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Top 100 debut albums of all time per Rolling Stone

tbone_

By tbone_
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Ollie Slatt

Ollie Slatt 289

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1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said:

No way would I consider Ten anywhere near #1.  I like it, and it's grown on me quite a bit over the years, but it's basically classic hard rock, and not particularly ground-breaking.  Good enough to be on the list for sure, though.

 

I don't think an album has to be groundbreaking to be a great debut.  Pearl Jam is one of the defining bands of their generation and they are in the unique position that their first album is their best album.   There are obviously more important and groundbreaking rock bands, but they all tend to peak or put out their defining album later in the career arc.  I would not put Ten particularly high on the list of all time rock albums -- I just happen to think it is stunning for a debut.  I cannot think of a bigger band that peaked with its first album.  

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jimmyjazz

jimmyjazz 46093

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6 minutes ago, Ollie Slatt said:

I cannot think of a bigger band that peaked with its first album.  

Off hand, I'd say

 

Boston

Heart

Van Halen

Guns 'n Roses

 

which leads to the question . . . why didn't Heart's debut make this list?  It spawned 3 massive singles that get tons of airplay even now.

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oSuJeff97

oSuJeff97 3435

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1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said:

I doubt anyone will back this opinion with much fervor, but I happen to think Foo Fighters' debut is vastly better than about 40 releases on that list, too.

Agreed.

Related - what about Queens of the Stone Age - Rated R?  That's a GREAT album and just as great of an example as a "fully formed" sound of a band as Licence to Ill.

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C-Man

C-Man 27254

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No way would I consider Ten anywhere near #1.  I like it, and it's grown on me quite a bit over the years, but it's basically classic hard rock, and not particularly ground-breaking.  Good enough to be on the list for sure, though.
I like your nominations of Black Crowes and Son Volt.  I'd add Wilco's debut.  Ryan Adams' "debut" was Phil Collins leaving Genesis part deux.  (One could argue against Son Volt & Wilco in a similar manner, but I think there was a pretty clear departure from Uncle Tupelo on both those records.  Speaking of Uncle Tupelo . . . nah.  Too obscure for Top 100.)
 


Wonder if that’s why Son Volt and Wilco didn’t make it. Son Volt’s debut is genre-defining. Was glad to see Stone Roses and Smiths on there though.
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oSuJeff97

oSuJeff97 3435

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15 hours ago, C-Man said:

Wonder if that’s why Son Volt and Wilco didn’t make it. Son Volt’s debut is genre-defining. Was glad to see Stone Roses and Smiths on there though.

 

Yeah kind of surprised Trace wasn't on the list. It was pretty much universally hailed as a great album when it debuted. Plus, "Drown" was actually a pretty mainstream hit single.

I can see A.M. not being included. I mean, I love it, but it really wasn't until Being There (and then of course the Summerteeth-YHF-AGIB run) that Wilco became critical darlings.... I think the critical reaction to A.M., was "it's pretty good but not great."

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SwanderedTalent

SwanderedTalent 5761

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On 10/15/2019 at 3:44 PM, jimmyjazz said:

I doubt anyone will back this opinion with much fervor, but I happen to think Foo Fighters' debut is vastly better than about 40 releases on that list, too.

It's still my favorite Foo Fighters album and my favorite album of my senior year of college, so I'll ride w you on this one.

I've never liked Boston but their first record is about as good a record as anyone's ever made. The playing and singing on that album are just amazing. It should be in the Top Ten. 

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tbone_

tbone_ 14146

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Eeeeehhhhh, I don’t know. That’s a seriously bold claim. But this gives me a good excuse to go back and re listen to rickie lee which I will do and report back.

 

In fairness, Norah’s first is one of my all time favorites, so I might be biased.

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Onboard 2.0

Onboard 2.0 9083

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8 minutes ago, tbone_ said:

Eeeeehhhhh, I don’t know. That’s a seriously bold claim. But this gives me a good excuse to go back and re listen to rickie lee which I will do and report back.

 

In fairness, Norah’s first is one of my all time favorites, so I might be biased.

Ricky has more soul than Norah IMO, Norah has an amazingly beautiful voice.  

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smuggs

smuggs 9353

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7 minutes ago, tbone_ said:

Not that I’ll ever know but I hope the angels in heaven sing even half as well as Norah Jones. I could listen to her for eternity.

You'll be listening to Alanis Morissette on continuous loop while your testicles are pulled out through your eyesockets by laughing fire goblins.

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tbone_

tbone_ 14146

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I think they're both great, but Rickie's album has a grit to it that Norah will never touch.

So for the first time in pretty much my entire longhorn message board history I decided to actually do some research before blindly mouthing off. I had some driving to do today so I listened to both albums today in their entirety.

 

The Rickie Lee effort is a fantastic album no doubt. But give me Norah first 10 times out of 10. Every song on Come Away With Me just takes me to a place I like being. And that doesn’t happen very often. But like I said, it’s one of my all time favorites.

 

Also, thanks for the excuse to listen to Rickie Lee again. She’s really good.

 

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dcar00

dcar00 14344

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too much rap but I know they have to include it, The Cars is too low,  No Petty or Dire Straits is ridiculous,  Arcade Fire and the Pretenders in top 20 and Boston at 40?

I'd put Are You Experienced #1(US Release)

my dad rock pick that isn't on the list  is Bad Co.

my "represent Austin!" pick is Texas Flood

Edited by dcar00
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dcar00

dcar00 14344

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1 hour ago, Deej said:

Zep 1 blows everything else out of the water. Imagine dropping the needle on that for the first time 51 years ago.

BTW, today marks 50 years since the release of Led Zeppelin II.

I'd argue for full on "holy shit" it is Are You Experienced which is before Zep 1.  I say this as a HUGE Zeppelin fan. I can certainly see an argument for Zep 1 but it certainly doesn't blow AYE out of the water by any stretch...

here is the US release track list

"Purple Haze"    2:46
2.    "Manic Depression"    3:30
3.    "Hey Joe" (Billy Roberts)    3:23
4.    "Love or Confusion"    3:15
5.    "May This Be Love"    2:55
6.    "I Don't Live Today"    3:55
Side two
No.    Title    Length
1.    "The Wind Cries Mary"    3:21
2.    "Fire"    2:34
3.    "Third Stone from the Sun" (US edition spelling)    6:40
4.    "Foxey Lady" (US edition spelling)    3:15
5.    "Are You Experienced?"

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Dennis Taylor

Dennis Taylor 18853

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6 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

I'm not much of a Hendrix fan, but yeah, that's a pretty insane track list.

I mean, it's not anywhere near as good as Arcade Fire or Vampire Weekend's debut, but it's really solid.

I've honestly never heard arcade fire before so i just played the first song that popped up for them on youtube...

it sounds like what i imagine they would play at planet fitness     

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TexArcher

TexArcher 38027

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Upon seeing the thread title, I thought, "#1 has to be Led Zeppelin I and #2 has to be Appetite for Destruction."

I still think I'm right.

Although I'd be fine with Jimi pushing G 'n R down to #3.

Edit: some of this list is head-scratchingly stupid.  Seems as though it was written by the music version of Skip Bayless just to get a reaction.

Edited by TexArcher
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jimmyjazz

jimmyjazz 46093

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I've had some time to reflect on this list, and although I'm succumbing to the bait, I want to make a few points beyond what I've already said, because the ignorance is palpable:

1.  The Beastie Boys as #1 is fucking idiotic, and I like the Beastie Boys

2.  The Ramones should not be anywhere near #2

3.  The Strokes at #8?  What the fuck?

4.  I've already talked about Arcade Fire, the band that is eclipsed by 1,000 high school talent show second place winners across North America.  For fuck's sake.

5.  Kanye West has never released an album as good as the shit he drops (mic drop) on his toilet paper.  He is a fucking fraud.

6.  Vampire Weekend  Vampire Weekend?  Let's list some of the bands whose debuts apparently fell below that of Vampire Weekend:

Pavement

Van Halen -- probably the best debut I can imagine

Wu-Tang Clan

Bruce Springsteen

The Police

Lynryd Skynyrd

TELE_FUCKING_VISION

BOSTON -- holy shit, a top 5 debut easily

 

 

I give up, I'm only to #50.  I hate these lists.  Goodnight.

 

 

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Chad Fuck

Chad Fuck 17742

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The subtitle should be “according to the 25 yr old who wrote this.”

I recall when RS did their top 500 list. It has tons of stuff before my time, but was written with a sense of history that I could appreciate. If it was written by someone my age with no send of history, Nevermind would’ve been #1.

This is how this particular list strikes me. Someone just above intern got handed the task because no one else really wanted it. That person thought music began a few years before he was born when the Beasties arrived. Even the Beasties would agree they shouldn’t be at the top of this list.

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