Ranking Garth Brooks’ phenomenal top five albums

4 - Garth Brooks (1989)

Any debut album achieving diamond status with over ten million sales in the US is a downright success. This eponymous debut album has done just that. While other albums may have sent him rocketing even higher, this was the launchpad that set Brooks on his way and established his musical style.

As with his other albums, Garth Brooks is crammed with great songs. He has moved on from many of them in setlist terms now.  Given his extensive catalog to draw from there is no shame in that at all. The songs are still very powerful.

Naturally, for a debut album, there are a few firsts among the songs. His first-ever single,  “Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)” was a number-eight hit. “If Tomorrow Never Comes” was his first number-one single. Brooks won awards for “The Dance”, also a number-one hit, and the first song he wrote himself “Not Counting You” was a top ten hit. All in all, that's quite some return and impact from a debut album and warrants fourth position.

3 - Double Live (1998)

I’ve excluded compilation albums from the ranking here as they don't reflect the impact of a studio album and their more individually curated content. That links somewhat with Brooks' feelings about streaming services promoting single tracks over albums. So it's perhaps also slightly unfair to include Double Live here in third place. It is though a fantastic album. Apart from the obvious list of great songs, it captures his live act very well and works as an album reflecting his show.

Brooks puts on quite an event for his fans. He's not just a top album-selling star, Brooks is an outstanding performer too. That comes across extremely well in this double-disc release from 1998. You can hear the energy from the songs and his personality shining through. 

Double Live was recorded during his 1996 to 1998 world tour. The album was another of his to debut at number one on both the Billboard 200 and the Top Country Album charts. A feat that was becoming a habit for Brooks. 

Naturally, it has most of his top songs to that point in time and adds in a few extras too. It's an obvious starting point for anyone new to his music and an amazing album and favourite for established fans. At 23 times platinum status, it looks as though plenty of listeners have taken that view.