I am a firm believer that albums are one of the most intricate forms of art. To curate a cohesive collection of music is to pour the heart and soul of the artist into something tangible that can impact people in ways beyond comprehension. They have the power to tell stories, explain relationships, call for action, persuade a certain mood, or depict any other message the artist desires. I hold a particular bias toward alternative rock, but I enjoy every genre. In addition, I believe that there is no purer form of music than an artist’s first full-length album: it encompasses the artist’s hopes for their career, showcases the music that made them pursue their dream, and the artist hasn’t created a specific brand for themselves yet. In no particular order, here are my favorite debut albums that are so good that every song is unskippable.
“Hesitant Alien” (Gerard Way)
Standout song: “Brother”
I go through phases where I remember that this album exists, listen to it on repeat for weeks, and then forget about it again. Gerard Way, frontman of My Chemical Romance, released this album after the MCR split, but before he shifted his focus to other non-musical projects. “Hesitant Alien” became an established era of Way’s career, identified by his signature bright red hair and equally bright blue suit. Every song fits Way’s voice beautifully while showcasing his ability to seamlessly shift between music styles. I chose “Brother” as the standout song for this album because of the raw emotion it exhibits. The song explores the deep bond between Way and his younger brother, MCR bassist Mikey Way, and the heartbreak that would come with losing him. As someone who has a similar sibling bond, thinking too hard about this song makes me cry like a baby.
“Chroma” (Mt. Eddy)
Standout song: “Chroma”
The boys of Mt. Eddy, currently known as Ultra Q, wrote and released this album in high school. While their discography has grown more mature with each subsequent project, this album holds a special place in my heart for the heavy drums, shredding guitar riffs, and barely-comprehensible breathy vocals. The album’s titular song is a whopping eight minutes long, but never lets go of the listener’s attention as it shifts between angry riffs, heavy cimball-smashing, curious baselines, and high, pleading lyrics.
“My Guardian Angel” (Ultra Q)
Standout song: “Wrip”
I have already written a full-length article about how much I love this album. Released in June 2023, Ultra Q’s debut album is well rounded, catchy, and experimental. Every song has a unique sound that highlights a different band member’s abilities. I highly recommend this album for anyone looking for modern alternative-punk music with a hint of synth influence. Check out my full review HERE.
“Take This to Your Grave” (Fall Out Boy)
Standout songs: “Tell That Mick He Just Made My List of Things to Do Today” and “The Patron Saint of Liars and Fakes”
Just to get it out of the way, this is my favorite Fall Out Boy album and I couldn’t only pick one standout song. It is quintessential middle school emo, putting bassist Pete Wentz’ songwriting ability and frontman Patrick Stump’s vocal range on full display. I love that every song is fast and angry while maintaining its own identity. I could roll the windows down in my car and blast the entire album, singing every word until my voice gives out (or my car runs out of gas). “Take This to Your Grave” is nostalgic yet timeless, perpetually relating to the internal rage I held onto throughout my youth.
“Harry Styles” (Harry Styles)
Standout song: “Two Ghosts”
Like “Hesitant Alien,” I often forget about this album for months at a time. I remember when this album first came out and how shocked I was with the direction Styles chose for his solo career. “HS1,” as it is affectionately called, was a breath of fresh air after the One Direction era, allowing Styles to explore different styles of music creation and production that didn’t suit the boy band. While many would consider “Kiwi” to be the standout track for the hard turn from pop to an almost classic rock feel, but “Two Ghosts” has stood the test of time as my favorite Harry Styles solo song. It is gentle, intimate and creates a sense of longing.
One of the factors that draws me to debut albums is that the artists are just starting their career, so the music is much more creative and experimental. In addition, the artist hasn’t built a public image for themselves yet, so they have more creative freedom to experiment with what works best for them. Because of that, it’s rare for the songs to sound similar and thus provides a deeper relationship with the music as well as the artist themselves.