25 most essential debut albums of all time

[smark21]

http://blog.sfgate.com/loaded/2012/06/05/debuts/#5609-1

[soulster]

I've never heard half of them, and there is no R&B. Typical.

[Jerry Oz]

That list was hyper subjective on behalf of the writer.

Subjectivity = opinions.

Opinions = ***holes.

Everybody has an ***hole and they usually stink.

[soulster]

I wouldn't go that far. It's just obvious that the writer is just into rock music and little else. That's all. It's getting harder and harder to find people who are into all types of music.

[Jerry Oz]

I like all types of music too. However, I'd like to see R&B, Reggae, and disco represented.

[soulster]

I like all types of music too. However, I'd like to see R&B, Reggae, and disco represented.

And don't forget jazz!

[tsull1]

I'm not a huge metal or loud guitar-based band fan, but if you leave off Boston's debut album, then you're crazy. There's a reason that group couldn't follow up, tough too to do so.

Soul-wise? Temptations first album.

[paladin]

Soul-wise? Temptations first album.

You know Tsull, thats the first record that came to mind as well, however I must say I'd have to break it down to cover various decades.........since I am getting a little long in tooth...........one that comes to mind is Alexander O'Neal's debut........The Stylistics......as well lol......

[Jerry Oz]

And don't forget jazz!

Pardon me for the omission. That's kind of the point that I wanted to make. The list of essential debut jazz albums is nearly endless. I wouldn't even know where to start. To pare down any list to 25 across genre is pretty much going to cause discussion, which I'm sure is the point of the article.

[smark21]

Well it is a blog post so it’s just one person’s opinion, albeit, a person who is a critic in San Francisco and the article has been reposted at other media sites, so he has more cultural clout than many bloggers. Still, I think it’s an interesting list, if for nothing else in that he’s most likely a white guy of Generation X vintage with an artsy background, given his preference for bands like Velvet Underground, Joy Division and De La Soul. Still his list has more diversity and a greater time scope than the link that was posted last week presenting one blogger’s choice of top lead singers of vocal groups of all time, which was quite limited, especially in time scope [[late 50’s to early 70’s).

[smark21]

List has now been expanded….8 more added, including the somewhat R and B Diamond Life by Sade.

[Jerry Oz]

List has now been expanded….8 more added, including the somewhat R and B Diamond Life by Sade.

Hah! I remember when her album dropped and a local hack slammed the album in a review. He described her as packaged and untalented; someone that was being promoted by the record label even though she didn't deserve the promotion. I bought the album and loved it [[where is it, now...?) and blew him off.

By the time her second album came out, he wrote a glowing four-star review and made sure to mention all of her sterling qualities. He also mentioned how much he absolutely loved her first album.

[Ngroove]

Soul-wise? Temptations first album.

Meet the Temptations is great & all, but as much as I love "Oh Mother Of Mine", "I Want A Love I Can See", and all those others sung by Paul Williams, with Al Bryant in group, if one is looking for hits, the only hit single in that one was "The Way You Do The Things You Do".

[Ngroove]

Sade's Diamond Life-wise, can't believe only notable song blogger mentioned, as if that's all the album's good for, is "Smooth Operator" - there's also "Your Love Is King", "Cherry Pie", "Hang On To Your Love", her take of "Why Can't We Live Together" equally as moving as well.

[tamla617]

Sade's Diamond Life-wise, can't believe only notable song blogger mentioned, as if that's all the album's good for, is "Smooth Operator" - there's also "Your Love Is King", "Cherry Pie", "Hang On To Your Love", her take of "Why Can't We Live Together" equally as moving as well.

well said.it was a brilliant album.

[imnokid]

I'd have put the first Joe Cocker album on there. A classic.

[stephanie]

One thing I have noticed about Joe Cocker is that I never see his material in discount bins [[or should I say never saw since vinyl is not prevalent now) or in discount CD bins. His music is always expensive or higher priced than other musical artists, any rhyme or reason to this? I think an essential album on any list is the Beatles Rubber Soul.
Stephanie ps also Sly and the Family Stone - Greatest Hits

[soulster]

Sade's Diamond Life-wise, can't believe only notable song blogger mentioned, as if that's all the album's good for, is "Smooth Operator" - there's also "Your Love Is King", "Cherry Pie", "Hang On To Your Love", her take of "Why Can't We Live Together" equally as moving as well.

I still prefer their second album "Promise".

[imnokid]

Greatest hits shouldn't count.
as for Cocker's price structure, I have no idea.

[imnokid]

But if Greatest Hits albums DID count, Sly's would be the most essential of all, if you ask me.
Not a bum track on it.

[smark21]

Of course the list has to do with most essential “debut” albums. It’s very rare that an act’s first album is a greatest hits album, though I do hazily recall some band in the 1990’s calling their first album “Greatest Hits” but they were being ironic. If I’m imagining that, then surely some act ought to use that title for their first album.

[Ngroove]

Some essential debuts, my opinion, saying here-and-now, I'm biased, 80% Rhthym & Blues / Soul, 15% disco / dance, and 5% popular.

Miracles' Hi...We're The Miracles, 1961, Shop Around, Who's Lovin' You, Way Over There, [[You Can) Depend On Me

Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell's United, 1967, Ain't No Mountain High Enough, Your Precious Love, If I Could Build My Whole World Around You, If This World Were Mine

Jackson Five's Diana Ross Presents The Jackson Five, 1969, I Want You Back, Who's Lovin' You

Diana Ross' Diana Ross, 1970, Reach Out and Touch [[Somebody's Hand), Ain't No Mountain High Enough

Michael Jackson's Got To Be There, 1972, Got To Be There, Girl, Don't Take Your Love From Me, I Wanna Be Where You Are, Rockin' Robin

Barry White's I've Got So Much Love To Give, 1973, I've Got So Much Love To Give, I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby

Deniece Williams' This Is Niecy, 1976, actually, I find half the songs kinda too sweet-sounding, but love Slip Away, Somebody's Watching You, and mostly bought album for Free in the first place

Rick James' Come Get It, 1978, You & I, Mary Jane, Dream Maker

Rainy Davis' Sweetheart, 1986, yeah, this one's quite more on the obscure side, but have played Sweetheart, Lowdown So-And-So, Love At Last, Kiss & Make Up, and 4-Ever, to death

Paula Abdul's Forever Your Girl, 1988, one of the very, very, very few albums [[that, and MJ's Thriller) where I could listen to any and every track under the same groove, all quality, and no fillers.

Al B Sure!'s In Effect Mode, 1988, Nite & Day, Rescue Me, If You're Not My Lover, Ooh, This Love Is So, Off On Your Own [[Girl), Just A Taste Of Lovin'

Mary J Blige's What's The 411?, 1992, You Remind Me, Real Love, Love No Limit, Reminisce

Toni Braxton's Toni Braxton, 1993, You Mean The World To Me, Seven Whole Days, Love Shoulda Brought You Home, Breathe Again

[chidrummer]

That's a great list Ngroove. I'd probably add:

Natalie Cole -Inseparable
The Brothers Johnson - Looking Out for #1
Average White Band - AWB
Mariah Carey - Mariah Carey

[gary_james]

Boston's first album.... 1976

[destruction]

As much as I love Meet the Tempts....I must concur with NGroove's assessment.

And peeping Kdub's list.....I feel The Stylistics first was the biggest omission. At its debut, everybody in my hood knew every cut on that album....no bread.