10 Artists Who Released Their Best Album First

1. Sigh No More - Mumford and Sons

Boasting absolute bops such as Little Lion Man and The Cave, Sigh No More rocketed Mumford and Sons from relative obscurity to an Album of the Year award at the Brits.

The London-based outfit formed just two years prior to the pivotal debut album's release. Their subsequent offerings also provoking critical praise (the follow up Babel even won album of the year at its respective Grammys), yet the way in which Mumford and Sons made a name for themselves is a tough task to top.

Sigh No More is a beautiful compilation of tunes that wonderfully showcase who the band are and where they draw inspiration from. The titular singer Marcus Mumford's raspy vocals are on full display on tracks like The Cave and the criminally underrated Awake My Soul is a thoroughly delightful reminder of just how well the band have taken influence from the likes of Old Crow Medicine Show.

Sigh No More's meteoric success had a significant hand in paving the way for artists like The Lumineers and Frank Turner to seek --and achieve-- commercial success. British Folk music is back, and it's due in part to Sigh No More.

Contributor
Contributor

Fan of ducks, ice tea and escapism. Spends much of his time persistently saying 'I have so much studying to do' before watching Zoey 101 for the millionth time. Thinks Uncharted 3 is the best one.