9. Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not
Why bother toadying to record label suits and believing that the customer is always right? Sheffield’s Arctic Monkeys answered that question with unprecedented success. Their first record, a character study of northern British youth culture, still stands as the fastest selling UK debut release.
They say that youth is wasted on the young, but Alex Turner & Co. proved that even relatively scant life experience presents no barrier. From the schizophrenic clatter of opener The View From The Afternoon, the band demand to have their say. It is Turner’s lyrics that prove most memorable. Despite being a little wet behind the ears, he channels the spirit of John Cooper Clarke with savage, funny and relatable prose.
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43 Comments
So the top 10 debut albums of all time are only rock albums? You mean to tell me no other genre has produced a top 10 debut album? ok buddy
I’m in no doubt that you could reel off a list from countless genres. This is just in accordance with my opinion/taste, really.
Led Zeppelin I, Are you Experienced? (Hendrix), Van Halen I and Blizzard of Ozz were all earth shattering when they were released, and continue to be to this day. In particular, due to the lead guitar prowess of the guitar players in these bands, who each took guitar to another level: Hendrix, Page, Van Halen, Rhoads
Dio – Holy Diver
Agreed Rick and fair enough with the response Joseph but you need to change the title to ‘josephs top ten debut albums ever’ or the ‘best rock and punk debuts ever’
Van Halen I?
Wow really solid list.
Wu Tang Clan – Enter the 36th Chamber ?
Shooot NO SHIIT!
I like lists like this because it’s all opinion,
I hate lists on this site, for example that pick The Dark Knight Rises and just bash it for stupid reasons, that seems to be the most common thing on the site to criticise,
but good article mate
Some good choices Joseph, I really don’t think you would need to change the title, I think most people would appreciate that it’s not a definitive list, and that the top ten of anything is subjective, except two people maybe !
Missing two of the most monster (and yet polished) debut albums ever: Bat out of Hell by Meatloaf and Boston by Boston.
Bat out of Hell though an amazing album wasnt meatloafs first album
I agree,especially BOSTON,I’m old enough to say I had the album(actually had 2,wore one out!),cassette,8-track and 45s of the first album. If OASIS was around then,how many would go and buy the same from them??
I don’t have a problem with this list. I can’t really think of any other debut albums as good as these.
I’m just surprised The Strokes ‘Is This It’ wasn’t included
Jimi Hendrix Are You Experienced.
Good list. I came here to make sure that “The Doors” got the proper spot. Well done.
Dude where dafuq did you leave the wall :S?
urgh.. what obvious choices.
The Strokes, Is this it? It’s only the best album of the last 30 years or so…..
No stone roses? The list would’ve been perfect with the Stone Roses on it, they have the best debut album I have ever listened to.
Stones Roses should have been high up, if not number 1.
LED ZEPPELIN!! HOW COME YOU FORGOT THEM?!?!?! WHAT THE F***!
Glad to see Definitely Maybe so high. I’d have it at No.1 though – my favourite album of all time.
Agreed, The Strokes definitely, perhaps Weezer’s Blue Album and STPs’ Core. Pretty nice list though.
Only the Velvets album would have made my top 10 debuts! And no i wont list them!
Good list and well written. But I would recommend giving Van Halen’s debut a spin if you haven’t already.
im suprised that the counting crows “august and everything after” train “Train” portishead “dummy” jeff buckley “grace” rage against the machine “rage against the machine” pearl jam “ten” didnt make the list
Really well thought out list. Gotta agree with a previous poster about Led Zeppelin’s debut. Arguably started the Heavy rock genre and still stunning 45 years on.
I was really enjoying the list… until I saw Oasis near the top.
Dude, no Van Halen 1, no Bat Out of Hell, no Led Zepplin 1,and most importantly…NO BOSTON? I know they were short lived, but that album is without a doubt the best debut album ever made. It is the most successful debut album ever sold in the US too
Ten by Pearl Jam?
Where is Showbiz by Muse ??
Not a bad list but I agree w/ a lot of the people above-
Zeppelin I, Are You Experienced?, Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd, Is This It?, Ten, Van Halen, and Rage (and maybe even 40 oz to Freedom even though it’s basically a cover album) woulda made my list.Or for some variety maybe Kill em All or The Poison as far as metal or License to Ill, Country Grammar, College Dropout, or Ready to Die for some rap? (Don’t really know my pop and country that well) Loove that you got Sabbath on there though and Appetite for Destruction should def be higher- it’s awesome beginning to end and it was the perfect transition from the hair metal and excess of the mid/late 80′s into the dark, gritty grunge of the early 90′s
Velvet w/ Nico is amazing too- had to sneak that in there
Good stuff!I’d like to add “The Car’s”.A very influential album of it’s time.
No Scream Bloody Gore from Death??????
The top 3 should of been the la’s, up the bracket by the libertines and the stone roses. The 3 best debuts i have ever heard.
To each his own and all that but I can’t help but be a little disappointed that The Cars aren’t on here.
The xx – xx (2009)
Facelift-Alice In Chains
Ten-Pearl Jam
Core-Stone Temple Pilots
Jeebus, Oasis? They are one of the most overrated bands in history. Pearl Jam “Ten”, Led Zepplen I, Rage Against the Machine, AIC Facelift, Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, Bruce Springsteen Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. Oasis over all these? You had some good ones, especially Appetite for Destruction. But you blewthe whole thing with Oasis.