150 Greatest Rock Debut Albums
Criteria: These debut albums were chosen and ranked based upon their initial and lasting popularity and their impact and influence on rock 'n' roll and its related genres. Also considered is whether or not any songs on the album were previously available for some time as singles before the album was released. A debut album is defined as the artist's first release of five songs or more, or of equivalent length.
Rock Debut Albums
1. Are You Experienced?
(1967) - Jimi Hendrix Experience
2. Led Zeppelin
(1969) - Led Zeppelin
3. The Doors
(1967) - Doors
4. Ten
(1991) - Pearl Jam
5. Elvis Presley
(1956) - Elvis Presley
(1967) - Jimi Hendrix Experience
2. Led Zeppelin
(1969) - Led Zeppelin
3. The Doors
(1967) - Doors
4. Ten
(1991) - Pearl Jam
5. Elvis Presley
(1956) - Elvis Presley
6. Run-D.M.C.
(1984) - Run-D.M.C.
7. Licensed To Ill
(1986) - Beastie Boys
8. Whitney Houston
(1985) - Whitney Houston
9. The Velvet Underground & Nico
(1967) - Velvet Underground
10. Appetite For Destruction
(1987) - Guns N' Roses
11. Van Halen
(1978) - Van Halen
12. Mr. Tambourine Man
(1965) - Byrds
13. Boston
(1976) - Boston
14. Black Sabbath
(1970) - Black Sabbath
15. My Aim Is True
(1977) - Elvis Costello
16. Music From Big Pink
(1968) - The Band
17. Please Please Me
(1963) - The Beatles
18. Ramones
(1976) - Ramones
19. Mariah Carey
(1990) - Mariah Carey
20. Ready To Die
(1994) - The Notorious B.I.G.
21. If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears
(1966) - The Mamas & The Papas
22. The Fame
(2008) - Lady Gaga
23. Gonna Make You Sweat
(1990) - C&C Music Factory
24. Chicago Transit Authority
(1969) - Chicago
25. Kill 'Em All
(1983) - Metallica
26. In The Court Of The Crimson King
(1969) - King Crimson
27. Songs In A Minor
(2001) - Alicia Keys
28. Kick Out The Jams
(1969) - MC5
29. The College Dropout
(2004) - Kanye West
30. What's The 411?
(1992) - Mary J. Blige
31. Paid In Full
(1987) - Eric B & Rakim
32. Vincebus Eruptum
(1968) - Blue Cheer
33. Never Mind The Bollocks Here's The Sex Pistols
(1977) - Sex Pistols
34. Yourself Or Something Like You
(1996) - Matchbox 20
35. 3 Feet High And Rising
(1989) - De La Soul
36. Dire Straits
(1978) - Dire Straits
37. Ooooooohhh...On The TLC Tip
(1992) - TLC
38. The Stooges
(1969) - Stooges
39. The Pretenders
(1980) - The Pretenders
40. Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
(1967) - Pink Floyd
41. Santana
(1969) - Santana
42. The Cars
(1978) - The Cars
43. Illmatic
(1994) - Nas
44. Freak Out
(1966) - Mothers Of Invention
45. Reasonable Doubt
(1996) - Jay-Z
46. Unknown Pleasures
(1979) - Joy Division
47. Enter The Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers
(1993) - Wu-Tang Clan
48. Can't Buy A Thrill
(1972) - Steely Dan
49. My Generation
(1965) - The Who
50. Rolling Stones
(1964) - Rolling Stones
51. The Stylistics
(1971) - The Stylistics
52. Forever Your Girl
(1988) - Paula Abdul
53. Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd
(1973) - Lynyrd Skynyrd
54. Boy
(1980) - U2
55. The B-52s
(1979) - The B-52s
56. Bluejean Bop
(1956) - Gene Vincent & the Blue Caps
57. Fresh Cream
(1966) - Cream
58. Pieces Of You
(1995) - Jewel
59. The Chirping Crickets
(1957) - Buddy Holly & the Crickets
60. The Clash
(1977) - The Clash
61. Texas Flood
(1983) - Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
62. Horses
(1975) - Patti Smith Group
63. Look Sharp!
(1979) - Joe Jackson
64. Creedence Clearwater Revival
(1968) - Creedence Clearwater Revival
65. The Monkees
(1966) - The Monkees
66. Christopher Cross
(1979) - Christopher Cross
67. Dreamboat Annie
(1976) - Heart
68. Beauty And The Beat
(1981) - The Go-Go's
69. New York Dolls
(1973) - New York Dolls
70. Madonna
(1983) - Madonna
71. Outlandos d'Amour
(1978) - The Police
72. Supa Dupa Fly
(1997) - Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott
73. 3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life Of...
(1992) - Arrested Development
74. Shotgun
(1965) - Jr. Walker & The All-Stars
75. The Smiths
(1984) - The Smiths
76. Eagles
(1972) - Eagles
77. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
(1976) - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
78. Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.
(1973) - Bruce Springsteen
79. Steppenwolf
(1968) - Steppenwolf
80. Tuesday Night Music Club
(1994) - Sheryl Crow
81. ...Baby One More Time
(1999) - Britney Spears
82. Procol Harum
(1967) - Procol Harum
83. Aerosmith
(1973) - Aerosmith
84. Rage Against The Machine
(1992) - Rage Against The Machine
85. Foreigner
(1977) - Foreigner
86. Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5
(1969) - Jackson 5
87. Radio
(1985) - LL Cool J
88. Blue Lines
(1991) - Massive Attack
89. The Animals
(1964) - The Animals
90. Green Onions
(1962) - Booker T. & the MG's
91. Country Grammar
(2000) - Nelly
92. The Stone Roses
(1989) - The Stone Roses
93. Marquee Moon
(1977) - Television
94. Yo! Bum Rush The Show
(1987) - Public Enemy
95. Doo Wops And Hooligans
(2010) - Bruno Mars
96. Psychocandy
(1985) - The Jesus & Mary Chain
97. The Meters
(1969) - The Meters
98. Iron Maiden
(1980) - Iron Maiden
99. Big Brother & The Holding Company
(1967) - Big Brother & the Holding Company
100. Is This It
(2001) - The Strokes
101. Tubular Bells
(1973) - Mike Oldfield
102. In The Heat Of The Night
(1979) - Pat Benatar
103. Get The Knack
(1979) - The Knack
104. 19
(2008) - Adele
105. Sixteen Stone
(1994) - Bush
106. Pretty Hate Machine
(1989) - Nine Inch Nails
107. Cypress Hill
(1991) - Cypress Hill
108. Shake Your Money Maker
(1990) - The Black Crowes
109. Long Live The Kane
(1988) - Big Daddy Kane
110. Definitely Maybe
(1994) - Oasis
111. Roxy Music
(1972) - Roxy Music
112. The Young Rascals
(1966) - The Young Rascals
113. With A Little Help From My Friends
(1969) - Joe Cocker
114. Grace
(1994) - Jeff Buckley
115. Talking Heads: 77
(1977) - Talking Heads
116. Toni Braxton
(1993) - Toni Braxton
117. Songs Of Leonard Cohen
(1967) - Leonard Cohen
118. Stray Cats
(1981) - The Stray Cats
119. # 1 Record
(1972) - Big Star
120. Brown Sugar
(1995) - D'Angelo
121. Walk Don't Run
(1960) - The Ventures
122. It's Dark And Hell Is Hot
(1998) - DMX
123. The Modern Lovers
(1976) - Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers
124. Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik
(1994) - Outkast
125. Funkadelic
(1970) - Funkadelic
126. George Thorogood & The Destroyers
(1977) - George Thorogood & The Destroyers
127. Vanilla Fudge
(1967) - Vanilla Fudge
128. Violent Femmes
(1983) - Violent Femmes
129. Queen
(1973) - Queen
130. Buffalo Springfield
(1966) - Buffalo Springfield
131. August And Everything After
(1993) - Counting Crows
132. The Way It Is
(1986) - Bruce Hornsby & The Range
133. Here's Little Richard
(1957) - Little Richard
134. Weezer
(1994) - Weezer
135. Kurtis Blow
(1980) - Kurtis Blow
136. Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables
(1980) - Dead Kennedys
137. It's About Time
(1992) - SWV
138. Surfers' Choice
(1962) - Dick Dale
139. Never Too Much
(1981) - Luther Vandross
140. Do You Believe In Magic
(1965) - The Lovin' Spoonful
141. Age Ain't Nothing But A Number
(1994) - Aaliyah
142. Vivid
(1988) - Living Colour
143. Cooleyhighharmony
(1991) - Boyz II Men
144. Endtroducing...
(1996) - DJ Shadow
145. Core
(1992) - Stone Temple Pilots
146. Make It Last Forever
(1987) - Keith Sweat
147. Chronic Town
(1982) - R.E.M.
148. Dummy
(1994) - Portishead
149. 2Pacalypse Now
(1991) - 2Pac
150. Baduizm
(1997) - Erykah Badu
(1984) - Run-D.M.C.
7. Licensed To Ill
(1986) - Beastie Boys
8. Whitney Houston
(1985) - Whitney Houston
9. The Velvet Underground & Nico
(1967) - Velvet Underground
10. Appetite For Destruction
(1987) - Guns N' Roses
11. Van Halen
(1978) - Van Halen
12. Mr. Tambourine Man
(1965) - Byrds
13. Boston
(1976) - Boston
14. Black Sabbath
(1970) - Black Sabbath
15. My Aim Is True
(1977) - Elvis Costello
16. Music From Big Pink
(1968) - The Band
17. Please Please Me
(1963) - The Beatles
18. Ramones
(1976) - Ramones
19. Mariah Carey
(1990) - Mariah Carey
20. Ready To Die
(1994) - The Notorious B.I.G.
21. If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears
(1966) - The Mamas & The Papas
22. The Fame
(2008) - Lady Gaga
23. Gonna Make You Sweat
(1990) - C&C Music Factory
24. Chicago Transit Authority
(1969) - Chicago
25. Kill 'Em All
(1983) - Metallica
26. In The Court Of The Crimson King
(1969) - King Crimson
27. Songs In A Minor
(2001) - Alicia Keys
28. Kick Out The Jams
(1969) - MC5
29. The College Dropout
(2004) - Kanye West
30. What's The 411?
(1992) - Mary J. Blige
31. Paid In Full
(1987) - Eric B & Rakim
32. Vincebus Eruptum
(1968) - Blue Cheer
33. Never Mind The Bollocks Here's The Sex Pistols
(1977) - Sex Pistols
34. Yourself Or Something Like You
(1996) - Matchbox 20
35. 3 Feet High And Rising
(1989) - De La Soul
36. Dire Straits
(1978) - Dire Straits
37. Ooooooohhh...On The TLC Tip
(1992) - TLC
38. The Stooges
(1969) - Stooges
39. The Pretenders
(1980) - The Pretenders
40. Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
(1967) - Pink Floyd
41. Santana
(1969) - Santana
42. The Cars
(1978) - The Cars
43. Illmatic
(1994) - Nas
44. Freak Out
(1966) - Mothers Of Invention
45. Reasonable Doubt
(1996) - Jay-Z
46. Unknown Pleasures
(1979) - Joy Division
47. Enter The Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers
(1993) - Wu-Tang Clan
48. Can't Buy A Thrill
(1972) - Steely Dan
49. My Generation
(1965) - The Who
50. Rolling Stones
(1964) - Rolling Stones
51. The Stylistics
(1971) - The Stylistics
52. Forever Your Girl
(1988) - Paula Abdul
53. Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd
(1973) - Lynyrd Skynyrd
54. Boy
(1980) - U2
55. The B-52s
(1979) - The B-52s
56. Bluejean Bop
(1956) - Gene Vincent & the Blue Caps
57. Fresh Cream
(1966) - Cream
58. Pieces Of You
(1995) - Jewel
59. The Chirping Crickets
(1957) - Buddy Holly & the Crickets
60. The Clash
(1977) - The Clash
61. Texas Flood
(1983) - Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
62. Horses
(1975) - Patti Smith Group
63. Look Sharp!
(1979) - Joe Jackson
64. Creedence Clearwater Revival
(1968) - Creedence Clearwater Revival
65. The Monkees
(1966) - The Monkees
66. Christopher Cross
(1979) - Christopher Cross
67. Dreamboat Annie
(1976) - Heart
68. Beauty And The Beat
(1981) - The Go-Go's
69. New York Dolls
(1973) - New York Dolls
70. Madonna
(1983) - Madonna
71. Outlandos d'Amour
(1978) - The Police
72. Supa Dupa Fly
(1997) - Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott
73. 3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life Of...
(1992) - Arrested Development
74. Shotgun
(1965) - Jr. Walker & The All-Stars
75. The Smiths
(1984) - The Smiths
76. Eagles
(1972) - Eagles
77. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
(1976) - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
78. Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.
(1973) - Bruce Springsteen
79. Steppenwolf
(1968) - Steppenwolf
80. Tuesday Night Music Club
(1994) - Sheryl Crow
81. ...Baby One More Time
(1999) - Britney Spears
82. Procol Harum
(1967) - Procol Harum
83. Aerosmith
(1973) - Aerosmith
84. Rage Against The Machine
(1992) - Rage Against The Machine
85. Foreigner
(1977) - Foreigner
86. Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5
(1969) - Jackson 5
87. Radio
(1985) - LL Cool J
88. Blue Lines
(1991) - Massive Attack
89. The Animals
(1964) - The Animals
90. Green Onions
(1962) - Booker T. & the MG's
91. Country Grammar
(2000) - Nelly
92. The Stone Roses
(1989) - The Stone Roses
93. Marquee Moon
(1977) - Television
94. Yo! Bum Rush The Show
(1987) - Public Enemy
95. Doo Wops And Hooligans
(2010) - Bruno Mars
96. Psychocandy
(1985) - The Jesus & Mary Chain
97. The Meters
(1969) - The Meters
98. Iron Maiden
(1980) - Iron Maiden
99. Big Brother & The Holding Company
(1967) - Big Brother & the Holding Company
100. Is This It
(2001) - The Strokes
101. Tubular Bells
(1973) - Mike Oldfield
102. In The Heat Of The Night
(1979) - Pat Benatar
103. Get The Knack
(1979) - The Knack
104. 19
(2008) - Adele
105. Sixteen Stone
(1994) - Bush
106. Pretty Hate Machine
(1989) - Nine Inch Nails
107. Cypress Hill
(1991) - Cypress Hill
108. Shake Your Money Maker
(1990) - The Black Crowes
109. Long Live The Kane
(1988) - Big Daddy Kane
110. Definitely Maybe
(1994) - Oasis
111. Roxy Music
(1972) - Roxy Music
112. The Young Rascals
(1966) - The Young Rascals
113. With A Little Help From My Friends
(1969) - Joe Cocker
114. Grace
(1994) - Jeff Buckley
115. Talking Heads: 77
(1977) - Talking Heads
116. Toni Braxton
(1993) - Toni Braxton
117. Songs Of Leonard Cohen
(1967) - Leonard Cohen
118. Stray Cats
(1981) - The Stray Cats
119. # 1 Record
(1972) - Big Star
120. Brown Sugar
(1995) - D'Angelo
121. Walk Don't Run
(1960) - The Ventures
122. It's Dark And Hell Is Hot
(1998) - DMX
123. The Modern Lovers
(1976) - Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers
124. Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik
(1994) - Outkast
125. Funkadelic
(1970) - Funkadelic
126. George Thorogood & The Destroyers
(1977) - George Thorogood & The Destroyers
127. Vanilla Fudge
(1967) - Vanilla Fudge
128. Violent Femmes
(1983) - Violent Femmes
129. Queen
(1973) - Queen
130. Buffalo Springfield
(1966) - Buffalo Springfield
131. August And Everything After
(1993) - Counting Crows
132. The Way It Is
(1986) - Bruce Hornsby & The Range
133. Here's Little Richard
(1957) - Little Richard
134. Weezer
(1994) - Weezer
135. Kurtis Blow
(1980) - Kurtis Blow
136. Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables
(1980) - Dead Kennedys
137. It's About Time
(1992) - SWV
138. Surfers' Choice
(1962) - Dick Dale
139. Never Too Much
(1981) - Luther Vandross
140. Do You Believe In Magic
(1965) - The Lovin' Spoonful
141. Age Ain't Nothing But A Number
(1994) - Aaliyah
142. Vivid
(1988) - Living Colour
143. Cooleyhighharmony
(1991) - Boyz II Men
144. Endtroducing...
(1996) - DJ Shadow
145. Core
(1992) - Stone Temple Pilots
146. Make It Last Forever
(1987) - Keith Sweat
147. Chronic Town
(1982) - R.E.M.
148. Dummy
(1994) - Portishead
149. 2Pacalypse Now
(1991) - 2Pac
150. Baduizm
(1997) - Erykah Badu
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Edited By: Brett Alan
Last Updated: 2014-06-21
Newly added names are in Red
Last Updated: 2014-06-21
Newly added names are in Red