British guitarist and singer-songwriter Eric Clapton's recording career as a solo artist began in 1970, with the release of his self-titled debut, Eric Clapton. Since then, he has released several best selling albums, such as Unplugged (1992), From the Cradle (1994), and Clapton Chronicles: The Best of Eric Clapton (1999).
To date, Clapton has reportedly sold 280 million records worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling music artist in history. According to RIAA, he has sold 40 million certified albums in the United States (including one diamond, seven multi-platinum and 23 gold records). According to Billboard, Clapton is the 38th Greatest Artist of all time in their chart history, as well as the 38th Greatest Mainstream Rock Artist of all time. Clapton is also the 24th Most Successful Artist on Billboard 200 history. Unplugged remains his career's best seller with over 26 million copies sold worldwide, and is recognised as the biggest-selling live album in history.
Studio albums + Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications UK AUS Note: This reference gives Australian albums and singles information. It is used for chart peak positions as early materials were released before ARIA regulated the Australian charts itself (1989); AUT GER NL NOR NZ SWE SWI US Eric ClaptonReleased: August 1970 Label: Polydor (UK), Atco (US) Formats: LP147———17———13 461 Ocean BoulevardReleased: August 1974 Label: RSO Format: Long playing record (LP), audio cassette (cass)32—114438——1 BPI: Gold RIAA: Gold There's One in Every CrowdReleased: April 1975 Label: RSO Format: LP, cass1515————24——21BPI: Silver No Reason to CryReleased: August 1976 Label: RSO Format: LP, cass8 30——9131824—15BPI: Silver SlowhandReleased: November 1977 Label: RSO Format: LP, cass2346—661753241—2 BPI: Gold RIAA: 3× Platinum SWI: Gold BacklessReleased: November 1978 Label: RSO Format: LP181624—2222228—8 BPI: Silver RIAA: Platinum Another TicketReleased: February 1981 Label: RSO Format: LP, cass1830—26385326—7RIAA: Gold Money and CigarettesReleased: January 1983 Label: Duck/Warner Format: LP1320—22163115—16 Behind the SunReleased: March 1985 Label: Duck/Warner Format: LP, cass, compact audio disc (CD)8503015552110334 RIAA: Platinum AugustRelease: November 1986 Label: Duck/Warner Format: LP, cass, CD334—3229123872337 BPI: Platinum RIAA: Gold JourneymanReleased: November 1989 Label: Duck/Reprise Format: LP, cass, CD227291692433—16 BPI: Platinum NVPI: Gold RIAA: 2× Platinum SWE: Gold SWI: Gold From the CradleReleased: September 1994 Label: Duck/Warner Format: LP, cass, CD16163422—1 BPI: Gold BVMI: Gold IFPI AUT: Gold RIAA: 3× Platinum SWE: Gold SWI: Gold PilgrimReleased: March 1998 Label: Reprise Format: CD, cass6174371103—4 BPI: Gold ARIA: Gold BVMI: Gold IFPI AUT: Gold IFPI NOR: Gold RIAA: Platinum SWE: Gold SWI: Gold ReptileReleased: March 2001 Label: Reprise Format: LP, CD7202297159—5 BPI: Gold BVMI: Gold RIAA: Gold SWI: Gold Me and Mr. JohnsonReleased: March 2004 Label: Reprise Format: LP, CD10 23581214147—6 BPI: Gold RIAA: Gold Sessions for Robert JReleased: December 2004 Label: Reprise Format: CD——74——————172 Back HomeReleased: August 2005 Label: Reprise Format: LP, CD19—9296—5413 RIAA: Gold ClaptonReleased: September 2010 Label: Reprise Format: LP, CD721539511546BVMI: Gold Old SockReleased: March 2013 Label: Surfdog Format: LP, CD132275771114—7 I Still DoReleased: May 2016 Label: Bushbranch/Surfdog Format: LP, CD61035512513—6 Happy XmasReleased: October 2018 Label: Bushbranch/Surfdog Format: LP, CD97—4537—————84 MeanwhileReleased: October 2024 Label: Bushbranch/Surfdog Format: LP, CD——45————4— "—" denotes releases that did not chart
Live albums + Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications UK AUS AUT GER NL NOR NZ SWE SWI US Eric Clapton's Rainbow ConcertReleased: 10 September 1973 Label: RSO Format: Long playing record (LP)1951———————18BPI: Silver E. C. Was HereReleased: August 1975 Label: RSO Format: LP, audio cassette (cass)1429—34—13———20BPI: Silver Just One NightReleased: April 1980 Label: RSO Format: 2×LP, 2×compact audio disc (CD)322—163613344—2BPI: Silver RIAA: Gold Time Pieces Vol.II Live in the SeventiesReleased: May 1983 Label: RSO Format: LP, cass——————28———BPI: Gold 24 NightsReleased: 8 October 1991 Label: Duck/Reprise Format: 2×LP, 2×CD, 2×cass1749—4836—49—1938BPI: Gold RIAA: Gold UnpluggedReleased: 25 August 1992 Label: Duck/Reprise Format: LP, CD, cass21331613—1BPI: 4× Platinum ARIA: 8× Platinum BVMI: 2× Platinum IFPI AUT: 2× Platinum NVPI: 4× Platinum RIAA: Diamond (10× Platinum) SWE: Platinum SWI: 2× Platinum Crossroads 2: Live in the SeventiesReleased: 25 March 1996 Label: Polydor Format: 4×CD115————————137 One More Car, One More RiderReleased: November 2002 Label: Duck/Reprise Format: CD69—3721—15—402643 Crossroads Guitar Festival 2013Released: November 2013 Label: Reprise/Rhino Format: 2×CD——63—75———50— Slowhand at 70 – Live at the Royal Albert HallReleased: November 2015 Label: Eagle Format: 3×CD———6—————— Crossroads Revisited: Selections from the Crossroads Guitar FestivalsReleased: July 2016 Label: Rhino Format: 3×CD—30126239————122 Live in San Diego Released: September 2016 Label: Reprise/Warner Format: CD60—232036————— Crossroads Guitar Festival 2019Released: 20 November 2020 Label: Warner/Rhino Format: CD———6—————— The Lady in the Balcony: Lockdown SessionsReleased: November 2021 Label: Bushbranch/ Mercury/Universal Format: CD, 2×LP——941039———— Nothing but the BluesReleased: 24 June 2022 Label: Duck/Reprise Format: CD, 2×LP44—13819————— To Save a Child: An Intimate Live ConcertReleased: 26 April 2024 Label: EPC/Surfdog Format: CD, LP——1324—————— "—" denotes releases that did not chart
Compilation albums + Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications UK AUS AUT GER NL NOR NZ SWE SWI US The Best of Eric ClaptonReleased: January 1970 Label: Karussell, Polydor Format: LP Notes: Tracks from 1970————————BPI: Gold The History of Eric ClaptonReleased: March 1972 Released: August 1973 Label: Polydor (UK), Atco (US) Format: 2×LP Notes: Also includes tracks with Blind Faith, Delaney and Bonnie, Derek and the Dominos20————————6RIAA: Gold Eric Clapton at His BestReleased: September 1972 Label: Polydor (UK & US) Format: 2×LP Notes: Also includes tracks with Blind Faith, Delaney and Bonnie, Derek and the Dominos—————————87 ClaptonReleased: February 1973 Label: Polydor (UK & US) Format: LP—————————67 Steppin' OutReleased: June 1981 Label: Decca Format: LP, cassette Notes: 1966 recordings with John Mayall—————————— Timepieces: The Best of Eric ClaptonReleased: April 1982 Label: RSO Format: LP, cassette, CD2028——11—22——101BPI: Gold IFPI AUT: Platinum NVPI: Platinum RIAA: 7× Platinum SWI: Gold Backtrackin'Released: May 1984 Label: Starblend Format: 2×LP, 2×cassette29———79—35———BPI: Silver The Cream of Eric ClaptonReleased: September 1987 Label: Polydor (UK) Format: 2×LP, 2×cassette, CD Notes: Also includes tracks with Cream312————————BPI: 3× Platinum ARIA: Platinum SWI: Gold CrossroadsReleased: April 1988 Label: Polydor (UK), Atco (US) Format: 6×LP, 4×cassette, 4×CD Notes: Boxed set spanning 1964–1988————60————34RIAA: 3× Platinum StoryReleased: 1991 Label: Polydor Format: CD——24178—————NVPI: Platinum SWI: Gold The Best of Eric ClaptonReleased: 16 September 1991 Label: Polydor Format: CD, cassette, 2×LP Notes: Also includes tracks with Cream––———–————BPI: Gold StagesReleased: May 1993 Label: Spectrum Format: CD Notes: Also includes tracks with Mayall, Cream, Derek and the Dominos——————————BPI: Silver The Cream of ClaptonReleased: March 1995 Label: Polydor Format: CD Notes: Also includes tracks with Cream52——17—1493—80RIAA: 2× Platinum Strictly the BluesReleased: 1996 Label: Castle Format: CD Notes: Tracks with the Yardbirds and Mayall——————————BPI: Silver BluesReleased: June 1999 Label: Polydor Format: 2×CD, 2×cassette5238————10——52RIAA: Gold The Blues YearsReleased: August 1999 Label: Castle Format: CD Notes: Tracks with the Yardbirds, Jimmy Page, Mayall——————————BPI: Silver Clapton Chronicles: The Best of Eric ClaptonReleased: October 1999 Label: Duck/Reprise Format: CD61613173121520BPI: 2× Platinum ARIA: 2×Platinum BVMI: Platinum IFPI AUT: Platinum RIAA: Platinum SWE: Platinum SWI: Gold Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: Eric ClaptonReleased: September 2003 Label: Polydor/Universal Format: CD Notes: From Scorsese's blues series; tracks with Mayall, Cream, Derek and the Dominos—————————— 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of Eric ClaptonReleased: June 2004 Label: Universal Format: CD Notes: Tracks from the 1970s—————————— Complete ClaptonReleased: October 2007 Label: Polydor (UK), Reprise (US) Format: 2×CD Notes: Also includes tracks with Cream, Blind Faith, Derek and the Dominos238204115514113214BPI: 2× Platinum RIAA: Gold RMNZ: Gold IconReleased: April 2011 Label: Polydor Format: CD Notes: Reissue of the 20th Century Masters album————————114 Forever ManReleased: April 2015 label: Reprise Format: 3×CD, 2×LP8—2243383746—48 "—" denotes releases that did not chart
Collaborative studio and live albums + Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications UK AUS AUT GER NL NOR NZ SWE SWI US Retail TherapyReleased: March 1997 Label: Reprise Format: Compact audio disc (CD) Notes: As T.D.F. with Simon Climie—————————— Riding with the KingReleased: June 2000 Label: Reprise Format: Compact audio disc (CD) Notes: With B.B. King155326—2833BPI: Gold BVMI: Gold IFPI AUT: Gold NVPI: Gold RIAA: 2× Platinum SWI: Gold The Road to EscondidoReleased: November 2006 (US) Label: Reprise Format: CD, long playing record (LP) Notes: With J.J. Cale504335314——23BVMI: Platinum IFPI AUT: Gold NVPI: Gold RIAA: Gold SWI: Gold Live from Madison Square GardenReleased: May 2009 Label: Duck/Reprise Format: 2×CD Notes: With Steve Winwood40—25860——44—14BVMI: Gold Play the Blues: Live from Jazz at Lincoln CenterReleased: September 2011 Label: Reprise/Rhino Format: CD Notes: With Wynton Marsalis40—11821134051—31BVMI: Platinum The Breeze: An Appreciation of JJ CaleReleased: July 2014 (US) Label: ADA/Surfdog Format: CD, LP Notes: With various artists3178212340—2BVMI: Gold BPI: Silver "—" denotes releases that did not chart
Soundtrack albums + Title Album details Edge of DarknessReleased: December 1985 Label: BBC Format: Extended play record (EP) Notes: With Michael Kamen Lethal WeaponReleased: 1987 Label: Warner Bros. Format: Compact audio disc (CD) Notes: With Michael Kamen and David Sanborn HomeboyReleased: February 1989 Label: Virgin Format: CD, audio cassette, long playing record (LP) Notes: With various artists Lethal Weapon 2Released: August 1989 Label: Warner Bros. Format: CD Notes: With Michael Kamen and David Sanborn RushReleased: January 1992 Label: Duck/Reprise Format: CD Certification: GoldRIAA Lethal Weapon 3Released: April 1992 Label: Reprise Format: CD Notes: With Michael Kamen and David Sanborn Life in 12 BarsReleased: June 2018 Label: Universal Format: 2×CD Notes: Documentary soundtrack; tracks spanning 1964–1992, plus four by other artists
Other appearances + Song(s) Album Year Cause We've Ended as Lovers", "Farther Up the Road", "Crossroads" (with Jeff Beck) (live)1981 "Heaven Is One Step Away"Back to the Future1985 "That Kind of Woman"Nobody's Child: Romanian Angel Appeal1990 "Border Song"Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin1991 "Loving Your LovinWayne's World1992 "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" and "My Back Pages" (live) ("Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" on 2014 deluxe edition)1993 "Stone Free"Stone Free: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix "You Must Believe Me"1994 "Before You Accuse Me" (live) "Change the World"Phenomenon1996 "Blue Eyes Blue"Runaway Bride1999 "Burning of the Midnight Lamp"Power of Soul: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix2004
Contributions to albums by other artists Albums that Clapton contributed to four or more songs.