Debut albums are obviously a starting point for artists, many though need two or three albums before they make a serious breakthrough and reach anything close to the big time. Some artists can have enormous success from their very first album. There were plenty of those in the 1970s with many phenomenally successful and brilliant debut albums released.
It’s always debatable if you try and rank the best albums for a type or period. Everyone will have strong views and likely disagree with some choices. If you just rank albums based on sales, it becomes a rather obvious list, with no shocks or pleasant surprises in there. It’s not all about the sales though, as this list will show.
That all applies to debut albums too. If you take the 1970s the top-selling debut albums include those from Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell, Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells, and self-titled albums from Dire Straits and Van Halen. Sales of those totaled over 110 million worldwide, not bad at all for five albums from new and unknown artists!
Six of the best albums from the 1970s
At first, you might think there would be other huge names in there, but many of the top artists of the 1970s were formed in the 1960s and their debut albums were well behind them. The 1970s was a great time for music though, of many types and genres. Traditional rock, progressive, and punk all had a great time that decade.
There were also plenty of new artists kicking off their careers with outstanding debut albums. Sales may not have been at the atmospheric level of those top five above, but the albums were successful and full of great music. Here are six examples of exceptional debut albums from the 1970s.
The Clash - The Clash
The self-titled debut album from one of the punk rock pioneers. The Sex Pistols may have grabbed many of the headlines of the time with their groundbreaking punk album Never Mind The Bo***cks, but The Clash did it better and for far longer. With this brilliant debut album leading the way.
The Clash was released in April 1977 in the UK and then a much reworked track list version came out in the US later, in July 1979, where it was The Clash’s second release. Their second UK album Give ‘em Enough Rope was released first in the US. However you look at it, and no matter where you are when you read this, The Clash was their debut album, the first they recorded and released, had it not been successful, “Give ‘em Enough Rope” may not have been made.
The band adopted several musical styles over the years, this first album was them at their punk rock peak. Full of anger, pace, protest, and great songs. There was a touch of reggae in there too. Anthemic songs like “London’s Burning” and “White Riot” sat well amongst the other tracks. “White Man In Hammersmith Palais” and “I Fought The Law” were added to the US version, making the album even more powerful.
The Clash achieved gold status in both the UK and the US. It peaked at number 12 in the UK charts but only reached 126 on the Billboard 200. Lower sales there perhaps related to the UK version being sold on import ahead of the US release a couple of years later. It still had remarkable success on mainstream charts for a punk band and set the scene for even more to follow from the band and others.
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd
Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd was released as a debut album in August 1973. The album launched Lynyrd Skynyrd across the US and to a worldwide audience. It was very successful for a first release and contained four of their five most popular songs.
The band seemed to appear out of nowhere and then into the charts. But like many groups, their apparent overnight success came after years of hard graft. They first emerged as My Backyard in 1964 and went through a few name revisions before reaching their final title of Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1969. They based that on an old high school teacher Leonard Skinner.
Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd was quite a triumph and a double platinum album in the US. Many of the tracks from the album remained firm favorites afterward. In particular, “Freebird” is nine minutes of sheer delight.
This debut album has several of the band's most popular songs based on downloads including “Gimme Three Steps” and one of the first rock-based power ballads, “Tuesday’s Gone”.
Although the lineup has changed dramatically over the years, especially impacted, of course, by the horrific air crash in 1977, a version of the band continues to play live. Currently part of The Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour with ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd still features those great four tracks from that first album on their setlist.
Police - Outlandos d’Amour
The Police released Outlandos d’Amour as their debut album in November 1978. They’d borrowed £1,500 from their manager to pay for it and took six months to record it. The time span was more about short visits to the studio when it was available at a low cost.
It may have started small, but the album was a great launch pad for The Police. From such a small beginning there followed many great hits and albums before they fell out and disbanded in 1986. After regrouping again in 2007 they had the highest grossing tour worldwide that year.
Back to the debut album though, Outlandos d’Amour hit No. 6 on the U.K. charts and got to 23 on the Billboard 200, spending 63 weeks there. “Roxanne” was a huge hit single from it. With that amazing reggae sound and Sting’s vocals, it brought the band and their new album very much to the public attention.
“So Lonely” was also a hit single and continued that reggae sound. Sting has said he based it on Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry”. Not a bad inspiration for a great song. “Can’t Stand Losing You” was a further hit single from the album.
I absolutely loved this album when it came out. From the pop art style album cover to the brilliant music, which just fitted that late 70s period so well. It is still one of my favorite albums. And look at what they went on to achieve with their follow-up albums too.
Roxy Music - Roxy Music
Another self-titled album, had these bands no imagination for titles? Roxy Music, to be fair, put all theirs into innovative avant-garde music and this opening album. It set the tone for more stylish art rock groups to follow.
Released in June 1972, there were nine tracks written by Bryan Ferry. Brian Eno and his synth created some unique sounds, often to match something Ferry had described. With Phil Manzanera on guitar and Andy McKay’s sax, all backed by bass and drums from Graham Simpson and Paul Thompson, then overlaid with that smooth crooning voice of Ferry, it was quite a combination.
There wasn’t a single on the first release of the album. But “Virginia Plain” was released a couple of months later hitting number four in the UK singles chart. The song helped give the album a helpful boost in interest and sales and was added to later versions of the album.
Roxy Music is full of a variety of music but all linked neatly in a distinctive manner. Have a listen to “Ladytron” if you want a buzz from Eno’s synth, some great guitar licks along with Ferry’s unmistakable voice. Or “If There Is Something” which has a country rock undertone. “Would You Believe” is a great rock and roll tune with bar room piano keeping it moving along.
This first album got to number 10 in the UK charts, and while not a hit in the US, later albums and some singles did achieve modest success there. It kicked off an amazing run of success for the band and inspired others. Plus of course several accomplished solo careers for Ferry, Eno, and Manzanera in particular.
Television - Marquee Moon
Now for some harder-hitting guitar-based post-punk rock. Marquee Moon is one of the most influential albums providing a legacy for other top bands and music to follow. That’s pretty impressive for a debut album that sold poorly in the band's US homeland.
It didn’t even touch the Billboard 200. The main commercial success was in the UK with 100,000 sales and a 28 slot in the album charts there. But sales aren’t everything in measuring success. That’s so true for Marquee Moon.
Television released the album in February 1977. It wasn’t heavy on recording time, much of Marquee Moon being taped live in the studio, often in one take. That adds to the fresh, raw, and simple sound of the songs.
Linking back to that Roxy Music album, Television decided against using some demos produced by Brian Eno for them. Despite Eno’s great work in the New York scene in the 1970s, the band didn’t feel the demos had the sound they wanted.
Television had been around New York for some time but left behind their punk roots for this record. It was more musical, less power chords and plenty of rock tones. In terms of influence, The Smiths, Joy Division, U2, and Pixies, amongst many others, are all cited as following on from Tom Verlaine’s edgy, jangly guitars on this album. It may even have been a very early forerunner of indie rock, certainly, the album stands the test of time and easily fits that category now.
Despite those low sales, the quality and legacy of Marquee Moon are evident. The album frequently appears on top-ranking album lists, Rolling Stone, for example, placing it at 128 on their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2003. All in all, a pretty impressive debut album of its time.
The Cars - The Cars
A switch in style now, but yet another self-titled and outstanding debut disc. This one from The Cars was very successful, six times platinum in the US, up to number 18 in the Billboard 200 and 139 weeks in that chart. A number 29 position in the UK, double platinum in both Australia and Canada, and platinum in New Zealand. A triumphant success all around.
The Cars took on power pop and added in synths and lots of rock guitar to make an exciting blend of alt-rock. Released in June 1978 the album showcased new wave music superbly. They had Roy Thomas Baker as producer, fresh from his success with Queen’s first four albums. Baker had signed up to produce four albums for the band after seeing them live in a Boston school gymnasium. That must have been some gig!
This first album had three hit singles including "Just What I Needed", "My Best Friend's Girl", and "Good Times Roll”, but there were other standout tracks like “Bye Bye Love” an old favourite written a few years earlier and “Moving In Stereo” which were both well-known songs at the time. Lead guitarist Elliot Easton rated the album highly, referring to it being like their greatest hits. There were plenty of other hits to follow, but this was an amazing and very successful album, especially as a debut.