Best debut album ever?

[Jenpot]

This is possibly an unpopular choice, but I reckon Franz Ferdinand are in with a shout for the best debut of recent years. Not ever, but of recent years, yeah.

I agree with that. As far as debuts go, it's a pretty impressive pop/indie-esque record. Even though it's not really my thing, it's one that didn't bother me too much when it got horribly overplayed at parties at that time.

[spoonie]

when i read the title, the first things to come into my head were RATM and Appetite. Township Rebellion is a devastating tune and Appetite never lets up, start to finish. Then I got to thinking and came up with a few that haven't been mentioned

ready to die - notorius BIG
texas flood - SRV and double trouble
I - Led Zeppelin

all ace albums. i love the intensity that bands capture in their earliest recordings. it's like an urgency to get it recorded and get it out but without the urgency to rush the writing process. probably comes from modest recording budgets but rarely sustained throughout a career. Rage are about the only band I can think of that managed it.

/x

[EvilElvis]

Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction would get the vote for me, rightfully earned them legendary status with that one album.

Can't argue with that.

Foos - S/T
Wildhearts - Earth Vs
3 Colours Red - Pure
Ramones - Ramones

[Krocktopus]

Earth versus kicks mega-ass. good call

[Vonnie]

Zero 7 - Simple things is one I'd mention. My immediate thought was Radiohead and Jeff Buckley although I'm slightly surprised that Daft Punk haven't been mentioned. Or Air.

[Bell]

Eat Em and Smile is worthy of mention, David Lee Roth's debut solo album. Not a weak song on it, with Vai and Sheehan sneaking some RIDICULOUS virtuoso playing into some radio friendly pop rock madness. Awesome.

Other WORTHY debuts are those of Mr. Big and Skid Row.

But I still can't see anything touching Appetite, VH or RATM.

Just had to mention some other belters

[poprock]

I'm slightly surprised that Daft Punk haven't been mentioned. Or Air.

Too middle-class for AltNation.

[Vonnie]

Too middle-class for AltNation.

Really? I didn't realise they were perceived like that. Ho hum.

[poprock]

I think they’ve taken the place of things like Portishead and Massive Attack. Coffee-table beats.

[spoonie]

Too middle-class for AltNation.

since when has AN been ghetto? did i miss out on that, in between the swathes of threads about what everyone has been buying and how many nights out a week they all have!

/x

[poprock]

Aye, but since when did the middle classes admit to being what they are?

[Semprini]

Count me as another vote for Appetite for Destruction.

[James]

Alicia Keys - Songs in A Minor. The main reason why I love her obv. Her first album was amazing

[spoonie]

Aye, but since when did the middle classes admit to being what they are?

so we're all pretending to be ghetto? count me in!

/x

[SuperMike!]

Maybe not "best debut albums ever", but debut albums that were rather strong efforts:

Aereogramme - A Story in White
American Football - s/t (a bit of a cheat, i know...)
The Blue Nile - A Walk Across The Rooftops
Sparklehorse - Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot (or whatever it's called)
Pavement - Slanted & Enchanted

I'm actually finding this really hard to answer without resorting to (more) bands who only made one album. I can think of quite a few bands i like who started with unpromising/average debuts but went on to freater things - the Delgados for one.