The first album sets the tone. In the ’90s, Weezer made a record so good that as the band grew darker by the second, their trajectory as a group collapsed. The 2000s saw many great beginnings, from the burgeoning New York indie scene to the golden age of nü metal and pop punk. Then, the 2010s brought stellar appearances from Odd Future, Billie Eilish, and SZA, to name a few. Even this year, many bands are launching their careers and making an impression in the process – just look at The Last Supper.
That said, we asked our readers to name the best debut albums of all time, and they responded with a wide variety of answers, spanning many genres and decades. Find the top-ranked fan picks below.
5. The Killers – Hot Fuss
Twenty years later, Killers’ Hot Fuss is still great. Aside from the perennial scream “Mr. Brightside,” tracks like “Somebody Told Me,” “Smile Like You Mean It” and “Change Your Mind” resonate as deeply as they did back then. Naturally, this album is filled with generation-defining anthems, but time has also been kind to its second half, which shines with less beloved but equally intimate songs. Ultimately, Hot Fuss is the perfect representation of the indie-sleaze movement that defined its time and place in New York – a golden age that is starting to return.
4. The used – The used
The Used knew they had something special when they played “Maybe Memories” – the opening track from their 2002 self-titled debut album, which became a landmark release for the emo and post-hardcore scene – on the speakers of a bowling alley and witnessing the scene of people. interest. react in real-time. At that time, members did not leave Utah regularly. Staying in Venice Beach during recording and working with producer John Feldmann, who regularly did all-night sessions, led to a “magical moment”, in the words of Bert McCracken.
3. Avril Lavigne – Let Go
Avril Lavigne made her mark with Let Go, the song she released when she was only 17 years old. Through a series of evocative singles such as “Sk8er Boi”, “Complicated” and “I’m With You”, she expressed a teenage attitude in a youthful style. a way of taking it seriously, inspired by the anger and rage of Alanis Morissette. Her fashion sense – the album cover shows her wearing striking, baggy pants – is also great, even though she only wears old football jerseys and steals her dad’s ties from me. “I would wear the same thing over and over again. Lavigne talks about this time.
2. My Chemical Romance – I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love
Directed by Thursday’s Geoff Rickly, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love heralded My Chemical Romance’s breakthrough – although no one could have predicted they would reach such great heights. Filled with an ambitious collection of songs, the album draws from the realm of hardcore, prog, and pop punk but is enhanced by the strength of its storytelling. From the beginning, they had a message and a goal, which formed after the September 11 attacks. “The world changed that day,” they said, “and the next day we started trying to change the world.” »
1. Linkin Park – Hybrid Theory
Of course, our readers voted Hybrid Theory as the best debut album of all time. Released at the turn of the millennium, Linkin Park knocked it out of the park on the first try, as its legacy and impact have since reached its peak. The record quickly found an audience thanks to the group’s ability to convey misunderstood youth and repressed rage. Featuring the inimitable vocals of Chester Bennington, who sent songs like “Crawling,” “One Step Closer” and “In The End” to Heaven, the group blends rap, metal, electro, and alternative rock with style and skill. After Bennington left, Hybrid Theory was even more impressive than the day it came out.