The Doors

Josef Grosch

The Doors were formed in Los Angeles in 1965 with the founding members Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, and John Densmore. Densmore played the drums, Krieger played guitar, Manzarek played keyboards and keybass in concert, and Morrison was vocals. All members of the band have song writing credits but Jim Morrison was a noted poet so it would be fair to say that most lyrics were written by Morrison.

Between 1966, when the band was signed to Elektra Records and Jim Morrison death in Paris in 1971, the band produced six studio albums and one live albums. These constitutes the bulk of their recorded output and have never gone out of print. The few studio outtakes that have been released are mostly mono mixes of their first two albums and alternative mixes. At one time or another their albums have been released on vinyl LP, cassette, CD, MP3, 8-track, and Reel-To-Reel. There have been many re-masters, box sets, and specialty audiophile releases. A new LP copy of any of the Doors albums typically go for between $20.00 and $30.00 (April, 2026)

Studio Albums

  • The Doors (1967) - Their first album and perhaps their best. Songs such as Soul Kitchen, and The Crystal Ship highlight Morrison’s poetry. The 7:06 minute version of Light My Fire is far superior to the 2:52 minute version released for corporate radio. The album ends with the masterpiece, The End, which contains some of Morrison’s best writting. Compare this version of The End with Nico’s dissonant expressionist version on her album The End…. If one were to buy only one Doors album, this would be it.

  • Strange Days (1967)

  • Waiting for the Sun (1968)

  • The Soft Parade (1969)

  • Morrison Hotel (1970)

  • L.A. Woman (1971)

  • Other Voices (1971)

  • Full Circle (1972)

  • An American Prayer (1978)

Live Albums

  • Absolutely Live (1970)
  • Alive, She Cried (1982)
  • Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1987)
  • In Concert (1991)
  • Message to Love: The Isle of Wright Festival 1970 (1996)

Compilation Albums

  • 13 (1970)
  • Weird Scenes Inside the Gold Mine (1972)
  • The Best of The Doors (1973)
  • Star Collection (1975)
  • Star Collection 2 (1975)
  • Greatest Hits (1980)
  • The Doors Classics (1985)
  • The Best of The Doors (1985)
  • Greatest Hits (1996)
  • Essential Rarities (1999)
  • The Best of the Doors (2000)
  • The Very Best of The Doors (2001)
  • Legacy: The Absolute Best (2003)
  • The Very Best of The Doors (2007)
  • Scattered Sun (2007)
  • The Future Starts Here: The Essential Doors Hits (2008)
  • The Platinum Collection (2008)
  • L.A. Woman: The Workshop Sessions (2012)
  • Behind Closed Doors: The Rarities (2013)
  • Curated by RSD (2014)
  • The Singles (2017)