Last Great Debut Album?

So I was reading Rolling Stone's article on Appetite for Destruction turning 20 years old (which made me feel old), and it really got me thinking about classic debut albums. Appetite was one for the record books; like it or not, I don't think you can really discredit it's place in rock history.

But beyond that, I can't think of a single debut album that caused such a stir. Can Appetite really be the last great debut album? The only thing I can think of as a potential contender would be Slanted & Enchanted, but less face facts…it didn't have a quarter of the reach that Appetite did.

Any thoughts? Can I really be forgetting something that would top it? And don't start throwing around bullshit "I love the Arctic Monkeys' debut album" because that's pure idiocy.

Definitely Maybe?

As much as I hate to say it, I think the Killers Hot Fuss is going to be looked back at as fondly as Appetite.

This was a damn fine debut that has held up better than his hairstyle…

<img src="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/51BRBINMG1L._SS500_.jpg" alt=" - " />

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes,Japanese Golfer:
This was a damn fine debut that has held up better than his hairstyle…

you know… i may have to agree with this.

If Pavement doesn't count, Jeff Buckley doesn't count.

Uhhh…Mellow Gold?

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes,Japanese Golfer:
This was a damn fine debut that has held up better than his hairstyle…

I don't disagree that it's a damn fine album, but I think many people are still "discovering" that album even today. I read an article where "Hallelujah" appears on a TV show (The West Wing, The OC) and album sales (and now iTunes song sales) spike accordingly. You wouldn't have that with Appetite because most people already have it or have already decided that they are never going to buy it.

I'm not saying they don't count; just in my opinion neither had quite the impact that Appetite did (though I'd say Pavement had a bigger impact than Jeff Buckley, but again, it's just my opinion).

Originally posted by mbg73:
If Pavement doesn't count, Jeff Buckley doesn't count.

Uhhh…Mellow Gold?

yeah, there's no way jeff buckley fits what nkotb's going for. i mean, the strokes' first album caused much more of a stir than "grace" ever did.

That's not Beck's debut.

Originally posted by mbg73:


Uhhh…Mellow Gold?

Ding ding ding.

This sort of dropped a lot of bands out of the running. I'd think EPs would be fine (I think GNR had an EP out first, maybe), but just mentioning the breakthrough album wouldn't count.

Originally posted by wanderlust featuring j. marshmallow:
That's not Beck's debut.

Originally posted by mbg73:


Uhhh…Mellow Gold?

Originally posted by vansmack:
As much as I hate to say it, I think the Killers Hot Fuss is going to be looked back at as fondly as Appetite.

In response to that, I respond with the tenth track on "Appetite": "You're Crazy." For what? "Smile Like You Mean It?"

Who listens to "Appetite" any way? Just nostalgic middle-aged guys from the 80's. Surprise! Surprise! Rolling Stone nostalgically looking back at something that happened twenty years ago?! GET OUT! Jann Werner would NEVER do that. He wouldn't do an entire issue devoted to 1967, either. Jesus, why don't Jann Werner and all his "buddies" just die right now?

Last Great Debut? That's easy. "Is This It." And for the early 2000's, it was just as influential as "Appetite for Destruction." How many bands sounded like GnR after that came out? Ok, now how many bands sounded like the Strokes after "Is This It" came out?

I rest my case. Q.E.D.

Brian

You are out of your mind :)

Originally posted by vansmack:
As much as I hate to say it, I think the Killers Hot Fuss is going to be looked back at as fondly as Appetite.

Brian,

nkotb is not even in his 30s :)

Originally posted by Brian Wallace:
Who listens to "Appetite" any way? Just nostalgic middle-aged guys from the 80's. Surprise! Surprise!

On the world music scene, Definitely Maybe is a viable argument, albeit its minor effect in America.

Arguments could be made for Pearl Jam's Ten or The Postal Service's Give Up.

Are we talking about the impact on the music scene as a whole? Society? You personally? The album charts?

Not that either band had any real continued success, but both The Counting Crows and Hootie & The Blowfish had enormous debut albums with multiple smash hits on each one. It wouldn't be too hard to name a half dozen other debut albums that came close to, or surpassed G'n'R both in popularity and album sales.

For me personally though I'd have to go with Beastie Boys - License To Ill. That album came out over 20 years ago and when they played Brass Monkey and No Sleep Till Brooklyn at Virgin Fest the crowd went absolutely nuts.

Of course you could make a very strong argument for Nirvana - Nevermind as well.

I know you all may disagree with my Killers call, but in 1987, if this board existed and somebody (most likely me) posted about GnR you all would have said the same thing. Especially with all the emotion over the Police and The Smiths breaking up, the hatred of GnR would have been immense.

Where's the tangential thread:

Bands whose first album was clearly their best/Bands whose first album was clearly their worst.

First category:

Oasis

Second category:

Radiohead.

Brian

Yeah, I could see Oasis being mentioned, and Ten would definitely be a contender. Can't believe I forgot that.

Originally posted by Julian, faux celeb-porn CONNOISSEUR:
On the world music scene, Definitely Maybe is a viable argument, albeit its minor effect in America.

Arguments could be made for Pearl Jam's Ten or The Postal Service's Give Up.

Originally posted by Julian, faux celeb-porn CONNOISSEUR:
On the world music scene, Definitely Maybe is a viable argument, albeit its minor effect in America.

Agreed, because stateside, What's the story… was much more influential.