Best Debut Albums

[Archive_Reports]

Really? I feel they're pretty cohesive. For me, Candyass sounds like the band performing in some dark, grimey club, whereas Vapor Transmission sees them performing in some super flashy, futuristic club. I've always preferred Candyass because of that imagery. It makes it more intriguing to me.

Also, here's my list:

Audioslave - Audioslave
CKY - Vol. 1 [This album is just solid all the way through.]
Chris Cornell - Euphoria Mourning [This is more of a stylistic preference.]
The Mars Volta - De-Loused at the Comatorium [Don't get me wrong, the albums that followed are great... I just don't think anything has topped the vibe of the debut.]
Orgy - Candyass
A Perfect Circle - Mer de Noms [Thirteenth Step was great, but I find myself skipping tracks on that one. I always listen to Mer de Noms all the way through.]
Son of Sam - Songs from the Earth [To be fair, I never gave the second album a chance because Davey wasn't involved.]
30 Seconds to Mars - 30 Seconds to Mars [No fucking contest. I can't stand the commercial direction the band went on the subsequent follow-ups. They had something special with that first album.]
Tricky - Maxinquaye [Nothing after this album ever fully grabbed me.]

That's all I've got, I think.

That 30STM album is so good. I was lucky enough to be able to see them right after they released it in a 500 capacity venue and they killed it.

[Space Suicide]

A few come to mind, trying to stay away from ones already shared by others.

Emperor - In The Nightside Eclipse
Ghost - Opus Eponymous
HIM - Greatest Lovesongs, Vol. 666
Mayhem - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas

[Dryalex12]

Rage Against the Machine - S/T
System of a Down - S/T
Slayer - Show No Mercy
Metallica - Kill Em All
Tool - Undertow
Taking Back Sunday - Tell All Your Friends
Temple of the Dog - S/T
My Chemical Romance - I brought you my bullets, you brought me your love

[MrLobster]

Metallica - Kill Em All

I almost put this on my list... I should do an honourable mentions post.

[sonic_discord]

Rage Against the Machine - S/T
Cake - Motorcade of Generosity
Sublime - 40oz. to Freedom
A Perfect Circle - Mer de Noms
Tenacious D - S/T

[theimage13]

After thinking about this for a while:

Weezer - Weezer (aka the Blue Album)

That's it. There are a lot of artists I listen to with absolutely fucking banging first albums. But in virtually every instance, there isn't a clear "man, there first one is just so much better than the others that I could easily call it my favorite". Different, yes. Special in some way, sure. But "best"? I just can't think of any acts I listen to whose debuts were clearly their "best" album.

[r_z]

Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine (obviously)

Really? You prefer it to all the other albums?

[eversonpoe]

Weezer - Weezer (aka the Blue Album)

100% agreed. that album really is special, and they have never topped it. it was one of the first CDs i owned and i wore that thing out.

i need to add one to my list

telefon tel aviv • fahrenheit fair enough - while i love everything TTA has ever done, their first album is just absolutely perfect. and with that, i start another new thread...

[theimage13]

Had another thought. If we're discounting EPs, then this is technically a one-album artist and this would be their first one. Sadly, it was never officially released. Press copies were sent out, and when the label made it clear that it would never see the light of day, the band burned copies and mailed them as "bonus gifts" to anyone who bought anything else from the website. Already over 20 years old and I still think it's better than a lot of stuff coming out now.

Video link is to a full playlist, but starting it on what I consider one of the standout tracks.



(And since it doesn't preview on this site - it's Splashdown and the album Blueshift)

[Jinsai]

so nobody's mentioned the PRICK self titled album yet (or did I miss it)?

[Bachy]

[eversonpoe]

so nobody's mentioned the PRICK self titled album yet (or did I miss it)?

shit. knew i missed something!

[PhoenixML]

30 Seconds to Mars - ST (by a long shot)

From this album to America, the downfall is cruelly epic. I'm still amazed how good the first album is. I still can't get over the fact that everything else is meh or atrocious. Yeah I do enjoy the song Beautiful Lie, Battle of One, or Night of the Hunter here and there, but never a full album.

[PhoenixML]

Half Moon Run - Dark Eyes
Thom Yorke - Eraser
Two Door Cinema Club - Tourist History

[wight rabbit]

From this album to America, the downfall is cruelly epic. I'm still amazed how good the first album is. I still can't get over the fact that everything else is meh or atrocious. Yeah I do enjoy the song Beautiful Lie, Battle of One, or Night of the Hunter here and there, but never a full album.

Yeah, from an entire album of awesome to several mediocre albums with a short few enjoyable tracks.

[MrLobster]

I totally forgotten about "Decksandrumsandrockandroll" ... but of course, I hadn't re-encoded that CD yet either. Such a killer album.

[eversonpoe]

I totally forgotten about "Decksandrumsandrockandroll" ... but of course, I hadn't re-encoded that CD yet either. Such a killer album.

you've gotta start listing artist names with album names i don't wanna have to do research! hahaha

i'm adding:

emiliana torrini • love in the time of science

while she's released other good stuff since then, nothing as cohesive or emotionally resonant for me. she's icelandic-italian so there are obvious parallels to björk, and not just because it came out one one little indian (björk's label) and half the album was produced by siggi baldursson, who has worked with björk. the other half was produced by roland orzabal from tears for fears.

here's my fav song:



never realized it had a (really weird) video

[Archive_Reports]

Denali - S/T

[hologram parade]

health . s/t
the black queen . fever daydream
fever ray . s/t
them crooked vultures . s/t
blindoldfreak . 1
tame impala . innerspeaker
andy stott . luxury problems
nicolas jaar . space is only noise
postal service . give up
atoms for peace . amok
the dead weather . horehound
air . moon safari
ford & lopatin . channel pressure
darkside . psychic

[sonic_discord]

Really? You prefer it to all the other albums?

...I'm confused. I thought this was just "list the best debut albums," I didn't see any additional rules stating that it must also be the best album released by the band. If that's the case, then no, I do not prefer it to all the other albums.

[MrLobster]

you've gotta start listing artist names with album names

Just for you I've edited the original post and added the new album... and all of the bands/artists ... HA! take that!

[eversonpoe]

...I'm confused. I thought this was just "list the best debut albums," I didn't see any additional rules stating that it must also be the best album released by the band. If that's the case, then no, I do not prefer it to all the other albums.

what are some of your favorite debut albums by a band or artist? nothing tops that first album for you, even if it's just as good.

i did say it in my initial post, and there was confusion a few posts later that got cleared up.

so yes, it's meant to be a list of bands/artists whose first album was the pinnacle for you. nothing they put out after surpassed it in excellence.

[ton]

Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
Erykah Badu - Baduizm
The Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die
Frank Ocean - Channel Orange
Gang of Four - Entertainment!

Pretty small list because I believe most artists get much better after their first album.

[piggy]

Gang of Four - Entertainment!

Ooh, good one!

[elevenism]

with you guys on Erykah Badu-Baduizm
Pearl Jam-Ten
Portishead-Dummy
Snoop Dogg-Doggystyle

And i'll throw in a couple hot takes

Boards of Canada-Music Has the Right to Children
Marilyn Manson-Portrait
Porno for Pyros- S/T

[Archive_Reports]

Pretty small list because I believe most artists get much better after their first album.

Usually a bummer when they don't.

[eversonpoe]

with you guys on Erykah Badu-Baduizm
Pearl Jam-Ten
Portishead-Dummy
Snoop Dogg-Doggystyle

And i'll throw in a couple hot takes

Boards of Canada-Music Has the Right to Children
Grimes-Visions
Porno for Pyros- S/T

i much prefer Portishead's s/t album but i seem to be in the minority on that.

and i have to contradict you on grimes, not because it's not her best album (which it is), but because Visions isn't her first album; that would be Geidi Primes, followed by Halafaxa, and then Visions

[elevenism]

i much prefer Portishead's s/t album but i seem to be in the minority on that.

and i have to contradict you on grimes, not because it's not her best album (which it is), but because Visions isn't her first album; that would be Geidi Primes, followed by Halafaxa, and then Visions

regarding Portishead, i like them ALMOST equally, but it's Dummy by a nose. the S/T is darker, for sure, and i dig that.

and with Grimes, well, i'll be damned. She's like the first artist that i discovered on YouTube, and have listened to almost exclusively on YouTube, and i just assumed that her first viral hits were from her first album.

edit: i deleted Grimes and added a hotter take- Marilyn Manson.

Are the earlier albums any good?

[frankie teardrop]

aight let's see here:

the chameleons- script of the bridge
slowdive- just for a day
curve- doppelganger
u2- boy
velvet underground- velvet underground & nico
suede- suede
red house painters-down colourful hill
mazzy star- she hangs brightly
pale saints- the comforts of madness
garbage- garbage

apbe back with more another day.

[eversonpoe]

regarding Portishead, i like them ALMOST equally, but it's Dummy by a nose. the S/T is darker, for sure, and i dig that.

and with Grimes, well, i'll be damned. She's like the first artist that i discovered on YouTube, and have listened to almost exclusively on YouTube, and i just assumed that her first viral hits were from her first album.

edit: i deleted Grimes and added a hotter take- Marilyn Manson.

Are the earlier albums any good?

geidi primes is ok, halafaxa is really good (but not as good as visions).

aight let's see here:

the chameleons- script of the bridgemazzy star- she hangs brightly

fuck yeah. also still haven't stopped laughing at that script of the bridge cover art recreated with emojis that you posted forever ago on instagram.