Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Recording Week 25
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About Us
More
  • "That spark... gone"
  • Leonard Skinner
  • Prince and The Beatles
  • 95k+ free music samples
Don't miss these
Man in orange shirt playing drums with a guitar player
Drum Gear Best drum thrones 2025: my pick of budget-spanning stools for comfort behind the kit
Clem Burke, Ancienne Belgique (AB), Brussels, Belgium, November 1998
Drummers Clem Burke's 10 essential drum albums
Drummers Listen to 11 isolated drum tracks from rock's drumming legends
Zultan 25 series
Cymbals “A versatile set with dry and dark tonal qualities”: Zultan 25 Series Cymbals review
Way Huge Smalls Doom Hammer Fuzz
Guitars Players who deal in big gnarly riffs might need to add the Way Huge Smalls Doom Hammer to their ‘board ASAP
Debbie Gough of Heriot demoes the new Jackson Pro Plus Metal Phase II Warrior on a darkened studio set.
Guitars Jackson adds Warrior, King V and Concert Bass to its limited edition Pro Plus Pure Metal range
Rush in the '70s
Artists “The high priests of conceptual rock!” Every Rush studio album ranked – from worst to best
Dave Mustaine of Megadeth wears a white shirt and trademark Megadeth sweat bands as he plays his signature Gibson V at Tons of Rock Festival 2025.
Artists Megadeth to come to an end – Dave Mustaine announces final album and farewell tour for 2026
Orbit Culture's guitarists
Electric Guitars Orbit Culture show us their ESP guitars – and tell us why the EverTune bridge is a game-changer
Harley Benton ST-80 FR MN
Electric Guitars “Some might say a guitar at this kind of price point has no business resonating so well”: Harley Benton ST-80 FR MN review
Jackson American Series Rhoads: the Rhoads is now officially being made in the USA again, and is offered with a choice of a hardtail or Floyd Rose, with the hardtail finished in Satin Black and Snow White, and the Floyd in Satin Black, Matte Army Drab and Snow White. Note the reverse headstock.
Guitars All Rhoads lead to California as Jackson brings one of its most-iconic metal guitars home for a high-end upgrade
Jackson Pro Origins 1985 San Dimas: these retro S-styles take the high-performance electric guitar brand back to the '80s, offering single and dual-humbucker platforms for shred with the choice of rosewood or maple fingerboards – and what about that "Two-Face" black-and-white finish?
Guitars “These guitars empower metal artists with the authentic, crushing tone that built Jackson’s legendary reputation”: Jackson takes us back to the heyday of shred with the Pro Origins 1985 San Dimas series – and what about that Two Face finish?
Geezer Butler's signed Ashdown amp heads from Black Sabbath's Back to the Beginning show are being sold exclusively via Reverb, signed by the man himself.
Artists “Your chance to own the sound that defined heavy metal”: Geezer Butler bass amps from Sabbath’s final show to go on sale
A still from KHDK's Instagram reel with the logo emblazoned over one of the stompbox company's new and as-yet-unannounced and unreleased electric guitar designs.
Guitars KHDK Electronics makes pedals for metal's biggest stars; now it's going to make electric guitars too
English singer-songwriter FKA twigs attends the MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on September 7, 2025
Music Industry "It shows the breadth of talent from across all of our nations”: The Mercury nominations are out and diverse as ever
  1. Artists
  2. Singles And Albums

Metal Hammer's 10 best debut albums of the last 25 years

News
By The MusicRadar Team published 21 October 2011

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Metal Hammer readers vote for the best debut albums of the last 25 years

Metal Hammer readers vote for the best debut albums of the last 25 years

Infamous mask-wearing US rockers Slipknot have triumphed in a Metal Hammer poll to find the best debut album of the last 25 years.

More than 16,000 people took part in the poll, arranged to celebrate Metal Hammer’s 25th anniversary.

And Slipknot’s eponymous debut got almost a third of the vote in an emphatic result. The double-platinum 1999 release beat off competition from some huge albums... click through the gallery to find out what other albums made the top 10.

"Metal Hammer has a long history of championing the new while celebrating the metal gods who created our wonderful culture,” says Metal Hammer editor Alexander Milas. “As we commence our next quarter-century of covering both kinds of music: heavy, and metal, we congratulate Slipknot on their astounding victory.

“Like all the nominees whose tremendous contributions to the world of metal have made the last 25 years so fantastic, Slipknot's success is proof our music has never been more exciting or vibrant. Horns up!"

Metal Hammer’s 25th anniversary special is out today, clocking in at a biggest-ever 164 pages and – in a tribute to the old skool – featuring an exclusive Machine Head 10-inch vinyl EP.

The Metal Hammer 25th Anniversary Party, featuring Orange Goblin, Malefice, TRC and more, is at London’s Islington Academy on 24October. Advance tickets are available via Ticketweb at the special 1986 price of £2.50.

Metal Hammer’s 25th anniversary special is out now priced at £4.99. To buy a digital edition visit iTunes or www.zinio.com/metalhammer. For more info visit www.metalhammer.co.uk.

Click onwards to see the rundown of Metal Hammer's top 10 debut albums of the last 25 years.

Page 1 of 11
Page 1 of 11
Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine (1992)

Rage Against The Machine - Rage Against The Machine (1992)

Page 2 of 11
Page 2 of 11
Bullet For My Valentine - The Poison (2005)

Bullet For My Valentine - The Poison (2005)

Page 3 of 11
Page 3 of 11
Machine Head - Burn My Eyes (1994)

Machine Head - Burn My Eyes (1994)

Page 4 of 11
Page 4 of 11
Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory (2000)

Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory (2000)

Page 5 of 11
Page 5 of 11
System Of A Down - System Of A Down (1998)

System Of A Down - System Of A Down (1998)

Page 6 of 11
Page 6 of 11
Pantera - Cowboys From Hell (1990)

Pantera - Cowboys From Hell (1990)

Page 7 of 11
Page 7 of 11
Rammstein - Herzeleid (1995)

Rammstein - Herzeleid (1995)

Page 8 of 11
Page 8 of 11
Guns N' Roses - Appetite For Destruction (1987)

Guns N' Roses - Appetite For Destruction (1987)

Page 9 of 11
Page 9 of 11
Korn (1994)

Korn (1994)

Page 10 of 11
Page 10 of 11
Slipknot (1999)

Slipknot (1999)

Page 11 of 11
Page 11 of 11
The MusicRadar Team
The MusicRadar Team
Social Links Navigation

MusicRadar is the internet's most popular website for music-makers of all kinds, be they guitarists, drummers, keyboard players, DJs or producers.

GEAR: We help musicians find the best gear with top-ranking gear round-ups and high-quality, authoritative reviews by a wide team of highly experienced experts.

TIPS: We also provide tuition, from bite-sized tips to advanced work-outs and guidance from recognised musicians and stars.

STARS: We talk to artists and musicians about their creative processes, digging deep into the nuts and bolts of their gear and technique. We give fans an insight into the actual craft of music-making that no other music website can.

Read more
Clem Burke, Ancienne Belgique (AB), Brussels, Belgium, November 1998
Clem Burke's 10 essential drum albums
 
 
Listen to 11 isolated drum tracks from rock's drumming legends
 
 
Zultan 25 series
“A versatile set with dry and dark tonal qualities”: Zultan 25 Series Cymbals review
 
 
Way Huge Smalls Doom Hammer Fuzz
Players who deal in big gnarly riffs might need to add the Way Huge Smalls Doom Hammer to their ‘board ASAP
 
 
Debbie Gough of Heriot demoes the new Jackson Pro Plus Metal Phase II Warrior on a darkened studio set.
Jackson adds Warrior, King V and Concert Bass to its limited edition Pro Plus Pure Metal range
 
 
Rush in the '70s
“The high priests of conceptual rock!” Every Rush studio album ranked – from worst to best
 
 
Latest in Singles And Albums
Grimes performs at the Sahara Stage at the 2024 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival
“This is what it feels like to be hunted by something smarter than you”: Grimes’ new track is from the perspective of AI
 
 
Kate Bush black and white
Over fifty artists to take part in Kate Bush-backed fundraising project for War Child
 
 
English rock band 10cc, 1974. Left to right: Lol Creme, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley and Graham Gouldman
“There are certain songs that I’ve written that are imbued with extra magic”: Graham Gouldman on I’m Not In Love
 
 
Tina Turner performs live on stage at The Venue in London in December 1983
“She had nailed her interpretation of that song before she came to the studio”: When Heaven 17 revived Tina Turner’s career
 
 
Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones accept the award for Album Of The Year: Public Vote for their album 'Blue & Lonesome'
“He tried it when he came in and he said ‘I can’t do it as good as you, Ronnie. You get back on the drums.’”: When Charlie Watts ceded the drums to Ronnie Wood on a Stones track
 
 
Zach Bryan performs at MetLife Stadium on July 20, 2025
“We all say things that are misconstrued sometimes": Zach Bryan attempts to calm furore over Bad News
 
 
Latest in News
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 17: Lily Allen joins Olivia Rodrigo on stage to duet her song 'Smile' at The O2 Arena on May 17, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Nicky J Sims/Getty Images for Live Nation)
Lily Allen says that being invited on stage by a Gen-Z star played a big part in her musical comeback
 
 
MUNICH, GERMANY - AUGUST 30: Raye performs onstage during Superbloom Festival on August 30, 2025 in Munich, Bavaria. (Photo by Joseph Okpako/WireImage)
"I'm a maximalist": Raye breaks down the head-spinning vocal arrangement in Where Is My Husband!
 
 
Steve Morse plays his signature Ernie Ball Music Man electric guitar live with Dixie Dregs
Steve Morse on playing through the pain barrier and how arthritis is forcing him to change the way he plays guitar
 
 
eric asynths hexdrums
"The iconic essence of analogue electronic drums in a practical form factor": HexDrums, Erica Synths' "mutant" analogue drum machine, is available for pre-order
 
 
Gibson and Epiphone's new Back to the Future ES-345s are photographed against the DeLorean as used by Dr Emmett Brown in the movie
Gibson unveils Custom Shop Back To The Future ES-345 Collector’s Edition – and there’s a limited edition Epiphone too
 
 
OneAlphaTheta Library
With OneLibrary DJs can finally use their track libraries across different software applications
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...