Alright, let’s talk about something that’s been on my mind lately – the greatest debut albums. I mean, I’ve been thinking about this for a while, and I finally got around to doing some digging and putting together my thoughts.
So, first off, I started by just brainstorming, you know? Trying to remember all those debut albums that blew me away when I first heard them. I made a big messy list, scribbling down names of artists and albums, trying to get everything out of my head. Then, I had to figure out what makes a debut album “great” anyway. Like, is it just about having a bunch of hits? Or is it more about the overall vibe and how it makes you feel? I decided it’s a mix of things – killer songs, a unique sound, and that feeling that you’re listening to something special, something that’s gonna stick with you.
Once I had my criteria sorted, I started checking out some lists online, seeing what other people were saying. I found some interesting articles and lists, like one that talked about “the greatest debut albums of all time” and mentioned Gang of Four’s ‘Entertainment!’ I also found lists that are seperated by genres and themes. I guess a good album has songs that demand you listen to them over and over again. This could be for memorable lyrics, funky beats, killer riffs, magical vocal runs, thought provoking content and themes, or really anything that grabs your ear and refuses to let go. And it needs to have enough material that you want to hear again and again and again.
Then I started crossing names off my list, adding new ones, and trying to narrow it down. I listened to some of these albums again, just to make sure they still held up. It is so suprising that 2022 is the anniversary of some truly historic debuts — including classics by Pavement, Mary J Blige, Roxy Music.
It is so hard to make the final list. For example, I remembered there was this one album I heard back in college. It wasn’t a huge hit or anything, but there was just something about it, you know? The lyrics, the melodies, it just all came together in this perfect way. It was like the artist was speaking directly to me. Or some rappers like The Notorious BIG, he is widely regarded as the greatest rapper who has ever lived. And I was thinking, “This is what a debut album should be.” It should introduce you to an artist and make you excited to hear what they do next. While The Beatles sang “All You Need Is Love”, that was so touching.
After a lot of back and forth, I finally came up with my own personal list of the greatest debut albums. I won’t spoil it all here, but I’ll give you a few examples. I had to include Arctic Monkeys’ ‘Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not’ – that album just exploded onto the scene and changed the game. And then there’s Weezer’s blue album, packed with mega hits “Say It Ain’t So,” “Buddy Holly,” and “Undone – The Sweater Song.” And I think it is one of the greatest debut albums of all time.
So that’s my process. It was a lot of thinking, listening, and just trying to figure out what makes a debut album truly great. I hope you enjoyed my little trip down memory lane. And hey, maybe it’ll inspire you to check out some of these albums for yourself. Let me know what you think are the greatest debut albums – I’m always up for a good music discussion!
