The Best R&B Debut Albums of All Time

BET.com runs down classic first impressions.

The Best R&B Debut Albums of All Time - As they say, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Frank Ocean certainly didn't squander that one-time opportunity. His incredible studio debut, Channel Orange, which hit stores today (July 17), is already being called one of the best R&B albums in years. In honor of Ocean's gem, BET.com takes a look at the best soul-music debuts of all time — albums that introduced greats, moved crowds and launched legacies. —Alex Gale (Photos from left: Island Def Jam, Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images, Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Mary J. Blige –What’s The 411? (1992) - Upon the release of her debut LP, Mary J. Blige not only ushered in a new R&B subgenre — hip hop soul — but she instantly became the queen of it. Masterfully weaving smooth hip hop samples into the sweet and unpolished melody of Blige's voice, What's the 411 gave voice to the soul of a girl next door from the PJs, with hits like "You Remind Me" and "Real Love."  (Photo: Uptown, MCA Records)
Prince, For You - Though his songwriting skills hadn't yet reached the heavenly, heathenous heights of his 1980s prime, Prince's 1978 debut introduced his emotive falsetto and expert multi-instrumental, multi-genre arrangements, giving a powerful glimpse of the purple revolution on the horizon. (Photo: Courtesy Warner Bros Records)Alicia Keys, Songs in A Minor - Alicia Keys' hugely successful first album had a huge impact on an increasingly stagnant R&B world in 2001. Though her vocal and songwriting abilities improved significantly in the years ahead, her way-ahead-of-her-years emphasis on understated musicality and classic R&B traditions refreshed the genre and birthed a superstar. (Photo: Courtesy J Records)

Next Gallery

12 Powerful Quotes from Black Women Athletes to Inspire Greatness

12 Photos

1 / 24

The Best R&B Debut Albums of All Time - As they say, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Frank Ocean certainly didn't squander that one-time opportunity. His incredible studio debut, Channel Orange, which hit stores today (July 17), is already being called one of the best R&B albums in years. In honor of Ocean's gem, BET.com takes a look at the best soul-music debuts of all time — albums that introduced greats, moved crowds and launched legacies. —Alex Gale (Photos from left: Island Def Jam, Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images, Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

ADVERTISEMENT