The Great Chicago Album Count: A Quest for Windy City Vinyl
Ah, Chicago. The band that makes you think of both deep dish pizza and soaring horn sections. But how many albums did these Windy City wonders actually grace the world with? Buckle up, because we're about to embark on a wild ride through the discography of Chicago, with more twists and turns than a jazz flute solo.
Early Days: When Vinyl Ruled the Land
Chicago wasn't always about smooth ballads and power suits. In their early days, they were a force to be reckoned with, blending rock, jazz, and even a touch of psychedelia. Their self-titled debut, released in 1967 (surprise, surprise, it was called Chicago), kicked things off with a bang. They followed it up with a steady stream of albums, each one a numbered masterpiece (because, you know, why mess with a good thing?). Chicago II, for instance, brought us the iconic "25 or 6 to 4," proving they weren't afraid to get a little mathematic in their musicality.
We're talking a whirlwind of albums here, folks: Chicago III, Chicago at Carnegie Hall (a four-disc extravaganza, because Chicago liked to go big!), and the list goes on. By the time we hit the disco decade, they were already well into the double digits.
So, how many albums are we at so far? Let's just say your record player would be begging for mercy by now.
The Ballad Boom and Beyond: Keeping the Vinyl Presses Hot
Now, Chicago wasn't afraid to evolve. As the 80s rolled in, they embraced the synthesizer and the power ballad. Peter Cetera took center stage, and hits like "Hard to Say I'm in Love" melted hearts around the globe. Chicago 16, anyone? This period saw a new wave of Chicago albums hit the shelves, keeping those vinyl presses humming.
But Chicago are never one to be pigeonholed. They kept putting out albums throughout the 90s, 00s, and even today! There's Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album (because, well, Christmas), and even a collaboration with big band legend Arturo Sandoval.
By now, you might be wondering, have we reached the answer? Is there an actual number?
The Big Reveal: How Many Albums Did Chicago Make?
Drumroll please... As of 2024, Chicago has released a whopping 37 studio albums. That's a mountain of vinyl, a library of musical exploration, and enough to soundtrack a road trip across America (and maybe even back again).
So, there you have it. The next time someone asks you how many albums Chicago made, you can confidently say, "Enough to fill a Wrigley Field full of record crates, my friend!"
P.S. This doesn't even include all their live albums and greatest hits compilations. Chicago: the band that just keeps on giving (and giving, and giving...).