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The 25 Best Breakthrough Albums That Weren't Debut Albums

Many musical artists or bands knock it out of the park on the first try. There are plenty of great debut albums that immediately placed artists at the top of the charts. But even some of the biggest bands in the world have had to wait for their moment of greatness — or at least massive mainstream success. Here are 25 of the best non-debut breakthrough albums.
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Black Sabbath - Paranoid
Black Sabbath - Paranoid
1
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
2
Aerosmith - Toys in the Attic (1975)
Aerosmith - Toys in the Attic (1975)
3
Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run
Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run
4
Kansas - Leftoverture
Kansas - Leftoverture
5
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
6
Billy Joel - The Stranger
Billy Joel - The Stranger
7
AC/DC - Highway to Hell
AC/DC - Highway to Hell
8
REO Speedwagon - Hi Infidelity
REO Speedwagon - Hi Infidelity
9
Prince - Purple Rain (1984)
Prince - Purple Rain (1984)
10
Michael Jackson - Thriller
Michael Jackson - Thriller
11
John Cougar - American Fool
John Cougar - American Fool
12
Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast (2014)
Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast (2014)
13
Def Leppard - Pyromania
Def Leppard - Pyromania
14
Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet
Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet
15
Slayer - Reign in Blood
Slayer - Reign in Blood
16
U2 - The Joshua Tree
U2 - The Joshua Tree
17
Whitesnake - Whitesnake
Whitesnake - Whitesnake
18
Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988)
Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988)
19
Nirvana - Nevermind (1991)
Nirvana - Nevermind (1991)
20
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik
21
Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
22
Soundgarden - Superunknown
Soundgarden - Superunknown
23
Green Day - Dookie (1994)
Green Day - Dookie (1994)
24
OK Computer - Radiohead (1997)
OK Computer - Radiohead (1997)
25
Amy Winehouse - Back to Black (2006)
Amy Winehouse - Back to Black (2006)
26
Adele - 21 (2011)
Adele - 21 (2011)
27
Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
28
Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher
Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher
29
Charli XCX - Crash
Charli XCX - Crash
30
Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
31
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