Our Favorite George Harrison Albums

Photo: David Hume Kennerly, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Our 10 Best George Harrison Albums Ranked list takes a listen to the albums of one of the greatest musical artists of all time. Unless you just arrived on this planet, it’s safe to say that if you’re over 15 years old, you know who George Harrison is. As a dearly departed former member of the greatest musical act of all time in the Beatles, George Harrison embarked on a solo career after the band broke up in 1970. George Harrison was often known as “The Quiet Beatle.” Many years after the Beatles split, Paul McCartney has been frequently quoted saying that George Harrison, as a songwriter, was often underutilized in the group.

The Beatles usually allowed George Harrison to contribute only one or two songs per album. Of course, George Harrison’s guitar work was all over Beatles albums, but his song contributions were limited. Much of that, of course, was due to John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s unbelievable output of great music. However, when George Harrison was given a chance to contribute a song to a Beatles album, it often became one of the standout tracks in the Beatles catalog. George Harrison songs such as “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” “Something,” and “Here Comes the Sun” stand as some of the best Beatles material ever recorded.

When looking back at the post-Beatles years and the output that the four Beatles released as solo artists, it could be argued that George Harrison released some of the finest albums in the solo Beatles library of albums. His first post-Beatles album, entitled All Things Must Pass, stands as the solo Beatles album that all the rest are measured up to. The album was released in 1970. However, All Things Must Pass was not George Harrison’s first solo record. George Harrison’s first solo album was released in 1968 while the Beatles were still together. It was entitled Wonderwall Music. The album would be hailed as the first-ever solo Beatles record. George Harrison’s second solo album was an LP filled with experimental music entitled Electronic Sound. The album was released in 1969. Even though these two records are regarded as George Harrison’s solo albums, his solo career is often viewed as really starting with the release of All Things Must Pass in 1970.

It took George Harrison three years before he released the follow-up album to All Things Must Pass. However, in 1973, George Harrison released the album entitled Living in the Material World. With the release of Living in the Material World, George Harrison would embark on a pretty steady album release schedule throughout the rest of the decade of the 1970s. In fact, all the ex-Beatles would do the same thing with the exception of John Lennon, who took a break from music from 1975 to 1980. Ringo Starr released seven solo studio albums in the 1970s. Paul McCartney released nine studio albums with and without Wings. John Lennon released six studio albums between 1970 and 1975. George Harrison would release the three-record set All Things Must Pass plus five more solo studio albums during the 1970s.

After Living in the Material World was released in 1973, George Harrison issued the album Dark Horse in 1974. In 1975, the album Extra Texture (Read All About It) was released. George Harrison announced his age to the world with the release of his Thirty-Three & 1/3 album in 1976. His final studio album of the decade was released in 1979 and was simply entitled George Harrison.

While the decade of the 1980s would not see as many George Harrison releases as the 1970s did, George Harrison still released three new studio albums throughout the 1980s. His first album released in the 1980s, entitled Somewhere in England, was released in 1981. That great album was followed up with the record Gone Troppo in 1982. George Harrison’s final album of the decade was released in 1987 and is entitled Cloud Nine. This was an album co-produced by Electric Light Orchestra’s Jeff Lynne.

The two would also form the Traveling Wilburys with Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, and Tom Petty. The Cloud Nine album would be the final George Harrison studio album released while the legendary artist was still alive. George Harrison died on November 29, 2001. His next and final studio album, Brainwashed, was completed by Dhani Harrison and Jeff Lynne and released in November 2002.

This George Harrison album list looks at the ten post-Beatles studio albums released by George Harrison, starting with his 1970 triple LP set All Things Must Pass. We excluded his first two releases while the Beatles were still together. George Harrison’s official solo catalog contains twelve studio albums in total, from Wonderwall Music through Brainwashed. We have put these George Harrison albums in the order of our favorites simply just for fun. Every single one of them is fantastic and should be a part of any serious record collector’s collection.

# 10 – Gone Troppo

We open our George Harrison albums list with his Gone Troppo LP. The album was released in 1982. The Gone Troppo album was released when it appeared that George Harrison had lost interest in the music business. Of course, the murder of his ex-Beatles bandmate and dear friend John Lennon two years earlier had probably played a significant role in George Harrison getting fed up with music. The Gone Troppo album lacks any significant new music, but it’s still filled with brand-new George Harrison songs that we would take any time.

Gone Troppo’s lack of a significant hit single and George Harrison’s refusal to promote the album probably played an important role in it being the first George Harrison solo album to not even break into the United Kingdom album charts, which is quite stunning that an ex-Beatle could not break onto the UK charts only twelve years after The Beatles had broken up.

# 9 – Dark Horse

George Harrison’s Dark Horse album was released in 1974. The album was met with mixed reviews when it was first released. Over the years, it has continued to receive mixed reviews from fans and critics. Some hail it as a masterpiece, while others speak of it in lesser terms. We fall somewhere in the middle. The album is a mix of some songs that would become semi-classics, with a few others that are less than memorable.

The album’s opening track was an instrumental entitled “Hari’s on Tour (Express).” It was a song that many people, including this writer, would skip over. However, the album’s next track, “Simply Shady,” is a forgotten gem often overlooked when reviewing the best George Harrison songs. And that is pretty much the story of the album. It’s a mix of great songs, many that have been forgotten, with a few songs that are not talked about anymore. Of course, everyone remembers the album’s standout single and title track, “Dark Horse,” which was the best song on the album.

# 8 – Brainwashed

It’s sad writing about this album because George Harrison never got to celebrate its release. George Harrison’s Brainwashed album was released in November 2002. George Harrison had passed away almost one year earlier, on November 29, 2001. The album was completed by Jeff Lynne and George Harrison’s son Dhani. George Harrison knew that he was dying, but he fought hard to complete as much of the album as he could. It’s extraordinary that a man who knew he did not have much time left chose to focus on his art and his life’s work in his final months. It says so much about the man and how much his music meant to him. We saw the same thing happen with Warren Zevon, who was dying of cancer and fought hard to finish his final album. I mean, think about that.

Brainwashed is an excellent George Harrison album, but it was also a record that George Harrison did not complete. Jeff Lynne and Dhani had to make specific musical decisions and arrangements based on how they felt George would have completed it. These two men knew George Harrison well and did a fantastic job finishing the final George Harrison studio album. At 58 years old, George Harrison passed away way too soon. This is an album all George Harrison and Beatles fans should own.

# 7 – Somewhere in England

George Harrison’s Somewhere in England album was released in 1981. It was a struggle for George Harrison to finish the record after Warner Bros. was not pleased with the original album he submitted. When the album was released, it contained the song “All Those Years Ago,” which would be widely celebrated as one of the best George Harrison songs of his career. The song was initially written for Ringo Starr to record. However, after the murder of John Lennon, George Harrison rewrote the lyrics as a tribute to his dear friend. Ringo Starr played drums on the recording, while Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, and Denny Laine contributed backing vocals.

“All Those Years Ago” was easily the standout track on the album Somewhere in England. However, the album did contain the song “Life Itself,” which has also been hailed as one of George Harrison’s standout songs from his solo career. The song featured Al Kooper on organ. “Life Itself” was a deeply spiritual song in the same vein as “My Sweet Lord.” The Somewhere in England album did well on the charts. The album hit the thirteenth spot on the United Kingdom album chart and number eleven on the U.S. Billboard 200.

# 6 – Extra Texture (Read All About It)

It must have been excruciating to be an ex-Beatle. Every artistic endeavor the four ex-Beatles made was so unfairly criticized because everything they did was compared to the Beatles’ output. George Harrison’s sixth studio album, Extra Texture, was unfairly critiqued and still is in many places. If any of these critics could come up with an album a percentage point as well done and filled with songs like the ones found on the Extra Texture album, they would probably feel differently.

Listen to the album’s opening track and lead single entitled “You.” It’s a song filled with so many genres of music, such as R&B, soul, and rock and roll, that carries you away with that beautiful George Harrison melody. And that’s the story of the rest of the album. Gorgeous songs inspired by all the music George Harrison grew up listening to. This is not a spiritual album in a George Harrison sense; it’s an inspired album celebrating twentieth-century pop music George Harrison style.

# 5 – Thirty-Three & 1/3

I remember distinctly buying this album when it first came out. The packaging of this record was top-notch. It was a very thick cardboard gatefold cover that was stunning in its feel and cover. The album’s titles were raised above the cover in a gloss that was just so classy. And, of course, there was the music. This was simply a fabulous new album released by George Harrison in 1976. The album caught George Harrison in what he described as a happy time, and the music reflects his spirit at the time. The album’s lead single, “This Song,” was a response to the copyright lawsuit over similarities between “My Sweet Lord” and the Chiffons’ “He’s So Fine.”

Four singles were released from the Thirty-Three & 1/3 album. Following the first single, “This Song,” were the singles “Crackerbox Palace,” “True Love,” and “It’s What You Value.” The album itself hit number eleven on the Billboard 200.

# 4 – George Harrison

In the number four spot on our George Harrison albums list, we turn to the only George Harrison album titled George Harrison. The album was released in February 1979. This album included guest appearances by legendary musical artists such as Eric Clapton, Gary Wright, and Steve Winwood. The album was widely accepted by critics and fans right away. George Harrison seemed happy about this album. His wife had just given birth to his son Dhani. He was happily married. One can hear it in the music. Songs like “Love Comes to Everyone” were just filled with hope. Many of the songs on the album are well-written while containing a spirituality of contentment fueled by his gift of lyrics and memorable melodies.

# 3 – Cloud Nine

George Harrison’s Cloud Nine was the final great album released by George Harrison. The album was released on November 2, 1987. Cloud Nine was George Harrison’s 11th studio album. The legendary ex-Beatle had not released an album in five years, so music fans welcomed George Harrison back with open arms and eager anticipation for some new music from the legendary great musical artist. Cloud Nine was a brilliant album produced by George Harrison and Jeff Lynne. The man who had been so inspired by the Beatles, which everyone could hear in the music of Electric Light Orchestra, was now producing one. Interestingly, in many ways, the Cloud Nine album sounded almost like an Electric Light Orchestra album because of Jeff Lynne’s production and backing harmonies. However, the real star of this effort was George Harrison and the ten original songs he wrote or co-wrote for the album, along with the great cover version of Rudy Clark’s “Got My Mind Set on You.”

Three main singles were released from the Cloud Nine album: Rudy Clark’s “Got My Mind Set on You,” “When We Was Fab,” and “This Is Love.” “Got My Mind Set on You” was a huge hit for George Harrison, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also hit number one in Ireland, Canada, Belgium, and Australia. It just missed the number one spot in the United Kingdom, peaking at number two. The Cloud Nine album became a top ten hit in both the United Kingdom and the United States. It became Harrison’s second platinum-certified solo studio album after All Things Must Pass.

# 2 – Living in the Material World

After the release of George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass album and the record’s great success, much anticipation began to stir about what George Harrison would do next. Three years later, George Harrison would release the follow-up album to All Things Must Pass entitled Living in the Material World. The album was released in May 1973. This is simply a stunning album. George Harrison is trying to put aside his stardom and search for deeper meaning in life, something that he had been searching for during the later Beatles years.

It all shines through brilliantly on the Living in the Material World album. The album’s opening track, “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth),” stands as one of George Harrison’s greatest musical compositions and single releases. However, it’s such a deep album full of beautiful songs, especially in the ballads. Songs such as “Don’t Let Me Wait Too Long,” “The Light That Has Lighted the World,” “The Day the World Gets ‘Round,” and the wonderful song “Be Here Now” are just masterpieces in songwriting and performances.

The Living in the Material World album featured an all-star cast of musicians, including George Harrison’s ex-bandmate Ringo Starr, who played drums on some of the album’s tracks along with Jim Keltner. The fabulous Nicky Hopkins played piano on the album. The great Gary Wright of Spooky Tooth and future “Dream Weaver” fame played keyboards on the LP.

The Living in the Material World album tore up music charts around the world. The album hit number one in the United States on the Billboard album chart. It also hit number one in Canada, Belgium, and Australia. It just missed the number one spot in the UK, peaking at number two. The album also peaked at number two in Sweden. The album’s lead single, “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth),” became a number-one record in the United States on the Billboard Hot 100. It was George Harrison’s second number-one single of his solo career after “My Sweet Lord” hit number one in 1970.

# 1 – All Things Must Pass

We close out our top 10 George Harrison albums list with one of the finest rock and roll albums ever released in classic rock history. George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass album was released on November 27, 1970. The Beatles had broken up about eight months earlier in April. There were many, many sad fans in 1970. George Harrison made them all smile with the release of this fantastic three-record set. On this album, George Harrison basically stares down his ex-Beatle bandmates, saying boys, take a listen to this stuff; many of these songs could have been Beatles songs if you hadn’t rejected them. And while he might not have said that verbally, the music did all the talking for him.

The initial success of George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass album was fueled by the massive hit single that was released four days before the album was issued, entitled “My Sweet Lord.” The song “My Sweet Lord” would become George Harrison’s first number-one single of his solo career. It was also the first number-one single from any of the Beatles in their solo careers. Want to know how popular the single “My Sweet Lord” was?

The song hit number one in the United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Sweden, West Germany, Norway, New Zealand, Ireland, France, the Netherlands, Canada, Belgium, and Australia. The record itself was played by brilliant musicians including Eric Clapton, Peter Frampton, Billy Preston, Gary Wright, and Ringo Starr. The U.S. “My Sweet Lord” single was backed with “Isn’t It a Pity.” The follow-up single, entitled “What Is Life,” also became a top ten hit in various countries around the world, including the United States and Canada.

The All Things Must Pass album was produced by the legendary Phil Spector and George Harrison. Released as a three-record set, the first two LPs were filled with pop and rock songs while the final LP, Apple Jam, was based more on jam sessions that featured the album’s startling lineup of musicians including Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Bobby Keys, Alan White, Peter Drake, Peter Ham, Peter Frampton, Dave Mason, Ginger Baker, Ray Cooper, and many more. Simply put, one of the most important and enjoyable albums ever released.

Updated August 13, 2026.