Best debut album by a British solo artist.....

caught tracy chapman in car the other day, said to mrs, what on earth went wrong there.

brilliant debut album..




kate bush...?


not british but terrence trent darby, great first album.

Isn't Tracy Chapman American?

Probably why blackburn doesn't often start freds

Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Ozz

seems every solo artist i can think of was previously in  band which to me isn't really a debut album   

it's still them singing with different musicians behind them 

Beverley Craven . A great set and well produced .

Stormzy - gang signs + prayer

1. Peter Gabriel - 'Peter Gabriel'
2. Seal - 'Seal'
3. Tim Blake - 'Crystal Machine'

five leaves left- nick drake
lifes a riot- billy bragg

I can only add two more - an authentic list is surprisingly short.
Maybe less than 10 albums.

Elvis Costello - 'My Aim Is True' 
Kate Bush - 'The Kick Inside'

Bubbling under - PJ Harvey - 'Dry'

The Golden Age Of Wireless by Thomas Dolby

The Smiths by the Smiths

life's a riot (with spy vs spy) - billy bragg

Diamond life Sade
You're safe Maxi Priest
Dim the lights Winston Reedy

'Diamond Life' is a good shout, that wouldn't appear on many critics lists.

Good taste,good manners and self respect in all aspects of my existence are my code and my watchword poppydog.enjoy the festivities and back the Morrison stables runners on boxing day. Good luck

"Comedy" by Black is an absolute gem of an album.

Yes it was but it wasn't his debut album. While I'm being pedantic,The Smiths and Sade are both groups.

The Magical World of the Strands - michael head

Always thought Tracy Chapman was a Joan Armatrading clone but not as good, so i offer Joan Armatrading with the timeless "Love and Affection" as the single from it.

Neil Young-Neil Young.

Surprised there has been no mention of Tubular Bells yet.

Dry by PJ Harvey.

Harvey was being built up in the music press and I had gone out of my way not to listen to anything until I got my hands on the album.

I remember buying it and then heading off for a pint or six before making my way home.
I then proceeded to lie down in a darkened room to listen to it.

It blew me away.
It was that very rare instance of having discovered a totally unique sound.

Saw her play in Glasgow at Barrowlands and it was a similarly incredible experience.
Close your eyes and you'd never believe that there were only three musicians on stage, the range of sound was remarkable, so big and powerful.

If you don't own a PJ Harvey album, you really should, in fact you should own at least three.
A quite remarkable body of work.

Dry
Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea
Let England Shake   

Debut album plus two Mercury Prize winners.

Lily Allen

Thanks for the posts, chaps.   Didnt realise Tracy was American, but didnt really mean British either so didnt matter.   Some fine choices on here, working my way thru the few I had not heard.  Nick Drake's Fives Leaves Left a great selection - I bought it on the day it came out. Not many bought it at all unfortunately.

May I add "The Madcap Laughs" by Syd Barrett. Bought that one too.     It think I also bought Kevin Ayers first album but can't recall what it was.

Natalie Merchant - Tigerlily.   SAN Andreas fault , Wonder, Beloved wife , what an opening 3 tracks ! and others like jealousy

very talented much moreso than others better known , think her style was copied a lot .
( American not British )

A fine album, but a bit of a stretch when an artist has already been in a successful band to refer to a subsequent solo release as a debut album.
No doubt though that you are one of the ten thousand that Natalie had in mind

Ian Dury : 'New Boots and Panties'

Still miles better than most of the competition.

Clicked on this thread to add The Madcap Laughs, and the OP returns to beat me to it.

For a genuine GB solo debut (i.e. no prior band to get chucked out of) I'd nominate Patrik Fitzgerald's debut 1977 EP Safety Pin Stuck In My Heart.

John Lennon

Screaming......