Breakthrough Albums!

[Sox]

I remember hearing Freewheelin' as a kid and was utterly blown away by it.

 

[Sox]

The Thin Lizzy album that gave them their big breakthrough in the USA IMO.

 

[rollingstoned]

The Doors first album "The Doors" was a breakthrough album for sure.

 

[Hardnecker]

I put a cover picture in your post for you Hardnecker.

Here's an old favorite of mine, bought it when it was released and because of "Taking Care of Business" it finally got BTO some airplay and they went on to great heights the next 3 years.

BTO II

Thanks for the cover. I haven't fooled around to figure out how to do that yet.

 

[Tommy Walker]

I remember hearing Freewheelin' as a kid and was utterly blown away by it.

That's the one I immediately thought of when I saw this thread. A breakthrough in several ways:

1. In the spirit of the thread, it put Dylan on the map, as it was worlds better than his previous (and first) release
2. It shifted the industry's collective attention more to lyrics by dealing with subjects that really hadn't been touched before (at least not by anything this mainstream)
3. Made the 6+ minute song a little more acceptable

 

[joe]

Great thread 440.

I hope it's OK to go off on a bit of a tangent here. I'm listing some albums that I think were a breakthrough album for a certain genre.


In The Court Of The Crimson King(1969)-King Crimson: The album that put progressive rock on the map. Though there was other previous albums that are classified as prog before this release it was ITCOTCK that solidified the genre.

The Soft Machine(1968)-The Soft Machine: It mixes and experiments jazz and English psychedelic rock to be a cornerstone for the Canterbury scene along with Caravan's s/t debut from the same year. Soft Machine's Third was also a foundation for the jazz-fusion genre as well.


Monster Movie(1969)-Can: Along with Amon Duul II's debut release Phallus Dei from the same year, with Can's debut were the foundation of Krautrock, a German avant-garde/experimental rock movement of the late '60's.


S.F. Sorrow(1968)-The Pretty Things: Though not a genre defining album, S.F. Sorrow was the first rock opera. Other artists soon followed like Tommy from The Who, Arthur by The Kinks, and Genesis' The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway right up to 2010 with Avantasia's The Wicked Symphony being one example.

 

[hawk11]

 

[Syd]

dookie by Green Day. Awesome album.

 

[Rocker440]

Rocker440 are we talking debut albums or the album that really catapulted the band ??

I think Demons And Wizards really put Uriah Heep onto another level even though it's their 4th album.



However I really rate the debut as well.

Either or possibly both, Sox. Any album that you believe to be the album that established a band as solid, or successful that also brought them success and/or recognition as a band or artist, in your opinion. Some breakthrough albums may be debuts or from another point throughout a bands career. Demons And Wizards is spot on, and the album that got my attention. From the first song through to the last, I like that album! Although I heard Look At Yourself before Demons And Wizards and I'd probably choose LaY as my choice for UH's breakthrough album.

There certainly are many great bands, albums and points for all of the albums posted here, and I both agree, and enjoy many of these same albums, too!

A couple more excellent, classic albums that were both breakthrough albums and albums that I was extremely impressed with when I first heard them, and remain favorites.



Spirit - Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus

Although I had heard a couple of other Spirit songs before Twelve Dreams, it was this Spirit album that caught my attention and I consider to be their breakthrough album! To this day I enjoy listening to this fantastic album, and thinking of many different things, places, times and people!



BTO - Not Fragile

I see that LG posted BTO - II! My choice, Not Fragile, is probably the same as many other folks. That album was both a breakthrough album, but also a tremendous success for BTO, imo! When Not Fragile was first released most of the people I knew at that time talked a lot about the album, with mostly praises about the great songs, music and how impressive the entire album was to many of them, and I certainly agreed then and do right now, too!



Blue Oyster Cult - S/T

The excellent debut album of Blue Oyster Cult hooked me when I first hear it many years ago, and in various good ways. Many of the songs impressed me then and are long time favorites now. I thoroughly enjoy this album and listen to it as often as possible, with much emphasis on volume, too!

hawk, Van Halen's debut is a fantastic breakthrough album, imo! The comments I made with regard to Not Fragile also applied to Van Halen's debut!

 

[taha]

this along with Ozzy's first, Kiss Destroyer and AC/DC Back n Black, all 4 made rockers out of people who never listened to rock.