The Who Discography

Prepare yourself for a psychedelic journey of self discovery with The Who discography. For over 40 years, The Who has pummeled the ear holes with a heavy psychedelic jams and radio friendly rock and roll. Formed in 1965 by Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, Keith Moon and John Entwistle, The Who got their start playing in pubs around London.

While they had been playing gigs and making the rounds on British tele for quite some time, The Who didn’t draw international acclaim until they released “My Generation.” This song went on to be one of many that spoke of the hope and frustration of the youth the 60s. As their fame grew, The Who began to develop a reputation of being Rock and Roll bad boys. Stories of The Who getting hammered and smashing up hotel rooms spread across both sides of the Atlantic.

The Who’s reputation for outlandish behavior was solidified in 1967 when the played the Monetary Pop Festival. This performance went down in history as the first time Pete Townshed smashed one of his guitars on American soil. There isn’t enough space to talk about all of the things the make The Who one of the most important bands of modern Rock and Roll, but our look into The Who's discography should give you a taste of what makes them awesome.

1. “My Generation” (1965)- The debut album from The Who is an album that any should be in every rock fans collection. The title track “My Generation” summed up the frustration of a generation in 3 minutes and 18 seconds while simultaneously freaking out their parents.The Who’s cover of Bo Diddly’s “I’m a Man” may not be the most well known song on this album, but it is an awesome example of the influence 1950s American Blues had on British rock in the 60s.
2. “Tommy” (1969)- The epic album from The Who that coined the term “rock opera." It’s the story of young Tommy, a kid who was struck deaf, blind and mute after witnessing his father murder his mother's lover. As Tommy grows, he goes on a magical adventure inside his mind on a journey self discovery that leads him to become a pinball wizard and spiritual guru. If you have never heard this album or seen the movie that came along after it, you’re in the store for a psychedelic treat that will blow your mind.
3. “Quadrophenia” (1973)- The second rock opera from The Who, this album takes the psychedelic theme of self discovery that they explored in “Tommy” and turns it up with a dash of multiple personality disorder. This rock opera centers around Jimmy Cooper and his four different personalities.The album follows Jimmy through his anger and frustration lead him through a drug induced trip of violence and isolation as the world around him changes.
4. “Who Are You” (1978)- This album is a bitter sweet chapter in The Who’s discography. On the one hand, it did produce another hit in the form of “Who Are You,” but sadly this was the last album The Who would perform with drummer Keith Moon. Keith would die of an overdose in September 1978. Like so many songs by The Who, “Who Are You” takes a listener on a journey of self discovery by encouraging them to explore who they really are.
5. “Endless Wire” (2006)- The last entry in The Who’s discography marks the first time The Who had recorded original material in over twenty years. This album started out as an Internet novella written by Pete Townshed that was published on his blog. With some encouragement from friends and fans alike, it was released as a album. This particular album has a bit of a semi-autobiographical feel to it that will either make you feel closer to him or just depress the hell out of you with their images of abuse and creation through pain. No matter how you look at it, this album proves that after over 40 years in the business, Pete Townshend is still one hell of a writer.