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'Elvis Presley' (1956) -

The King released his self-titled debut album in 1956, and the rest is (rock 'n' roll) history. Elvis Presley's versions of songs like 'Blue Suede Shoes' and 'Tutti Frutti' catapulted him into stardom.

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'The Beatles' (1968) -

'The Beatles' is colloquially known as the 'White Album' because of its cover. The double LP features numerous Beatles classics, including 'Back in the U.S.S.R.,' 'Dear Prudence,' 'Blackbird,' and 'Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,' to name a few.

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'Rage Against the Machine' (1992) -

RATM's debut album is largely considered one of the best albums of the '90s. The record features the band's iconic track 'Killing in the Name.'

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'Madonna' (1984) -

With tunes such as 'Holiday' and 'Lucky Star,' it's easy to see why 'Madonna' is one of the greatest self-titled pop albums of all time.

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'The Doors' (1967) -

The band's debut album is regarded as one of their finest. Tunes such as 'Break on Through (To the Other Side),' 'Light My Fire,' and 'The End' turned 'The Doors' into an instant classic.

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'Foo Fighters' (1995) -

This was Dave Grohl's first release after the death of Kurt Cobain and the end of Nirvana. Songs such as 'This Is a Call,' 'I'll Stick Around,' and 'Big Me' were proof that the Foo Fighters were also a great rock band.

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'Metallica' (1991) -

Most fans will know Metallica's 1991 release as the 'Black Album,' because of the cover. This was the album that catapulted the band into the mainstream. Songs such as 'Enter Sandman' and 'Nothing Else Matters,' among others, made the band's fifth album one of the best-selling albums worldwide (it went 16x platinum in the US alone).

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'Van Halen' (1978) -

Eddie Van Halen revolutionized guitar playing, and this album marks the moment it happened. The album features the jaw-dropping 'Eruption' guitar solo, and tunes like 'Runnin' with the Devil' and a cover version of The Kinks' 'You Really Got Me.'

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'Sheryl Crow' (1996) -

Sheryl Crow's second studio album reached triple platinum. Singles such as 'If It Makes You Happy' made the album a huge success.

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'The Stooges' (1969) -

Proto-punk rockers Iggy Pop and the Stooges released their eponymous album in 1969. Songs such as 'I Wanna Be Your Dog' and 'No Fun' forged the path to the punk rock of the '70s.

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'Black Sabbath' (1970) -

In 1970, the godfathers of heavy metal released their debut album, 'Black Sabbath.' The English quartet took heavy blues-rock to a whole new level with songs such as 'Black Sabbath' and 'Evil Woman.'

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'The Clash' (1977) -

The English punk rockers' self-titled debut album tackled themes such as unemployment and class divides. The Clash's eponymous record is a punk rock classic.

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'Kiss' (1974) -

Kiss released two albums in 1974. Their eponymous debut featured classics such as 'Strutter,' 'Deuce,' and 'Black Diamond,' to name a few.

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'The Velvet Underground & Nico' (1967) -

At a time where bands were writing music about flowers and peace, The Velvet Underground & Nico were addressing much darker themes, including drugs and BDSM. The album cover artwork, with the famous peeling banana by Andy Warhol, made this album even more special.

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'Janet' (1993) -

Janet Jackson has two self-titled albums. The first one was released in 1982, which was a hit on R&B charts. But Jackson's second eponymous album, from 1993, was a huge commercial success worldwide. The single 'That's the Way Love Goes' peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

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'Dire Straits' (1978) -

The Dire Straits' self-titled debut includes the band's hit single 'Sultans of Swing.'

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'Aerosmith' (1973) -

Aerosmith's debut album featured one of the band's most iconic ballads: 'Dream On.'

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'Blur' (1997) -

Blur's fifth album features some of the band's finest songs, including 'Beetlebum' and 'Song 2,' the latter which was originally written as a joke and yet became one the group's most popular releases.

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'Duran Duran' (1981) -

The English band's eponymous debut album includes songs such as 'Girls on Film,' 'Careless Memories,' and 'Planet Earth.'

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'Boston' (1976) -

Boston's eponymous release is one of the best-selling albums of all time (over 17 million copies were sold in the US alone). The record features the classic rock anthem 'More Than a Feeling.'

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'Garbage' (1995) -

After producing some of the '90s greatest records, Butch Vig decided to put together his own band. Garbage's debut album was a huge success, with songs like 'Stupid Girl,' 'Vow,' and 'Only Happy When It Rains' being very well received by critics and the public alike.

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'New York Dolls' (1973) -

The New York Dolls released their self-titled debut in 1973. The energetic mix of punk rock and glam was a breath of fresh air. Songs like 'Personality Crisis,' 'Trash,' and 'Jet Boy' are  some of the band's greatest classics.

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'Gorillaz' (2001) -

Songs like 'Clint Eastwood' and '19-2000' earned Damon Albarn's band a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records as the "Most Successful Virtual Band."

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'Whitesnake' (1987) -

David Coverdale and co. took over MTV and the world with their 1987 eponymous album. It features classics such as 'Still of the Night,' 'Here I Go Again '87,' and 'Is This Love.'

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'Foreigner' (1977) -

With singles like 'Feels Like the First Time,' 'Cold as Ice' and 'Long, Long Way from Home,' it's easy to see how this is one of the greatest self-titled albums of all time.

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'Led Zeppelin' (1969) -

In 1969, the world was introduced to one of the greatest rock bands of all time, via their self-titled album 'Led Zeppelin.' The opening guitar riff of 'Communication Breakdown' is instantly recognizable.

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'Ramones' (1976) -

The formula was simple: play rock 'n' roll as fast as you can! The Ramones certainly delivered this with their 1976 self-titled debut album. The punk rock classic 'Blitzkrieg Bop' is one of the great songs you'll find on this record.

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'The Stone Roses' (1989) -

This album is like listening to a "greatest hits" compilation by Ian Brown and co. The Manchester band went on to influence numerous music artists with songs like 'I Wanna Be Adored,' 'Waterfall,' and 'She Bangs the Drums,' to name a few.

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'Fleetwood Mac' (1975) -

The are two 'Fleetwood Mac' albums with the same name. The first one is the 1968 debut album that's also known as 'Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac.' And then there's the 1975 album, which was the first one with Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, which went seven times platinum in the US. It's also known as 'The White Album.'

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'Weezer' (1994) -

Weezer's self-titled album, aka the 'Blue Album' (because of the cover), is the band's most iconic release, including singles such as 'Buddy Holly' and 'Say It Ain't So.'

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'Skid Row' (1989) -

At a time where hair metal was going pop, Skid Row put back the dirt in rock 'n' roll. Hit singles such as 'Youth Gone Wild,' '18 and Life,' and the power ballad 'I Remember You' helped the record hit five times platinum in the US.

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'The Smiths' (1984) -

The self-titled debut album by The Smiths reached number two on the UK Albums Chart. The US version of the album featured one of the band's biggest hits: 'This Charming Man.' 

Sources: (Far Out Magazine) (Ultimate Classic Rock) (Radio X) (Melodyful)

See also: The most groundbreaking albums of all time

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