| Title, Format | Label | Cat# | Country | Year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specials (LP, Album) | Two-Tone Records | CDL TT 5001 | UK | 1979 | |
| Specials (Cass, Album) | Two-Tone Records | ZCDL TT 5001 | UK | 1979 | |
| Specials (LP) | Ariola | 202 685 | Germany | 1979 | |
| Specials (LP) | Fame | FA 41 31161 | UK | 1979 | |
| Specials (LP, Album) | Ariola Benelux, Ariola Benelux | 511 265, 51.1265 | Netherlands | 1979 | |
| Specials (LP, Album) | Chrysalis, Festival Records | L 37121, CDL TT 5001 | Australia | 1979 | |
| Specials (LP, Album) | Two-Tone Records | CDL TT 5001 | Japan | 1979 | |
| The Specials (LP) | Phonogram | 6307 687 | Germany | 1979 | |
| The Specials (LP) | Chrysalis | CDL 1265 | Sweden | 1979 | |
| The Specials (LP) | Chrysalis | FV 41265 | US | 1979 | |
| The Specials (LP) | Chrysalis | PV 41265 | US | 1979 | |
| The Specials (LP, Album) | Chrysalis | CHR 1265 | Canada | 1979 | |
| Specials (LP, Album) | RTV Ljubljana | LL 0586 | Yugoslavia | 1980 | |
| The Specials (LP) | Chrysalis | CHR 1265 | US | 1980 | |
| The Specials (LP) | Chrysalis, Phonogram | 6307 687 | Greece | 1980 | |
| The Specials (LP) | Chrysalis | CHR 1265 | Canada | 1980 | |
| Specials (CD) | Chrysalis | CCD 5001 | UK | 1989 | |
| Specials (CD, Album, RM, Enh, RE) | Chrysalis | 7243 5 37697 0 3 | Europe | 2002 | |
| Specials (CD, RM, RE) | Chrysalis | 7243 5 37697 0 3 | US | 2002 | |
| The Specials (LP, RE) | Chrysalis | 509992 43650 17 | US | 2009 | |
| Specials (CD, Album) | Chrysalis, Chrysalis, Two-Tone Records | 1C 538-3 25001 2, 3 25001 2 | UK & Europe | ||
| The Specials (CD, Album) | Chrysalis, Chrysalis | F2 21265, DIDX 1537 | US |
Firstly, this Lp out-punked punk with its basic rawness and energy. For those of us who were a tad to young to get into the punk movement, up popped the Specials with thier debut ska influenced punk LP which basically blew every other band who were trying to get "there" completely out of the water. This LP really put people in thier places by saying, "If you want to make it, you've got to at least be able to play your instruments with some degree of decorum, and be able to hold a tune, but most importantly you've got to write decent lyrics to decent music, ala "The Clash". The Specials had mega-talent in abundance, they had Jerry Dammers Writing, and the manchester utd. supporting Coventry-lad Terry Hall singing(Nuff Said), plus the multi talents of Roddy Radiation, Neville Staples, Lynval Golding, Horace Panter and John Bradbury, which they used collectively to produce probably the best debut LP EVER to enter the world of music.
I've just been to see "The Specials" at the Brixton Acadamy (07/05/09) 30 years on from the release of thier debut LP entitled "The Specials", and I can honestly say that they are one of the best live bands that i've ever seen, they were as tight as a tourniquet, Terry Hall's still as dry as a funeral drum, they were VERY SPECIAL indeed. Listen to this LP and savour every moment, it don't get much better than this people, EVERY song a master-piece. Keep up the good work lads.