Greatest Debut Albums for a Band

The Top Ten
1 Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction

Yep. Definitely. One of the few bands that produced some of their finest works in their first album. Need evidence? Sweet Child, Welcome to the Jungle, Paradise City, etc. Not to mention that it's the best selling debut album of all time.

Absolute classic, and Guns N' Roses's best album. They never topped this. How the hell is Kill Em All 1st? Metallica is my favourite band but I know a good debut when I hear one and Kill Em All ain't it. I've counted 10 albums on this list that I'd vote before Kill Em All

Best Debut Album of all time, no question. Welcome to the Jungle, It's so Easy, Night Train, Mr. Brownstone, Paradise City, My Michelle, Sweet Child O' Mine and Rocket Queen were the album's best, that is 8/12 for me, more songs I liked in an album

How is Metallica's Kill 'Em All first? This is the best-selling debut album in history! I understand why Led Zeppelin is ahead of this, but seriously? Metallica is good, but not best-debut-album good.

2 Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin 1 completely redefined all of rock and roll forever. Led Zeppelin's hard, power driven sound in their first album anchored them a place on rock and rolls history forever, and laid the foundations for metal. Most times, a band doesn't take off until their 3rd or 4th album, and even if they do well on their first album their musicians haven't reached their peak yet, but all members of led zeppelin hit the ground running on that album and as a result made one of the most influential albums of all times. I think it's also worth mentioning that most bands who do successfully put out a great debut album fall from glory and never put out an album as good. Boston for example, is only known for that first album, but Led zeppelin only got better after their first album. Led Zeppelin 1 is truly legendary and will never be matched.

Not a single song on appetite for destruction or kill em all even compares with dazed and confused. This album is widely considered one of the greatest albums ever made. Dazed and confused, communication breakdown, good times bad times, and how many more times. Those are some of the greatest rock songs ever recorded. I'm sorry but this albums blows any other album on this list out of the water.

The only album in the top ten worth voting for. The others are either bad but according to their fans the best ever or aren't that great. At least Zeppelin is on here, even if Linkin Park is number one, which is complete nonsense.

From the first notes of the first song, if you didn't have goosebumps, you were no doubt dead. I remember staying up late well after siblings and parents were asleep,plugging headphones into a great stereo system and letting my boyhood dreams of being a rockstar soar!

3 Metallica - Kill 'Em All

First song, Hit The Lights, fast and and awesome solo, then comes The Four Horsemen, nice solo with some awesome riffs, then Motorbreath, another fast one with awesome vocals by Het! Then the anthemic Jump In The Fire with its awesome riff, then Pulling Teeth, the amazing bass solo by Cliff and has memorable bass licks that will be the best bass work ever! Then the headbanging classic Whiplash and awesome solo in Phantom Lord, soon followed by a awesome screaming vocals and guitar solos in No Remorse, then come again another anthemic classic Seek And Destroy and to close the classic album the fast and furious Metal Militia!

Metallica changed metal. It was first all anout hair, looks, songs about sex drugs and more sex. Metallica changed that. The most hardcore album to debut for a band is definitely Kill Em All. No doubt Guns 'N' Roses are awesome but Metallica made heavy music the greatest genre of all time. And this album started it!

I have no album with greater energy levels than this. I wonder how could they write such amazing riffs and solos and songs at such a young age and in the first album. Simply amazing.

I think this should be second. It is such a great album but in terms of popularity, Appetite For Destruction has it beat.

4 The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced?

This can't be number 11
There are bands on this list above this album that I like more than The Jimi Hendrix Experience, but we're talking about the best debut album of all time, and this one deserves that title.
This album with his mix of Blues Rock and Psychedelic/Acid Rock created the Hard Rock sound
And if we consider Jimi's guitar playing...
This is the best debut album of all time, no doubt about it

This is the best debut! Purple haze, hey joe, foxey lady, the wind cries Mary and red house. How is this not higher. Here's my top 5
1. Are you Experienced
2. The Doors
3. Led Zeppelin
4. Appetite for Destruction
5. Black Sabbath

This album is like a greatest hits album just by itself. I think this should be number 1.

This is at number 20?! Not even in the top ten?! Too many people here are not experienced!

5 Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory

Number 4? Really? No disrespect to the other 3 before em, but they all sound the same and still do whereas lp ave evolved as a band, stlil going strong and keeping you guessing as to what new kickass stuff are they gonna come up with next! Anyway, here its bout debut albums and I firmly believe no album can match the quality, style and substance of hybrid theory! I mean its literally 15 years ago and pple are still crazy bout tracks like in the end, crawling, one step closer and many more, whereas I can't think of any guns and roses, or led zeplin, well may be Metallica songs that could even come close to the class and different variety in a single album of hybrid theory.. For me hybrid theory wil always be the best debut album of all time!

Really people? Appetite For Destruction is great album but Hybrid Theory kick ass. One Step Closer, Crawling, Papercut, In The End, Points of Authority, My December, By Myself, With you and toher songs is a LEGEND!

Linkin Park and Hybrid Theory Rocks!

Seriously Guns N' Roses? Sweet Child O'Mine, Welcome to the Jungle, Paradise City and Nightrain are nothing compared to One Step Closer, Crawling, Papercut and In The End.

Linkin Park forever, Guns sucks!

This was the the output of great struggle of LP to the chart... they rock... world know that. Most of people denies. Who cares. Balls to them.

6 Pearl Jam - Ten

Awesome album..; also rated as the best debut album by rolling stones

No it was not but I should be.

By far the best

7 King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King

Gun N' Roses number one?! What?! Hahaaahaha! In the Court of the Crimson King is such a better album musically, creatively, influentially, and lyrically. I have no idea why people love Gun N' Roses so much. I used to love them when I was 14, and there was a guy who knew a lot about music who told me they were garbage. I didn't believe him, but now that I'm older, and I appreciate music so much more, I realize he was right. This, however, is true music. The firsr track on this album alone out-rocks anything Gun N' Roses ever did.

I mean it's not even close. Hendrix and Sabbath are great but not like In the Court

8 Van Halen - Van Halen

How is this #23? An absolute disgrace. Linkin Park or Evanescance can't even compare to Van Halen. This is one of the greatest debut albums ever. Should be in at least the top 5.
It's ashame everyone fanboy just votes for Linkin Park no matter what it is now it seems like, tisk tisk.

This one's gonna be hard to beat because of all the hits and that it turned the music industry in a different direction.

Appetite and this are the best! Hands down

This debut made rock n roll history how is it this low it should be at #1 "runnin'. With the devil" is one of rocks greatest songs period put this album at number one NOW!

9 Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
10 The Doors - The Doors

The debut album of Ray, John, Robbie, and Jim gives such chilling epics as Light My Fire, Twentieth Century Fox, Break on Through (To the Other Side), and Soul Kitchen. However, the track at the end of the album, appropriately titled "The End", has some of The Doors' most poetic lyrics, as well a reference to the Oedipus complex. A must own for music collectors.

My favorite debut album ever. Will remain cutting edge for generations. Spurned from a concert in the head of one of the greatest of the greats. No downside.

Father, "yes son" I want to kill you
Mother, I want to...

One of the greatest bands of all-time together with one of the greatest debut albums of all time

My vote for greatest debut album of all time. Every track is a classic. No filler.

The Contenders
11 Boston - Boston

No other debut album still has every song on it still being played on radio to this day, period. That's why Boston is still #1-- they play more different chords in 4 measures than some bands have in their entire catalog, and they defined for all time what a proper rock ballad sounds like.

Tom Scholz, in my opinion, is the greatest rock guitarist of all time (and a great keyboardist also). He is a true musical genius. Along with his lead vocalist, Brad Delp, they shocked the world when they came on the music scene. Thank you Tom and Brad for sharing your God-given gifts / talent with the world!

All 8 songs on this album are played on the radio still to this day! This album sold 21 million copies worldwide! Such a great album.

Boston is amazing. More Than a Feeling and Peace of Mind are masterpieces.

12 The Beatles - Please Please Me

This debut Beatles record demands to be placed higher. Maybe just in the top Ten is enough for how great a debut this is. 14 songs of pure raw blissful music! P.S. I love you.

One of the best debuts ever! It needs to be higher.

This wasn't their debut

13 Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden

How can all of you forget this album? Everything about this album is perfect, the guitars are raw, the bass is loud and the drums are not as good as Nicko but it is still acceptable. Paul Di'anno's voice is almost to Bruce's level

14 Oasis - Definitely Maybe

I think this might be better than What's The Story Morning Glory after giving it a second listen.

Also the album that was key to influencing Britpop.

Has to be in the top 10! Lads off the council estate in Manchester produce a flawless album

15 Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine

The debut album that introduced the sound of RATM. A mix of Hard Rock, Punk, Metal, Rap and Funk. Deserves number 1.

The lyrics, man.

16 Evanescence - Fallen

Superb debut album for Evanescence with hits like My Immortal, Bring Me To Life and Going Under

17 The Cars - The Cars

Growing up in the 80's we all had a couple songs from this album in our tape player. A true legacy to this album is that songs are still played at sporting events and functions some 35 years later! A great debut album, a great band... Wake up Rock N Roll Hall of Fame!

18 Alice in Chains - Facelift
19 Weezer - The Blue Album

Never found such a perfect listen in my entire life. This Album is amazing. "Say it Ain't So", "Undone (The Sweater Sonf)", and "Buddy Holly" may be the most recognized songs from this album, but if you want more of that Weezer style rock, check out the rest of this album. You won't regret it, I can guarantee.

20 Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - Texas Flood
21 Queen - Queen

Probably not the best (Jesus is a bit of filler in context, and Seven Seas isn't even finished yet), but a personal favorite. Liar is a masterpiece. Queen could rock just as hard as Sabbath, Zep, and Purple, but they had more interesting ideas for their future...

Who would have thought they would become legends, I was fortunate enough to see them at wembley in 86 on it's a kind of magic tour, and magic it was (daughter is so jealous).

This debut is dynamic, heavy and so much more. With songs like "Liar" or "Great King Rat" it just explodes into your ears. In my opinion it's an even better debut than LZ.

A great debut album by a great band. I'd call it better than LZ's debut, and that's tough to beat!

22 Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Ozz
23 Dio - Holy Diver
24 Pink Floyd - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn

Only 29? Wow, this is horrible! This album is maybe the best ever, and people put it behind Metallica, Linkin Park and AC/DC who are in fact only trying to say: "Look at my overdriven guitar! " That's ridiculous when we know this album is full of poetry, surrealism, bright vocals work, psychedelic fantasy and even space rock sounds. Syd Barrett genius on lyrics and guitars have been forgotten and this is really a shame!

This is the ultimative debut album as an innovation of a new music. By the way full of great lyric, melodies, first space rock songs ever and and...
Here is Syd Barrett's universal genius. A man who could paint music.

This album has my favorite Pink Floyd song ever. Astronomy Domine and it's the one with Syd Barrett. The versions of that song with Gilmour aren't that good.

The only 2 albums this should be behind on this list are Led Zeppelin I and are you experienced.

25 Adema - Adema
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