50 Best Debut Singles in Music History? Do You Agree?


The Clash’s “White Riot” comes in at #8.

Today Flavorwire offers up what they say are the 50 best debut singles in music history. Given that #1 is the Bad Brain’s “Pay To Cum,’ I’d say this list, like all such lists, is a big dodgy. Still, you might enjoy disagreeing. Or not.

1. Bay Brains, Pay To Cum”
2/ Azealia Banks, “212″
3. Bauhaus, “Bela Lugosi’s Dead”

4. Boys Next Door, “Shivers”
5. Kate Bush, “Wuthering Heights”
6. Tracy Chapman, “Fast Car”

7. Neneh Cherry, “Buffalo Stance”
8. The Clash, “White Riot”
9. Leonard Cohen, “Suzanne”
10. The Cure, “Killing an Arab”

For the rest of the list, head to Flavorwire.

About Michael Goldberg

Michael Goldberg is a distinguished pioneer in the online music space; Newsweek magazine called him an ‘Internet visionary.’ In 1994 he founded Addicted To Noise (ATN), the highly influential music web site. He was a senior vice-president and editor in chief at SonicNet from March 1997 through May 2000. In 1997, Addicted To Noise won Webby awards for best music site in 1998 and 1999, and also won Yahoo Internet Life! awards for three years running as best music site in 1998, 1999 and 2000. Prior to starting Addicted To Noise, Goldberg was an editor and senior writer at Rolling Stone magazine for 10 years. His writing has also appeared in Wired, Esquire, Vibe, Details, Downbeat, NME and numerous other publications. Michael has had three novels published that comprise the "Freak Scene Dream trilogy": "True Love Scars," "The Flowers Lied" and "Untitled" which can be ordered here. His new book, "Wicked Game: The True Story of Guitarist James Calvin Wilsey," can be pre-ordered from HoZac Books. In November Backbeat Books will publish "Addicted To Noise: The Music Writings of Michael Goldberg," which can be be pre-ordered here.

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