Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Rock, experimental jazz, classical pop, avant-garde
Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American musician, composer, songwriter, producer, guitarist, actor, and filmmaker whose work was characterized by nonconformity, free-form improvisation, sound experiments, musical virtuosity, and satire of American culture. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa composed rock, pop, jazz, jazz fusion, orchestral and musique concrète works, and produced almost all of the 60-plus albums that he released with his band the Mothers of Invention and as a solo artist. Zappa also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed album covers. He is considered one of the most innovative and stylistically diverse rock musicians of his generation.
Freak Out! (1966) Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention
Absolutely Free (1967) Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention
Lumpy Gravy (1967)
We're Only in it for the Money (1968) Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention
Cruising with Ruben & the Jets (1968) Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention
Uncle Meat (1969) Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention, 2016 Rem.
Hot Rats (1969)
Burnt Weeny Sandwich (1970) Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention
Weasels Ripped My Flesh (1970)
Chunga's Revenge (1970)
Fillmore East - June 1971 (1971)
200 Motels (1971) OST
Just Another Band From L.A. (1972) Live
Waka/Jawaka (1972)
The Grand Wazoo (1972) Frank Zappa & The Mothers
Over-Nite Sensation (1973)
Apostrophe (') (1974)
Roxy & Elsewhere (1974) Live
One Size Fits All (1975) Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention
Bongo Fury (1975) Zappa / Beefheart
Zoot Allures (1976) Zappa
Zappa in New York (1978) Live
Studio Tan (1978)
Sleep Dirt (1979)
Sheik Yerbouti (1979)
Orchestral Favorites (1979)
Joe's Garage Acts I, II and III (1979)
Tinseltown Rebellion (1981) Live '78-'80
Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar (1981) Rec.'71-'80
You Are What You Is (1981)
Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch (1982)
The Man from Utopia (1983)
Baby Snakes (1983)
London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. 1 (1983)
Boulez Conducts Zappa: The Perfect Stranger (1984)
Them or Us (1984)
Thing-Fish (1984)
Francesco Zappa (1984)
Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention (1985)
Does Humor Belong in Music (1986) Live '84
Jazz From Hell (1986)
London Symphony Orchestra, Vol. II (1987)
Guitar (1988) Live '79-'84
You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1 (1988) Live '69-'84
You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 2 (1988) Live '74
Broadway the Hard Way (1988) Live
You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 3 (1989) Live '84
The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life (1991) Live '88
You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4 (1991) Live '69-'88
Make a Jazz Noize There (1991) Live '88
Beat the Boots (1991) 9CD Live
Beat the Boots II (1992) 8CD Live
You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 5 (1992) Live '66-'69'/'82
You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 6 (1992) Live '70-'80
Playground Psychotics (1992) Live '70-'71
Ahead of Their Time (1993) Live '68
The Yellow Shark (1993) Live
Civilization Phaze III (1994)
The Lost Episodes (1996) Rec.'58-'92
Läther (1996) Rec.'69-'77
Frank Zappa Plays the Music of Frank Zappa: A Memorial Tribute (1996) Rec.'74-'79
Have I Offended Someone? (1997) Rec.'73-'85
Cucamonga (1998) Rec.'63/'64
Mystery Disc (1998) Rec.'62-'72
EIHN (Everything Is Healing Nicely) (1999) Rec.'91
FZ:OZ (2002) Live '76
Halloween (2003) Live '78
Joe's Corsage (2004) Rec.'64/'65
Joe's Domage (2004) Rec.'72
QuAUDIOPHILIAc (2004) Zappa, Rec.'70-'78
Joe's XMASage (2005) Rec.'63
Imaginary Diseases (2006) Live '72
The MOFO Project/Object (2006) 4CD, Rec.'66
Trance-Fusion (2006) Rec.'77-'88
The Frank Zappa AAAFNRAA Birthday Bundle 2006 (2006)
Buffalo (2007) Live '80
The Dub Room Special! (2007) Live '74/'81
Wazoo (2007) Live '72
One Shot Deal (2008) Rec.'72-'81
Joe's Menage (2008) Live '75
Lumpy Money (2009) Rec.'67-'68
Philly '76 (2009)
Greasy Love Songs (2010) Rec.'62-'69
Congress Shall Make No Law... (2010) Rec.'85-'93
Hammersmith Odeon (2010) Live '78
Feeding the Monkies at Ma Maison (2011) Rec.'86
Carnegie Hall (2011) Live '71
Road Tapes, Venue #1 (2012) Live '68
Understanding America (2012) Rec.'66-'88
Finer Moments (2012) Rec.'68-'71
Road Tapes, Venue #2 (2013) Live '73
Joe's Camouflage (2014) Rec.'75
Roxy by Proxy (2014) Live '73
Dance Me This (2015) Rec.'93
Roxy - The Soundtrack (2015) Rec.'74
Road Tapes, Venue 3 (2016) Live '70
The Crux of the Biscuit (2016) Rec.'72-'73
Frank Zappa for President (2016) Rec.'69-'93
Chicago '78 (2016) Zappa
Little Dots (2016) Live '72
Halloween 77: The Palladium, NYC (2017) BoxSet
The Roxy Performances (2018) BoxSet, rec.'73, Zappa/Mothers
