The best debut singles ever released

Did you know Britney Spears holds the record for the best-selling debut single ever? The Jackson 5, Chuck Berry, Kate Bush (photo), and The Clash did very well too, each in their own way. Let's take a look at the best first singles in pop history. They were the most listened to, highest-grossing, and trendsetters in the music industry.

The world met Britney Spears in 1998 and she changed pop music forever. Her first single, '...Baby One More Time' made Spears a pop cultural icon overnight.

With John Wayne as the inspiration for a song, nothing can go wrong. Buddy Holly and Jerry Allison saw how John Wayne faced every challenge with this single phrase and made it into their first single. Success didn't happen right away, but when it came, it really came. Sadly, in February 1959, Buddy Holly died in a plane crash. He was 22 years old.

Behind Britney Spears are the Jackson 5. Motown was anticipating the arrival of these five brothers from Indiana and they landed on the music scene by defining the sound of the 70s. Tito, Marlon, Jackie, Jermaine and Michael had the perfect song and, boy, did they make the most of it. 'I Want You Back' still exudes joy and good vibes, more than half a century later.

Lady Gaga's debut in pop music has become one of the biggest selling singles of all time. It sold over 10 million copies and also gave us a pop star who uniquely combines music, fashion and antics. A star was born that day, indeed.

The opening of this song hits you right in the face, which is just a light slap compared to what's to come in the rest of the track. It is a 191-second declaration of war that is also a lot of fun. The single was an instant breakthrough for the Sex Pistols.

This song clearly marked a 'before' and 'after' in the world of hip-hop and rap. Three rappers from Queens, who enjoyed talking about their wild lifestyle, made a catchy song that determined what hip-hop would become during the 80s. It would later get an amazing second life with DJ Jason Nevins' remix in 1997.

Marking the influence of the LGBT+ community in pop culture, Katy Perry completely took over the music scene with this instant hit. It stayed at number one for an astonishing 7 weeks and launched the singer into the spotlight. Considering that certain radio stations refused to play the song for its controversial theme, it did mighty well.

'Maybellene' was the song that turned Chuck Berry from a hairdresser into a Rock 'n Roll legend. He combined blues with country and increased the tempo of the music. As a result, Chuck Berry became the first African-American to dominate the Billboard and he changed history.

R.E.M. laid the foundations of indie rock and changed music history forever. Lead vocalist Michael Stipe had a unique, recognisable voice, but the band's overall instrumental sound was most impactful and unlike anything heard before.

Jimmy Page had a perfect song and innovatively used distorters to create sound effects with his guitar. The result led to a new conception of rock. The song resonated with many, as it is basically about life - the good times and the bad times, like finding love or losing a friend.

Elvis Presley's first single, 'That's All Right', was a blues song by Arthur Crudup. Elvis changed the chords, the lyrics and the tune, thus making music history.

'Hey! Ho! Let's Go'. Only two seconds of the song are necessary to recognise this great hit. It became the seed of the original punk rock genre, the anthem of the band and of a whole generation, but weirdly, it was a failure in terms of sales at that first instance.

Controversial lyrics but a masterful sound: Morrisey and Johnny Marr showed the world that they meant business. Although 'Hand in Glove' wasn't a hit at the time, it has now become a cult track. An anthem of loneliness and discontent that was a promise of what was to come in 'The Smiths' success.

Before becoming the current Queen of Pop, Taylor Swift was the Queen of Country. It only took her one song to become that Queen. 'Tim McGraw' is dedicated to a boyfriend who was about to leave her behind as he started university. The track elevated her to number 1 on the Country Billboard, and she's still a tough one to push off the number one spot in the charts these days.

Lil Nas X understood that Tik Tok was about more than dancing and playing random pranks. He created a viral smash hit with 'Old Town Road', a marvel that fuses pop, country, rap and R&B, all with the chutzpah of a young artist in his early 20s. And with Billy Ray Cyrus of course.

Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon had just founded The Clash when they were caught up in a riot in Notting Hill. Youngsters from African and Caribbean background clashed with the police, inspiring Strummer to write a song that called for union against oppression. While their music would continue to evolve, their Ramones-inspired sound marked this early stage of a legendary band.

A car accident broke his jaw and nearly cost him his life. That's where Kanye West got the inspiration for his first single. The hip-hop world immediately realized that a star was born.

The beach look and the fun-loving attitude of Fred Schneider and his crew created one of the best first singles of all time. It was an ode to surf-rock that became an instant classic at the time and still releases good vibes to this day.

Debuting with a masterpiece like 'Creep' could send your career into a downward struggle - unless, of course, you are Thom Yorke and Radiohead. Years later, they released 'Ok Computer', which was, for many, the best album in history. 'Creep' was conceived as an ode to depression and love, clearly influenced by the grunge sound that was sweeping the world at the time. Over the years, 'Creep' has only gotten more and more popular, becoming one of the world's most recognisable songs.

Outkast's first single was a Christmas song that appeared on a compilation at the time. Christmas bells are heard at the beginning of the song. But then, months later, LA Reid produced their first album and included this hit by changing the references to Father Christmas and Christmas. From that moment on, Big Boi and Andre Benjamin became stars.

When a song is covered by the likes of Joe Cocker, Bob Marley and The Beach Boys, there's little more to say. 'The Letter' gives us Alex Chilton's husky voice and reminds us of his unexpected popularity during the Vietnam War. A less than two-minute hit that is still the band's biggest hit.

'Dreaming of Me' is a simple, even innocent song, but it laid the foundations for what would become Depeche Mode in the future. The lyrics are about unrequited love and the music give us no more than a basic beat and two synthesisers. From then on, English synth-pop changed forever and the Essex boys became a benchmark of the genre.

This incredible song is over 40 years old and few singles have been such commercial hits as this one. Kate Bush was 19 years old when she released it, along with a simple music video of her dancing in a flowing red dress. It was enough for her to make history.

'Love Me Do' was written by Paul McCartney at the age of 16, on a day he skipped school. His friend John Lennon helped and, incidentally, took over the backing vocals. When it came to recording it, Lennon played the harmonica. Paul McCartney himself admitted that his voice trembled with nerves during the recording. It was the beginning of a wonderful musical story.

This heartbreaking ballad had such an impact on Jim Stewart, co-founder of Stax Records, that one listen was enough to offer Otis Redding a contract. 'These Arms of Mine' laid the foundation for 60s' soul. You had Redding's irresistible voice and the story of requited love... It was always going to be a success.

After a first collaboration with Aaliyah, Missy Elliott was aiming high, but no one could have expected that her first solo single would be such a masterpiece. Missy Elliott combined the hip hop genre with Timbaland's slow beats and Ann Peebles' R&B to create an incredible hit called 'The Rain'. One of the best songs of the late 20th century.

Although John Fogerty, the band's leader, has been one of the best rock composers in history, 'Suzie Q' is actually a cover version of Dale Hawkins' 50's classic. The band created a version that ended up being far superior than the original mainly thanks to Fogerty's guitar, which is clearly the showstopper in this masterpiece.

Four days before Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis took his own life, the band had recorded new material. The shock of Curtis' passing led them to change the band's name to New Order and release 'Ceremony' as their first single, as a sort of tribute to their former frontman. It became an unexpected international success that placed the band as a benchmark of 80s synth-pop.

They were Brit pop. They dominated the music scene of the 90s and it all began with 'Supersonic', a song that was composed minutes before entering the recording studio, as Liam Gallagher confessed. It is clear that arrogance was already in the Manchester boys' blood. That said, only geniuses can afford it.

Jim Morrison and The Doors drew influences from Ray Charles and classic blues to create their first single, 'Break on Through'. It combined rock with psychedelia and gained them worldwide recognition.

Elegant, fine, melodic Art-Pop that criticises the aristocracy and its expensive way of life. Lorde had everything to play for and wow, did she succeed. 'Royals' was played from her native country, New Zealand, across the globe and to the far corners of the world. She was 16 when she released her single, but she proved she was mature enough to keep her feet firmly on the ground.

Neil Rodgers was able to combine R&B, soul, disco and funk in a song that clearly borrowed from Roxy Music but also had influences from Kiss - just take a look at their stage presence.

The Spice Girls needed just one song to get their fiery personalities into the world media and become overnight pop sensations. Girl power and female empowerment began with them, as this group really were so much more to many young girls in the 90s than just a pop band.