How do I get into Zappa? I listened to Freak Out! and thought

Get the Mothers of Invention stuff first.
Then move onto his solo albums starting with Hot Rats

>>69027013
Maybe go through his greatest stuff chronologically.
Unless you're willing to listen to over 100 records.
Either way, you won't be disappointed.

Only listen to Peaches En Regalia
rest is mediocre/shit

I'm gonna sound like an ultrapleb for saying this, but go through the emboldened albums on RYM.

>>69027013
If you are already just a bit into free jazz, I would highly recommend you check out Uncle Meat. And even if you aren't, you should still check it out. One of the Mothers' best projects

>>69027823
Also, check out Roxy the Movie. It's amazing.

>>69027823
this is what i do for every artist in my library
why would i bother listening to something that isn't their best when there's so much other music

Depends what you like Zappa for. I don't know shit about his satire-based stuff but Hot Rats is prime composer Zappa

go ahead and listen to uncle meat, his masterpiece

>>69027013
If you liked Freak Out! - good job!

That same style, only more refined continues to Absolutely Free, We're Only In It For The Money and Uncle Meat.

Other than that, shit gets complicated.
If you heard all those, you got the original Mothers of Invention crash course done - feel free to look around for more.

I claim that Flo & Eddie -era Mothers is 100% shit and not really worth checking out for now....

So then next check Frank's works towards the emerging jazz-rock audience:
Hot Rats
Waka/Jawaka
The Grand Wazoo

They are all great for what they are, but if you're not feeling it now - move on...

Early 70's Mothers is great - the other absolutely essential period with the early stuff you started with

Over-Nite Sensation
Apostrophe(')
Roxy and Elsewhere
One Size Fits All

If you get through the first 2 and don't feel it at all, you might stop. I will hate you - this is great stuff.

Then late 70's:
I think the posthumous Lather compilation that brings together several albums released to fulfill a Warner Brothers contract is actually the definitive album here.

Late 70's & 80's:
80's Zappa is shit, but Joe's Garage (originally from 1979) is decent, so listen to that first
then:
Jazz from Hell
The Yellow Shark
Civilization, Phaze III

Most of 80's Zappa is exploitative trash, if you really liked Joe's Garage, feel free.