10 Debut Albums that Changed Music Forever

When a band releases their major label debut, the possibilities are endless, both good and bad. Up to that point, thousands upon thousands of dollars have been outlaid to record, package and promote this band and their first record. The record is meant to be an introduction of the band to the world. Every band releases this album hoping to be one day put on the list that follows, a list of debut albums that launched vastly successful, super-star level careers.

Below are ten of the best debut albums; albums that catapulted their respective artists to heights almost never achieved.

“The Chronic” (1993) Dr. Dre – A founding member of one of the seminal groups in hip-hop history, Dr. Dre was already well established in the world of rap music. However, what “The Chronic” did was to take this new emerging sound, known as “West Coast” in the rap community and thrust it, full-bore, onto the youth of the nation. With tight production values, insanely catchy hooks and deft performances, “The Chronic” remains one of the most influential albums of all time.

“My Aim Is True” (1977) Elvis Costello – When Elvis Costello recorded his debut album, he was creating iconic tracks and preparing to launch a sonic assault. Full of angst and unrequited passion, “My Aim Is True” is one of Costello’s finest, containing tracks like “Alison” and “Watching the Detectives.” It’s success put Costello on the map, and opened the door to a style of music that was a progenitor of new wave and even punk rock. The album showcased Costello’s undeniable gift for lyric, and as a bit of cool trivia, also featured Huey Lewis’ backing band, “The News” as Costello’s backing group.

“Got to Be There” (1972) Michael Jackson – In 1972 Michael Jackson had already been the stand-out star of The Jackson 5, a band he was in with his four brothers. He was 14 years old then, and he just happened to be a gigantic star. “Got to Be There” was the first record Jackson produced without his brothers, and while it didn’t sell at the levels that “Thriller” or “Off the Wall” would about a decade later, it was the first cannon ball fired from Jackson on his own. He would eventually become the “King of Pop,” and this record was his entrance into the Royal Court, featuring classic Motown and Rock and Roll tunes.

“Bob Dylan” (1962) Bob Dylan – Though it only contained two songs actually written by Dylan himself, the historical importance of this record cannot be overstated. Without it, Dylan’s career, which went on to inspire an entire generation, and very importantly pushed a little band called The Beatles to branch out and explore their own song writing more artistically, would never have taken place. What the album offers is quite a few takes on traditional folk songs performed by Dylan. It’s the closest you can come to hearing what it must have sounded like in the folk clubs of New York’s Greenwich Village at the time. It’s the album that put Bob Dylan into the consciousness of a generation, and therefore deserves a very special place in history.

“The Rolling Stones” (1964) The Rolling Stones – Much like “Bob Dylan,” “The Rolling Stones” featured very little work actually written by the Stones themselves. The only Jagger/Richards penned song on the album is “Tell Me,” which isn’t exactly one of their biggest hits of all time. However, whether you love them or hate them, this album was the first push in the forward direction for the band that nearly fifty years later is still together and even touring from time to time.

“Dookie” (1994) Green Day – Love them or hate them, Green Day put power or pop-punk on the map in a big way thanks to their major label debut, “Dookie.” With tracks like “Longview,” “When I Come Around,” “She,” and “Basketcase,” the Bay Area power-trio was a bright and sunny alternative to the sometimes cloudy and down-turned world of Grunge that had such titans as Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Green Day made it okay to love being a bit juvenile and introduced a whole bunch of kids to even the idea of punk music. Their longevity has been assured with mega-hit albums “American Idiot” and “21st Century Breakdown,” but it was “Dookie” that fired a missile of raw energy and angst into the heart of music fans.

“Elvis Presley” (1956) Elvis Presley – There is no rock and roll without this record. Sure, there were others before and after Elvis, But in terms of a ethos, of a way of life, if you will, Elvis Presley was the King. When his star shot off into the night sky, it blazed a trail not only for him, but for so many of his generation behind him. Elvis Presley took the baton from Frank Sinatra without asking. Presley was the hot commodity, and there cannot be any way to become hyperbolic in describing what his influence, and by proxy this first record’s influence certainly carried with it. As we approach the 34th anniversary of his death, it’s clear that maybe the music industry has progressed beyond Elvis, but it certainly owes much of what it is today to the King of Rock and Roll.

“The Clash” (1977) The Clash – The Clash is a band that has carried with it massive influence over many musicians. Joe Strummer and Mick Jones wrote songs about being in the working class. Trampled on, picked over and ignored, they wrote for a segment of the population that was under-represented. This first record of theirs had power and emotion that impressed upon all those that listen that these weren’t four miscreants with guitars, a bass and some drums. These were four miscreants with guitars, a bass and drums that were smarter than they were given credit for, and who had deeper thoughts and sentiments than the sound of their music belied.

“Nevermind” (1991) Nirvana – At this point, 20 years (yes, twenty!) later it’s almost a cliche to write about just how important this record is. Yet, without it, the musical landscape would probably be completely different. Maybe some other band would have come around (possibly even from Seattle), and slayed the last vestiges of Hair Metal out of the radio and TV airwaves. The fact is though, that Nirvana are the ones who performed that act of kindness on us all. This is not to say that I don’t enjoy a good Ratt song like the next guy, but clearly a shift from superficial to more intellectual fare was needed, and Kurt, Krist and Dave were the ones to provide that paradigm shift. In terms of musical importance and impact this album has both in spades. Then again, oh well, whatever.

“Please Please Me” (1963) The Beatles – Just as with Nirvana’s “Nevermind,” so much has already been written about this album and the band that released it. Still though, it doesn’t detract from just how important this album is. Like many on this list, it doesn’t even have the band’s best stuff on it, but it was the first stepping stone that John, Paul, George and Ringo used to fire themselves into a place that maybe no other band has ever occupied. Arguments can be made, and it’s true that even The Beatles aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, However there really aren’t that many other artists who can claim to have had some kind of impact on every single artist after them. Any band or musician who records an album in a studio owes a debt of gratitude to the groundwork The Beatles laid in their career, and this was the first album in a catalog of work that sometimes is viewed more as religious text than pop music.


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