Though most albums are given official titles, sometimes these titles prove too inconvenient or confusing, which leads to fans referring to the album by another name entirely. Here are twenty-one albums known by at least two different names.
1. The Beatles - The Beatles (1968)
The Beatles' only self-titled album is universally referred to as "The White Album," due to its plain white album sleeve.
2. David Bowie - David Bowie (1969)
David Bowie's second album was originally issued as David Bowie, but after Bowie hit it big with Ziggy Stardust, his second album was re-issued under the name Space Oddity, after the album's most famous song.
3. Led Zeppelin's Untitled Fourth Album (1971)
Though commonly referred to as "Led Zeppelin IV," Led Zeppelin's fourth album is technically untitled, though it's occasionally called "Four Symbols," "Runes," or "Zoso" by diehard fans, in reference to the four cryptic symbols on the album's inner sleeve.
4 & 5. Fleetwood Mac - Fleetwood Mac/Fleetwood Mac (1968/1975)
Though Fleetwood Mac's debut album was self-titled, the band released another self-titled album in 1975 to signal the debut of its new songwriters Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. To avoid confusion between the albums, 1968's Fleetwood Mac is sometimes called Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, while the 1975 album is sometimes called "The White Album."
6. Big Star - Third/Sister Lovers (1978)
Not only did Big Star's third album experience a delayed released and inconsistent tracklisting between issues, it was also released under a number of different names, including Third, Sister Lovers, The Third Album, Sister Lovers - The Third Album, and most commonly, Third/Sister Lovers.
7. Suicide - Suicide: Alan Vega and Martin Rev (1980)
Because Suicide has already released an eponymous album in 1977, the band titled its 1980 album Suicide: Alan Vega and Martin Rev, though this was changed to simply The Second Album for its CD reissue.
8 - 11. Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel/Peter Gabriel/Peter Gabriel/Peter Gabriel (1977/1978/1980/1982)
Because Peter Gabriel's first four albums are all self-titled, each is commonly referred to by a one-word name based on their artwork: Car, Scratch, Melt, and Security.
12. Metallica - Metallica (1991)
Much like the Beatles, Metallica's sole eponymous album is almost always referred to as "The Black Album," to its almost entirely black cover.
13. Palace Brothers - Days in the Wake (1994)
Though the Palace Brothers' second album was initially issued as Palace Brothers, Will Oldham re-titled it Days in the Wake just months later, inspired by his decision to leave behind his acting career.
14. Cap'n Jazz - Shmap'n Shmazz (1994)
The actual title of Cap'n Jazz's sole LP is Burritos, Inspiration Point, Fork Balloon Sports, Cards in the Spokes, Automatic Biographies, Kites, Kung Fu, Trophies, Banana Peels We've Slipped On and Egg Shells We've Tippy Toed Over. Nobody ever feels like saying the whole thing, so they just say Shmap'n Shmazz instead.
15. Sunny Day Real Estate - Sunny Day Real Estate (1995)
Fans commonly refer to Sunny Day Real Estate's eponymous second album as "The Pink Album," though Sub Pop distributed the album as LP2, so it actually goes by three different names.
16. Jimmy Eat World - Bleed American (2001)
After the attacks of September 11, 2001, Jimmy Eat World's commercial breakthrough Bleed American was re-released with the title Jimmy Eat World instead, with the album's title track being renamed "Salt, Sweat, Sugar."
17. Sigur Ros - ( ) (2002)
Though the title of Sigur Ros' third album is indisputably ( ), there are a number of ways that fans go about pronouncing it out loud. Some called it "Parentheses," some called it "Untitled," but the band itself calls it "Svigaplatan," which is Icelandic for "The Bracket Album."
18. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois (2005)
Officially titled Illinois, the name of Sufjan Steven's 2005 concept album is sometimes a source of confusion, as the album cover reads, "Sufjan Stevens Invited You To: Come On Feel The Illinoise," while my personal CD copy of the album comes up as Come On! Feel The Illinoise! in my computer.
19 - 21. Weezer - Weezer/Weezer/Weezer (1994/2001/2008)
Seven years after releasing its eponymous debut album, now known as "The Blue Album," Weezer gave us another album titled Weezer, which is commonly referred to as "The Green Album." Seven years after "The Green Album," we were given another Weezer, this time in red. At this rate, we should be expecting another Weezer sometime next year.
What other albums are known by two, or more, different titles? Let us know in the comments section!
