I’ve always been a big fan of Def Leppard since first seeing them live at King George’s Hall in 1980. To this day their first album On Through The Night remains my favourite and most played rock album. Raw, undercooked music that I can really relate to. Steve Clark is a bit of a guitar hero for me. Other Def Leppard albums have been good especially High and Dry and Pyromania but subsequent efforts always seem to be overproduced to me. Any other bands whose first effort was/is their best?

Queens first two albums are underplayed. They had that rawness about them.

Progressively they became more and more commercial but got the rewards

The first album is a collection of material from when the band is first formed to the time of their recording contract. That could be a good many years.
Having to subsequently produce material for a second album dramatically sorts the wheat from the chaff.

It’s an interesting one. I think that the best bands take a little time to grow into their sound therefore the debut albums of what I consider great bands are rarely their best work (Beatles, Bowie, Dylan, Neil Young, Radiohead, Zeppelin, Arctic Monkeys, Stones, Beastie Boys, The Who).

Bands I like who’s first album is their best that I can think of:

The Strokes
Wu Tang Clan
Coldplay (first album is great, the rest not so much)

The Stone Roses.....
The Stone Roses
That was a brilliant debut and after that they never hit the same heights.

Steve1956 wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 06, 2022 10:16 am

The Stone Roses.....
The Stone Roses
That was a brilliant debut and after that they never hit the same heights.

The Stone Roses is the obvious one.

Also, Arcade Fire haven't made a better album than Funeral in my opinion.

The Killers

The Killers.....good first album. Subsequent drek.
The Strokes and Some Roses as mentioned above...without doubt
Arcade Fire
The Vaccines
Dexy's Midnight Runners

Edit : In the time it took me to think and type this other people have also nominated The Killers and Arcade Fire !!

Tracy Chapman

Honourable mention for the truly magnificent "New Boots & Panties" by Ian Dury....

Gerry Rafferty
Kate Bush.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced

Stone Roses as already mentioned
G N'R haven't bettered Appetite for Destruction for me

Joy Division.

No mention of Betty Boo's classic debut yet.

The Twang! Absolutely brilliant first album, then disappeared into obscurity

The killers ...always thought Sam's town ( 2nd album) was better than 1st

Our very own Milltown Brothers.

Arctic Monkeys.

Black Sabbath
Matthews Southern Comfort

First album the best - I'd agree Joy Division. I'd also add Television, Magazine (although they were all very good) and Bauhaus

Milltown Brothers - I preferred Valve to Slinky

Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden.

Not really liked Maiden since. Di'anno had that New Wave of British Metal punky edge and that LP was a belter. After that when Bruce joined they just became yet another old fart, laboured rock posturing dinosaur.

Kate Bush - The Kick Inside is a really good shout fatboy47. Definitely my fave Kate Bush album.

Kate's Bush for me too.

Pixies - Surfer Rosa

Nirvana - Bleach

Idles - Brutalism

Not my favourite but Hopes and Fears is by far Keane’s best seller.

Though they had been around for a while honing their craft the best debut for me and my personal favourite ….

Steely Dan … Can’t buy a thrill.

the coral
leonard cohen
oasis
air

Terence Trent D'Arby - Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby

He is now known as Sananda Francesco Maitreya in case you wondered!

Van Halen

Meatloaf

Stereophonics

Billy Bragg



A few random ones there

The Clash: The Clash

Despite the critical acclaim of London Calling and the commercial success of Combat rock.

Billy Balfour wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 06, 2022 12:56 pm

Pixies - Surfer Rosa

Nirvana - Bleach

Idles - Brutalism

You're being mischievous nominating Bleach surely ! I'm not saying it's anything other than a good album but ........

Stalbansclaret wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 06, 2022 2:16 pm

You're being mischievous nominating Bleach surely ! I'm not saying it's anything other than a good album but ........

Not at all. I'm not a massive fan of Nevermind - it's too clean for me. I find it takes away some rawness of what drew me to them when I first heard John Peel play some tracks off Bleach. Furthermore, I prefer In Utero to Nevermind.

Deacon Blue : Raintown.

Family- Music in a Doll's House.

djt2006 wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 06, 2022 1:15 pm

Though they had been around for a while honing their craft the best debut for me and my personal favourite ….

Steely Dan … Can’t buy a thrill.

Another vote for Steely Dan and Can't Buy a Thrill.

Although Aja comes close.

Never mind the ******** by the Sex pistols

yTib wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 06, 2022 1:19 pm

the coral
leonard cohen
oasis
air

The Coral's debut is a great album (they are touring this spring playing it in full) but I think Distance Inbetween is their best.

Oasis - definitely Definitely Maybe.

Another from me: Underworld 'Dubnobasswithmyheadman'

What does does mean? Personal favourite?

I’d say The Strokes, but they’ve found their sound over the past 2-3 albums.

Many just never grow up. Men in their 30’s/40’s still trying to reproduce songs/sounds from their youth is daft. Oasis is the clear one. Other bands just grow, like I mentioned The Strokes, whilst the first is my favourite my a long stretch, they’re in their 40’s now, why would the still have that sound now?

Arctic Monkeys have been mentioned. They’ve gradually changed with every album, got older, new experiences etc, why again would they keep chasing for the sound of the first album. They live in Los Angeles, ride motorcycles etc, they don’t hang around corner shops, sneak into pubs anymore.

Arctic Monkeys have got better with every album IMO

Janes Addiction - Nothings Shocking….in fact I would go as far as saying it’s probably one of the best debut albums ever

Velvet Underground and Nico
Pink Floyd Piper at the gates of dawn

Adam and the Ants - Dirk Wears White Sox.

Hi Bop,

Re. your post about The Clash.


"The Clash: The Clash

Despite the critical acclaim of London Calling and the commercial success of Combat rock."

I thought about that. I hesitate because "Give 'Em Enough Rope" is a very good album IMO.

The thing with The Clash was they evolved. First album was "pure punk" as in 100mph. They were already mixing the pace of songs in their second album and "London Calling" was even more varied.

After that, I didn't like their music but three very good albums - again IMO - is better than the vast majority of groups.

It should also be said that several of their best songs e.g. "White Man" were singles only.

Ptangyangkipperbang wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 06, 2022 4:05 pm

Velvet Underground and Nico
Pink Floyd Piper at the gates of dawn

I'm 100% with you on Piper. I'm not a fan of their post Syd Barrett stuff.

Funnily enough, I was going to put Velvet Underground and Nico on my list too, but then I remembered that Sister Ray was on White Light/White Heat, and that kind of just edges it for me. It's one of my favourite songs.

heavy metal kids
kris kristofferson
traveling wilburys
mc5
the orb

Stone Roses - Stone Roses ( obvious but still )
Big Country - Crossing
Oasis - Definitely Maybe ( only just by a fag paper )
Killers - hot fuss
Ramones - Ramones

Billy Balfour wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 06, 2022 4:34 pm

I'm not a fan of their post Syd Barrett stuff.

wash your mouth out billy. wish you were here, dark side, animals and the wall are all brilliant.

Cheeky Girls

but if you want controversial here's some: i think the first stone roses album is overrated (don't stop is a truly rubbish track) and second coming is massively underrated. so much so i'd have them as a tie.

Agree