Double J have gone ahead and ranked the best 50 Aussie debut albums and they’re counting them down on the station today and tomorrow.
The whole month of September has seen Double J pay tribute to the humble debut album. Now, they’ve ranked the top 50, and are sharing the countdown with us. It’s kicking off right now on Tim Shiel’s lunchtime show with the first 20.
The countdown will continue tomorrow from 12pm as Caz Tran and Zan Rowe count down down the final 30 to 1 albums.
On the Best 50, Double J’s Music Editor, Dan Condon, says “Hearing a brilliant new artist for the first time may be the purest musical experience we have.
“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.”
The countdown sees The Avalanches, Missy Higgins, Tame Impala, Crowded House, and Courtney Barnett take out the top spots. Artists like Thelma Plum, Kasey Chambers, Flume, Regurgitator, and Christine Anu made the countdown too — you can catch the full list below.
The 50 Best Australian Debut Albums, According to Double J
1. The Avalanches — Since I Left You (2000)
2. Missy Higgins — The Sound of White (2004)
3. Tame Impala — Innerspeaker (2010)
4. Crowded House — Crowded House (1986)
5. Courtney Barnett — Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit (2015)
6. The Living End — The Living End (1998)
7. The Saints — (I’m) Stranded (1976)
8. Sampa The Great — The Return (2019)
9. Clouds — Penny Century (1991)
10. Gurrumul — Gurrumul (2008)
11. Silverchair — Frogstomp (1995)
12. Divinyls — Desperate (1983)
13. Flume — Flume (2012)
14. Wolfmother — Wolfmother (2005)
15. Kasey Chambers — The Captain (1999)
16. Archie Roach — Charcoal Lane (1990)
17. Hoodoo Gurus — Stoneage Romeos (1983)
18. Jebediah — Slightly Odway (1997)
19. Julia Jacklin — Don’t Let The Kids Win (2016)
20. Sunnyboys — Sunnyboys (1981)
21. Augie March — Sunset Studies (2000)
22. Jet — Get Born (2003)
23. Kev Carmody — Pillars Of Society (1988)
24. The Cat Empire — The Cat Empire (2003)
25. Grinspoon — Guide To Better Living (1997)
26. Washington — I Believe You Liar (2010)
27. Warumpi Band — Big Name, No Blankets (1985)
28. Radio Birdman — Radios Appear (1976)
29. Sarah Blasko — The Overture and the Underscore (2004)
30. PNAU — Sambanova (1999)
31. Skyhooks — Living In The ’70s (1974)
32. Baby Animals — Baby Animals (1991)
33. Christine Anu — Stylin’ Up (1995)
34. The Sleepy Jackson — Lovers (2003)
35. Regurgitator — Tu-Plang (1996)
36. Flowers — Icehouse (1980)
37. The Presets — Beams (2005)
38. Thelma Plum — Better In Blak (2019)
39. Eddy Current Suppression Ring — Eddy Current Suppression Ring (2006)
40. Falling Joys — Wish List (1990)
41. Pendulum — Hold Your Colour (2005)
42. Gang Of Youths — The Positions (2015)
43. Ruby Hunter — Thoughts Within (1994)
44. Ball Park Music — Happiness And Surrounding Suburbs (2011)
45. George — Polyserena (2002)
46. A.B. Original — Reclaim Australia (2016)
47. Katalyst — Manipulating Agent (2002)
48. D.D Dumbo — Utopia Defeated (2016)
49. Middle Kids — Lost Friends (2018)
50. Hiatus Kaiyote — Tawk Tomahawk (2012)
