10 Best Debut Rock Albums

This is the record that was the blueprint for the hair metal 80's. Before Van Halen, metal was centered around heavier acts like Black Sabbath or Judas Priest. Van Halen helped buck the trend by embracing the theatricality of glam rock while not sacrificing any of their initial heaviness.

At the center of this record is Eddie Van Halen, who became every musician's favorite guitar hero overnight with his punishing assaults on his six-string. On the other end, Alex Van Halen created a drum sound that seemed to be hammered out by Greek titans. Stealing the spotlight, vocalist David Lee Roth was the perfect frontman, with a bluesy delivery and a trademark swagger in his presentation that made him impossible to ignore. When his voice combined with the harmonies of bassist Michael Anthony, the sound they created was blissfully heavy.

From the opening strains of "Runnin with The Devil" to the mind-melting solos of "Eruption" and the scratching intro of "Atomic Punk," each song on this record had an endless amount of hooks. Instead of trying to make you think, Van Halen's debut invited you to the greatest party in the world, and yet STILL blew your mind. Truly Legendary.