“On February 28, we're listing our all time eight favorite debut albums from artists where they hit paydirt the first time!”
Visit other participants from the list below and feel free to join in! This was a little more difficult than anticipated, but I finally came up with eight, great debut albums:
Released on July 24, 1990, Pantera brought heavy metal to a whole new level. Featuring Phil Anselmo's growling and screaming vocal style and Diamond Darrell Abbott's insane shredding, this disc was just brutal for the time. I thought Metallica and Megadeth were heavy but this took heavy up to 11. This band literally changed the sound of metal and it all started with this amazing disc.
Another great 1990 release, Facelift was a huge debut. Even though they formed in Seattle, I never placed them in the grunge category. Alice In Chains is its own singular entity, with a sound that is unique and instantly recognizable. Wow, so many great songs on this one from "We Die Young" and "Man In The Box" to "Sea Of Sorrow" and "Bleed The Freak.” What I love most about this disc is that it feels as fresh as it did 20 years ago.
Here's a debut that launched a band to superstardom. G N' R's first disc was a juggernaut selling over 28 million copies. While it had several tremendous hits ("Paradise City," "Sweet Child O' Mine," "Welcome to The Jungle") its the lesser played tracks that I truly love ("It's So Easy," "Nighttrain," "Mr. Brownstone".) It's truly a shame that Axl Rose pulled a Charlie Sheen and ruined what could have been the greatest rock band ever.
Also known as the official college party album from 1976 through the 80's, this album is one long string of hits. This disc sold over 17 million copies and stayed on the Billboard 200 for 132 weeks. Tom Scholz, the mastermind behind the iconic sound of Boston created an album so epic that it's still in heavy rotation today on classic rock stations. "More Than a Feeling," "Peace of Mind," "Hitch a Ride," "Long Time" - these songs are iconic and stand the test of time.
I know what you're thinking - "who the heck is that?” Formed by John Sykes of Whitesnake fame, this debut disc is a stunner from beginning to end. With an epic sound and some of the finest guitar work you will ever hear, Blue Murder's debut album is amazing. If you like hard rock, then I encourage you to check out this gem.
If you're not a dedicated fan of hard rock, you may have never heard of this amazing band. Crunching guitar mixed with brilliant harmonies made for a spectacular debut. Saigon Kick has a unique sound and style that separates them from all the bands of the early 90's.
Some bands have longevity and some burn hot and fast. Dangerous Toys only released four discs but their first was truly special. Lead singer Jason McMaster and the boys made a debut album that still kicks butt. Laced with humor and innuendo this disc is a hard rock classic.
Super groups don't last long and this is no exception. Formed by Steve Hackett (Genesis) and Steve Howe (Yes), GTR only made one album but it's a classic. "When The Heart Rules The Mind," "The Hunter," "Here I Wait" - just one brilliant song after another. It's a shame they never made a follow-up but at least we have this gem.
Join in the fun or feel free to name a major debut album in the comments. Come on – I know you can think of at least ONE!
76 comments:
Boston is absolutely amazing!!!! Totally agree with this choice 100 percent!!
I like a lot of the albums you list, though I think I would have some different ones that I think were even greater home runs, such as Cat Stevens' Tea for the Tillerman. I wish I could see my music collection here at work so I could pick out a few others. Oh, The Cranberries' first was incredible. Every song was excellent. Led Zep 1 was pretty darn great also.
very cool, i have everyone of those... we share the same brain, well when it comes to music...
I have a few of these. :) Went through quite a heavy metal phase back in the day.
Melissa, can't leave Boston off the list!
Ted, as you can probably tell, I'm into the heavier music.
Jeremy, you are uber cool then!
Elizabeth, I don't think I left that phase!
Great Choice Alex , I think my favourite would b e the Guns And Roses,
Have a good day.
Yvonne.
Alice in Chains almost made mine too. But I just couldn't remember if I liked every song.Dirt was better for me I think. They're one of my fave bands. RIP Layne.
I don't know enough about music to do this blogfest. But, those are some great album covers.
Loverboy! LOL How about Lacuna Coil, the first real album, not the five-song promo disc.
I had no idea Boston - Boston was a debut. What a classic album!
hmmm, it's a difficult question, most of the artists never repeat the greatness of their debut albums. Like Maroon5, Madonna etc.
Guns N' Roses - "Sweet Child O' Mine" and "It's So Easy". Faves.
Was afraid I would not know any and here I own 2 of them. :) Sorry now I did not sign up.
Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow
Oh yes, Boston and Guns N' Roses, awesome! Great list, Alex.
Boston nearly made my list. That and Guns and Roses are the only albums here that I think I've heard. I'm familiar with the others in name only, but never got into any of their music. From what I have heard, I think I'd get into Alice in Chains. And from the line up GTR must be very good.
Lee
Tossing It Out
Yeah, Guns N' Roses, but I am not informed enough these days just by looking at the covers. You'll have to sing me the tunes first.
Great little add in with GTR - The Hunter is genius! I am listening right now, thanks to you!
I'd forgotten about this fest!
(Isn't it Dimebag Darrell from Pantera? Or am I thinking of someone else?)
You have some great picks, of course. A in C - simply genius. Their new stuff is great, too (which kind of shocked me).
I think that GnR album may have been the first of all my albums that I listened straight through, over and over - single or not. Mr Brownstone was one of my faves on it. And it was the only concert I've ever been front row. They were phenomenal, such a shame.
Not one of these surprised me...I wonder why that is?? ;P
Yay!!! I haven't a CLUE who any of these bands are but YAY for them anyway! LOL! Take care
x
Yay!!! I haven't a CLUE who any of these bands are but YAY for them anyway! LOL! Take care
x
So many great pics. There were one or two I have to go check out.
Apart from Appetite for Descruction I haven't a clue who the others are!
Am I too old or too young? LOL.
I liked Alice in Chains during my grunge years. Great list!
Yvonne, I'm pleased I selected someone you know!
Pk, I thought it was amazing they found another singer as good as Layne.
Diane - Loverboy?
Matthew, yes it was!
Jules, it's not too late!
Lee, it's a shame GTR only did one album.
Trevor, that's cool!
Tara, Dimebag is from Pantera. And that first G'n'R album is genius.
Hannah, you're just not a headbanger I guess.
Kitty, you always make me laugh.
Ellie, let's go with too young.
That's a cool blogfest theme, but unfortunately I missed it. If I hadn't been too busy today, I would sit down and write my list immediately. It would include the debuts of Metallica, Nirvana, Satyricon and Burzum at least >:)
Cold As Heaven
I am so out of it..... Good thing I am so pretty.
Love that we share two picks! I like this blogfest because it's helping me discover bands I've not yet heard. Looking forward to sampling your picks!
Wow, you are taking me WAY BACK to High School. I think I had five of these albums. Even had the Saigon Kick album, which was vastly underrated because of the focus on that "Love is on the Way" tune.
GNR was my favorite band back then, but I actually liked the Use Your Illusion albums slightly more than Appetite. I love that Alice In Chains album, but I think their best album was the much more mellow Jar of Flies.
Well Alex, I own seven of your eight (don't have Alice In Chains), and considered a couple for my list as well.
Certainly Boston and GNR were albums that almost every rock fan had to at least mull over.
I lost my bet-I thought you'd have Rush or Dream Theater on here!
I'm going to have to break out the Saigon Kick debut-have not listened to them in a long time, and thend to think of the second album when I do.
Thanks again for joining in and plugging this one!
Larry
Ok you're going to despair of me... but I don't actually think I've heard of a single one of these! Sigh. And I thought I listened to a whole lot of music!
That said, new discoveries are always exciting... :-)
boston is a great choice.
Nice summaries you give for bands I'm largely unfamiliar with...although I did used to sell Guns n' Roses T-shirts at their concerts. :)
Let's see, for an offering I give you Outlandos d'Amour, The Police. "Roxanne" "So Lonely" "Next to You" Eh?
I saw Boston when they'd first started up. They were the second band to play in a triple concert I saw in San Antonio a long time back. Blackfoot was the opening act, followed by Boston promoting their debut album, followed by Black Sabbath, I think they were on their Technical Ecstasy tour.
I can't believe I don't have the GTR album being such a huge prog fan, plus it has Steve Hackett and Steve Howe--gotta check that out. Boy, talk about debuts, Steve Hackett's Voyage of the Acolyte is a beauty, I should have included it on my list.
Great list.
Guns n' Roses! Boston! I love them!
Great choices, Alex.
I've got most of these but not BLue murder. Gotta check that out.
I'm on board with your picks of GnR and Alice In Chains (though I'm ashamed to admit I hadn't even heard of the last four on your list...)
As for me, Pearl Jam's Ten seems almost too easy a pick for someone whose musical maturity happened in the 90s. So instead, I'll go with a more recent debut: Funeral, by Arcade Fire.
Cold, sounds like your list is half complete already.
Betty, you are!
Nicole, I've seen both of those bands on other lists as well.
Cheeseboy, it's good to hear someone else digs Saigon Kick! Yes, first album was underrated. And back to high school? Damn, I didn't get to go that far back...
Disc, thanks for hosting! Thought about Rush, but that wasn't a big breakout for them, and the first Dream Theater had a different lead singer. And the first Saigon Kick is still the best to me.
Sangu, you're still cool!
Nicki, selling their t-shirts at concert - bet you have some stories!
El vox, G'n'R was the first album that came to mind. And never got to see Boston - that sounds like quite the combination of bands.
Charles, I was lucky enough to see them once in concert.
Nate, Pearl Jam showed up on a couple lists. And child of the 90's? Young pup!
I'm trying to figure out why I've never heard Blue Murder. Now I'm off to youtube to listen to some tracks...
Great list, Alex. Lists like these not only gives an idea of your personality but also points out new stuff to other people who may not know of it.
Jai
Those are some awesome albums. Great picks.
Nice
Nancy
N. R. Williams, The Treasures of Carmelidrium
Man in the Box is still one of my favorite songs.
AWESOME list! G&R and Boston are my favs out of those. Good stuff!
Love Boston!! Is it bad that I haven't heard a lot of these? Ah, such a loser I am. Your lists---of anything---are always awesome!
Great picks, Alex. I especially like the "pulled a Charlie Sheen" line. Axl is such an ass! Ruined one of the best rock bands ever.
And I've never heard of GTR!!! I can't believe it!
Ha! Out of all those, I only know Guns and Roses! Fail!
A lot of self-named albums as debuts. I like your first four very much,, the second four I'm not as familiar with.
Jai, hope that's a good thing!
Jen, those two have been popular today.
M Pax, is that not an awesome song? One of my favorites as well.
Colene, we rock!
Saumya, I just have unique tastes in music.
Kelly, have you seen what Axl looks like now? He's a balloon!
Ali, I won't post your picture on the Fail site, I promise!
I'm in the same fail as Ali, I know Guns and Roses. :(
ALEX ~
>>.....but this took heavy up to 11.
HA!-HA! You made me LITERALLY laugh out loud with that line!
Dang! I shoulda thought to use the "eleven" bit somewhere on MY list. (It certainly would have been appropriate in my 'Van Halen' commentary.)
You and I travel in different musical circles, but I sure am glad you participated and plugged my buddy's (DiscConnected) blogfest!
"11"... Ha! I'm still freakin' laughing. ..."UHP! I'M AN IDIOT!"... how could I have failed to say "Up to eleven" anywhere in my blog bit?!
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
Is it bad that the only one I know is Guns N' Roses? ;)
Lindsay and Lynda, I won't use either of you for the Epic Fail site either!
Stephen, and you're the only one who picked that up! Maybe some of these people are too young for Spinal Tap...
Our music tastes differ a little but a big cheer for Boston. I had that album.
I never owned any of these albums, but at least I recognized a few of them.
These are awesome! But c'mon! no Night Ranger?
Hey, Alex! Boston fans unite! Yeah, I hadn't even finished reading the topic the other day and I knew Boston's debut was going to be number one. Had to be.
Thanks for listing/reminding me of all of these rock acts. I recall the names, but did not listen much. I will definitely open the iTunes tomorrow and look up Blue Murder, Dangerous Toys as well as to check out the rest of those GTR tunes. I already have "When the Heart Rules the Mind".
Thanks for posting.
-Jimmy
All I can say is... I love you man.
Pantera made me, literally, throw all my other cd's in the trash once I'd heard Cowboys From Hell. It literally changed my life.
Boston, Blue Murder (I thought I was the only one who loved them so much), Saigon Kick! Holy crap.
I could have written this post. I'm freaking out. Awesome.
Velvet Underground pretty much got it right the first time out, with “The Velvet Underground and Nico.”
I like Pink Floyd’s “Piper at the Gates of Dawn” (the mono version, that is. Stereo version sucks, somehow.)
The Decemberists’ debut, “Castaways and Cutouts,” is the only one of theirs I can stand.
Mastodon’s “Remission” is cool, too…
But most acts take about 3 albums to get it just right…
Guns n roses brings back so many memories. Good album
I am sure I cannot think of even one, but yes, G n R is great. That's the only one of the lot that I know I have heard.
Oh, man! How could I have forgotten Pearl Jam's first? That is certainly one of the best debuts.
This is so great...I've been introduced to more great music in 48 hours than in all of my...let's say, many years of life.
Copyboy, it would've made the top fifty at least.
Jimmy, Boston was my second pick. Think you'll like those other bands.
Rusty, Pantera changed the face of heavy metal forever! And cool, almost no one knows about Blue Murder.
Katy - Mastodon! Great band.
Sorry I missed joining in in this one Alex been in Miami for the past 2 weeks, love your list especially Boston, some I don't know there though, but will definately have a try and see if I can get a listen
That's one awesome list, dude!
Fun to read, I love Guns n' Roses,
Alice in Chains and have to say Boston. My first album on my new stereo system~
Real metal to 11, might have to check that out, since I am a Metallica fan~
ha! I could have guessed part of this list I think. It's a good one!
Dempsey, bet it was warmer in Miami!
Ella,, only two of you noticed the '11.'
Hart, am I that obvious?
Hey Alex - Oh man, I think I need to check GTR out. I wonder why they only did one?
Great list.
Guns 'n Roses reminds me of my wedding. Our wedding song was Patience (not off Appetite for Destruction, but still). I'm not generally a GNR fan, but my husband suggested it since almost our entire relationship was long-distance right up until our wedding day. I thought that was sweet of him to think of, so I went with it. :)
Great list! You're very into the heavy stuff, Mr. Cavanaugh... but I DO love Guns N' Roses and Boston :)
Alex, I've been away for a while, and I'm so happy to come back to your blog and see you are, as always, ROCKIN IT OUT. Thanks for this list, I'm gonna have to check some of these out!!
RaShelle, they had three albums total (second counts as two.)
Susan, that was sweet!
B, glad to have you back!
Oh my gosh!!!! You like Saigon Kick?!!! Me too, yay!
One of my fave debuts was Appetite for Destruction by Guns N Roses. Wish I would have had the time to participate, I love your choices. Will be lurking about a day late and a dollar short to check on some of the other picks everyone came up with.
Words, that's cool!!!
Melissa, you cna always post your own.
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