...and Young Manhood, by the incomparable Kings of Leon.

"I do not want what i have not got" was Sinead O'Connor, wasn't it. Ver Monkeys had 'whatever people say i am, that's what i'm not"

Now that you've reduced it to stuff i've bought since i started buying records, it's tricky enough; most bands need a few albums before they really hit their stride. Agree with you on 'young soul rebels'...always thought that 'tell me when my light turns green' is worth the price of admission alone.

it's quite modern, but I can still put on 'Hot Fuss' by the Killers and get one hell of a kick from it. They nailed down the idea of opening with a dynamite track and not letting up, although it might be a bit too front loaded.

Definitely Maybe, as a manifesto of 'here's what we are and here's what we're gonna do' was quite good too. A shame that the 'sis didn't live up to their promise, but taken on its own merits, it's not a bad LP.

As a slightly off the beaten track album, i'd plump for 'Thunder Lightning Strike' by The Go Team. The joke should have worn a bit thin by now, but it hasn't. I still grin from ear to ear as soon as the first track comes on...

By the Gang of Four. Not only the best album in the world ever, but it was their first.

Other contenders for best debut would have to be Elastica's self-titled album, Mlah by Les Negresses Vertes, Generation Terrorists by Manic Street Preachers, Frizzle Fry by Primus and Tubular Bells.

Does it count if someone has been successful in a band and then has a brilliant solo album? That would put Manu Chao, Mokobe and Suggs in the frame for me.

More recently... I would go along with the Arctic Monkeys and Killers

The Stone Roses debut is a flawless record.

...and that guy selling "Chanel No 5" off a bread tray on Oxford Street's not about to make a tenner off you.

two for thirty quid.
I'm not stupid you know.

...would be my vote for the greatest debut in my record buying lifetime (I've been buying records for a little over a decade).

It would also be pretty high up my list for all time greatest debut, or greatest album released in my record buying lifetime.

after my last effort was shot down in flames!
The Strokes.

Although all of the artists were already established in some sense...

Warren Zevon
Jackson Browne

and the winner is

Music From Big Pink

Just seen the 'record buying lifetime' caveat. Sorry, I ignored that.

...had a pretty good hit rate, when it came to magnificant debuts. Which was odd, considering it was the most singles-oriented musical movement since the early 60s. I'd put forward:

Wire - Pink Flag
The Stranglers - Rattus Norvegicus
XTC - White Music
The Clash - The Clash
Sex Pistols - Never Mind The Bollocks
Siouxsie and the Banshees - The Scream

All of the above shot out from the traps like thoroughbreds.

if so - Come on Pilgrim by Pixies gets my nod

and wasn't that Smiths album rather good?
and howsabout Murmur by REM (or the mini that preceded it - the name of which escapes me at the mo, but it had Gardening at Night on it)...

by er, The Undertones. No flab on that one.

'Outlandos D'Amour'...

I still play it often. (Jack Nitzsche, innit.)

Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd is the most rounded, electric and affirming debut album I've ever heard (this is the Classic Rock website isn't it?)

Honourable mentions,

The Smiths
The Stone Roses
Never Mind the Bollocks
Led Zeppelin 1
The Who - My Generation
Pink Floyd - Piper
De La Soul - 3ft High
Dexys - Searching for the Young Soul Rebels
Television
Patti Smith - Horses

Trouble is, perhaps only two of those artistes above, ever surpassed those debut records (Zep and The Smiths)

edit - ah - just seen the criteria - hook out those 60's ones!

.....until they do, if you will. I think, however, the shock of (a) new sound is often sufficient to "better" later and more polished material. I can think of quite a few artists whose first album is my favourite, even if not necessarily perceived as their best.
My aim is true/Elvis Costello
Trespass/Genesis
Moving Hearts/Moving Hearts
I want to see the bright lights etc/R&L Thompson.
But, as pedants will point out, none of these are debuts, merely first received by the artist in that form, there often being previous musical ventures.

Amazing album with four or five great singles. I think of it as a female companion piece to Lloyd Cole's "Rattlesnakes" album. Probably the best album released in the last ten years.

Nowhere - Ride
Lexicon Of Love - ABC
LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem
Scissor Sisters - Scissor Sisters
Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
Anniemal - Annie
Velvet Underground & Nico
The Stooges
Exit Planet Dust - Chemical Brothers
I Should Coco - Supergrass

I really know how to clear a room, eh?

If you don't own it SHAME ON YOU.

... a lot of great looking albums there. Time to get the bloody credit card out again.

Steely Dan - no duff track on there.

Black Sabbath was also better than most of the subsequent albums.
Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells - he didnt do anything better.

Ron Sexsmith - Ron Sexsmith.
Cherry Ghost.
Teardrop Explodes

I agree with many of the above - how's about Joe Jackson's "Look sharp" - lean as a butcher's dog and tight as a camel's arse. Totally different then as now. JJ may have been too eclectic for his own good sometimes, but his best is as good as anyone's (and better than most).

Incidentally, pub gig players - just added "Is she really going out with him" to the set - goes down a storm. Mind you it has got the best opening line in popular music.

There were loads of great albums in the early nineties by people who only ever made one, fr'instance:
Quality Street - World Of Twist
Electribal Memories - Electribe 101
Morning Dove White - One Dove

Soul II Soul - Club Classics Volume One

&

Massive Attack - Blue Lines

Dummy

As far as I'm concerned, there's nothing else that comes close. Until I think of something, that is.

I was born in 1971.

DJ Shadow
Charlatans
badly drawn boy
Elbow
La's
Doves

Blue Lines is a blinder, although perhaps suffers from being played too often in self-consciouly hip cafes and shops for about fifteen years.

I know Tori Amos splits opinions around here, but in my home, "Little Earthquakes" is thought to be a masterpiece.

Same applies to Nine Inch Nails "Pretty Hate Machine".

Given the love evident elsewhere on this site, it's surprising noone has mentioned The Kick Inside, by Kate Bush.

I'll also suggest Whatever (Aimee Mann) and Failer (Kathleen Edwards). Both excellent.

two from the Jersey shore:

I Don't Want To Go Home (Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes). Still fabulous.
Men Without Women (Little Steven). Packed full of great songs and horns.

and

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - first album.

The Doors by The Doors.

My personal nomination for absolutely awesome debut album has to be "August And Everything After" by Counting Crows. Still the best album the band have done by a country mile.

"Welcome To The Infant Freebase"

Swedish psych, punk, rock masterpiece! Think Love, Pink Floyd, The Who, Kinks, Stones all mixed up but still sounding fresh and modern. I reckon they should be every Word readers favourite band!

In their previous guise as Union Carbide Productions they also knocked out a killer debut of Punk Rock "In The Air Tonight".

Does a debut album become mightier purely on the grounds of the subsequent output?

Excellent first album - still listening to it.

Pampered Menial.

Still wonderful after 22 years.

Why has nobody mentioned One Step Beyond by Madness?

Or De La Soul's 3 Feet High And Rising?

Bugga!

Pipped to the post by the aforementioned Pink Flag & Pampered Menial.

I'll add The Heartbreakers, L.A.M.F & The Sunnyboys (you had to be there, but most likely weren't) -

These floridian youngsters should go far!
Seriously, a cracking good listen, Pettys best since Damn the Torpedoes. And if I were Steve Ferrone, current occupier of the Heartbreakers drumstool, I would look out, as the meat'n'potatoes style of Randall Marsh is well worth hanging on to, let alone Tom, bro' of Bernie, Leadon, no slim pickings on guitar.
And nice to see Mr Petty has shaken off that annoying Jeff Lynne fella, the Allan Jones of original musical stylisations.....

Has nobody has mentioned Echo and the Bunnymen´s Crodiles yet? No ? I guess it´s up to me then.

Daddy Tim would've been proud.

Grace by Jeff Buckley gets my vote.

Suede - Suede
Tigermilk - Belle & Sebastian
Lexicon of Love - ABC
Viva Hate - Morrissey
Arcade Fire - Funeral
Young Soul Rebels - Dexys
Soulmining - The The
Please - Pet Shop Boys

Fleet Foxes
Bon Iver: For Emma Forever Ago

and others not so recent:
The La's
Nick Drake: Five Leaves Left
Roxy Music
Brian Eno:Here Come the Warm Jets
King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King
Eels: Beautiful Freak
Jimi Hendrix: Are You Experienced