Top 5 famous song debuts

by Marcus on Nov 07 2008, 08:00AM

From grunge, to pop, to the material world, we take a look at the the debut live performances of some of most defining pop songs of modern times.

5. Gnarls Barkley

Performing at a secret club show four days before their "proper" live debut at the Coachella Festival in 2006, Gnarls Barkley tested their live chops out on the soon to be mega-hit 'Crazy'. The song was leaked in late 2005 and was soon plastered all over the airwaves particularly in the UK. Meaning by the time the band played here live it was already a hit. Hence the crowd convulsions at the beginning. The audio's shoddy but you can already hear a slick band with charismatic frontman Ceelo Green in full flight.

Gnarls Barkley - 'Crazy'

4. The Police

Performing on live TV in 1979 for a British show called "Rock Goes to College", The Police decided to debut the first track from their then, yet to be released second album Reggatta de Blanc. Filmed in February, the album wasn't released til October that year. The band's excitement is palpable, playing with an urgency and grit that slowly diminished in later years.

The Police - 'Message in a Bottle'

3. Nirvana

When Nirvana was still the name of a 60s psychedelica band and Team Spirit was a deodorant, Kurt Cobain, Krist Novaselic and Dave Grohl were on the verge of ushering in a new era. Just weeks after recording it and five months before it would be released, Nirvana perform Smells Like Teen Spirit live here for the first time in April 1991. Having already garnered a loyal following through their Pacific Northwest associations and touring their debut album Bleach, the performance shows them bridging the gap between their hardcore following and the pop sensibilities that would peg Nevermind as a landmark record.

Nirvana - 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'

2. Madonna

While not a massive song upon its release in 1982, 'Everybody' was the track that kick started a fledgling New York based singer's career in the direction of the dancefloor. First recorded on a demo tape and handed to a club promoter, 'Everybody' was re-recorded and released as a single on Sire records in 1982. The track was an immediate club hit. This vid shows the now infamous singer being introduced by an MC in a dive somewhere in the East Village. Even then she had the subserviant men dancing in suits schtick figured out.

Madonna - 'Everybody'

1. Michael Jackson

Out for two months by the time Michael Jackson hit the stage for the televised Motown Record's 25th Anniverseray celebrations, this interpretation of 'Billie Jean' shot the singer into superstardom. Considering Jackson actually mimed this debut performance of the song, maybe it's a bit remiss to call it a 'live' debut. But a staggering 42 million viewers watched Jackson introduce his new sound here - as well as its infamous moonwalk - making it stand as perhaps the most influential debut ever.