QUESTION OF THE WEEK: A PERSON WHO WAS NEVER INTO, NOR EXPOSED TO HARD ROCK/HEAVY METAL, AND ONLY WANTS TO SPEND MONEY ON ONE INTRODUCTORY ALBUM TO THE GENRE,  WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THEY BUY?

So, since I want to illicit a positive experience, in order to entice this person to seek out further material from this band, as well as, others,  I would most likely recommend, something that is quite melodic, with a bit of bite.

I realize this is a difficult question, but here is my suggestion (as of posting this):

 

36 Responses

  2. Hmm, I can think of quite a few, but I’d probably go with Van Halen – Van Halen, or AC⚡️DC – Back In Black OR Highway To Hell, can’t go wrong with either one!

  3. I’d have to say start with Van Halen’s debut album. It’s very Hard Rock (even Metal-ish on a few tracks: Atomic Punk, On Fire), has an abundance of guitar heroics, high-pitched screams, great “catchy” songs, even a Blues-Based tune (Ice Cream Man), quite possibly the BEST COVER VERSION OF ALL TIME (You Really Got Me). It’s heavy music you can actually play at the beach! Van Halen threw out the “widest possible net”. If you don’t like it…go no further.

  4. Black Sabbath – Paranoid

    There is no more genre-defining album than this one. Full stop.

    All other hard-rock/heavy metal albums have been influenced or have borrowed – directly or indirectly – from this singular album.

    1. I, personally, would be afraid to recommend, Black Sabbath, to someone with no experience, especially, if that person was female. I would think, it be way too dark, and might turn someone off.

      I remember the first time. I heard Iron Man, I was not an immediate fan, and forget the tune, Black Sabbath. To this day, I find it totally creep, and always, skip listening to it.

      I could see the Dio era songs, such as Voodoo, Neon Knights, Mob Rules, etc., being far more palatable, for a newbie.

      My gateway band, to hard rock/metal, was Def Leppard. I think they are, another one of those bands, that would be a great introduction, to someone with no exposure. I would point them toward Pyromania, that is the album, that hooked the heck out of me.

    2. I get what you’re saying in terms of “easing” someone into the genre. I suppose the Paranoid album would be the equivalent of saying you want to listen to avant garde music and someone hands you John Cage (a good starting point would be David Bowie).

      So upon further review, I would probably go with the debut KISS album. It’s what introduced me to hard rock/heavy metal – loud guitars, still catchy choruses, and comic book imagery, but nothing necessarily over-the-top menacing.

    3. I think that might be a better choice? Of course I don’t know, since I don’t have the album, I can only go by other KISS tunes, I am familiar with 🙂 )

    4. For females I would recommend Pat Benatar’s Crimes Of Passion! That album hooked my great niece on rock when she was only 8? Of course I had to explain the meaning behind 1 of the most misunderstood songs of all time – “Hell Is For Children!” But she loves that album! And especially Pat Benatar! Another album I would recommend for females who aren’t familiar to rock music would be the Go-Go’s Beauty And The Beat! What a great album!

    5. Love The Go-Gos, but that is surfer rock, not hard rock, nor metal.

      I think if we are doing female only recommendations, I would suggest Bon Jovi, Poison, L.A Guns, Kix or the first Skid Row record.

      Pat Benatar, while she has a great voice, Heartbreaker, is really the only song I can think of, that has some actual balls, to it. It is the same principle as suggesting Heart, why do you suppose only females would be interested in female fronted bands? Maybe, you are right in your assessment, as I think I am probably a female outlier.

      Finally, I chose Ratt as my first exposure recommendation, because I feel they are a neuter gender band. Both males, and females, could appreciate the melodies and the playing. Of course, this can also be applied to Def Leppard (which hooked me), AC/DC and some Van Halen, as well. Many of my female friends in high school, loved Van Halen.

    1. Great choice – by far my favourite Sabbath Album.

      As for another album to suggest…..British Steel by Judas Priest.

Leave a Reply