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Jeff Lynne & ELO: The Full Discography

Lynne's own name rarely tops the marquee, most of his best-known work is credited to Electric Light Orchestra, the band he wrote and produced virtually alone from 1972 onward. Given how much ELO's layered, symphonic production shaped what he brought to the Wilburys sessions (and then had to deliberately unlearn to make those sessions work), the full catalog is worth having in one place. Full story on his member page.

Jeff Lynne & ELO Vinyl

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Eldorado

1974, ELO's first US Top Ten album, concept record

The record where ELO's sound properly arrived: a full orchestral concept album built around "Can't Get It Out of My Head." The turning point from art-pop curiosity to arena band.

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Face the Music

1975, clear colored vinyl, 180-gram, 2016 remaster

"Evil Woman" and "Strange Magic," plus the instrumental opener "Fire on High," built around a backmasked message. The record where Lynne's production instincts fully clicked into place.

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A New World Record

1976, ELO's first platinum record

"Livin' Thing," "Do Ya," and "Telephone Line" in one place. Widely considered the most consistent album in the whole catalog, five million copies sold worldwide.

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Out of the Blue

1977, ELO's commercial and creative peak, double album

"Mr. Blue Sky," "Turn to Stone," and "Sweet Talkin' Woman" all in one place. The clearest single record for hearing exactly the layered, meticulous production instinct Lynne brought to everything he touched.

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Alone in the Universe

2015, as Jeff Lynne's ELO; first album of new originals in 14 years

The modern-era comeback record, made after Lynne reclaimed the ELO name outright. Rolling Stone called it ELO's best work since Time. Includes a direct tribute to Roy Orbison, "I'm Leaving You."

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ELO's Greatest Hits (LP)

1979 compilation, the standard entry point into the catalog

"Evil Woman," "Livin' Thing," "Mr. Blue Sky," "Telephone Line," and more in one place. If you only want one ELO record rather than working through the full discography above, this is it.

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Jeff Lynne & ELO CDs

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Face the Music

1975, standard CD edition

The CD edition of ELO's fifth album, if vinyl isn't your format.

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A New World Record

1976, standard CD edition

ELO's first platinum record on CD, with six bonus cuts on this edition.

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Out of the Blue

1977, standard CD edition

The double album that includes "Mr. Blue Sky," on CD.

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Discovery

1979, UK Number One album

The disco-era pivot: "Shine a Little Love" and "Don't Bring Me Down" both became Top Ten hits. ELO's second UK chart-topper.

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Time

1981, concept album about time travel

A synth-forward, science-fiction concept record and ELO's third UK Number One. "Hold on Tight" was the band's final Top Ten hit.

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Secret Messages

1983

Originally planned as a double album before being trimmed to one disc. The record made right before drummer Bev Bevan's temporary departure to Black Sabbath.

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Balance of Power

1986, ELO's final album of the original run

Includes the Top 20 hit "Calling America." The last Electric Light Orchestra album before Lynne stepped away to produce Cloud Nine, Mystery Girl, and the Traveling Wilburys.

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Alone in the Universe

2015, as Jeff Lynne's ELO

The CD edition of the modern-era comeback, Lynne's first new ELO material in 14 years.

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Earlier and later releases worth knowing

ELO's catalog runs deeper than what's listed above. The band's first three albums, The Electric Light Orchestra (1971, released in the US as No Answer), ELO 2 (1973), and On the Third Day (1973), predate the classic Lynne-led sound and are harder to find in consistent current pressings. On the other end, Zoom (2001) and From Out of Nowhere (2019) are the two other Jeff Lynne-led studio albums bookending Alone in the Universe; check current availability directly on Amazon, as pressings and editions of these three change more often than the classic-era catalog above.

See the rest of the family: George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and Roy Orbison.