# Name the 5 best debut albums of all time, in order (Please limit your list to 5) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 27, 2016, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-5-best-debut-albums-of-all-time-in-order-please-limit-your-list-to-5/755779 "2016-05-27T01:32:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2016, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-5-best-debut-albums-of-all-time-in-order-please-limit-your-list-to-5/755779/21 "2016-05-27T06:40:11Z")
> [@KellyCriterion](#): > > Surprised **Nevermind** is yet to appear in the thread. I wonder when it will. _Bleach_ was Nirvana’s debut album. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2016, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-5-best-debut-albums-of-all-time-in-order-please-limit-your-list-to-5/755779/22 "2016-05-27T07:38:04Z")
Pat Metheny: Bright size life Al Di Meola: Land of the Midnight Sun Jaco Pastorius: Jaco Dave Holland: Conference of the Birds BIlly Cobham: Spectrum [ul] [li]Jeff Buckley: Grace[/li][li]Dio: Holy Diver[/li][li]Ozzy Ozbourne: Blizzard of Ozz[/li][li]Black Sabbath: Black Sabbath[/li][li]Van Halen I[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2016, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-5-best-debut-albums-of-all-time-in-order-please-limit-your-list-to-5/755779/23 "2016-05-27T08:05:35Z")
1 Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath 2 Ramones - Ramones 3 The Cramps - Songs the Lord Taught Us\* 4 Cibo Matto - Viva! La Woman 5 The Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy \*Appropriately, the spine says “File Under Sacred Music” ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2016, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-5-best-debut-albums-of-all-time-in-order-please-limit-your-list-to-5/755779/24 "2016-05-27T08:51:32Z")
I’m not quite sure what “best debut album” means, but I’m taking it to mean that the album is all high quality, not just a few songs promising something more to come later, and a solid album all throughout. The band started out competent and either progressed on that same level or went downhill from there. Based on that, I got ten bands left (though I’ve realized that I haven’t heard the first album from several of my favorite bands - so, potentially this list could have been drastically different). Here are the best 5: 1. downy - Untitled 2. Exuma - Exuma 3. Mogwai - Young Team 4. Dessa - A Badly Broken Code 5. Nizlopi - Half These Songs Are About You Missed it: 1. Arcade Fire - Funeral 2. The Dead Weather - Horehound (sort of a cheat, since the band is a supergroup) 3. Cry Baby - Wakarazuya 4. Macy Gray - On How Life Is 5. kiev - Falling Bough Wisdom Teeth ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2016, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-5-best-debut-albums-of-all-time-in-order-please-limit-your-list-to-5/755779/25 "2016-05-27T09:37:23Z")
1. The Kick Inside - Kate Bush 2. Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures 3. The Smiths - The Smiths 4. Isn’t Anything - My Bloody Valentine 5. Garlands - The Cocteau Twins ETA: This assumes demos and EPs don’t count. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2016, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-5-best-debut-albums-of-all-time-in-order-please-limit-your-list-to-5/755779/26 "2016-05-27T09:58:19Z")
A few I wish I’d thought of before posting my list: Neil Young Liz Phair, Exile in Guyville mmm ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2016, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-5-best-debut-albums-of-all-time-in-order-please-limit-your-list-to-5/755779/27 "2016-05-27T10:02:46Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > 1. Isn’t Anything - My Bloody Valentine > 2. Garlands - The Cocteau Twins Oh my, both very good. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2016, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-5-best-debut-albums-of-all-time-in-order-please-limit-your-list-to-5/755779/28 "2016-05-27T10:17:44Z")
My Bloody Valentine - Isn’t Anything Pixies - Surfer Rosa The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground and Nico Portishead - Dummy Suicide - Suicide I could well have post MrDibble’s choices too though ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2016, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-5-best-debut-albums-of-all-time-in-order-please-limit-your-list-to-5/755779/29 "2016-05-27T10:20:53Z")
Without thinking: - Jeff Beck Group: Truth - Big Star: #1 Record - Stevie Ray Vaughn & Double Trouble: Texas Flood - The Pretenders: The Pretenders - Television: Marquee Moon. If I could find the right James Brown, Prince, or Marvin Gaye record, I would. Shit - didn’t fit in Peter Gabriel: Peter Gabriel :smack: ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2016, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-5-best-debut-albums-of-all-time-in-order-please-limit-your-list-to-5/755779/30 "2016-05-27T10:26:18Z")
Note: I only edited to add “& Double Trouble” to SRV; can’t forget Whipper and Slut! Didn’t touch the list. Jeez no Beatles, no Chuck Berry. No English Beat: I Just Can’t Stop It, or Joe Jackson: Look Sharp. And of course Van Halen and The Ramones, but they are well repped here. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![GunnarFranz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/da6949/32.png) [@GunnarFranz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GunnarFranz)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2016, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-5-best-debut-albums-of-all-time-in-order-please-limit-your-list-to-5/755779/31 "2016-05-27T10:42:26Z")
1. Your favorite weapon 2. Tell all your friends 3. Turn on the bright lights 4. The blue album 5. Cheshire cat I swear I’m not 17. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2016, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-5-best-debut-albums-of-all-time-in-order-please-limit-your-list-to-5/755779/32 "2016-05-27T10:50:59Z")
> [@GunnarFranz](#): > > 1. Your favorite weapon > 2. Tell all your friends > 3. Turn on the bright lights > 4. The blue album > 5. Cheshire cat > > I swear I’m not 17. I assume those are albums. Can you list the artist, please? ---
**Author:** ![GunnarFranz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/da6949/32.png) [@GunnarFranz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GunnarFranz)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2016, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-5-best-debut-albums-of-all-time-in-order-please-limit-your-list-to-5/755779/33 "2016-05-27T10:55:46Z")
1. Your favorite weapon - Brand New (who just came out with a new single btw) 2. Tell all your friends - Taking Back Sunday 3. Turn on the bright lights - Interpol 4. The blue album - Weezer 5. Cheshire cat - blink-182 ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2016, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-5-best-debut-albums-of-all-time-in-order-please-limit-your-list-to-5/755779/34 "2016-05-27T11:13:18Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > No… it’s just his first major-label record. Independent records (which included “Loser”) are real. Go fix Wiki, then! Okay, I’ll substitute Beck with: 1. Gillian Welch - _Revival_ ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2016, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-5-best-debut-albums-of-all-time-in-order-please-limit-your-list-to-5/755779/35 "2016-05-27T11:51:15Z")
1. The Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers 2. Bob Dylan - Blood On The Tracks 3. The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground And Nico 4. Van Morrison - It’s Too Late To Stop Now 5. The Clash - London Calling A restriction of five is real hard, I could easily list five or ten more albums that are equally good as those. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2016, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-5-best-debut-albums-of-all-time-in-order-please-limit-your-list-to-5/755779/36 "2016-05-27T11:57:09Z")
:smack: Misread the OP, missed the word _debut_. So strike the post above. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2016, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-5-best-debut-albums-of-all-time-in-order-please-limit-your-list-to-5/755779/37 "2016-05-27T11:57:32Z")
EinsteinsHund, the OP was asking for “debut” albums – the _first_ full-length release by an artist. Heck, _Sticky Fingers_ isn’t even Mick Taylor’s Stones debut! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2016, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-5-best-debut-albums-of-all-time-in-order-please-limit-your-list-to-5/755779/38 "2016-05-27T12:04:27Z")
So here’s my correct list: 1. The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground And Nico 2. The Clash - The Clash 3. The Byrds- Mr. Tambourine Man 4. Big Star - #1 Record 5. Belle And Sebastian - Tigermilk ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2016, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-5-best-debut-albums-of-all-time-in-order-please-limit-your-list-to-5/755779/39 "2016-05-27T13:30:46Z")
I’m (pleasantly) surprised by how often the VU&Nico is coming up. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2016, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-5-best-debut-albums-of-all-time-in-order-please-limit-your-list-to-5/755779/40 "2016-05-27T13:52:53Z")
Without deliberately choosing obscure albums just to be different: Kate Bush - The Kick Inside The Cars - The Cars Boston - Boston The Clash - The Clash REM - Murmur With honorable mention to: Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes Weezer - Weezer VU & Nico - VU & Nico Van Halen - Van Halen GNR - Appetite for Destruction Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-5-best-debut-albums-of-all-time-in-order-please-limit-your-list-to-5/755779.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-5-best-debut-albums-of-all-time-in-order-please-limit-your-list-to-5/755779.md?page=3)