Is the debut album usually the best? more substance!

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Airbus, May 17, 2018.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. California Couple

    California Couple dislike us on facebook

    Location:
    Newport Beach
    I will be the first to admit, there are a lot of bands I know nothing about.
     
  2. Luvtemps

    Luvtemps Forum Resident

    Location:
    P.G.County,Md.
    Not always,sometimes a group doesn't hit their stride until the third or fourth album.
     
    If I Can Dream_23 and Fullbug like this.
  3. The Pinhead

    The Pinhead KING OF BOOM AND SIZZLE IN HELL

    In my opinion, judging from my own record collection, the first is usually the one I like the most. The best ? Dunno about that.
     
  4. Timeaisis

    Timeaisis Forum Resident

    Location:
    Austin
    Some of my favorite bands second album is the best. Sometimes it takes some time to hit their stride. The first album usually is the freshest, but by the 2nd or 3rd the band has come together more as a group and identified their sound.

    Off the top of my head

    Zeppelin
    Sabbath
    Nirvana
    Queen
     
    Fullbug likes this.
  5. RBtl

    RBtl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toronto, Ontario
    It would be interesting to do some kind of comprehensive study on this, but I'm going to say generally, no. It would be kind of depressing to think that artists, in general terms, don't progress after their first effort.
     
  6. Szeppelin75

    Szeppelin75 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Panama
    Appetite for Destruction
    The best debut ever.
     
  7. Kevin j

    Kevin j The 5th 99

    Location:
    Seattle Area
    If your debut album is your best, you kind of blew it.
     
    c-eling likes this.
  8. elaterium

    elaterium Forum Resident

    I think Steppenwolf’s debut was their best album. Also Quicksilver Messenger Service. Also Chicago. Also Blood, Sweat and Tears.
    But those are probably in the minority.
     
    Last edited: May 17, 2018
  9. vinylontubes

    vinylontubes Forum Resident

    Location:
    Katy, TX
    Not if you're Radiohead. Their first album doesn't suck. But it's not up to par with the rest of their catalog despite having their biggest single in Creep.
     
  10. Dillydipper

    Dillydipper Space-Age luddite

    Location:
    Central PA
    Lessee, the way it usually goes, you take your whole life to put together your first album...second album is the usually-failed "sophomore", dashed-off-in-a-month album, third one is artist trying hard to not listen to anybody who gave him advice for the second album (usually good for one more hit single), then the record label drops you like a hot potato, and then, while nobody's paying any attention to you and you've almost given up your recording career altogether, your last-ditch effort is brilliant, full of genius, positive reviews out the wazoo...but of course it comes out on a tiny local label and generates no interest, and you go into fillmaking - or driving for a beer distributor - and you're never heard from again. Congratulations on that killer 4th album!

    Also, your order's up, for Table 8...:)
     
    Runicen likes this.
  11. Bathory

    Bathory 30 yr Single Malt, not just for breakfast anymore

    Location:
    usa
    usually yes. like pro sports stars, once they get the mega billion dollar deal, they go super lazy, and expect the money for not producing. same for bands.

    the first album is when they were very hungry, and give it their all. follow up albums sometimes get a push by producers..sonically.
     
  12. The first album was thus often great, the second lame, and the third and fourth where their sound really came together.
     
    Mark B. and RBtl like this.
  13. Kingsley Fats

    Kingsley Fats Forum Resident

    4 examples. 1 correct & you could debate that CSN&Y is the 2nd album. The other 3 are just wrong. F

    I've done the comprehensive study over a long & sustained period.
    The conclusion is that the answer is NO.
    Variations fall within normal deviation.
     
  14. chervokas

    chervokas Senior Member

    I think more often than not it's the opposite. First album at best offers a fresh idea in inchoate form, but is far from capturing an artist at his or her mature best.

    Is the Beatles first album their best album? Bob Dylan? The Rolling Stones? Beach Boys? James Brown? Sly Stone? Husker Du? Ornette Coleman? John Coltrane? Bill Evans? Neil Young? Aretha Franklin? Public Enemy? Beastie Boys? Adele? Beyonce? Frank Zappa? I mean you can go across all kinds of different genres. Sure, there are lot of all-time classic debut albums that broke the mold for an artist and stand as their first and best testament. But my guess is that if you totaled up all those instances and all the instances where that's not the case, the first-album, best-album cases would be a vast minority.
     
  15. AudiophilePhil

    AudiophilePhil Senior Member

    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    The sophomore album Chicago (aka Chicago II) is equally as good as the first Chicago album.
    To some people, the BS&T first album is their best but to a lot of people that I know, the self-tiled second album is better.
     
    Another Steve likes this.
  16. billnunan

    billnunan Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Hampshire
    America
     
  17. Thoughtships

    Thoughtships Forum Resident

    Location:
    Devon, UK
    The first album is rarely the best.
     
  18. eric777

    eric777 Astral Projectionist

    I’ve read online many times that the first album is usually the best ;however, in my opinion it’s usually not. Then again, what constitutes as the “best” is subjective.
     
  19. andy749

    andy749 Senior Member

    I often prefer the debut album. The band/artist lays down their essential sound before success goes to their heads and before they get too pompous and full of themselves :)

    First to come to mind...Led Zeppelin
     
    billnunan likes this.
  20. jimjim

    jimjim Forum Resident

    Not always:

    Bowie
    Lennon
    Lou Reed
    Prince
     
  21. ostrichfarm

    ostrichfarm Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    I think this is very often true of bands/artists that only release 2-4 albums. Maybe that means they just didn't have that many ideas to begin with?

    Anyway, off the top of my head, I'd name Phish, Nick Drake, and Happy the Man as artists that fit the bill, as well as Boards of Canada (not counting their earlier EPs and impossible-to-get self-released albums). For me, their discographies trend downhill over time, though in the case of Nick Drake that's very debatable.

    Many people might name Pink Floyd (I don't agree), Can (I also don't agree), or the Doors (I still don't agree but it's a close call on this one).

    I can also think of a bunch of indie bands that fit -- but I'd rather not name names since some are friends of mine! :D A lot of them put out one excellent album, though, and then dropped off sharply after that.

    (As I think about this it's also interesting how many bands defy the "sophomore slump" and have their second album as their best: Black Sabbath, Jefferson Airplane, Béla Fleck & the Flecktones...)

    Oh, Primus is another one -- I don't like any of their studio albums as much as I like the wild energy of Suck On This. Fans of the band will no doubt disagree, though. You could make an argument for the Police, too, but I think I prefer their second...
     
    Last edited: May 17, 2018
    mbleicher1 likes this.
  22. bcaulf

    bcaulf Forum Resident

    Broad question...really does depend. Some get it right on their debut and continue to improve, some peak with their debut, some have crap debuts. That's all I can say about that.
     
  23. mbleicher1

    mbleicher1 Tube Amp Curmudgeon

    Location:
    Washington, D.C.
    Generally I think the debut is the best when the artist’s biggest contribution has more to do with inventing a new sound or setting down a new attitude (Are you Experienced, for example). But for “songwriting” bands where there’s more growth...no way. Beatles, Dylan, Beach Boys, Who, Stones, Springsteen, Petty, Zeppelin—I just don’t buy that the first was the best.
     
    Marc Perman likes this.
  24. manco

    manco Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    Depends on the age of the group. If they're just starting out in the professional music business it's usually not the strongest effort. If they're a super-group it might be. However Queen were already mid 20s when 'Queen' dropped in 1973, but it would be far surpassed by later albums.
     
  25. manco

    manco Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    Or you can be The Mars Volta and hit it out of the park on the first try.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine