Self-titled debut albums are pretty common in the music business, though these days it seems like artists are choosing to release their self-titled albums a little bit later in their careers (see: Beyonce, St. Vincent). However, some artists have chosen to do both: release a self-titled debut, as well as another self-titled album later on (and sometimes three of four). Here are seven artists with multiple self-titled albums.
1. Fleetwood Mac
The Fleetwood Mac that formed in 1967 is a very different band than the one that gave the world "Gypsy" and "Don't Stop," in terms of both line-up and sound. The original Fleetwood Mac, with a blues sound typical of English bands at the time, released its self-titled debut in 1968. However, the band shifted its line-up many times in the following years until bringing in L.A. duo Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. To signal the band's new line-up and pop sound, Fleetwood Mac released a second self-titled album in 1975, often referred to as "The White Album," which brought the band to the pop mainstream.
Which is Better? 1975's Fleetwood Mac. Though the band's 1968 debut is well loved by fans of blues-rock, its 1975 album is an unimpeachable pop classic, with huge hits such as "Rhiannon," "Landslide," and "Say You Love Me."
2. Led Zeppelin
Few artists have had a run of albums as strong as Led Zeppelin, with the band's first six being included on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest of all time. Its first three LP's were all titled Led Zeppelin (the second and third are Led Zeppelin II and Led Zeppelin III, respectively) and all were integral to the development of '70s rock.
Which is Best? Though the band's masterpiece fourth album is usually called "Led Zeppelin IV," it's technically untitled, so I'm disqualifying it. I'll give this one to Led Zeppelin III, because it's probably the least plagiarized of the first three, as well as the weirdest and most beautiful.
3. Peter Gabriel
Along with Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel is one of the most artistically challenging pop stars of the '80s, and nothing says "challenging" quite like four albums with the same exact title. Peter Gabriel's first four albums are all titled Peter Gabriel, though they're often referred to as "Car," "Scratch," "Melt," and "Security," in reference to their artwork.
Which is Best? Though Peter Gabriel's third album (a.k.a. "Melt") is often regarded as his best, I prefer his fourth ("Security"), as it's the darkest and most sonically consistent of the four.
4. Suicide
Though electronic duo Suicide isn't very well known by the mainstream, it's greatly influenced countless artists, from Billy Idol to Primal Scream to even Bruce Springsteen, with its dark synth-punk sound. The band's first two albums, both titled Suicide, are staples of electronic music.
Which is Better? Suicide's 1977 debut is considered its masterpiece, but I prefer the band's 1980 follow-up, largely for its more melodic and danceable sound.
5. Jimmy Eat World
Following the September 11th attacks, Jimmy Eat World was forced to rename its 2001 album Bleed American, out of fear that its title would upset people. The band renamed it Jimmy Eat World, despite the fact that it had already released an album with the same name in 1994.
Which is Better? Though 1994's Jimmy Eat World is the more consistent and classically emo-sounding of the two albums, it doesn't have any songs that are as well-written or exciting as "Salt Sweat Sugar," "The Middle," or "Sweetness" from the 2001 album. I'll give this one to 2001's Jimmy Eat World.
6. David Bowie
David Bowie's career had sort of a false start. His 1967 self-titled debut is a bizarre collection of light baroque-pop songs that sound totally unlike his '70s classics. He would release a more Bowie-esque self-titled album in 1969, though this would later be renamed Space Oddity after the album's classic opening track.
Which is Better? 1969's David Bowie a.k.a. Space Oddity, by a considerable margin. Though Bowie didn't really hit his stride until 1971's Hunky Dory, his '69 album at least sounds like a Bowie album, whereas his debut feels like the soundtrack to some awful BBC children's program from the '60s.
7. Weezer
For modern music fans, Weezer is the most famous example of an artist with multiple eponymous albums, though nobody has referred to "The Blue Album" as Weezer since 2001, when "The Green Album" was released. By the time "The Red Album" came out in 2008, however, most Weezer fans had stopped tuning in.
Which is Best? This one is no contest. "The Red Album" is awful, "The Green Album" is quite good, and "The Blue Album" is perfect.
What are some other artists that have released more than one self-titled album? Let us know in the comments section!
