Landing a record deal is often the first step to success.
But it’s also one of the first doses of reality artists receive as they enter an industry that moves fast and takes no prisoners. When the Rolling Stones secured their first record deal, it was at once a step forward and a wake-up call. “The band itself were like, ‘We’re making a record, can you believe this shit?'” Keith Richards recalled in his 2010 autobiography, Life. “There was also a sense of doom. Oh, my God, if the single makes it, we’ve got two years and that’s it. Then what are we doing to do? Because nobody lasted. Your shelf life in those days, and a lot even now, was basically two and a half years. And apart from Elvis [Presley], nobody has proved that wrong.”
Not to mention that working in a recording studio for the first time is a new challenge, as the musicians are placed in a foreign environment. “Nobody really knew each other,” Robert Plant later said of his experience working on Led Zeppelin‘s first album. “I had a long way to go with my voice then, but the enthusiasm and sparking of working with Jimmy’s guitar … it was so raunchy.”
Some debut albums strike gold immediately, thanks to good promotion, name recognition or just good luck. Others take time to build credibility. From big breaks to underappreciated offerings, the below list of Top 40 Debut Rock Albums outlines the best first impressions.
Top 40 Debut Rock Albums
You get only one shot at a first impression.
Gallery Credit: Ultimate Classic Rock Staff
EMI
40. (Tie) ‘Iron Maiden,’ Iron Maiden (1980)
Iron Maiden’s eponymous debut album may sound rudimentary compared to the rest of their peak ’80s output (the band members have criticized the production in no uncertain terms), but it’s still a landmark achievement in heavy metal and a bulletproof collection of songs. Singer Paul Di’Anno lends street-smart savagery to punk-metal anthems like “Prowler,” “Running Free” and the heroic title track. The moody “Remember Tomorrow” shows bassist and chief songwriter Steve Harris’ early mastery of dynamics, while the shapeshifting “Phantom of the Opera” hints at the epic grandeur Maiden would achieve on Bruce Dickinson-led cuts like “Hallowed Be Thy Name” and “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” just a few years later. (Bryan Rolli)
Warner Bros.
40. (Tie) ‘Holy Diver,’ Dio (1983)
After serving successful, masterpiece-yielding stints in Rainbow and Black Sabbath, Ronnie James Dio was ready to strike out on his own. He arrived like a wrecking ball on Holy Diver, a tour de force of vocal acrobatics, six-string wizardry and crisp, punchy production. Former Black Sabbath drummer Carmine Appice and hotshot guitarist Vivian Campbell flex their chops on the speed-metal album opener “Stand Up and Shout” before settling into a martial groove on the stately, epic title track. The rest of Holy Diver is chock-full of mean, mid-tempo stompers (“Straight Through the Heart,” “Invisible”) and towering pop-metal anthems (“Gypsy,” “Rainbow in the Dark”). Dio leads the proceedings with an iron fist, turning in vocal performances that are never less than immaculate. (Rolli)
Moon
39. ‘Rush,’ Rush (1974)
Rush faced an uphill battle as local labels passed on them. Undeterred, they released their first album themselves, so by the time Neil Peart joined for their second record, they were galvanized by relentless touring. But their debut reveals some of their developing strengths. The swing of “Finding My Way” echoes Cream and Led Zeppelin, and “Working Man,” all seven minutes of it, found its way onto some U.S. playlists just months after the Canadian trio’s debut dropped. (Matt Wardlaw)
Charisma
38. ‘Peter Gabriel,’ Peter Gabriel (1977)
When Peter Gabriel left Genesis in 1975, his possibilities seemed limitless. Would he pivot into film? Would he leave prog behind and become a singer-songwriter? Would he tackle other weird stuff that only someone on Gabriel’s wavelength could brainstorm? In a sense, he eventually did all of those things, but he kick-started his solo career with his first self-titled LP: a chaotically eclectic project that celebrated his newfound freedom (overtly on the bittersweet single “Solsbury Hill”) by trying everything once. Among the experiments are silly barbershop quartets (“Excuse Me”) and cinematic brass (“Down the Dolce Vita”), jazz-blues waltzes (“Waiting for the Big One”) and synth-speckled hard rock (“Modern Love”) — a buffet of sounds for the hungriest of artists. (Ryan Reed)
Island
37. ‘Roxy Music,’ Roxy Music (1972)
The opening track on Roxy Music’s debut LP, “Re-Make/Re-Model,” still sounds about 50 years ahead of its time. Phil Manzanera scrapes wicked noises from his guitar; Andy Mackay honks wildly on the sax; Paul Thompson pulverizes the drum kit; Brian Eno conjures alien tones from a VCS3 synthesizer; and singer Bryan Ferry yelps like a wounded avant-glam all-star over a rollicking piano. Nothing else on Roxy Music is quite that rattling, but it’s all revelatory: the oboe-fueled dark-to-light journey of “Ladytron”; the elegantly manic “2HB”; the fractured, exploratory “The Bob (Medley).” What sort of black magic is this? Hopefully, we never figure it out. (Reed)
ABC
36. ‘Can’t Buy a Thrill,’ Steely Dan (1972)
For some fans, Can’t Buy a Thrill isn’t pure, unfiltered Steely Dan — it lacks the harmonic sophistication of later albums, and there’s a bit of stylistic dissonance between frontman Donald Fagen and briefly tenured singer David Palmer (who smoothly belts on “Brooklyn” and “Dirty Work”). But it’s impossible to resist the hooks and sublime soloing on the record’s two radio hits, the strutting “Do It Again” (highlighted by Fagen’s eerie plastic organ) and the jazz-rock anthem “Reelin’ in the Years,” featuring a blazing Elliott Randall guitar solo that Jimmy Page once called his all-time favorite. (Reed)
Atlantic
35. ‘Deja Vu,’ Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (1970)
The expansion of Crosby, Stills & Nash to a quartet was born of necessity. Stephen Stills had played many of the instruments on the band’s 1969 debut and couldn’t cover all of the parts live. His former Buffalo Springfield bandmate then Neil Young entered the picture. The sessions for their first album were complicated, but Deja Vu was stacked with classics like the buoyant “Carry On,” “Woodstock,” “Our House” and “Teach Your Children.” The album topped the charts, but turmoil within the band prevented a follow-up for years. (Wardlaw)
Epic
34. ‘Ted Nugent,’ Ted Nugent (1975)
After building a loyal following as leader of the Amboy Dukes, Ted Nugent kicked off his solo career with a powerful self-titled album in 1975. Singer Derek St. Holmes proved to be the perfect collaborator for Nugent’s raw, Motown-influenced guitar style. The eight-minute opening epic “Stranglehold,” with an extended solo Nugent swears was recorded in one take, remains the best thing he ever recorded. But “Motor City Madhouse,” “Just What the Doctor Ordered,” “Hey Baby” and several other tracks are nearly as good and remain permanent fixtures in the Motor City Madman’s sets. (Matthew Wilkening)
Mercury
33. ‘New York Dolls,’ New York Dolls (1973)
New York Dolls didn’t really sound like anyone else in 1973. They sure didn’t look like anyone else either. Armed with a stack of ’60s girl-group records, producer Todd Rundgren and attitude to spare (not to mention lots of makeup and stacked heels), New York Dolls’ self-titled debut helped set the stage for punk via its glam-goes-NYC brashness. Songs like “Personality Crisis,” “Looking for a Kiss” and “Trash” were huge influences on a generation of indie acts coming of age in the ’70s. Not too many albums, first or otherwise, built foundations as lasting as New York Dolls. (Michael Gallucci)
Elektra
32. ‘The Cars,’ The Cars (1978)
No doubt if you’re measuring sheer thrills on a hook-by-hook level, the Cars reached an impressive peak on their first LP: The opening run of “Good Times Roll,” “My Best Friend’s Girl” and “Just What I Needed” is transcendent, besting any new wave trilogy you could throw up in comparison. But The Cars is more nuanced — and, often, weirder — than it gets credit for, showcasing the band’s hard rock chops (the guitar solo on “Don’t Cha Stop”) and underrated art-rock inclinations (the nervy riffs of “I’m in Touch With Your World,” the climactic sax solo on “All Mixed Up”) as the LP unfolds. (Reed)
Columbia
31. ‘Mr. Tambourine Man,’ The Byrds (1965)
If you trace the history of folk rock, you’ll eventually make your way back to the Byrds’ Mr. Tambourine Man. With one short, jangly riff on his 12-string Rickenbacker, Roger McGuinn planted the seed for folk singers who wanted to plug in and play just a little louder. Mr. Tambourine Man included several Bob Dylan songs, like the title track, that helped establish the connection between New York’s Greenwich Village folk community and California’s up-and-coming rock ‘n’ roll scene. Mr. Tambourine Man‘s impact stretched further: George Harrison was inspired by “The Bells of Rhymney” to write “If I Needed Someone.” If this is what America in the mid-’60s sounded like, everyone wanted in on it. (Allison Rapp)
MCA
30. ‘Pronounced ‘Leh-‘nerd ‘Skin-‘nerd,’ Lynyrd Skynyrd (1973)
Southern rock certainly would have existed without Lynyrd Skynyrd, but it has never been better than on the band’s 1973 debut. Skynyrd had honed their material by performing in clubs for years before hitting the studio, and that experience resonates within the LP. From the triumphant tones of “Free Bird” to the chugging groove of “Gimme Three Steps,” not a note is wasted. Still, the album’s heart lies in “Simple Man,” a rumination on life that manages to be both poignant and hard rocking all at once. (Corey Irwin)
Island
29. ‘In the Court of the Crimson King,’ King Crimson (1969)
The album opener, “21st Century Schizoid Man,” sets the tone for what has been a fascinating decades-long journey for King Crimson. Robert Fripp blends psychedelic music with progressive rock, helping establish a milestone work of the era. Singer Greg Lake navigated the quieter sections of the album (“I Talk to the Wind”) as well as the grander moments (the title track). In the Court of the Crimson King remains an invigorating listen with many layers to unpack. (Wardlaw)
Mushroom
28. ‘Dreamboat Annie,’ Heart (1975)
Heart’s debut album took shape as the band was slogging through a series of club dates. Those formative moments helped add extra punch to tracks like “Magic Man” and “Crazy on You.” But the intricate guitar work and occasional vulnerability also show that Heart was already injecting depth into their work. Songs like “Soul of the Sea” take listeners on a journey through a range of emotions. The band continued to develop this style over the years, but Dreamboat Annie remains its definitive statement. (Wardlaw)
Warner Bros.
27. ‘Montrose,’ Montrose (1973)
In much the same way Pixies paved the way for Nirvana’s multiplatinum success, Montrose’s debut helped shape the course of hard rock to a higher degree than its sales figures indicate. In addition to introducing guitarist Ronnie Montrose and singer Sammy Hagar, 1973’s Montrose showcased an economical, riff-based songwriting style that would influence generations of bands. It’s a big part of the reason Van Halen chose producer and engineer Ted Templeman and Donn Landee for their first six albums and eventually hired Hagar. After splitting with Van Halen, David Lee Roth noted that while his replacement would have to cover “Jump” every night, he would never have to sing a Hagar song. But he already had: Van Halen played Montrose‘s “Make It Last” during their club days. (Wilkening)
Leathur
26. ‘Too Fast for Love,’ Motley Crue (1981)
Released on their Leathur Records vanity label, Motley Crue’s 1981 debut is a feral blast of punk-metal that combines the bombastic hard rock of Kiss and Van Halen, the sloppy glam-punk of the New York Dolls and the fizzy power-pop of Cheap Trick and the Raspberries. “Live Wire” and “Come On and Dance” crackle with Mick Mars’ grimy guitar riffs and Tommy Lee’s barely-on-the-rails drumming, while singer Vince Neil puffs up like a bleach-blonde peacock on “Take Me to the Top” and “Piece of Your Action.” Bassist Nikki Sixx symbolically kills his birth name Frank Feranna Jr. on the sugary “On With the Show,” reinventing himself as a glory-bound rock star. Besides being Motley Crue’s best album, Too Fast for Love is also ground-zero for the glam-metal zeitgeist, its poppy ferocity endlessly imitated but never replicated. (Rolli)
Apple
25. ‘John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band,’ John Lennon (1970)
Disillusionment with a decade, a band and a youth now being left behind erupted in a scalding series of songs. John Lennon didn’t simply take parting shots. He lashed out, tearing to shreds everything in which he once placed his faith. It was often painful to hear, but Lennon’s confrontations with his demons and heroes continue to resonate with anyone who’s ever struggled with these emotions – and a tough backing group matches him punch for punch. (Nick DeRiso)
London
24. ‘ZZ Top’s First Album,’ ZZ Top (1971)
ZZ Top’s First Album doesn’t measure up to the classic records the Texas-based trio would make later. But it is a great career starting point, with 10 rough-hewn songs showcasing the band’s individual talents, group chemistry and sense of humor. Guitarist and singer Billy Gibbons shines brightest on the two-part “Brown Sugar,” handling the first third of the song by himself before Dusty Hill and Frank Beard kick things into overdrive during the back half’s dazzling extended instrumental sections. (Wilkening)
Real Records
23. ‘Pretenders,’ The Pretenders (1979)
That the Pretenders’ self-titled debut arrived in 1980 was entirely appropriate, as popular music teetered on a precipice. Disco and punk, once signifiers as much as musical movements, had streaked past. The road ahead was very much uncertain. Chrissie Hynde met the moment with songs reflecting a life defined by the desire for something more. There’s a flinty toughness that’s easily identified, but she acknowledges the underlying fears associated with this risk, too. An American ex-pat in London, Hynde actually wandered her way into it all – yet nothing felt accidental with Pretenders. Instead, her raw lust for life propels every musical moment created with a doomed band. Hynde would keep searching – the deaths of both James Honeyman-Scott and Pete Farndon ensured that – but she rarely sounded more honest about what was at stake. (DeRiso)
Modern
22. ‘Bella Donna,’ Stevie Nicks (1981)
There wasn’t much for Stevie Nicks to prove by 1981. The singer’s 1975 arrival in Fleetwood Mac, along with partner Lindsey Buckingham, brought the group monumental critical and commercial success. By the dawn of the ‘80s, Nicks already had more money and acclaim than she could ever need. Yet her debut solo album Bella Donna, still hits with the power and energy of an artist determined to prove herself. “Edge of Seventeen” remains a distinctive and engrossing track, while “All the Glitter Fades” allowed Nicks to showcase a penchant for country tunes. Sure, most artists can’t get Tom Petty (“Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around”) and Don Henley (“Leather and Lace”) to contribute to their debut album. Then again, most artists aren’t Stevie Nicks. (Irwin)
Arista
21. “Horses,’ Patti Smith (1975)
“Jesus died for somebody’s sins but not mine,” Patti Smith sings at the top of Horses. It’s a proclamation that has followed Smith her entire career. She has described Horses as “three-chord rock merged with the power of the word,” the perfect marriage between aural simplicity and deeply potent lyricism. Despite the appearances of some characters based on family and friends, Horses isn’t a confessional album, but it’s as artistically tender as Joni Mitchell’s Blue, sparking new ideas about what punk could sound like. (Rapp)
EMI Columbia
20. ‘The Piper at the Gates of Dawn,’ Pink Floyd (1967)
The title – taken from a chapter in Syd Barrett’s favorite children’s book, The Wind in the Willows – underscores the kind of whimsical, very British humor that Pink Floyd’s doomed and soon-departed frontman once possessed. (See the positively poppy “Astronomy Domine,” a song which the reconstituted group opened shows with during a 1994 tour.) But, make no mistake, it isn’t cutesy. Instead, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn is balanced by this friction between Barrett and the band, as his hallucinogenic lyricism is met by the spacey gloom of the instrumentation, in particular in the keyboard work of Richard Wright. (DeRiso)
Verve
19. ‘The Velvet Underground & Nico,’ The Velvet Underground (1967)
It’s been widely quoted that even though this low-selling album wasn’t a hit when it was released in 1967, everyone who heard it started a band. That’s an exaggeration, of course, but the point is made: Few albums in rock history are as influential as The Velvet Underground & Nico. So many future rock genres gained liftoff from the LP: punk, indie and noise, among them. The album was released just before the Summer of Love; New York City band the Velvet Underground and German singer Nico couldn’t have been further from the peace-and-love calendar. Aggressive, defiant, electric and totally original, The Velvet Underground & Nico still sounds ahead of its time. (Gallucci)
Jet
18. ‘Blizzard of Ozz,’ Ozzy Osbourne (1980)
Only a miracle could have revived Ozzy Osbourne’s career following his ouster from Black Sabbath at the end of the ’70s. Luckily, he got two: manager and future wife Sharon Arden and guitar wizard Randy Rhoads. Osbourne and Rhoads (along with bassist Bob Daisley and drummer Lee Kerslake) made heavy-metal history on 1981’s Blizzard of Ozz, a sprightly new take on the genre that combined poppy vocal melodies, pseudo-occult musings and blistering, neoclassical guitar acrobatics. With canonical classics like “Crazy Train,” “I Don’t Know” and “Mr. Crowley,” the five-times platinum Blizzard is a veritable greatest-hits album in itself, giving Osbourne a new lease on life and reinventing the genre he helped pioneer more than a decade earlier. (Rolli)
Capitol
17. ‘Music From Big Pink,’ The Band (1968)
The beauty of Music From Big Pink is in its ragtag approach. But when it comes together, there’s a cohesive quality that can be attributed to the bond among the five musicians. Music From Big Pink features a mix of country, Americana, blues and R&B that got an assist from some songs penned by the Band’s onetime boss, Bob Dylan. The Band proved that fancy studios and recording techniques are a dime a dozen. Camaraderie is the most integral element of any album. (Rapp)
I.R.S.
16. ‘Murmur,’ R.E.M. (1983)
The reason early fans rallied around R.E.M.’s debut can be found right there in the name: A murmur causes people to pull in close, to intently focus, to study for the smallest of clues. Not many did, not nearly as many as soon would. But for those who somehow scored a copy of Murmur, its whispered meanings became personalized, something far more specific than the sweeping statements made by the typical MTV-era band. Instead, R.E.M. moved like ghosts from a different, weirder time, offering only enigmatic, often indecipherable words amid jangles and hard-snapping rhythms. Bar by bar, college-radio spin by spin, they took the gospel of Murmur to ever-widening circles of fans. It took a while, but R.E.M. emerged like Murmur‘s cover-image kudzu from the fading trends of synth-pop and New Romantics – but then choked them off. (DeRiso)
Virgin
15. ‘Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols,’ Sex Pistols (1977)
Sex Pistols were a revolutionary act, blazing a trail for punk rock, bringing an anti-establishment mentality to the mainstream and establishing a legacy that remains strong. They did all of this with only one album. To say that Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols was impactful would be an understatement. With raw, unfiltered energy, unlike anything listeners had heard before, Sex Pistols made history while also flipping a middle finger to the world. The sound is dirty, messy, frenzied – or, to steal a word from their most famous song, anarchy. Their debut (and only) album would influence generations of future artists, with everyone from Nirvana to Guns N’ Roses singing its praises. (Irwin)
Sire
14. ‘Ramones,’ The Ramones (1976)
The Ramones made simplicity high art. With their two-minute songs, three-chord progressions and Joey Ramone’s tough but vulnerable vocals, they grabbed inspiration from junk culture, girl groups and suburban discomfort for a record that launched a punk revolution during the era of kitchen-sink bands like Led Zeppelin and Yes. The first four albums made by the original quartet are pretty much interchangeable (with few diminishing results), but the self-titled debut includes some of their best, genre-defining songs, like “Blitzkrieg Bop” and “Beat on the Brat.” (Gallucci)
Sire
13. ‘Talking Heads:77,’ Talking Heads (1977)
Talking Heads were apprehensive about heading into a studio for the first time; there’s even a song on their first album titled “Tentative Decisions.” Talking Heads:77, like much of the band’s catalog, doesn’t fit neatly into any one category – new wave, punk, pop. The success of Talking Heads:77 is not in its novelty or outlandishness but in its willingness to take existing techniques – odd guitar tunings, syncopated rhythm patterns, non-narrative lyrics — and turn them into something new and exciting. (Rapp)
Shelter
12. ‘Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers,’ Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (1976)
If Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers had never released another album, they’d still have two of the most memorable songs in rock history thanks to their debut LP: “Breakdown” and “American Girl.” It’s deceptively skilled, starting with the relatively simple “Rockin’ Around (With You)” before getting more challenging later on. Petty was an undeniable admirer of artists who came before him and he picked up an economical style of songwriting that knew the power a lyric or riff could pack. That sense of history makes for an album that sounds like little else from its time. (Rapp)
Megaforce
11. ‘Kill ‘Em All,’ Metallica (1983)
“They were just kids and we were working-class dreamers.” That’s how Megaforce Records founder Jon Zazula summarized the opening moments of his journey with Metallica in the liner notes to the Kill ‘Em All box. Even with its scrappy, low-budget tone, Metallica’s debut was a perfect fit with the frenetic energy of songs like “The Four Horsemen,” an expansive romp that played out across seven minutes. Kill ‘Em All was a lot to take in, but even now the album feels honed to perfection. (Wardlaw)
Stiff
10. ‘My Aim Is True,’ Elvis Costello (1977)
Elvis Costello didn’t so much arrive in 1977 as burst onto it. There’s a frenetic quality to My Aim Is True, as if Costello, who had struck out a number of times before finally landing a record deal, could hardly wait to say everything he wanted to. On My Aim Is True, he takes issue with women, politics, capitalism and his place in it all. There’s an arrogant tone to My Aim Is True, which helps make it so relatable, even now. Who hasn’t been chewed up and spit out? (Rapp)
CBS
9. ‘The Clash,’ The Clash (1977)
The debate goes back as far as the late ’70s: Who was the better punk band and who made the best punk album? The Sex Pistols’ Never Mind the Bollocks … is a defining moment of the genre, but the Clash’s self-titled debut arrived six months earlier to lesser fanfare and a fraction of the hype. It’s a more consistent record, too – “White Riot,” “London’s Burning” and “Career Opportunites” covered similar sociopolitical ground while making room for more musical open-mindedness. The Clash would have a longer, greater career. This is their, and punk’s, ground zero. (Gallucci)
Elektra
8. ‘The Doors,’ The Doors (1967)
It was the true dawn of psychedelia, and seemingly every major rock band arrived at its own style. But right out of the gate, the Doors were so distinct that you couldn’t remotely copy them without sounding like morons. John Densmore’s jazz-leaning drums, Robby Krieger’s howling blues licks and Eastern-styled drones, Ray Manzarek’s signature organ and keyboard bass, Jim Morrison reciting spooky poetry in a baritone croon that occasionally veered into a primal scream — those elements combined masterfully on The Doors, from the dynamic groove of “Break on Through (To the Other Side)” to the gothic, trance-like swirl of epic closer “The End.” (Reed)
Vertigo
7. ‘Black Sabbath,’ Black Sabbath (1970)
Heavy metal was essentially born during a single 12-hour October 1969 recording session in London. Short on time and money, Black Sabbath recorded their influential debut live in the studio. Forced to change his playing style after a factory accident cut the tips off two of his fretting fingers, Iommi adopted a slower, simpler and down-tuned style that will seemingly forever define the genre. Paired with Ozzy Osbourne’s distinctive and charismatic vocal style, the band’s stripped-down blend of blues and psychedelia still casts a large shadow over the world of metal regardless of how many times it splits in new directions. (Wilkening)
Warner Bros.
6. ‘Van Halen,’ Van Halen (1978)
In the late ’70s, hard rock was in danger of becoming outshined by disco, punk, new wave and other forms of music. Van Halen’s 1978 self-titled debut album not only brought it right back to the forefront, but it also had Eddie Van Halen completely rewriting the vocabulary of guitar playing. It’s easy to separate just about every guitar-based album of the era into pre- and post-Van Halen. It was impossible to turn on MTV in the ’80s without seeing a guitarist influenced by or straight-up copying his style. But while they could imitate the flashy tricks, few could integrate these innovations as organically as the guitarist did into Van Halen’s songs, which featured a deceptively sophisticated mastery of pop smarts honed by the band’s years as a genre-hopping cover band. (Wilkening)
Parlophone
5. ‘Please Please Me,’ The Beatles (1963)
The paradox of the Beatles’ Please Please Me is that it’s a near-flawless debut album showcasing an already fully formed creative entity, and yet, it still sounds downright primitive compared to the paradigm-shifting albums that would follow. But regardless of the quantum leaps the Fab Four would take on future releases, there’s no denying the raw talent and beguiling pop smarts on display. Paul McCartney’s primal, lusty shrieks on “I Saw Her Standing There”; the laughably simple, maddeningly catchy hooks of “Love Me Do”; the effervescent vocal harmonies on the title track; John Lennon’s breathless, larynx-shredding performance on “Twist and “Shout” — every moment provides a snapshot of the hardest-working club band in Liverpool standing on the cusp of the rest of their lives. Nobody could have ever predicted just how far they’d go, but on Please Please Me, the Beatles grabbed the brass ring and never looked back. (Rolli)
Geffen
4. ‘Appetite for Destruction,’ Guns N’ Roses (1987)
After years of honing their craft on Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip, Guns N’ Roses hit the studio, initially recording demos before laying down what would become their debut album in 1987. Appetite for Destruction was released to little fanfare, but by 1988 it had ignited like wildfire. Across 12 scorching songs, Guns N’ Roses galvanized rock fans with songs about sex, drugs and the dark side of Hollywood. The riffs were explosive, the choruses soaring. Without warning, Guns N’ Roses announced themselves as one of the biggest acts on the planet. Appetite for Destruction went on to become one of the bestselling albums of all time and continues to be hailed as an undisputed classic that forever changed the trajectory of rock. (Irwin)
Reprise
3. ‘Are You Experienced,’ The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1967)
The sessions for Are You Experienced began, and could have ended, with a dispute between Hendrix and producer Chas Chandler over volume as they recorded “Hey Joe.” In the long run, the record benefits from the experimentation and spontaneity brought to those sessions. And yes, the volume helped, too. The interplay in songs like “Manic Depression” and “I Don’t Live Today” displays the undeniable chemistry the guitarist had with drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Noel Redding. While it’s hard to replicate the energy of a live performance in the studio, Are You Experienced often sounds like a moment of inspired performance. (Wardlaw)
Apple
2. ‘All Things Must Pass,’ George Harrison (1970)
Asked what he thought of his monumental Phil Spector-ized debut during a remastering session years later, George Harrison simply said, “Too much echo.” By then an American publishing company had won a $600,000 judgment after claiming that the chart-topping “My Sweet Lord” sounded too much like the early ’60s hit “He’s So Fine.” Still, nothing could mask the creative triumph that is All Things Must Pass, as Harrison fully emerged from the long shadow of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. If he never did another solo thing, his legend would have already been secured. (DeRiso)
Atlantic
1. ‘Led Zeppelin,’ Led Zeppelin (1969)
Led Zeppelin arrived among the rubble of the Yardbirds, as the band’s latest guitarist Jimmy Page filtered their blues-rock image through a post-Summer of Love haze. They weren’t shy about lifting inspiration or even entire songs from the legendary bluesmen that served as pillars for so many British ’60s heavyweights. As they progressed and became a better, more original band, Led Zeppelin never abandoned the heavy, almost deafening crunch of their self-titled debut (“Dazed and Confused” sums it all up in six-and-a-half glorious minutes). In a way, it’s their purest album. Entire acts that came of musical age in the next decade borrowed from the record the way Zeppelin borrowed from their blues heroes. But that one-of-a-kind electricity – from Page’s dizzying solos to Robert Plant’s mountaintop-scaling vocals – has never been equaled. (Gallucci)
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