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893 Essential Debut Albums

893 Essential Debut Albums

Thank you for taking the time to thoughtfully consider and then submit your list of your favorite debut albums of all time. It's from all those listener lists like yours that we have tabulated the results and compiled this, the 893 Essential Debut Albums, as chosen by you. Listen weekdays during our May member drive, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (CDT), as well as Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. CDT.

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  1. 100

    King Crimson:

    In the Court of the Crimson King
    King Crimson

  2. 101

    Heart:

    Dreamboat Annie
    Heart

  3. 102

    Counting Crows:

    August and Everything After
    Counting Crows

  4. 103

    Duran Duran:

    Duran Duran
    Duran Duran

  5. 104

    Queen:

    Queen
    Queen

  6. 105

    X:

    Los Angeles
    X

  7. 106

    Foo Fighters:

    Foo Fighters
    Foo Fighters

  8. 107

    The Rolling Stones:

    The Rolling Stones
    The Rolling Stones

  9. 108

    Blondie:

    Blondie
    Blondie

  10. 109

    Gang of Four:

    Entertainment!
    Gang of Four

  11. 110

    The Notorious B.I.G.:

    Ready to Die
    The Notorious B.I.G.

  12. 111

    Tom Waits:

    Closing Time
    Tom Waits

  13. 112

    Tears for Fears:

    The Hurting
    Tears for Fears

  14. 113

    The xx:

    xx
    The xx

  15. 114

    Lynyrd Skynyrd:

    (Pronounced Leh-'nerd 'Skin-'nerd)
    Lynyrd Skynyrd

  16. 115

    Wilco:

    AM
    Wilco

  17. 116

    John Prine:

    John Prine
    John Prine

  18. 117

    Sinead O' Connor:

    The Lion and The Cobra
    Sinead O' Connor

  19. 118

    The English Beat:

    I Just Can't Stop It
    The English Beat

  20. 119

    The Hold Steady:

    Almost Killed Me
    The Hold Steady

  21. 120

    Sade:

    Diamond Life
    Sade

  22. 121

    Modern Lovers:

    Modern Lovers
    Modern Lovers

  23. 122

    Massive Attack:

    Blue Lines
    Massive Attack

  24. 123

    Cream:

    Fresh Cream
    Cream

  25. 124

    Dead Kennedys:

    Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
    Dead Kennedys

  26. 125

    Public Enemy:

    Yo! Bum Rush the Show
    Public Enemy

  27. 126

    Steely Dan:

    Can't Buy a Thrill
    Steely Dan

  28. 127

    Otis Redding:

    Pain In My Heart
    Otis Redding

  29. 128

    Billie Eilish:

    When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
    Billie Eilish

  30. 129

    Kings of Leon:

    Youth and Young Manhood
    Kings of Leon

  31. 130

    Living Colour:

    Vivid
    Living Colour

  32. 131

    Elvis Presley:

    Elvis Presley
    Elvis Presley

  33. 132

    Missy Elliott:

    Supa Dupa Fly
    Missy Elliott

  34. 133

    Roxy Music:

    Roxy Music
    Roxy Music

  35. 134

    The Shins:

    Oh, Inverted World
    The Shins

  36. 135

    M.I.A.:

    Arular
    M.I.A.

  37. 136

    The Flying Burrito Brothers:

    The Gilded Palace of Sin
    The Flying Burrito Brothers

  38. 137

    The Stooges:

    The Stooges
    The Stooges

  39. 138

    Lenny Kravitz:

    Let Love Rule
    Lenny Kravitz

  40. 139

    Son Volt:

    Trace
    Son Volt

  41. 140

    Alanis Morissette:

    Jagged Little Pill
    Alanis Morissette

  42. 141

    Cheap Trick:

    Cheap Trick
    Cheap Trick

  43. 142

    Echo and the Bunnymen:

    Crocodiles
    Echo and the Bunnymen

  44. 143

    New Order:

    Movement
    New Order

  45. 144

    A Tribe Called Quest:

    People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm
    A Tribe Called Quest

  46. 145

    Uncle Tupelo:

    No Depression
    Uncle Tupelo

  47. 146

    Phoebe Bridgers:

    Stranger in the Alps
    Phoebe Bridgers

  48. 147

    Depeche Mode:

    Speak & Spell
    Depeche Mode

  49. 148

    Gorillaz:

    Gorillaz
    Gorillaz

  50. 149

    Courtney Barnett:

    Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
    Courtney Barnett

  51. 150

    Snoop Dogg:

    Doggystyle
    Snoop Dogg

  52. 151

    Fleet Foxes:

    Fleet Foxes
    Fleet Foxes

  53. 152

    The Jesus & Mary Chain:

    Psychocandy
    The Jesus & Mary Chain

  54. 153

    The Byrds:

    Mr. Tambourine Man
    The Byrds

  55. 154

    Lorde:

    Pure Heroine
    Lorde

  56. 155

    Crowded House:

    Crowded House
    Crowded House

  57. 156

    Little Richard:

    Here's Little Richard
    Little Richard

  58. 157

    The Specials:

    The Specials
    The Specials

  59. 158

    Soul Coughing:

    Ruby Vroom
    Soul Coughing

  60. 159

    Run-D.M.C.:

    Run-D.M.C.
    Run-D.M.C.

  61. 160

    The Beach Boys:

    Surfin' Safari
    The Beach Boys

  62. 161

    Janelle Monae:

    The ArchAndroid
    Janelle Monae

  63. 162

    Tool:

    Undertow
    Tool

  64. 163

    Dada:

    Puzzle
    Dada

  65. 164

    Pet Shop Boys:

    Please
    Pet Shop Boys

  66. 165

    Sugar:

    Copper Blue
    Sugar

  67. 166

    Suzanne Vega:

    Suzanne Vega
    Suzanne Vega

  68. 167

    Coldplay:

    Parachutes
    Coldplay

  69. 168

    Men At Work:

    Business as Usual
    Men At Work

  70. 169

    Alabama Shakes:

    Boys & Girls
    Alabama Shakes

  71. 170

    Big Audio Dynamite:

    This Is Big Audio Dynamite
    Big Audio Dynamite

  72. 171

    The Black Crowes:

    Shake your Money Maker
    The Black Crowes

  73. 172

    Erik B. and Rakim:

    Paid in Full
    Erik B. and Rakim

  74. 173

    The White Stripes:

    The White Stripes
    The White Stripes

  75. 174

    alt-J:

    An Awesome Wave
    alt-J

  76. 175

    LCD Soundsystem:

    LCD Soundsystem
    LCD Soundsystem

  77. 176

    Motley Crue:

    Too Fast for Love
    Motley Crue

  78. 177

    The Avalanches:

    Since I Left You
    The Avalanches

  79. 178

    Joan Jett:

    Bad Reputation
    Joan Jett

  80. 179

    Stone Temple Pilots:

    Core
    Stone Temple Pilots

  81. 180

    Dire Straits:

    Dire Straits
    Dire Straits

  82. 181

    CHVRCHES:

    The Bones of What You Believe
    CHVRCHES

  83. 182

    Frank Ocean:

    Channel Orange
    Frank Ocean

  84. 183

    Big Country:

    The Crossing
    Big Country

  85. 184

    Cocteau Twins:

    Garlands
    Cocteau Twins

  86. 185

    Wire:

    Pink Flag
    Wire

  87. 186

    New York Dolls:

    New York Dolls
    New York Dolls

  88. 187

    Elastica:

    Elastica
    Elastica

  89. 188

    Culture Club:

    Kissing to Be Clever
    Culture Club

  90. 189

    Brandi Carlile:

    Brandi Carlile
    Brandi Carlile

  91. 190

    Yaz (or Yazoo):

    Upstairs at Eric's
    Yaz (or Yazoo)

  92. 191

    The Sundays:

    Reading, Writing and Arithmetic
    The Sundays

  93. 192

    Red Hot Chili Peppers:

    Red Hot Chili Peppers
    Red Hot Chili Peppers

  94. 193

    Haim:

    Days are Gone
    Haim

  95. 194

    50 Cent:

    Get Rich or Die Tryin'
    50 Cent

  96. 195

    Pat Benatar:

    In the Heat of the Night
    Pat Benatar

  97. 196

    Stevie Ray Vaughan:

    Texas Flood
    Stevie Ray Vaughan

  98. 197

    The Pogues:

    Red Roses for Me
    The Pogues

  99. 198

    Descendents:

    Milo Goes to College
    Descendents

  100. 199

    Alice In Chains:

    Facelift
    Alice In Chains