bush, John. "The Roots > Biography" . AllMusic . Retrieved June 16, 2010 .
^ a b c d e f g h i "The Roots > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums" . AllMusic . Retrieved June 16, 2010 .
^ "Gold & Platinum: The Roots" . RIAA. Retrieved June 16, 2010 .
^ a b c d e "The Roots > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles" . AllMusic . Rovi Corporation. Retrieved June 16, 2010 .
^ "The Roots > Charts & Awards > Grammy Awards" . AllMusic . Retrieved June 16, 2010 .
^ a b Peaks in Australia:
All top 50 peaks: "Discography The Roots" . Australian-charts.com . Retrieved August 6, 2010 .
Peaks 51–100: Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 239.
^ "Discography The Roots" . Finnishcharts.com (in Finnish). Retrieved June 16, 2010 .
^ a b "Discographie The Roots" . Lescharts.com (in French). Retrieved June 16, 2010 .
^ a b Peak chart positions for The Roots in Germany:
^ a b "Discografie The Roots" . Dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved June 16, 2010 .
^ "Discography The Roots" . Norwegiancharts.com . Retrieved June 16, 2010 .
^ "Discography The Roots" . Swedishcharts.com . Retrieved June 16, 2010 .
^ a b "Discographie The Roots" . Hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved June 16, 2010 .
^ a b Peak chart positions for The Roots in the United Kingdom:
^ a b c "RIAA – Searchable Database: The Roots" . Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved June 18, 2017 .
^ CRIA certifications Archived April 12, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
^ a b "Certified Awards" . Bpi.co.uk . Retrieved January 5, 2022 .
^ "Betty Wright: The Movie" . Amazon.com . Retrieved January 5, 2022 .
^ "Discography The Roots" . charts.nz . Retrieved June 16, 2010 .
^ "Billboard chart search" (XML) . Billboard.com. Retrieved June 10, 2010 .
^ "Various - In Tha Beginning...There Was Rap" . Discogs.com . 1997. Retrieved January 5, 2022 .
^ "discogs" . Discogs .
^ "discogs" . Discogs .
^ "Soundtrack for a Revolution - Original Soundtrack | Songs, Reviews, Credits" . AllMusic . Retrieved January 5, 2022 .
^ "YouTube" . YouTube .
External links
Studio albums
Live albums Extended plays Songs Related articles