Top 10 Greatest Debut Rock Albums

these musical firsts forever change the

these musical firsts forever change the sound of rock and roll welcome to

sound of rock and roll welcome to

sound of rock and roll welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re counting

watchmojo.com and today we’re counting

watchmojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 rock debut

down our picks for the top 10 rock debut

down our picks for the top 10 rock debut albums in history for this list we’ve

albums in history for this list we’ve

albums in history for this list we’ve chosen two entries per decade based on a

chosen two entries per decade based on a

chosen two entries per decade based on a combination of the album’s critical and

combination of the album’s critical and

combination of the album’s critical and commercial success its impact for the

commercial success its impact for the

commercial success its impact for the band and its influence on future artists

band and its influence on future artists

band and its influence on future artists we’ve also omitted the more overtly punk

we’ve also omitted the more overtly punk

we’ve also omitted the more overtly punk and heavy metal releases number 10

and heavy metal releases number 10

and heavy metal releases number 10 Boston Boston

classic-rock wouldn’t be what it is

classic-rock wouldn’t be what it is today without Boston’s eponymous debut

today without Boston’s eponymous debut

today without Boston’s eponymous debut even though they were barely known to

even though they were barely known to

even though they were barely known to the public

the public

the public Boston took over rock radio airwaves

Boston took over rock radio airwaves

Boston took over rock radio airwaves with the massive single more than a

with the massive single more than a

with the massive single more than a feeling which helped the album reached

feeling which helped the album reached

feeling which helped the album reached number three on billboard the

number three on billboard the

number three on billboard the multi-platinum certified Boston became

multi-platinum certified Boston became

multi-platinum certified Boston became the fastest-selling debut for an

the fastest-selling debut for an

the fastest-selling debut for an American act and the second best-selling

American act and the second best-selling

American act and the second best-selling debut album in the USA number nine

debut album in the USA number nine

debut album in the USA number nine Arcade Fire funeral

Arcade Fire’s funeral was a hauntingly

Arcade Fire’s funeral was a hauntingly beautiful and dramatic indie rock effort

beautiful and dramatic indie rock effort

beautiful and dramatic indie rock effort that had critics extolling the band’s

that had critics extolling the band’s

that had critics extolling the band’s use of strings in their pop and folk

use of strings in their pop and folk

use of strings in their pop and folk influenced tunes dealing with love hope

influenced tunes dealing with love hope

influenced tunes dealing with love hope and mortality the disc earned a Grammy

and mortality the disc earned a Grammy

and mortality the disc earned a Grammy nomination for best alternative music

nomination for best alternative music

nomination for best alternative music album

album

album it also nabbed the number one spot on

it also nabbed the number one spot on

it also nabbed the number one spot on multiple year-end and decade end lists

multiple year-end and decade end lists

multiple year-end and decade end lists number 8 The Strokes is this it

with is this it The Strokes managed to

with is this it The Strokes managed to create a stunning guitar-driven

create a stunning guitar-driven

create a stunning guitar-driven opus which they complimented with pop

opus which they complimented with pop

opus which they complimented with pop influences clocking in at a little over

influences clocking in at a little over

influences clocking in at a little over 30 minutes the band’s debut reached the

30 minutes the band’s debut reached the

30 minutes the band’s debut reached the second position of the UK charts

second position of the UK charts

second position of the UK charts thanks to their gritty and melodic sound

thanks to their gritty and melodic sound

thanks to their gritty and melodic sound and helped shape modern rock in the new

and helped shape modern rock in the new

and helped shape modern rock in the new millennium

on the strength of three top 40 singles

on the strength of three top 40 singles Definitely Maybe topped UK charts during

Definitely Maybe topped UK charts during

Definitely Maybe topped UK charts during its first week of release and became the

its first week of release and became the

its first week of release and became the United Kingdom’s fastest selling debut

United Kingdom’s fastest selling debut

United Kingdom’s fastest selling debut ever critics praised the album’s catchy

ever critics praised the album’s catchy

ever critics praised the album’s catchy hooks hopeful themes and the Gallagher

hooks hopeful themes and the Gallagher

hooks hopeful themes and the Gallagher brothers lyrical and vocal abilities as

brothers lyrical and vocal abilities as

brothers lyrical and vocal abilities as the band’s fame and popularity spread

the band’s fame and popularity spread

the band’s fame and popularity spread around the world

around the world

around the world Definitely Maybe ensured their music

Definitely Maybe ensured their music

Definitely Maybe ensured their music would live forever as part of the Brit

would live forever as part of the Brit

would live forever as part of the Brit pop music scene number six the Stone

pop music scene number six the Stone

pop music scene number six the Stone Roses the Stone Roses

he’s already

he’s already before Britpop there was Madchester the

before Britpop there was Madchester the

before Britpop there was Madchester the Stone Roses debut soon became a landmark

Stone Roses debut soon became a landmark

Stone Roses debut soon became a landmark in this genre despite a lack of early

in this genre despite a lack of early

in this genre despite a lack of early critical and commercial recognition by

critical and commercial recognition by

critical and commercial recognition by mixing dance alternative and psychedelic

mixing dance alternative and psychedelic

mixing dance alternative and psychedelic rock the album subsequently influenced

rock the album subsequently influenced

rock the album subsequently influenced rock music of the 1990s and is often

rock music of the 1990s and is often

rock music of the 1990s and is often named one of the greatest British

named one of the greatest British

named one of the greatest British records in history

number five Elvis Costello my aim is

number five Elvis Costello my aim is true without the dirty and intimate

true without the dirty and intimate

true without the dirty and intimate sound of pub rock as found on Elvis

sound of pub rock as found on Elvis

sound of pub rock as found on Elvis Costello’s my aim is true punk rock as

Costello’s my aim is true punk rock as

Costello’s my aim is true punk rock as we know it may never have existed

we know it may never have existed

we know it may never have existed backed by a band called clover Costello

backed by a band called clover Costello

backed by a band called clover Costello showed off his skills as a musician and

showed off his skills as a musician and

showed off his skills as a musician and as a songwriter on the record his songs

as a songwriter on the record his songs

as a songwriter on the record his songs incorporated elements of folk blues and

incorporated elements of folk blues and

incorporated elements of folk blues and reggae and were accompanied by some of

reggae and were accompanied by some of

reggae and were accompanied by some of pop music’s most clever and biting

pop music’s most clever and biting

pop music’s most clever and biting lyrics

besides Nirvana’s Nevermind there was no

besides Nirvana’s Nevermind there was no other album the popularized grunge and

other album the popularized grunge and

other album the popularized grunge and alternative rock among the masses as

alternative rock among the masses as

alternative rock among the masses as much as Pearl Jam’s 10 its blend of

much as Pearl Jam’s 10 its blend of

much as Pearl Jam’s 10 its blend of classic hard and post punk-rock featured

classic hard and post punk-rock featured

classic hard and post punk-rock featured memorable hooks and choruses that were

memorable hooks and choruses that were

memorable hooks and choruses that were set among socio-politically driven

set among socio-politically driven

set among socio-politically driven lyrics sung by Eddie Vedder’s signature

lyrics sung by Eddie Vedder’s signature

lyrics sung by Eddie Vedder’s signature vocals

those sales were slow at first ten

those sales were slow at first ten eventually reached the Billboard 200

eventually reached the Billboard 200

eventually reached the Billboard 200 second spot and went on to mold the

second spot and went on to mold the

second spot and went on to mold the sound of rock for decades to come

sound of rock for decades to come

sound of rock for decades to come number three Guns and Roses Appetite for

number three Guns and Roses Appetite for

number three Guns and Roses Appetite for Destruction benzene roses first LP

Destruction benzene roses first LP

Destruction benzene roses first LP overcame poor initial sales to

overcame poor initial sales to

overcame poor initial sales to eventually top the Billboard Hot 100

eventually top the Billboard Hot 100

eventually top the Billboard Hot 100 thanks to the smash single sweet child

thanks to the smash single sweet child

thanks to the smash single sweet child of mine

with 18 million copies sold it is now

with 18 million copies sold it is now the best-selling debut in the US with

the best-selling debut in the US with

the best-selling debut in the US with its hard rock and heavy metal Tunes

its hard rock and heavy metal Tunes

its hard rock and heavy metal Tunes Appetite for Destruction brought sex

Appetite for Destruction brought sex

Appetite for Destruction brought sex drugs and rock and roll back to the

drugs and rock and roll back to the

drugs and rock and roll back to the mainstream and showed us why Guns

mainstream and showed us why Guns

mainstream and showed us why Guns N’Roses would become known as the most

N’Roses would become known as the most

N’Roses would become known as the most dangerous band in the world number 2 Led

dangerous band in the world number 2 Led

dangerous band in the world number 2 Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin vintage confuse

rock had never been merged with blues

rock had never been merged with blues and folk quite like this on the

and folk quite like this on the

and folk quite like this on the legendary English band’s debut Zeppelin

legendary English band’s debut Zeppelin

legendary English band’s debut Zeppelin delivered some of the heaviest tracks of

delivered some of the heaviest tracks of

delivered some of the heaviest tracks of the 60s and reached the top 10 of the UK

the 60s and reached the top 10 of the UK

the 60s and reached the top 10 of the UK and US charts in the face of early

and US charts in the face of early

and US charts in the face of early lackluster reviews the self-titled

lackluster reviews the self-titled

lackluster reviews the self-titled masterpiece altered the sound of hard

masterpiece altered the sound of hard

masterpiece altered the sound of hard rock and heavy metal and later had

rock and heavy metal and later had

rock and heavy metal and later had critics hailing it as one of the

critics hailing it as one of the

critics hailing it as one of the greatest albums in history number one

greatest albums in history number one

greatest albums in history number one the Jimi Hendrix Experience are you

the Jimi Hendrix Experience are you

the Jimi Hendrix Experience are you experienced

thanks to the R&B flavors and bluesy

thanks to the R&B flavors and bluesy riffs of are you experienced plus the

riffs of are you experienced plus the

riffs of are you experienced plus the feedback and distortion heavy tunes the

feedback and distortion heavy tunes the

feedback and distortion heavy tunes the Jimi Hendrix Experience Treat number two

Jimi Hendrix Experience Treat number two

Jimi Hendrix Experience Treat number two in the UK and had the us’s best-selling

in the UK and had the us’s best-selling

in the UK and had the us’s best-selling album in 1968 the psychedelic tour de

album in 1968 the psychedelic tour de

album in 1968 the psychedelic tour de force also introduced Jimi Hendrix’s

force also introduced Jimi Hendrix’s

force also introduced Jimi Hendrix’s unparalleled talent as an electric

unparalleled talent as an electric

unparalleled talent as an electric guitarist and is such an important

guitarist and is such an important

guitarist and is such an important musical work it was preserved in the

musical work it was preserved in the

musical work it was preserved in the American National Recording registry do

American National Recording registry do

American National Recording registry do you agree or disagree with our list

you agree or disagree with our list

you agree or disagree with our list which is your favourite rock debut album

which is your favourite rock debut album

which is your favourite rock debut album of all time for more entertaining top

of all time for more entertaining top

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