Double bah back at you for using the charts and sales as a way of judging an album’s quality… that argument makes Toto by Toto is one of the all time best debut albums. :dubious:
Some worth repeating, some new ones.
The Cars
Van Halen
Dire Straits
All from 1978. But who won the grammy for best new artist? A Taste of Freaking Honey.
Ramones
Cheap Trick
The Pretenders Hmmm… so many are self-titled…
You can laugh all you want, but I say Get The Knack is a damn fine power-pop album.
And while it’s nowhere near their best album, and not really representative of their later sound, Sorry, Ma, Forgot to Take Out The Trash by The Replacements is a blast.
Newer stuff-
Weezer (Blue album) yeah yeah I know Weezer/emo fans are supposed to genuflect at the altar of Pinkerton, but I still like this one.
Goldfinger’s first album is a great slab of pop-punk. Unfortunately nothing else they’ve done has come close
Sorta cheating: Love Songs For The Retarded by The Queers. Sure, Grow Up was recorded and pressed (160 copies) first, but Love Songs got the first wide release.
Interpol-Turn on Bright Lights
NIN- Pretty Hate Machine
Converter- Shock Front
Iris-Disconnect
Damage Manual- The Damage Manual
Postal Service- Give Up
Skinny Puppy- Remission(i don’t count Brap as an LP)
Death in June- The Guilty have no Pride
Thursday- Waiting
Cursive- Such Blinding Stars for Starving Eyes
Fresh Cream by Cream. Not bad.
Their American debut; “The Rolling Stones; Englands Newest Hitmakers”
I thought about it but Disraeli Gears (their 2nd album) seemed to be much more successful based on the number of chart hits.
J.D. Crowe and the New South’s self-titled debut came along at just the right time, when bluegrass had lost a lot of its vitality, and was becoming more repetitious with each passing year. This album injected a much needed dose of freshness when it came along in 1975.
Blue Lines by Massive Attack
Grace by Jeff Buckley
Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division
I’m going to stick to debut LPs (no EPs) and exclude bands who have only released one album, so as to allow for a little perspective. And, obviously, my list is by no means definitive.
Elvis Costello - My Aim Is True
Weezer - Blue Album
The Get Up Kids - Four Minute Mile
Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker (great album - pure, heartbreaking alt-country, with none of the over-production of Gold - that gospel choir, anyone???)
The Clash - The Clash
The Beastie Boys - Licensed to Ill
De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising
Jebediah - Slightly Odway
Daft Punk - Homework
Pearl Jam - Ten
R.E.M. - Murmur
Frank #2-I agree Dis. Gears was better, but the thread was DEBUT albums. Unless I’m chronologically challenged, Fresh Cream was their 1st album.
Jon
Yes, I missed his #2; but still it was not the question asked on the thread.
Country Grammar - by Nelly
Richard and Linda Thompson - I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight
Big Star - #1 Record
Tindersticks - Tindersticks
Jeff Buckley - Grace
Neutral Milk Hotel - On Avery Island
Belly - Star
The Clash - The Clash
Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures
The Pixies - Surfer Rosa
Television - Marquee Moon
Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left
PJ Harvey - Dry
Rasputina - Thanks for the Ether
Dude, you need to learn about something called “sarcasm” 
Jon
I’ve often professed my love for Jeff Buckley on these boards, and I couldn’t miss an opportunity to do it again. To this day, his version of “Hallejuiah” [sp?] makes me cry.
I have to echo everyone who mentioned Appetite for Destruction, as cliche as it sounds, that album changed my life and introduced me to a whole new world of music that I love to this day.
Chris Whitley’s “Living with the Law” is another great album. I love U2’s “Boy” too, but I’m not entirely sure that was their debut.
Jeff Buckley Grace was my first choice before reading either of the above’s posts. In fact, I vote it as the best album start to finish that was ever released.
[nitpick] I LOVE Barenaked Ladies, and have seen them 8 or 9 times in concert, dating from even before Gordon came out. Their “Yellow Tape” dated from before Gordon, and and you can see them hawking it in the “Lovers in a Dangerous Time” Bruce Cockburn tribute video that they did. [/nitpick]
White Stripes. Definitely.
Lot’s I would ditto, but I won’t waste the space. I’ll just add:
Portishead, Dummy
The Breeders, Pod
Pavement, Slanted & Enchanted
Fugazi, 13 Songs
Poster Children, Flower Plower
Primus, Suck On This
Phish, Junta
the shins- Oh, inverted world
gomez- bring it on
the white stripes-the white stripes
dredg-lietmotif
bright eyes- letting off the happiness
sigur ros- agaetis byrjun ( first major label)