Discography by recording date

This is a discography of Frank Zappa listed in order that the recordings were made -- not released. For release date, you have to visit Discography by release date. Zappa has been playing on recordings since the 1950s, and this will only list OFFICIAL releases. Live albums will be listed in bold, and releases with The Mothers of Invention are listed in italics. Instead of release date it will show the recording date in brackets next to the album. The albums will be listed under their respective years based on the date the earliest recording on it was made. Live performances will be given exact dates as to when they were recorded.

1950s

 * The Lost Episodes [1956 – 1970]

1960s

 * Mystery Disc [1962 – 1972]
 * Joe's Xmasage [1963]
 * Joe's Corsage [1964–1965]
 * Freak Out! [1966]
 * You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 5 [June 1966 – July 14, 1982]
 * Absolutely Free [1967]
 * Lumpy Gravy [1967]
 * Civilization Phaze III [1967 – 1992]
 * 'Tis the Season to Be Jelly [September 30, 1967]
 * We're Only In It For the Money [1968]
 * Cruisin' with Ruben & The Jets [1968]
 * Electric Aunt Jemima [May 3, 1968 – October 20, 1968]
 * Road Tapes, Venue #1 [August 25, 1968]
 * Ahead of Their Time [October 25, 1968]
 * Our Man in Nirvana [November 8, 1968]
 * Uncle Meat [1969]
 * Hot Rats [1969]
 * Läther [1969 – 1977]
 * The Ark [July 8, 1969]
 * The Hot Rats Sessions [July 10, 1969 – August 30, 1969]
 * You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 4 [1969 – 1988]

1970s

 * Burnt Weeny Sandwich [1970]
 * Weasels Ripped My Flesh [1970]
 * Chunga's Revenge [1970]
 * The Mothers 1970 [1970]
 * QuAUDIOPHILIAc [1970 – 1978]
 * You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 1 [June 1970 – August 6, 1984]
 * You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 6 [October 9, 1970 – March 23, 1988]
 * At The Circus [June 18, 1970 & September 8, 1978]
 * Road Tapes, Venue #3 [July 5, 1970]
 * Freaks & Motherfuckers [November 13, 1970]
 * Tengo Ná Minchia Tanta [November 13, 1970]
 * Disconnected Synapses [December 15, 1970]
 * 200 Motels [1971]
 * Fillmore East - June 1971 [June 5, 1971 – June 6, 1971]
 * Playground Psychotics [June 1971 – December 1971]
 * Just Another Band From L.A. [August 7, 1971]
 * Carnegie Hall [October 1, 1971]
 * Swiss Cheese/Fire! [December 4, 1971]
 * You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 3 [December 10, 1971 – December 23, 1984]
 * Joe's Domage [1972]
 * Waka/Jawaka [1972]
 * The Grand Wazoo [1972]
 * Return of the Son of Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar [July 1972 – December 5, 1980]
 * Wazoo [September 24, 1972]
 * Imaginary Diseases [October 27, 1972 – December 15, 1972]
 * Little Dots [October 1972 – December 1972]
 * Over-Nite Sensation [1973]
 * The Crux of the Biscuit [1973 – 1974]
 * Piqantique [August 21, 1973]
 * Halloween '73 [October 31, 1973]
 * Roxy & Elsewhere [December 8, 1973 – December 12, 1973 & May 8, 1974]
 * Roxy By Proxy [December 9, 1973 – December 10, 1973]
 * Apostrophe (') [1974]
 * Frank Zappa Plays the Music of Frank Zappa: A Memorial Tribute [1974 – 1979]
 * Unmitigated Audacity [May 12, 1974]
 * You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 2 [September 22, 1974]
 * The Dub Room Special [August 27, 1974 & October 31, 1981]
 * Joe's Camouflage [1975]
 * One Size Fits All [1975]
 * Bongo Fury [1975]
 * Joe's Menage [November 1, 1975]
 * Zoot Allures [1976]
 * FZ:OZ [January 20, 1976 – January 21, 1976]
 * Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar Some More [February 3, 1976 – December 11, 1980]
 * Philly '76 [October 29, 1976]
 * Conceptual Continuity [November 19, 1976]
 * Zappa in New York [December 26, 1976 – December 29, 1976]
 * Trance-Fusion [1977 – 1988]
 * Baby Snakes [October 28, 1977 – October 31, 1977]
 * Halloween '77 [October 28, 1977 – October 31, 1977]
 * Studio Tan [1978]
 * Hammersmith Odeon [January 25, 1978 – January 28, 1978]
 * Saarbrücken 1978 [September 3, 1978]
 * Chicago '78 [September 29, 1978]
 * Tinsel Town Rebellion [October 1978 – December 1980]
 * Halloween [October 27, 1978 – October 31, 1978]
 * Sleep Dirt [1979]
 * Sheik Yerbouti [1979]
 * Orchestral Favorites [1979]
 * Joe's Garage [1979]
 * Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar [February 17, 1979 – December 11, 1980]
 * Anyway The Wind Blows [February 24, 1979]

1980s

 * Buffalo [October 25, 1980]
 * You Are What You Is [1981]
 * Halloween '81 [October 29, 1981 – November 1, 1981]
 * As An Am [October 31, 1981]
 * Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch [1982]
 * The Man from Utopia [1983]
 * London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. I [1983]
 * London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. II [1983]
 * The Perfect Stranger [1984]
 * Francesco Zappa [1984]
 * Them or Us [1984]
 * Thing-Fish [1984]
 * Frank Zappa Meets The Mothers of Prevention [1985]
 * Feeding the Monkies at Ma Maison [1986]
 * Does Humor Belong in Music? [1986]
 * Jazz From Hell [1987]
 * Guitar [1988]
 * Make a Jazz Noise Here [February 9, 1988 – June 7, 1988]
 * Broadway the Hard Way [February 9, 1988 – June 9, 1988]
 * The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life [February 14, 1988 – June 6, 1988]

1990s

 * Everything is Healing Nicely [1991]
 * The Yellow Shark [September 17, 1992 – September 27, 1992]
 * Dance Me This [1993]