Talk:Nat King Cole discography

References / reliable sources

This article currently lacks references. Today I added a single reference, bsnpubs.com. I also removed an in-line comment left by a previous editor regarding the first two Cole albums:

"From online research (check http://www.musicinthemail.com/audiohistoryLP.html), it appears that the LP was not introduced until 1948, which makes either the dates or the format of the above two entries questionable."

For now, I have used the dates provided in the bsnpubs reference for these two albums - and changed the format comment of the 1945 release to an album of 78rpm disks (not an "LP" as previously indicated). Of course this raises the question of which releases should be listed in a discography in general. I am guessing there is probably a discussion of this topic somewhere in the WP:albums pages (??) or elsewhere and I will try to do some research there - but for now - I am supposing that the first release of a recording in the then-prevalent-medium would be the proper candidate for listing in a discography such as this one. i.e. even though a recording (like the first Nat King Cole Trio recording) may eventually be released in several formats (an album of four 78rpm disks; a 10 inch / 33rpm LP; a set of four 45rpm 10 inch disks?; a 12 inch / 33rpm LP?; a compact cassette?; a CD?), the first release is probably the most relevant for a discography. Pugetbill (talk) 06:23, 26 December 2011 (UTC)

Not a Discography

There is something seriously wrong with this discography. First, it looks like it is album oriented but NCK's popularity came about through singles and it appears that there is great confusion about just what an "album" is. First of all, they weren't called that back then. Four or five 78s could have been put into a boxed set. Certainly a 10" record was not called an LP...possibly an EP (Extended Play). Still, "records" (one tune on each side of a breakable shellac 78, the then-prevalent medium) was the name of the game in the late forties and early fifties.

In my references (Chart Champions and Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1986) the King Cole Trio is not listed separately, just under Cole, Nat King. Straighten Up and Fly Right, Capitol 154, debut 17 Jun 1944 appears to be his first charted song; (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons, Capitol 304, debut 30 Nov 1946 was his first hit (91.7% rating in Chart Champions); Mona Lisa, Capitol F-1010, debut 10 Jun 1950 looks like his first super hit (99% in Chart Champions). His biggest hit in Whitburn is A Blossom Fell, debut 5/7/1955, #2, 20 weeks on the chart. NKC had a long string of hits starting about 1946 and on through 1963).

My final point. Pugetbill, your discussion of "formats" and "sets" is specious when talking about NKC's early career. In fact, it looks like another topic to me e.g. 'sound recording media'. The emphasis should be on his popular records of the time. Dangnad (talk) 20:01, 17 March 2012 (UTC)

Nat King Cole -36 All-Time Greatest Hits

Here's another Compilation set to add to that section: It is a 3-Disc CD set. On the back of the case is printed "(p) 1995 EMI-Capitol Music Special Markets S23-18608. (c) 2004 Timeless Media Group". On the sides is printed "Nat King Coles Greatest Hits #17676". However, on each disc the title is printed as "All-Time Greatest Hits Nat King Cole" and "Cema Specia Markets GSC Music (p) 1995 CEMA Special Markets. Distributed exclusively by Entertainment Distribting. (c) 1995 EDI #15167". GRZ45RPMs (talk) 13:31, 23 June 2013 (UTC)

Singles Discography

It's been a few years, and this discography page still misses the singles he's had. Since it's now standard for a discography page to have singles listed with albums, it'd be nice to have this included at some point. Spoiler alert: it is labor-intensive work, as his singles in particular span some 50-plus years. Will try to work on this whenever possible.96.18.181.24 (talk) 12:54, 3 March 2018 (UTC)