Pick a Day

Music History Events: Debut Albums

August 14, 2007 After finding success as a songwriter in Nashville (Billy Currington's "Good Directions," Travis Tritt's "My Honky Tonk History"), Luke Bryan releases his debut album, I'll Stay Me, at age 31.

October 24, 2006 Taylor Swift releases her self-titled debut album, a collection of country-pop tunes the singer wrote during her freshman year of high school. Led by the Top 20 single "Tim McGraw," it peaks at #5 on the Albums chart and becomes the longest-charting album of the 2000s in the US, logging 157 weeks by 2009.

May 15, 2006 Dubstep artist Burial releases his debut album, Burial, the first full-length album released through Kode9's Hyperdub Records. It's an attempt to capture the feeling of 2000s London late at night, and the album cover features an aerial view of South London. The logo, which later becomes Burial's signature, represents a pirate radio signal.More

February 14, 2006 The Veronicas' debut studio album, The Secret Life of..., is released in the US.

April 5, 2005 Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas releases his debut solo album, …Something To Be, featuring the Top 10 hit "Lonely No More."More

September 14, 2004 The seven-member Canadian band Arcade Fire release their debut album, Funeral. It gets lots of positive press and sells very well over the next decade as the band make a steady rise.

April 13, 2004 Crossfade release their self-titled debut album. The profanities on the album are censored, but the band are unable to release an explicit version due to lack of funds.

February 10, 2004 Kanye West, known for producing tracks on Jay-Z's 2001 album The Blueprint, releases his debut album, The College Dropout.More

December 26, 2003 Matthew West releases his major label debut album, Happy. The lead single, "More," tops the Christian chart.

October 20, 2003 Amy Winehouse, 20, issues her first album, Frank, in the UK. It doesn't appear in America until 2007.

September 14, 2003 Jet release their debut album, Get Born, on Elektra Records. Leading the Australian invasion of the early 2000's with bands like The Vines, the album would go on to sell well over three million copies. The title is lifted from the lyrics of Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues."

May 6, 2003 Fall Out Boy release their debut album, the pop-punk effort Take This To Your Grave.

April 8, 2003 Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley, releases her first solo album, To Whom It May Concern. It debuts at #5 in America.

February 6, 2003 50 Cent drops his major-label debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin', a joint release on Eminem's Shady Records and Dr. Dre's Aftermath label. It includes two #1 hits: "In Da Club" and "21 Questions."

October 5, 2001 Reba McEntire's TV show Reba premieres on the WB network. The show runs for 6 seasons.

September 11, 2001 The Strokes' debut album, Is This It, drops on vinyl in the US. It contains the song "New York City Cops," an anthem against police brutality. The defiant track is removed from the forthcoming CD release in light of the terrorist attacks and the valiant response of the NYPD.

January 23, 2001 Jack Johnson releases his debut album, Brushfire Fairytales, which sells over a million copies and establishes him as a leading light in the mellow surf-rock movement.

October 31, 2000 Lifehouse release their debut album, No Name Face. The first single, "Hanging By a Moment," takes off, becoming the most-played song on American radio in 2001.

October 24, 2000 Linkin Park release their debut album, Hybrid Theory. Bolstered by the hit "In The End" and the Grammy Award-winning "Crawling," it becomes the best-selling album of 2001.More

September 26, 2000 Good Charlotte release their self-titled debut album.

July 10, 2000 Coldplay release their debut album, Parachutes, in their native UK (it isn't issued in America until November 7). Featuring the singles "Yellow" and "Trouble," it becomes a global smash.

June 27, 2000 Nelly releases his debut album, Country Grammar, with the hit "Ride Wit Me." It's one of the few rap albums to go Diamond, selling over 10 million copies in America.

June 6, 2000 Rascal Flatts release their self-titled debut album on the new Disney imprint, Lyric Street Records. It sells over 2 million copies in America, the first of five consecutive multi-Platinum albums for the band.

July 19, 1999 Lou Bega releases his debut album, A Little Bit of Mambo.

June 1, 1999 Brad Paisley releases his debut album, Who Needs Pictures, which features his first pair of #1 country hits: "He Didn't Have To Be" and "We Danced."More

June 1, 1999 Ja Rule releases his debut album, Venni Vetti Vecci, featuring the hit single "Holla Holla."More

June 1, 1999 Dido releases her debut album, No Angel, in America. It takes off at the end of 2000 after Eminem samples her song "Thank You" on his hit "Stan."

June 30, 1998 System Of A Down release their frantic self-titled debut album. The singles "Sugar" and "Spiders" earn airplay on rock radio and MTV, and as the band builds a following through touring, it goes on to sell over a million copies in America.

May 19, 1998 After signing with DreamWorks Records thanks to the demo tape his dad, Loudon Wainwright III, passed on to the label, Rufus Wainwright releases his self-titled debut album. A standout track is "Baby," which showcases his opera influence.

May 19, 1998 DMX releases his debut album, It's Dark And Hell Is Hot, featuring "Ruff Ryders' Anthem," produced by the up-and-coming Swizz Beatz. It debuts at #1 in America.