Is the first album always a fave of that band ?

It just struck me in the car while listening to Eye in the Sky, by Alan Parsons Project, that this album was my favourite of that band. It was also the first I heard.

It then struck me that several albums I own fall into this category :

ELP : Trilogy
Pink Floyd : Atom heart Mother
Camel : Rain Dances
Shakti : Handful of Beauty
Yes : Going for the One

etc etc.

Does this hold true for you my dear Hexites ?

If so, which album was the first you heard of a particular band, and subsequently became your favourite

Interesting question:) and in general I would agree. A lot though depends on some of the following factors relating to your discovery of the band;

1. Your age
2. Evolution of band and where they are in that cycle
3. Who introduces them to you (partners can have a disproportionate effect)

Case in point would be Voivod who I discovered early in my teens. But as a band, being decidedly experimental, they didn't really get into their stride till later. Rrröööaaarrr was the first album I heard but Dimension Hatröss is by far my favourite. I'd also discount greatest hits from the discussion as they're not an album in the traditional sense.

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Originally Posted by g8ina

Pink Floyd : Atom heart Mother
Camel : Rain Dances
Shakti : Handful of Beauty
Yes : Going for the One

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Nice to know you like the same bands as me - except I'd differ on the first listen hypothesis.

Rain Dances is one of the best Camel albums but I rate Snow Goose equally and I can't recall which I heard first.

The first Pink Floyd I heard was Wish You Were Here, although I can still feel the great excitement of then discovering Piper at The Gates of Dawn - as borrowed from the local library (itself a ground breaking thing in late 70s South Shields!).

As for Yes - Going for the One never beat Fragile for me, although I probably heard Tales from Topographic Oceans first.

Then again, the first Shakti I heard was in 1982 at Uni - Natural Elements, and it's still my favourite.

That said, the very first John Martyn I heard, Grace and Danger, has always been the best for - time, place, age, circumstance all conspire to make it that!

First albums I hear are often a favoured one, but not always THE favourite.
Gary Numan, Joan Jett, Alannah Myles, Tom Waits, Sisters Of Mercy... All my top artists, yet the first albums only got me interested and encouraged me to delve further into their catalogues...

In my experience, 1st albums are good, 2nd better, 3rd not good.

Similar to Track 8 on any CD/LP is always the best one...

Yeah, come to think of it there's a few for me...

Pink Floyd - Wish you were here
The Beatles - The White Album
Joan as police woman - Real Life
Faithless - Sunday 8PM
Beth Orton - Central Reservation

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Originally Posted by Smudger

In my experience, 1st albums are good, 2nd better, 3rd not good.

Similar to Track 8 on any CD/LP is always the best one...

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Ahh but this isnt about that Smudger. Its about the first album heard ;)

I do agree with you tho.

Its true in many cases Dave but there are some notable exceptions in my case.
NIN.Pretty Hate Machine wasn't the first I heard but currently my favourite.
Stephen Lynch. Three Balloons was the first actual album I heard (lots of individual songs previously) but Superhero is better IMO.
Metallica . The Black Album was first. RTL better

Then there is greatest hits which sadly can be the way you are introduced to a band. Queen GH 1 will always be in my top 10 but the songs are out of context.

Just on a side note. Appetite for Destruction was the first GnR album I heard. First album I bought. Still my favourite.

Ah, I see, I picked up completely the wrong thread.

In some cases, yes the first album I heard from a band has been my favourite - Depeche Mode - Songs of Faith and Devotion, Oasis - What's the Story, the Beatles - Hard Days Night. But then with Faithless, I heard Reverence/Irreverence first, but my fave is still Sunday 8pm, as someone mentioned previously.

In most cases, this is true for me. The first album that I heard from a band is what made me like them in the first place. Although it doesn't mean that the following albums aren't favored. Then there are a few cases in which I never liked the following albums.

My favorite band BOSTON was lucky with them as there first two albums were the best. Enjoyed every song on both albums

I think it largely depends on which album you happen to hear first. With Elbow, I heard their debut Asleep In The Back first, and nothing they have done since has come close for me. But with Beefheart, I heard Strictly Personal first. It is a great album, but I heard Trout Mask Replica a year later and for me it is still the best album ever created.

It is interesting how the output of a band varies over time, and which parts you like best. I have a friend who is (lke me) a fan of The Fall, but the Fall eras that we like best are very different.

It's most likely because after a couple of albums the artists change their style a little bit or at the very least pick up some influences from other artists/life experiences or simply because they feel like changing it up a bit(in the more drastic cases) such as Linkin Park. I loved their albums up to Minutes to Midnight after which I really couldn't get in to their music anymore.