Kool & the Gang

Listen for free or download any Kool and the Gang track for just 12 cents per song!

Kool and the Gang Band

The roots of New Jersey's Kool and the Gang can be traced back to the band Jazziacs, which was formed in 1964 by Robert "Kool" Bell.  They changed their name to Kool and the Flames in 1967, and by 1969, they called themselves Kool and the Gang.  They landed a record contract in 1969 and quickly released their first album.

By the mid 1970's, Kool and the Gang had went from pure jazz, to R&B, to pop funk.  They met with some R&B success in the early to mid 1970's, with charting songs like "Let the Music Take Your Mind", "Funky Man", "Funky Stuff", "Jungle Boogie", "Hollywood Swinging", "Higher Plane", "Rhyme Tyme People", "Spirit of the Boogie", "Carribean Festival", "Love and Understanding (Come Together)", "Open Sesame", "Super Band", "Too Hot", and "Ladies Night".

In 1980, Kool and the Gang released Celebrate which featured their most popular 80's hit song "Celebration".  There were a number of other hits from the 80's as well, including "Take My Heart (You Can Have It If You Want It)", "Steppin' Out", "Take It to the Top", "Big Fun", "Get Down On It", "Let's Go Dancin' (Ohh la, la la)", "Joanna", "Fresh", "Misled", "Cherish", "Emergency", "Victory", "Stone Love", and "Holiday".

In the late 1980's, vocalist J.T. Taylor left the band to pursue a solo career, and the band continued on from time to time releasing new material.  Although a number of the original band members have died, remaining members have remained active.  In fact, as strange as it sounds, in 2012, Kool and the Gang was on tour with Van Halen before their latest meltdown (our words since we had a ticket to one of the shows that was canceled in mid 2012).  The Kool and the Gang Discography is as follows:

Listen for free or download any Kool and the Gang track for just 12 cents per song!

  • 1969: Kool and the Gang
  • 1971: The Best of Kool and the Gang
  • 1971: Live at the Sex Machine
  • 1971: Live at PJ's
  • 1972: Music Is the Message
  • 1972: Good Times
  • 1973: Wild and Peaceful
  • 1974: Light of Worlds
  • 1974: Kool Jazz
  • 1975: Kool & the Gang Greatest Hits!
  • 1975: Spirit of the Boogie
  • 1976: Love & Understanding
  • 1976: Open Sesame
  • 1977: The Force
  • 1978: Kool & the Gang Spin Their Top Hits
  • 1978: Everybody's Dancin'
  • 1979: Ladies' Night
  • 1980: Celebrate!
  • 1981: Something Special
  • 1982: As One
  • 1983: In the Heart
  • 1983: Twice as Kool: The Hits of Kool & the Gang
  • 1984: The Very Best of Kool & the Gang: Let's Go Dancing
  • 1984: Emergency
  • 1986: Forever
  • 1988: Everything's Kool & the Gang: Greatest Hits & More
  • 1988: The Singles Collection
  • 1989: Sweat
  • 1990: The Very Best of Kool & the Gang
  • 1990: Kool Love
  • 1993: Unite
  • 1993: The Best of Kool & the Gang: 1969-1976
  • 1994: Celebration: The Best of Kool & the Gang: 1979-1987
  • 1996: State of Affairs
  • 1998: Greatest Hits Live
  • 1999: The Very Best of Kool & the Gang
  • 1999: 12" Collection & More
  • 2000: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Kool & the Gang
  • 2001: Gangland
  • 2002: Too Hot Live
  • 2004: The Hits: Reloaded
  • 2005: Gold
  • 2007: Still Kool
  • 2011: Icon

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