Here we are in the midst of ’08, a year that will undoubtedly see debut albums by a few bands we won’t know about next year. Or, on the other hand, bands we wish we’d stop hearing about next year. It’s true: Sometimes a group crystallizes their finest moments the first time around, spends the rest of their career trying to somehow tap that early magic. The people at the A.V. Club are smart. They know this, too. In fact, they’ve given us a Top 20. Via A.V. Club:
20 Sunny Day Real Estate – Diary
19 Snoop Doggy Dogg – Doggystyle
18 Supergrass – I Should Coco
17 The Sugarcubes – Life’s Too Good
16 Wu-Tang clan – Enter The Wu-Tang
15 Boston – Boston
14 Marshall Crenshaw – Marshall Crenshaw
13 Black Flag – Damaged
12 The Sundays – Reading, Writing, And Arithmetic
11 Taking Back Sunday – Tell All Your Friends
10 Television – Marquee Moon
09 Kanye West – The College Dropout
08 John Prine – John Prine
07 The Notorious B.I.G. – Ready To Die
06 Nas – Illmatic
05 The Modern Lovers – The Modern Lovers
04 The Strokes – Is This It
03 Richard Hell And The Voidoids – Blank Generation
02 50 Cent – Get Rich Or Die Tryin’
01 Rage Against The Machine – Rage Against The Machine
Actually, the list is pretty tight. We’re not entirely sure we agree with the inclusion of The College Dropout. Since the pointing out of the ones they missed is inevitable, we’ll get it started with a pair of roses: Guns ‘N Roses, Stone Roses. Your move.
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I don’t entirely agree with the strokes and rage, but most are pretty accurate.
they’re definitely missing bands like bloc party and clap your hands say yeah.
so disappointing.
Well I think Kanye is totally wrong for this list. It is very debatable which is his best album between his first two. Including the Strokes is a joke. I mean they only have two albums out. Artic Monkeys should be on there before the Strokes. If you just want groups that never matched their first album you could certainly include The Pixies. As for groups that peaked with their first album, number one should be The Sex Pistols. But, of course, they never realeased another album.
Well…lots of bands that peaked with their first album went on to do some pretty brilliant stuff later — is this list emphasizing stratification between earlier and later material or just mentioning what bands’ debuts were their best album? If it’s the latter then add Pavement and The Velvet Underground to the list.
Lots of rappers.
Rage did not spend the rest of their career trying to recapture the sound of their debut. Evil Empire is a great album.
They forgot to include Arcade Fire.
The Violent Femmes. Duh.
God am I the only one that thinks Evil Empire is vastly superior to Rage’s debut? It’s less “hard” or whatever but it just musically sounds better.
i whole-heartedly agree with the kanye inclusion.
interpol – turn on the bright lights
so agree!! i though i would love interpol forever when i heard that album…not so much in retrospect.
Okay, first thing Bloc Party has only 2 albums out. little early there poalo. Also, Battle for Los Angeles was WAY better than their eponymous debut. Evil Empire was prolly better also.
why include bands that are in the middle of their career?
i think the strokes have a lot left, and i guess same with kanye, though i’m not a huge fan. as for bloc party, clap your hands say yeah, and arcade fire…. only 2 albums out by each, but i have to agree on interpol.
Add: Dead Kennedys, Ryan Adams, and probably REM
That’s the most random list I’ve ever seen.
But I agree with Ralf, there’s no greater example of this phenomenon than Violent Femmes.
Maybe De La Soul comes in second.
The Shins.
And Blood Sweat and Tears, but that might be a little too random, although not as random as Marshall Crenshaw.
De La Soul? That’s a joke, right? “De La Soul is Dead” is tremendous … and, hell, “Buhloone Mindstate” is equally amazing.
Totally disagree with Sunny Day’s inclusion on this list. The pink album, for me, is tops.
the shins? definitely not chutes too narrow and wincing the night away are equal or better
Counting Crows – August and Everything After
You can say they suck if you want, but there’s no debate that was there best album by far.
You can’t be serious about Counting Crows! Recovering The Satellites was far superior to the debut. Even This Desert Life was great. They only lost it with Hard Candy. Amen to whoever said Ryan Adams. His solo career has been a steady downwards trajectory, similar to one of those vertical drop rollercoasters. It’s also way too soon to judge The Strokes or CYHSY and anyway, Room On Fire was massively overlooked. And Mark BT deserves to be shot for including Big Star. Radio City is phenomenal. How about Son Volt, Fountains of Wayne or Ben Kweller? I know I automatically lose 3000 cool points for mentioning them but I think Third Eye Blind’s first record was pretty great and they’ve been crap ever since.
Does it really count as being a one album wonder if you die after your second? I Think Life After Death is an amazing album. Biggie definitely didn’t peak after Ready to Die.
Does Britney Spears fall into a special category for peaking with her debut single?
@ George:
REM? Are you kidding? Conventional critiques would probably assert that they peaked with Automatic for the People; being a fan, I believe Fables of the Reconstruction, Life’s Rich Pageant, Document, AND Automatic are all on par with Murmur.
I’ve never cared for Automatic, but you may be right.
agreed, golden until Document–spotty after
I’m not the biggest Strokes fan, but I figure it should be obvious to anyone with ears that Room On Fire is an IMPROVEMENT of Is This It? Shouldn’t this be common knowledge by now?
It should be! I agree wholeheartedly.
I also think they’re wrong about John Prine, but I don’t imagine screaming “WHAT ABOUT ‘SWEET REVENGE’?” at the top of my longs will really spark much debate among stereogum readers.
As for the Modern Lovers, that’s iffy. Yeah, The Modern Lovers were better than Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers, but I don’t know of anyone who thinks of them as the same entity. Maybe a second Modern Lovers album would have been just as good, but there wasn’t one, so it’s kind of stupid to have it on this list.
And naturally the Modern Lovers peaked with their first (only, if you ask me) album: it’s only got the greatest rock ‘n’ roll song ever(!) on it.
Room On Fire blew…
the alarm
BLOC PARTY.
and crappy bands like paramore and the academy is… great debut albums, bad,overhyped follow ups.
The Evens.
Not like Ian Mackaye really needs to vindicate himself any further….
vampire weekend.
VIOLENT FEMMES AND WEEZER OBVIOUSLY
VIOLENT FEMMES AND WEEZER OBVIOUSLY
Pinkerton is so much better than the Blue album
@ paolo
Pavement? Grow some taste: CR and Wowee were both incredible
also, an artist should have a minimum of 2 albums after their first to be included in this discussion, so guys like clap your hands say yeah are out
this list isnt terrible, but it’s mostly a bunch of huge names…they didnt really go out on a limb or anything here. I agree with Nas, but only because illmatic is the best rap album ever made, and no one can be expected to top that
my two cents: clinic
i win
do the Sex Pitsols count?
do the Sex Pistols count?
I gotta call shenanigans on the Wu too
Definately don’t agree with Kanye West. Graduation is a great cd, equally as good as college dropout for different reasons. He’s developed a new style and its a great album all the way through, I can recall a few songs that I skip over when listening to College Dropout.
i agree. i think its awesome that kanye is doing what he is doing. Aside from maybe timbaland no other mainstream rapper is putting that much emphasis on musical experimentation and all that sonic bullshit…
Haha fuckkk, that wasnt @ paolo, it was Ralf
and you didnt exactly nominate pavement for the list, either, i read that too fast.
sorry for the rant :p
Foo Fighters–by far–should be number one. Badass debut, okay to mediocre albums since.
id…do you really want to include arcade fire into the sophomore slump category? i actually thought funeral was a pretty damn amazing album…
…yes, there was an album before funeral with a better version of no cars go.
that was an ep. doesn’t actually count. or at least not in my book. which we all know is definitive. this list is all relative anyway.
that wasn’t a proper album. it was an EP, wiz kid.
Neon Bible fucking blew, and if we’re talking about debut ALBUMS, Arcade Fire EP does not count.
SERIOUSLY…what about Clap Your Hands Say Yeah?
I don’t think it counts when the debut sucks.
They only have one record out after the first!
relax
Black Flag Damaged? I guess technically their third album, but they had enough recorded output with multiple singers before Rollins to make 2 albums worth of music.
And Modern Lovers.. that’s ridiculous. All the Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers albums are AMAZING.
Honestly though, what the FUCK was going on with that Snoop Dogg cover art?
Clap Your Hand Say Yeah does not belong on this list. They aren’t important enough.
minus rage, john prine and television, this is just a list of shitty bands/rappers.
i think AIR should be on here.
Supergrass’ debut album was great, but most of their other albums (bar their brand new album) have been pretty great too. They definitely don’t belong on this list. Personally I thought that Bloc Party’s second album was superior to their first. But every Strokes album has sucked! The Stone Roses definitely belong on the list. What about Elastica?
Supergrass has been putting out consistently excellent albums for ten years man. That’s a totally unfair and uneducated addition to the list.
Jesus & Mary Chain
uh, the title of the avclub’s list specified rock/rap. I agree that bands with only one or two albums shouldn’t be included, unless there’s no chance of them releasing more material. Thus, we can include The Unicorns and The Libertines.
Weezer for sure should be on there.
Are you kidding? Pinkerton? Weezer definitely peaked on their second album.
Completely agree with the TBS, Strokes, RATM and SDRE, though.
kidacomputerok I totally agree with you about the Foo Fighters! Glad to see some other people calling BS on naming Supergrass on this list.
Supergrass’s 2nd album “In It For the Money” is vastly superior to their debut …
What about RADIOHEAD?!?!
…. (kidding)
Biggie only released “Ready to Die” while he was living, any other album came out after he died, of course none of them were any good!
Weezer did not peak with the blue album. Even if you like it more, they obviously peaked with Pinkerton and it was down hill after that. I think they tried not to include bands that only had 2 albums to their credit, hence the absence of Bloc Party.
Arctic Monkeys
Yeah Yeah Yeah’s
Amy Winehouse (and i stand by my prediction)
Band of Horses
Hot Hot Heat
Jack Johnson
Kings of Leon
Neutral Milk Hotel
some of these bands have had only 1 or 2 albums out but it’s obvious that they’re done
Hot Hot Heat is definitely a good one to include. Their major label signing pretty much put them into the “Whatever Happenned To…” pile and watered their sound down to par with Strokes B-Sides.
Right on, Mike. “Knock Knock Knock,” the first E.P. they released (after acquiring their poodle-headed singer), is by far the best thing they’ve ever done. It’s darker, heavier and has more of a Clash/ Punk sound. Dante De Caro’s departure hammered the final nail in their coffin. I saw them in Toronto just before their first full-length came out; everyone left immediately after opening band “Pilate” performed (which made no sense because they sounded like Coldplay being raped)
So you’re saying that Neutral Milk Hotel peaked with On Avery Island instead of In the Aeroplane Over the Sea? Or are you not counting On Avery Island since it was prety much just a Jeff Mangum solo album with a band name on it?
Or did you just not know that album existed?
Neutral Milk Hotel was a typo. I forgot at the time that Avery Island was first.
Jesus and Mary Chain were always spotty, but Stoned and Dethroned is a great fucking album.
Wait. Scratch Neutral Milk Hotel. I take that one back
How about Black Rebel Motorcycle Club … Not that their first album is all that good, but better than the crap they’ve served up since
Howl was an incredible album.
radiohead – pablo honey
Anyone who says Weezer or Pavement is fucking idiot/joke
Slanted and Enchanted is Pavement’s best album. It’s debatable whether or not the Blue Album is Weezer’s.
Yeah, but this is more a list of artists who had a great first album and went on to disappointing careers, i think. Pavement made at least two more incredible albums, and were still great even after wowee, though they werent the same
i fucking disagree with the richard hell inclusion. destiny street was amazing. it had ‘staring in her eyes’. his stuff with the dim stars was awesome.
Only one thats debatable at all is damaged, my war is great and black flag had tons of other material before damaged.
I agree with whoever said Weezer.
People – give “Hallowed Ground” a chance. It is a true original and has some great ass songs on it.
sincerely, Mrs. Ground
Thank you for saying that jps! Hallowed Ground is one of my favorite records and I’ve loved it more than the debut….
badly drawn boy. he blows ass now, but that first album was pretty great.
agreed, kevin.
the beatles
Ha – on the flip side of this, it would be interesting to make a list of the bands who have aged the best over time, or improved like fine wines…
Murmur is the best thing REM did. One of the best albums anyone did. Thats not disrespecting the great REM albums that came after it.
YOUR OPINIONS ARE WRONG! MY OPINIONS ARE RIGHT!
Radiohead. Nuff said.
what about the killers? i kinda dug their first album, but everything else has been shite.
you’re an adult. please stop saying shite.
i think all the hip hop albums should be stricken from the list since the output of most rap artists borders on assembly line frequency. also something should be said for bands that made a career of putting out their debut album over and over again (The Ramones and My Bloody Valentine). Check.
judging from that comment, there is no possible way you have ever heard MBV’s debut.
Agreed. All of MBV’s records sound radically different, and in fact almost everyone agrees that their final album was the best one. (If indeed it was their final album…we’ll see about that.)
Let’s all wait until the current fashionable causes anti-celebres release more than, say, two albums before consigning them to this list, yes? Although I was gonna suggest Vampire Weekend would be one of these in a decade, myself…
But for the record, Supergrass at least STAYED better for awhile (Road to Rouen is a damn good pop record), and Battle of Los Angeles eclipses all the Rage albums before it…
Anyone who said Vampire Weekend is a joke. If you didnt like their album (forst of all you dont know music), then there is no reason for you to say that they will be on this list in the future because you didnt even like the first. If you did like it, then you’re retarded if you say a band you like is going to suck.
This is the dumbest list I’ve ever seen.
First of all, it totally ignores the biggest debut peaker of all time:
The Stone Roses.
Weezer?
I agree with The Wu and Rage,
but Taking Back Sunday?
Really?
I didn’t know they qualified for this competition, seeing as they are a terrible band, and always have been.
Im still shocked to see that no one has said ANYTHING about the Roses.
TSR was the biggest thing since the Beatles when they came out, then their massive fall was so prodigious that they have never been heard of again.
That’s such a great point about the Stone Roses; I can’t believe that one wasn’t top of their list.
its only because they’ve only made 2 albums. and you know they waited 10+ years simply because there was no way they were going to top that first album, but they still don’t really qualify.
the blue album is obviously the best, and the promise ring should be on that list as should modest mouse
I’d like to add Oasis to this list. And this is not to say I disliked their other records, but their debut was still their finest moments.
And for those who mentioned R.E.M or Pavement – you my friends are just not all there.
I think those people were under the impression that this list was “their first albums were their best albums” and not “their first albums were good but then they never did anything else worthwhile or nearly as good”
Interpol…
What the hell is with the lack of love for the Stone Roses’ “Second Coming”. As far as I’m concerned, it’s their only album. Their first one pales in comparison. What’s the deal? Breaking Into Heaven, Ten Storey Love Song, Tightrope, Love Spreads… that album is chock full of awesome cuts. Why the hate? Is it because of the one hit wonder? Who gives a shit, it was a great album.
I’ll never get over the first time I saw the “complete” Stone Roses and it was all shit from their first album. I always thought it was some weird Brits vs. the world thing where they held the first one aloft because they were the ones who FELT it before they got some recognition across the pond, but you know… apparently I was way out to lunch on that one.
you are totally in the minority. second coming PALES in comparison to the Stone Roses “debut”. sure, second coming had some great songs, but their debut is flawless from start to finish. one of the most underrated (outside the UK) yet greatest albums in history.
what about thunderbirds are now?
Rage??? Seriously???
Tom Morello’s most innovative guitar work appeared on the next two albums. Zack De La Rocha’s best lyrics are on those two as well.
The differences between all three Rage albums are subtle. They didn’t go in a radically different direction with each album a la Radiohead. But that doesn’t mean they didn’t progress. Read interviews with them and you’ll find they were in no way trying to “recapture” the first album. Listen closer to each album and you’ll find they got tighter, funkier, and more creative with each one.
Rage??? Seriously???
Tom Morello’s most innovative guitar work appeared on the next two albums. Zack De La Rocha’s best lyrics are on those two as well.
The differences between each Rage album are subtle. They didn’t go in a radically different direction with each album a la Radiohead. But that doesn’t mean they didn’t progress. Read interviews with them and you’ll find they were in no way trying to “recapture” the first album. Listen closer to each album and you’ll find they got tighter, funkier, and more creative with each one.
Rage??? Seriously???
Tom Morello’s most innovative guitar work appeared on the next two albums. Zack De La Rocha’s best lyrics are on those two as well.
The differences between each Rage album are subtle. They didn’t go in a radically different direction with each album a la Radiohead. But that doesn’t mean they didn’t progress. Read interviews with them and you’ll find they were in no way trying to “recapture” the first album. Listen closer to each album and you’ll find they got tighter, funkier, and more creative with each one.
Vampire Weekend
Seems to be a matter of taste, so Im putting in my 2 cents as well, Interpol no way.
PEARL JAM yes way!
The Killers and Guns ‘n Roses = my two cents. “New Adventures In Hi-Fi” takes the cake for REM, and Weezer’s “Blue” is their best, so no joy there. We could also throw in The Darkness and The Foo Fighters.
Apologies. Weezer DID peak with “Blue”.
Patti Smith anyone? I think she still puts out some pretty good stuff, but who’s going to argue that any of her other studio albums topped “Horses”?
Something interesting is happening is Israel, a non profit project called “good enough for wembley” aims to take as many talented “good enough” bands to rock wembley stadium in England. Each band pays a few cents to sign up and the money goes to promote this concert. Log in and help spread the word? http://www.goodenoughforwembley.com
A lot of the bands I have seen mentioned here have a very novel sound… Clap your hands say yeah for instance, catch the listener more on their unusual sound than their actual talents and while the album happens to be awesome as well, once the novelty of their sound wears off, they don’t really have any real selling points unless you haven’t heard them.
The suggestion of Vampire Weekend while entirly possible makes me kind of sad. Not only does the person simply have no faith in the band whatsoever, but such an early judgement implies that the band only got to where they are on luck. Yes, Vampire Weekend is another band whose novel sound makes it seem that they are more recognized for being different than good. But they are also pretty damn good. Personally I have no idea what the future will hold, but let’s keep in mind that this is not a complete list. it’s the top 20. And even if Vampire Weekend does fail on their next release: In the Top 20? Really?…
Also, whoever said Radiohead needs to stop whatever it is that they are doing to punch themself in the teeth. (And if it was a joke, you should have gone for “That band that wrote ‘Creep’” or Girl Talk)
The Pretenders’ debut. Song-for-song, it smokes anything else they released
Lene lovich, Stateless
i think there’s a huge difference between being annoying as fuck and having peeked …. i’m looking at you kanye
It’s difficult to claim a band peaked with their first album when that band is still making music. While I agree that the Strokes’ first record is their best they might come along with something surprisingly good. Who knows. A better list, and it seems the list they wanted to make, is a list of the top twenty sophomore slumps. (Oh, and Battle for Los Angeles gives Rage’s debut a run for its money)
Seriously, I’m not a big Foo fan, but ” The Color and the Shape” was awesome. And as for Weezer, Pinkerton > Blue.
Badly Drawn Boy should definitely be on this list. His first cd was brilliant. Everything afterwards paled in comparison.
Also, I don’t think it is fair to list bands or artists that have only released 2 albums. It’s too early to determine whether their debut will be their peak.
i think a band has to have at least 3 albums released to be able to judge
I peaked when I heard Anita Baker’s debut “Rapture.”
nice…..
Ryan Adams!
@dannyguts…do u live in a fucking cave? Have you heard Love is Hell? u gotta be fuckin me dude…theres not many better albums than Love is Hell period. discussion over
Art Brut
I got one…Toadies – “Rubberneck”….discuss….
Peter Bjorn and John
quick question jims – have you even heard their debut? i’ll give you a hint, it’s not “writer’s block”
The Feelies “Crazy Rhythms”
Finally a list this year without radiohead on it
Ben Kweller
um, good call on Marshall Crenshaw, but Sundays and Supergrass and Sugarcubes? Wrong!! All bands surpassed their sturdy debuts with mega second albums. Supergrass did even better on their third.
Instead of those bands: REM, Seal, N.W.A, Mars Volta, Sanctuary, Spinal Tap :)
of Montreal.
@preston:
seriously, modest mouse? “long drive” was great, but “lonesome crowded west” was its superior in every way. & let’s not forget “moon & antarctica”, another masterpiece that completely departed from its predecessor.
@ zach: horses was def the most “important” release of patti smith’s career, but i think she’s put out too many high-quality albums since to get anywhere near this list. though entirely different in style, some of her “2nd phase” work — most specifically “gone again” and “peace & noise” — is just stunning, not to mention they arrived some 20-odd yrs afters her debut — as opposed to, say, television, who pretty much gave it all on “marquee moon” and didn’t have much left after — though who can really blame them, seeing as how “mm” is one of the best rock records ever made? (that said, “adventure” is underrated, but obviously pales in comparison.) i think if we’re looking at this as “bands whose first albums ruled and who never did anything all that special again,” television might just take the cake. if we’re looking at it like “their first album was best, even though they made some pretty good stuff later,” we might have a very different list on our hands.