Many bands and solo artists have first singles that are way overlooked by the more popular second single. In the case of The Wallflowers the song that got them their fame was "One Headlight". But before that they released, "6th Avenue Heartache" which was not so well known. In most cases the general listener forgets these first songs exist. Since I actually prefer the debut over the other this is something I think a lot about.

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This is Platinum Blonde.  Mark Holmes looks so weird.  I can't tell if he's wearing falsies or if he's just wearing a lot of mascara? This was about 1980 or so.  With Joey Ciotti on guitar and Ray Bailie on drums.  Sort of a post punk era before Sergio and Chris joined the band.  This Platinum Blonde was a lot harder and edgier than the Platinum Blonde we know now.

A lot of people forget that Alanis Morissette began as a Debbie Gibson-style Bush '41-era teen pop artist.  Before Jagged Little Pill, she was completely unknown outside of her native Canada, but in 1991 this song went to #14 on the Canadian Singles Chart:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar7afdfBHj4

Pitbull is a hallmark rapper of the 2010s, but five years before I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho), he had this minor hit, which a lot of people probably mistook for an alternate version of Nina Sky's Move Ya Body:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2N7POlWaEE

Melissa Etheridge...she had several hits during the 1990s, but her self-titled debut album was released in 1988 and featured the singles "Bring Me Some Water" and "Like The Way I Do", both of which were hits on the Mainstream Rock charts. In fact, "Like The Way I Do" was re-released seven years later as the B-side to "If I Wanted To" (a 1995 single from Yes I Am).

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This is Platinum Blonde.  Mark Holmes looks so weird.  I can't tell if he's wearing falsies or if he's just wearing a lot of mascara? This was about 1980 or so.  With Joey Ciotti on guitar and Ray Bailie on drums.  Sort of a post punk era before Sergio and Chris joined the band.  This Platinum Blonde was a lot harder and edgier than the Platinum Blonde we know now.

This reminds me of Sugar Ray.  Before 14:59 their sound was pretty hard in comparison. They were more nu metal back then. But they added one pop radio friendly song to Floored. That was "Fly" which made them mainstream. Because of its success their sound shifted to pop/rock.  I enjoy their music both ways as I've always been a fan of their older style and they have some catchy popish tunes. But they haven't been as active due to personnel projects. I'd like to see a re-emergence of their former sound, even if it is just a few songs. Anyway, "Fly" was far from their first song.