The Yellow Album

The Yellow Album is The Simpsons' franchise second studio album, released as a follow-up to the 1990 album The Simpsons Sing the Blues. Likewise with the previous album, "The Simpsons" characters sing (with their respective voice actors performing) covers and original songs. Unlike the previous musical album, reception and promotion was poor, and this would possibly be the final pop music album by "The Simpsons", as future music releases were soundtrack, comedy, or musical score albums.

Though it was released in 1998, the album remarkably consists of songs that were not included in "Simpsons Sing The Blues", and/or, recorded figuratively around that time as well. Reason being due to conflict with the record label, and essentially several (up to twenty) featured artists such as Elton John, Mariah Carey, and Sting, (which none of the above artists would make the final album), who would later be removed from the album. However the album does feature Prince, Linda Ronstadt, and C+C Music Factory.

The album title is a play on the name of the Beatles' self-titled 1968 album, commonly known as "The White Album", with the skin color of the characters of The Simpsons. In addition, the cover is a parody of the Beatles' 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

The parody was also used for a couch gag in Season 8 Simpsons episodes "Bart After Dark" and "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show" (until it was replaced in reruns of the latter episode with the couch gag from "Kamp Krusty", where the Simpsons find the Flintstones on their couch and Fred invites Homer to sit with him). A similar version of it is on the inside of the United Kingdom version of The Simpsons Season 9 DVD. An outtake named "My Name Is Bart" is a parody of musician Prince's 1992 single "My Name Is Prince". In 1993, it was also reported that Matt Groening had penned a rap song to be performed by Bart.

James L. Brooks, producer of the show, wanted to produce a follow-up album based on the popular reception of the debut, but creator Matt Groening was against it. The cast then recorded The Yellow Album, but it was not released until 1998, at which time it suffered poor reception. Plans were in the works for music videos to accompany The Yellow Album.