Artists whose first single was the best thing they ever did.

Artists who released a corking first single that, to my mind, they never surpassed, although all produced music of worth for a long while afterwards.

Teenage fanclub-Everything Flows.
Beta Band-Champion versions, esp Dry the Rain. (much as I love this band, especially their first 2 albums proper,they never topped this for utter genius.
Jesus and Mary Chain-Upside down.

Any more?

Supergrass

Mudhoney

Martha Wainwright

New Order

Supergrass

― I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE UP TO (Colonel Poo), Tuesday, 14 October 2008 21:50 (11 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

^^^real talk

I'd probably agree with the first two (although Mansize rooster was a good second release). What was Martha Wainwright's first?

I remember getting a copy of the first Stereophonics single, the 500 only, Looks like Chaplin 7" and thinking it was pretty special. Unbelievable given what followed.

Annie - The Greatest Hit 7"

Annie - The Greatest Hit 7"

― brotherlovesdub, Tuesday, 14 October 2008 22:08 (1 minute ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Oh no no no no no! Great track though.

Bronski Beat-Smalltown boy

I believe Martha's first single was "BMFA" (a/k/a Bloody Mother F*cking As*hole) which is just one of those things you can never top. Speaking of Mothers, we could also add Tracy Bonham to the list for her single "Mother Mother," but then as far as I know that was the only thing she ever has done or will do.

elastica

most bands who had records out on fierce panda

In America, Elastica is pretty much regarded as a one-hit wonder, tho

Jimmy Ray

Was All you good good people by Embrace on Fierce Panda? if so, then that.

Press a key by Plone.

New Order was a good answer

Agree totally with Elastica

Galaxie 500 - Tugboat

the examples that come to me easiest are bands that don't bear mentioning in polite conversation

Duran Duran - Planet Earth

PJ Harvey - Dress

Closer Musik - One Two Three No Gravity

Oasis - Supersonic

Kate Bush.

(the) Verve - All in the mind
Levitation - Smile EP
Electronic - Get the Message

Also Jackson 5 durr.

Spiritualized - Any Way That You Want Me.

A Guy Called Gerald - Voodoo Ray

Tricky - Aftermath (maybe)

Electronic - Get the Message

you're forgetting 'Getting Away With It'

There are a load of really shit answers to this question - like I'm pretty sure every subsequent Babylon Zoo release was worse than Spaceman.

Kate Bush may be the 'best' answer, altho 'Wuthering Heights' isn't my favourite KB single I can accept it as her best.

ESG
Beat Happening
!!!
Echo and the Bunnymen
Pylon
Fire Engines
The Feelies

Future Sound Of London - Papua New Guinea

Neneh Cherry - Buffalo Stance

you're forgetting 'Getting Away With It'

ooops that's the one I meant.

The Beta Band - Champion Versions

Frankie Goes to Hollywood - Relax (though Two Tribes is almost equally good)

Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls

Derrick May - Nude Photo

Speaking of Mothers, we could also add Tracy Bonham to the list for her single "Mother Mother," but then as far as I know that was the only thing she ever has done or will do.

But prior to "Mother Mother"/The Burdens of Being Upright, there was the Liverpool Sessions EP. Which, yeah, is better than everything else she did.

Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls

― Tuomas, Tuesday, 14 October 2008 23:10 (11 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

I love Pet Shop Boys, but you might well be right.

The Damned - New Rose
Kim Wilde - Kids In America
Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up

Eagles-Take It Easy

Anni-Frid Lyngstad, post-ABBA: It was all downhilll from "I Know There's Something Going On."

Re: PSB. Sorry, but Being Boring > West End Girls

Sugababes

RADIOHEAD - Creep

Seconding Kim Wilde.

For me, The Delays kinda rule this thread.

Kate Bush.

This is so RONG.

!!!

^
You do know that "Me and Giuliani" wasn't their first single, right? Or do you really love "The Dis-Ease" that much?

LOL

somebody already said Mudhoney, Nirvana sure comes close.

Slits?
Raincoats?
Pop Group?

all contenders.

Bad Brains
Really Red
Minor Threat

R.E.M. ("Radio Free Europe")
The Shangri-las ("Remember (Walkin' in the Sand)")
Super Furry Animals ("Organ Yn Dy Geg")
Air ("Modulor Mix")
Howard Jones ("New Song")
Eric B. and Rakim ("Eric B. Is President")
Bruce Springsteen ("Blinded By the Light")

So much challop, but I think Moka wins for mix of sheer chutzpah and rong

The Cure ("Killing An Arab")
Beck ("Loser")
The Strokes ("The Modern Age")
The Jam ("In the City")
LCD Soundsystem ("Losing My Edge"/"Beat Connection")

Le Tigre: Deceptacon
PIL: Public Image

Status Quo

Flaming Lips, if "My Own Planet" (main song on their debut EP) counts as a single.

Soundgarden ("Hunted Down"/"Nothing To Say")

ESG, if "Moody" (main song on their debut EP) counts as a single.

Gang of Four, "Damaged Goods" (45 version)

Pylon, "Cool"

The Pack, "Vans"

Too many old-school rap artists to name.

Some of these have probably already been named; don't have time to search them. If so, I second them. (And I third "Radio Free Europe" while I'm at it):

Patti Smith "Piss Factory"/"Hey Joe"

Vanilla Ice, "Ice Ice Baby" (original version)

Pet Shop Boys, "West End Girls"

Killing Joke, "Change"/"Requiem"

The Knack, "My Sharona"

Poison, "Talk Dirty To Me"

Was (Not Was), "Wheel Me Out"

Onyx, "Ah, And We Do It Like This"

Jesus & Mary Chain, "Upside Down"

Age Of Chance, "Bible Of The Beats"

Test Dept., "Compulsion"/"Pulsations"

Soul Asylum, "Tied To The Tracks"

Big Daddy Kane - "Raw"

Dire Straits, "Sultans Of Swing"

Maybe: The Police, "Fall Out"

Amazed to learn that "Go Now!" was actually not the Moody Blues' debut single (merely their second), so not them, I guess.

Agree on Annie (and lots of other ones above)

Disagree on The Monkees (whose best track was "Steppin' Stone") (and lots of other other ones above.)

Gretchen Wilson, "Redneck Woman"

I have to say, Chuck, that I find the Flaming Lips choice very puzzling, to think that they never topped "My Own Planet" -- to each his own I guess!

Have yet to agree with any response

Mission of Burma

Amazed to learn that "Go Now!" was actually not the Moody Blues' debut single (merely their second), so not them, I guess.

And every single one of their 1967-72 singles >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> "Go Now" anyway.

Really disagree with the Beta Band nomination in the first post; much as I love Champion Versions, Los Amigos is better in my mind.

Staggered that Doves haven't been mentioned so far.

cuz Here It Comes" is not the best thing they ever done did?

God no; Cedar Room by lightyears.

Beyonce

Lily Allen

(Crazy In Love was Beyonce's first single, right?)

(solo, yes)

What about Work It?

C'mon xhuxk, "Bible of the Beat" was Age of Chance's greatest moment, but was their second single.

There's an "original version" of "Ice Ice Baby"?

"Upside Down"? "Everything Flows"? "Arnold Layne"? WTFever.

Gnarls Barkley

if musically means work it out then yes, if she means crazy in love then no

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubd2uUPT5ww

Bell Biv Devoe - 'Poison'

Speaking of Poison, their first single was "Cry Tough", xhuck. (xposts)

the streets

Flo Rida

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_aHlHc_Vb4

ignore the shit video please. and everything else they ever did.

Phoenix

I had the misfortune recently of seeing the Guillemots with the Penguin Cafe Orchestra recently at the British Council birthday and it was one of the most insipid jam offs ive ever seen.

yep i bet. some dire shit. that song never fails to give me goosebumps however. the bastards.

i think it's because it sounds like dexys. and nothing else they did does.

how have they ended up working with alex ward and loads of other improv weirdos? seems another example of average band being presented with how middle of the road they actually are after finding fame and thrashing around trying to get in the wire

I have no axe to grind for Guillemots but I think the Alex Ward connection goes back several years so I don't think it was a sudden post-"fame" credibility grab. Their drummer was in skronky theatrical hardcore band Camp Blackfoot with him in the 90s if memory serves.

(May be mixing my facts here as I have v. little interest in Guillemots; saw CB a bunch and miss them, however)

The Sound--"Heyday"

Slipknot - "Wait and Bleed"

In a similar vein, Linkin Park - "One Step Closer".

Also The Sugababes.

and the Sugarcubes

Marshall Jefferson - Move Your Body (The House Music Anthem)
Hardfloor - Once Again Back (if B-sides to the artist's first single count)
Sven Väth - L'Esperanza

Scooter - Hyper Hyper
Jam & Spoon - Stella
ATB - 9pm (Till I Come)
Stardust - Music Sounds Better With You (although I guess this is only valid as a one-hit wonder, but it is a debut single that's the best of the whole genre)
Haddaway - What Is Love
Captain Jack - Captain Jack
Rednex - Cotton Eye Joe
Alcazar -Crying At The Discotheque

I was surprised that Put A Donk On It was not a first single.

Mariah Carey, "Vision of Love"

seal - crazy