Reading through this thread, I’m amazed how many of the so-called “debut” albums weren’t actually debuts.
The Magnet released a self-titled album a year or two earlier, which was pretty bad by their later standards. I believe the Tab… EP was originally released in the same year as Spine of God, but I’m not sure which came first. (Modern Caroline pressings have a copyright date of 1993, which is incorrect as far as the music is concerned.)
Despite its name, Björk had previously released one or two solo albums (pre-Sugarcubes).
I think someone else mentioned this, but she cut a couple cutesy dance-pop albums before she cracked the American market. When Jagged Little Pill came out, a lot of people who were familiar with her previous work didn’t take her seriously at first.
And some contributions of mine (all of which, coincidentally, are eponymous):
Traveling Wilburys - Traveling Wilburys
Captain Beyond - Captain Beyond
Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols (by definition the best as they never formally released another album, but still pretty good)
The New Pornographers, Mass Romantic – May not actually be better than their (just released) followup album, but it’s mighty damn good.
They Might Be Giants, They Might Be Giants – Still one of their best albums, and “She’s an Angel” is still my favorite of their songs, lo these 17 years later.
**Talking Heads - Talking Heads '77
Pixies - Surfer Rosa **(going by LPs) Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes
Throwing Muses - Throwing Muses
The Velvet Underground and Nico
Belle and Sebastian - Tigermilk
REM - Murmur (going by LPs) The Shins - Oh Inverted World (their only so far, going by LPs) The White Stripes - The White Stripes
The Clash - The Clash
Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left
Neutral Milk Hotel - On Avery Island
The Television Personalities - …And Don’t the Kids Just Love It
Sugar, Copper Blue. Of course, guitarist/vocalist Bob Mould was in the legendary Husker Du and also released a couple of solo albums before forming Sugar, so those not counting artists who go solo take it for what it’s worth.
Art Bears: Hopes and Fears
Banco del Mutuo Soccorso: Banco del Mutuo Soccorso
The Band: Music from Big Pink
Kate Bush: The Kick Inside
Leonard Cohen: Songs of Leonard Cohen
The Doors: The Doors
Emerson, Lake & Palmer: Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Greenslade: Greenslade
Gryphon: Gryphon
Hatfield & the North: Hatfield & the North
Jimi Hendrix Experience: Are You Experienced
King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King
National Health: National Health
Pink Floyd: Piper at the Gates of Dawn
Premiata Forneria Marconi: Storia di un Minuto
Procol Harum: Procol Harum
Traffic: Mr. Fantasy
I’ll echo the vast majority of ** Lisa-go-Blind’s** list.
I’ll also echo some of the other recommendations: Mass Romantic - The New Pornographers The Stooges - The Stooges Marquee Moon - Television Ramones - Ramones
I’ll add… Can’t Stand… - The Rezillos Fabulous Sounds of the Pacific North West - The Young Fresh Fellows Left, Love and Leaving - The Detroit Cobras My Aim is True - Elvis Costello Damned Damned Damned - The Damned Sex Mad - Nomeansno Precious Moments - The Sadies The Virginian - Neko Case Outlandos d’Amour - The Police
I forgot one…Christian Death’s Only Theatre Of Pain. Rikk Agnew and Rozz Williams made a truly scary goth punk masterpiece. I actually chased Mormons away with this record once!
Iron Maidens first Lp was damn good . It was all downhill from there though. Don’t forget Motorheads first album too. Lemmy is god. Well, he’s old as god anyway.
Bah, Piper didn’t even go gold. Floyd had 10 albums go multi-platinum. Piper never even made the Billboard charts while Dark Side stayed there for over 700 weeks. I don’t think we can say the Pink Floyd’s debut was their best ablum.
A nomination I did come up with was Crosby, Stills, & Nash self-titled album.
