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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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We couldn't do 893 Essential Debut Albums and other adventurous programming like this without your support.

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  1. 1

    Pearl Jam:

    Ten
    Pearl Jam

  2. 2

    Led Zeppelin:

    Led Zeppelin
    Led Zeppelin

  3. 3

    R.E.M.:

    Murmur
    R.E.M.

  4. 4

    Weezer:

    Weezer
    Weezer

  5. 5

    Beastie Boys:

    Licensed to Ill
    Beastie Boys

  6. 6

    Guns N Roses:

    Appetite For Destruction
    Guns N Roses

  7. 7

    Lauryn Hill:

    The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
    Lauryn Hill

  8. 8

    Arcade Fire:

    Funeral
    Arcade Fire

  9. 9

    Jimi Hendrix Experience:

    Are You Experienced
    Jimi Hendrix Experience

  10. 10

    The Cars:

    The Cars
    The Cars

  11. 11

    The Strokes:

    Is This It
    The Strokes

  12. 12

    The Clash:

    The Clash
    The Clash

  13. 13

    Bon Iver:

    For Emma, Forever Ago
    Bon Iver

  14. 14

    Elvis Costello:

    My Aim is True
    Elvis Costello

  15. 15

    Rage Against The Machine:

    Rage Against The Machine
    Rage Against The Machine

  16. 16

    U2:

    Boy
    U2

  17. 17

    Fiona Apple:

    Tidal
    Fiona Apple

  18. 18

    The Beatles:

    Please, Please Me
    The Beatles

  19. 19

    Nine Inch Nails:

    Pretty Hate Machine
    Nine Inch Nails

  20. 20

    Violent Femmes:

    Violent Femmes
    Violent Femmes

  21. 21

    The Velvet Underground:

    The Velvet Underground and Nico
    The Velvet Underground

  22. 22

    Liz Phair:

    Exile In Guyville
    Liz Phair

  23. 23

    The Killers:

    Hot Fuss
    The Killers

  24. 24

    Ramones:

    Ramones
    Ramones

  25. 25

    Nirvana:

    Bleach
    Nirvana

  26. 26

    Adele:

    19
    Adele

  27. 27

    Van Halen:

    Van Halen
    Van Halen

  28. 28

    Talking Heads:

    Talking Heads: 77
    Talking Heads

  29. 29

    Oasis:

    Definitely Maybe
    Oasis

  30. 30

    The Doors:

    The Doors
    The Doors

  31. 31

    Joy Division:

    Unknown Pleasures
    Joy Division

  32. 32

    Patti Smith:

    Horses
    Patti Smith

  33. 33

    Boston:

    Boston
    Boston

  34. 34

    Vampire Weekend:

    Vampire Weekend
    Vampire Weekend

  35. 35

    Pixies:

    Surfer Rosa
    Pixies

  36. 36

    Bruce Springsteen:

    Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.
    Bruce Springsteen

  37. 37

    Sex Pistols:

    Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols
    Sex Pistols

  38. 38

    Jeff Buckley:

    Grace
    Jeff Buckley

  39. 39

    Dr. Dre:

    The Chronic
    Dr. Dre

  40. 40

    Madonna:

    Madonna
    Madonna

  41. 41

    Black Sabbath:

    Black Sabbath
    Black Sabbath

  42. 42

    Bjork:

    Debut
    Bjork

  43. 43

    Devo:

    Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!
    Devo

  44. 44

    Florence and the Machine:

    Lungs
    Florence and the Machine

  45. 45

    The Go-Go's:

    Beauty and the Beat
    The Go-Go's

  46. 46

    Mumford and Sons:

    Sigh No More
    Mumford and Sons

  47. 47

    N.W.A:

    Straight Outta Compton
    N.W.A

  48. 48

    The B-52's:

    The B-52's
    The B-52's

  49. 49

    The Police:

    Outlandos d'Amour
    The Police