Are These The Best Aus Debut Albums Of All Time?

A debut album says a lot about a band and Aussie acts sure have produced some stellar efforts over the years.

Double J reckon they’ve narrowed down the cream of the crop, revealing what they believe to be the 50 Best Australian Debut Albums, a countdown that is playing out via the station today and tomorrow.

Taking out the top spot on the list is The Avalanches with their seminal 2000 LP Since I Left You, while Missy Higgins 2004 debut, The Sound Of White, comes in at second place, followed by Tame Impala’s Innerspeaker (2010), Crowded House’s 1986 self-titled effort and Courtney Barnett’s Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit (2015) at #3, #4 and #5 respectively.

Rounding out the top 10 is The Living End’s 1998 self-titled debut at #6, The Saints’ (I’m) Stranded (1976) at #7, Sampa The Great’s The Return (2019) at #8, Clouds’ Penny Century (1991) at #9 and Gurrumul’s 2008 self-titled LP at #10.

Silverchair’s Frogstomp lands at #11, a record that new podcast Rewind gives a detailed oral history on.

“Hearing a brilliant new artist for the first time may be the purest musical experience we have,” Double J Music Editor Dan Condon said 

“To trim this list to just 50 records was a heartbreaking, frustrating, painstaking and, altogether difficult experience. But every record below has a spark that made Australia's ears prick up. It established careers, inspired more great art, and gave us reason to keep searching for that next great new discovery, even when we think we've heard it all.”

Other artist featured include Divinyls, Archie Roach, Jebediah, Jet, Grinspoon, PNAU, Thelma Plum, Gang Of Youths, Middle Kids and more.

Check out the full list here.