Few artists have made a debut as loud, colourful and career-defining as Cyndi Lauper. With 1983’s She’s So Unusual, she didn’t just burst onto the scene, she rewrote the rulebook. MTV loved her. Radio played her to death. And fans couldn’t get enough of her voice, her style, or the fact that she was genuinely different from everyone else in the pop game.
But here’s what sets Lauper apart: she didn’t stop at pop. Across four decades and twelve studio albums, she’s jumped from synth-pop to blues, from acoustic reworks to country detours, and even squeezed in a jazz covers album and a Christmas record. It hasn’t all been hit after hit, but it’s never been dull.
This ranking looks at every one of her studio albums, based on a mix of chart success, critical reception, cultural impact, sales, and musical merit. You’ll find UK chart data, American milestones, global stats and some straight-talking commentary on where each release fits in her legacy.
For each album, we’ve listed three essential tracks to check out, whether you’re new to Cyndi or revisiting your favourites.
1. She’s So Unusual (1983)
Why it tops the list
The debut that did it all. She’s So Unusual hit #4 on the Billboard 200 and stayed there for over a year. It sold 7 million copies in the U.S. and over 16 million worldwide. In the UK, it peaked at #16 and went Gold. Australia? Double platinum. The album made Lauper the first female artist to land four top five hits from a debut record. A genuine pop landmark.
Must Hear Tracks
- Girls Just Want to Have Fun
- Time After Time
- She Bop
2. True Colors (1986)
Why it ranks high
A strong second act. The title track hit #1 in the States, and Change of Heart went Top 3. In the UK, True Colors peaked at #12 and the album reached #25, earning a Silver certification. Globally, sales topped 7 million, including 4× Platinum in Australia. It proved Lauper wasn’t a one-album wonder.
Must Hear Tracks
- True Colors
- Change of Heart
- What’s Going On?
3. Memphis Blues (2010)
Why it stands out
A left-turn that worked. Lauper’s blues album hit #1 on the US Blues chart and stayed there for 13 weeks. It made the Top 30 of the Billboard 200 and was the best-selling blues album of the year in America. In the UK, it barely cracked the Top 100 but reached #13 on the Independent Albums chart.
Must Hear Tracks
- Crossroads (feat. Johnny Lang)
- Romance In The Dark
- Mother Earth (feat. Allen Toussaint)
4. A Night To Remember (1989)
Why it’s here
It didn’t match the sales of her first two albums, but A Night to Remember gave us I Drove All Night, which hit #6 in the UK. The album charted at #37 in the US and outside the Top 40 in the UK. The album did, however, mark a solid creative pivot. Global sales hovered around 350,000.
Must Hear Tracks
- I Drove All Night
- My First Night Without You
- Heading West
5. Hat Full Of Stars (1993)
Why this position
A thoughtful, socially-aware record that flew under the radar. It tackled issues such as domestic abuse, homophobia and racism, so hardly the stuff of daytime radio in the early ‘90s. UK impact was minimal, but the album went Gold in France and Japan. Not a commercial hit, but a critical one.
Must Hear Tracks
- Who Let in the Rain
- Hat Full of Stars
- That’s What I Think
6. Sisters Of Avalon (1996)
Why it ranks here
Experimental, electronic, and entirely out of step with mainstream pop at the time. The UK ignored it. So did the USA, but it performed modestly in Japan. It’s one of those albums where the ambition outweighs the execution, but there’s plenty here to admire.
Must Hear Tracks
- You Don’t Know
- Sisters of Avalon
- Ballad of Cleo and Joe
7. The Body Acoustic (2005)
Why it follows
Mostly reworked hits with the odd new song. This acoustic set showed off her vocal range and gave fans something familiar. US and UK charts didn’t pay much attention, but Japan gave it a bit of love with around 18,000 units sold. More of a side project than a proper studio statement.
Must Hear Tracks
- Time After Time (feat. Sarah McLachlan)
- Water’s Edge (feat. Sarah McLachlan)
- Above The Clouds (feat. Jeff Beck)
8. Bring Ya To The Brink (2008)
Why it’s here
A full-on dance-pop comeback. Into the Nightlife became a club hit, and the album hit #41 in the US, Top 10 on the UK Dance Chart, and got solid play across Europe. It wasn’t a chart-topper, but it had energy, relevance, and showed Lauper was still evolving.
Must Hear Tracks
- Set Your Heart
- Into the Nightlife
- Echo
9. At Last (2003)
Why it’s ranked
A collection of standards, well-sung but not exactly attention-grabbing. At Last reached #38 on the Billboard 200, but didn’t make waves in the UK or elsewhere. Nice to hear her voice in this setting, but it’s not an album that shaped her career.
Must Hear Tracks
- At Last
- Walk On By
- Hymn To Love
10. Detour (2016)
Why it’s here
Lauper goes country. An odd but not unpleasant listen. There are duets with Vince Gill and Emmylou Harris, and the arrangements are solid. UK chart presence was negligible, though it did reasonably well on the US country chart.
Must Hear Tracks
- Detour (feat. Emmylou Harris)
- Walkin’ After Midnight
- Heartaches By The Number
11. Shine (2001)
Why it’s here
Originally shelved, then released in bits and pieces in Japan and Europe. Shine had some potential, but the momentum was lost. It sold about 6,000 copies in Japan and had no impact in the UK.
Must Hear Tracks
12. Merry Christmas… Have A Nice Life (1998)
Why last
Your author HATES Christmas albums. They smack of lazy commercialism and a short cut to fulfill a record label contract. Lauper’s holiday album had almost zero visibility. Good. There were some quirky original songs on the album, but it didn’t chart in the USA or UK and sold fewer than 5,000 copies in Japan. If you’re a completist, you’ll want to hear it once. If not, you’re not missing much.
Must Hear Tracks
- New Year’s Baby (First Lullaby)
- December’s Child
- Silent Night
[* For the record, your author’s favourite Cyndi Lauper album is A Night To Remember.]
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