Some Of My Favorite Debut Albums Of All Time

Posted On May 20, 2021

Samantha Colleran, May 2021

If you know me, you know I love doing deep dives into artists’ discographies and learning all about them. I can’t just listen to a few songs and move on; if I get really into an artist I become obsessed with them for a very long time and find it hard to let go of them. Oftentimes people don’t give much love to debut albums because they’re the beginning of an artist’s career and don’t show who they truly are. However, that’s not always the case. Debut albums establish roots for artists and allow them to begin growing a fanbase. So, today, I want to share some of my favorite debut albums by bands and artists! Obviously I could add a number of albums to this list, but I’m selecting a few of my favorites! Let me know in the comments if your favorite debut album made the list, and if not feel free to share it in the comments! As always, these are in no particular order!

Up All Night, One Direction

Roll your eyes all you want, get mad at me for talking about One Direction too much, but there’s no way you can say that this album is bad by any means. It began their career, it helped launch them into stardom and allowed them to become the greatest boyband of our generation, and quite frankly ever (sure I’m biased, but I also know I’m correct). Although their later albums are among my favorite albums to exist, there’s absolutely no denying the fact Up All Night is full of incredible bops that still sound just as incredible now as they did almost ten years ago, which is a statement that makes me feel old saying. They had a number of amazing writers on this album, including Kelly Clarkson who wrote my favorite song off of the album “Tell Me A Lie”, and Ed Sheeran (“Moments”), despite still being so new to the music world. It’s pure pop perfection full of catchy beats, perfectly blended vocals, and fun lyrics. Considering the fact they were meant to be a manufactured boy band, this album feels anything but. You can feel the passion and energy in the vocals and you can see it during live performances of these tracks. Knowing that this was only the beginning for these five boys makes my heart so happy whenever I listen to Up All Night. 

Badlands, Halsey

Not a day went by in eighth or ninth grade where I didn’t listen to at least one song off of this album. I can tell you exactly where I was when I first got hooked on Halsey; I was sitting in my bean bag doing homework and listening to some emo/indie/trendy 8tracks playlist (if you know what 8tracks is, you know exactly the type of playlist I’m talking about) when I heard one of her most popular songs off of her Room 93 EP, “Is There Somewhere”. I looked up Halsey and was so shocked to find out that she wasn’t all that popular at the time. I felt special, like Halsey was a little secret of mine I could keep to myself. She released her debut album in 2015 and I felt so cool knowing about her before that release, and I felt even cooler getting to go through the weird time of transitioning from middle school to high school with Badlands by my side. The entirety of Badlands feels like such a nostalgic throwback to the mid 2010s with its dark pop/alternative feel. Every track on the album will make you feel something, and the production has truly stood the test of time. The whole world of Badlands completely captivated me from the start, and listening to this album in full for the first time in a while to write this portion of the post brought back so many beautiful memories. I’m lucky to say that I’ve seen these songs performed live two separate times, and those are experiences I will never take for granted. 

Stranger In The Alps, Phoebe Bridgers

I’ve fallen into a Phoebe Bridgers hole over the past few months, and I don’t plan on trying to find a way out of it. Although Phoebe has been in the music game for a while, Stranger In The Alps is the debut that launched her into her very niche stardom in 2017, and it’s an incredibly solid record. It’s a rather raw introduction to who Phoebe is as an artist, but it just goes to show that vulnerability is something people look for in music. Singing about loneliness, heartbreak, toxicity (whether it’s from herself or someone in her life), self doubt, taking nudes while being stoned (yes, you read it correctly and yes, it is one of the best songs on the album), and so much more, Phoebe is such a unique musical presence. Her music is very dark and deals with a lot of heavy subject matters, but there’s always some sense of hope or a little bit of hilarity mixed into the sadness, and that’s what makes it so enjoyable to listen to. Her voice is also so stunning, I can’t get enough of it. 

Hozier, Hozier

Hozier’s entrance into the music world with debut single “Take Me To Church”, which has such a strong message behind it, quite literally shook the entire world. Seriously. You couldn’t go to a single radio station without hearing this song when it was first released. You would think he’d be a one hit wonder, that after the fame and wave of success Hozier rode with his debut single he would be set for life, but the man decided to bless us with an entire album full of incredible lyricism and beautiful instrumentals, not to mention that voice. It sounds like something that would fit smack in the middle of the 70s rock world, yet it has such a refined, new sound. There is not a single track on Hozier that I dislike; there’s gritty, harder rock tracks; softer songs that highlight Hozier’s true vocal and lyrical talent. The entire album keeps you on your toes, waiting to see what else Hozier has up his magical little sleeve. In all honesty, this may be one of my all time favorite albums, and the fact it was only Hozier’s debut makes it even more mind blowing each time I listen. If you haven’t heard this entire album, I am advising you to stop reading this and go listen right now. Your life will be changed. 

The Doors, The Doors

I’ve talked about one of my all time favorite songs by The Doors on here before, but this album is one of the most unique and interesting debuts I’ve ever listened to. The Doors have a very particular sound, and this album establishes the incredibly distinct organ Doors trademark and deep vocals of the late Jim Morrison. From the very first note of “Break On Through (To The Other Side)” you’re launched into the psychedelic, captivating sounds of this band, and it’ll only make you want to listen to more. The Doors established themselves as a new entity in the rock world; in the midst of the summer of love, the band released one of the most haunting and complex bodies of work to ever exist. It’s hard to put into words what makes this album as special as it is, you just have to listen and let the music speak for itself.

Definitely Maybe, Oasis

I think at this point I’ve established myself as a hardcore Oasis lover with my multiple mentions of them on this blog. Although Morning Glory is their claim to fame, Definitely Maybe introduced the world to their incredible Brit pop/rock sound. Opening track “Rock n Roll Star” launches you into the incredible world of Oasis, with it’s strangely captivating vocals from Liam Gallagher (the weird emphasis on words like Seeeoooonsheeeiiine that should make you laugh but work so incredibly well for some reason), wonderfully written and hard to forget lyrics by Noel, and the gritty, heavy sounds of the drums, guitar, and bass that became a staple in the Oasis sound. This album, and honestly Oasis as a whole, revived Brit pop and turned it into a worldwide phenomenon. Definitely Maybe may not have been as successful as Morning Glory, but it allowed the band to establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with, and so many of the songs on the album are among their best (and yes, a lot of them are better than “Wonderwall”). 

Ten, Pearl Jam

Although I am inclined to defend One Direction to the end of time, this may arguably be one of, if not the, greatest debuts ever. I consider Ten a Pearl Jam’s ‘Greatest Hits’ album. So many of their most well known, and once again, arguably some of their greatest, songs make up this album; it’s shocking to discover that this was their debut. “Even Flow”, “Jeremy”, “Alive”, how can you not love this album? Ten is a statement, it established Pearl Jam as a solid presence in the Seattle grunge scene, and it launched their career in an unbelievable way. Ten grew to have a life of its own as people began to discover and fall in love with the sounds of Pearl Jam; audiences and fans attached new meanings to the eleven tracks that make up Ten, and years later fans are still learning about and attaching memories to these songs that helped define and shape the grunge movement. Plus, the album cover is one of the most iconic, easy to visualize, covers of all time. 

Plus (+), Ed Sheeran

Although x (Multiply) is my favorite Ed album, there is absolutely no denying how iconic + is. Ed solidified himself with breakout hit “The A Team”, but this album holds so many more hidden gems and incredible Ed classics. His songwriting is arguably at its peak on this album; from the fast paced “You Need Me, I Don’t Need You” (my personal favorite, it’s lyrical genius), to the slower and less in-your-face tracks like “Wake Me Up” and “Small Bump”, you’ll find yourself falling in love with the roots of the “Shape Of You” singer. He blends elements of R&B and rap with his acoustic style, and it gives him a unique, standout sound. Love him or hate him, there’s no denying Ed is an incredible songwriter and a pretty damn talented dude. If all you know are the radio hits, I highly suggest you take some time to get acquainted with this album, it’s one of the best to come out of the 2010s and shows you a completely different side of Ed.

I could obviously go on forever, but these are just a few of my many favorites! Let me know your favorite debut albums in the comments! If you have listened to or plan on listening to any of these albums let me know your thoughts!