The Top 3 Debut Albums of All Time

Rarely, a band or an artist strikes gold on their first effort. A genre or the use of an instrument can be completely redefined by the release of one album. Though it rarely happens and it hasn't really happened since the year 2000 a debut album can be special and set an artist up for life and solidify their legacy before it has really begun. These 3 albums have done just that. They have created something new and unique for its time and mean a great deal to me. These are my top 3 debut albums of all time.


3. Van Halen - Van Halen, 1978

This albums is hard enough to avoid on your regular top 10 albums list, because it launched a new genre. Van Halen lifted the guitar up to new heights and cleared a path for all the glam and heavy 80's rock that sprung up during the 1980's. Eddie Van Halen spawned a generation of guitar players who were adventures and experimenting. Though it wasn't unique in every way. Van Halen started the Heavy Rock movement that lasted up until the early 90's and are still to this day touring the world with their many hits. David Lee Roth was sort of a mix of David Coverdale and Steven Tyler. A good looking guy with a lot of energy, way to loose hips and a good voice. He took it up a notch and his act on stage was one of the first really flamboyant lead singers, but he still didn't take to much focus of the music like Cloverdale and Tyler still do to this day. The album is quit varied in a way, cause some of the songs are different, though they share the same backbone. Running With The Devil is much harder and more thumping then Dance the night away, And Eruption is of course Eruption. This album also meant that guitar driven music could be bought by everybody. It became more mainstream and broad. This album has that in common with the next album on this list.

2. Toto - Toto, 1978

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Thank god for Steve Lukather. He is one of a few beacons in the pitch black darkness known as modern popular music! The first time he appeared for real was on Toto's self titled debut album in 1978. This album was the launch pad for a future pop/rock giant that would set the pace and standard for the next 25 years or so. Tot shows what the band was and still is capable of right from the first album. You got the swinging and groovy pop songs, the classic stadium rock song and regular pop/rock songs with that jazzy feel to em. The highlights on the album start of with I'll Supply the Love where Steve Lukather starts things of with a funk style riff a bit like Long Train' Runnin' with the Doobie Brothers. When you hear those chords you someway know the song even though it's the first time you hear it. The chorus is easy to learn and before you know it your yelling on the top of your longs along with Bobby Kimball. The fact that Toto was a group of session musicians who formed a band together is essential because the band is so tight and knows what they have to do when recording. That awareness and attention to detail was gonna prove to be a way to stardom come 1982 but that's another story. Georgy Porgy is a slow and groovy song whit a bit of funk pop to it. It's rather straight forward and has that great groove that makes you wanna boogie to it. It's almost like it's an Earth Wind and Fire song but with Steve Lukather on vocals. The Anthem of the album is of course the classic rock monster Hold the Line. Apart from being one of the best and most recognizable riffs of all time it holds all the Toto traits: Great choir, fine lyrics, The band working as a well oiled machine and a killer solo. The fact that the song starts of with piano makes it just that bit different and more interesting in the beginning. But that riff, oohhh my. How do you write something like dad and that solo when you're 21 years old? I don't get it. Steve Lukather does though and thank god for that. The Chorus is again one you can just yell out loud and it doesn't matter if you don't really know the lyrics. The solo is what will turn out to be vintage Lukather and it just completes what is an amazing song and a great album.


1. Christopher Cross - Christopher Cross, 1979

Christopher Cross is a relatively new thing for me. I knew Ride Like the Wind because it's in Anchorman 2 but one day I was watching a family Guy episode and this soft, gentle and beautiful song was played during a montage and a new world opened up in front of me. This album was one of the first to be recorded entirely digital and had what I would call an all-star personnel. Christopher Cross was totally unknown before this album but Michael McDonald toke him in and the result is unique. Christopher Cross created a soft-rock sound unlike any other at the time and the production is so clean and fluid it's unbelievable. You got Eric Johnson and Steve Lukather on guitar, Tommy Taylor on drums, Michael McDonald on backing vocals, Lenny Castro on percussion and so on and the result is out of this world. Ride Like the Wind is the odd song out because it's classic Rock and Roll and it's such a cool song with McDonald on backing vocals and the run away feel you get from the lyrics and overall sound. But the gem of the album is of course Sailing. Sailing might be the best production I've ever heard of a song. You float in on a pillow of strings and carried further on by an Eric Johnson style chorus smothered guitar and Castro's chimes. Christopher Cross' vocals are velvet smooth. The way the chorus peeks just a bit and the comes back down is spectacular. The lyrics just add to the sensation you get of almost flying or drifting away. The part after the second chorus where everything gets a little bit more fusion based is vintage Eric Johnson chording and it fits the song to a key. Though Cristhopher Cross didn't do a whole lot more after this album I take the liberty of including Arthur's Theme into this album because it's a single release in between albums. Arthur's Theme is the soundtrack to the movie Arthur and it's such a great pop song with an amazing sing along chorus and feel good vibe to it. So soft and yet still with a bit of edge in the power Christopher Cross sings it in. You of course get a saxophon solo to top it off but it's the chorus that makes me want to comeback time and time again. From 1979 to 1981 Christopher Cross was the best singer-songwriter on the planet and his first album is a soft-rock masterpiece. And if you pull Arthur's Theme into the account it is just spectacular.




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