Continuing my list of best debut albums (with quite a few caveats)…

Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)

By far the most successful debut album that ended up being the only studio album released by its artist, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is a unique and transcendent work of personal art. Winner of five Grammys, including Album of the Year, the album sold more than 20 million copies worldwide and achieved Diamond status (10 million sales) in the U.S.

The album was conceived by Hill after her band the Fugees broke up, and its songs chronicle her relationships with her former bandmates as well as her childhood, love life, and motherhood.

Miseducation is an R&B album with heavy doses of hip-hop and reggae, and serves as a perfect showcase for Hill’s gifts as both a vocalist and a rapper. Eschewing sampling for live instruments, Hill concocted a rich, organic sound that paved the way for a new generation of hip-hop artists.

Lead single ‘Doo Wop (That Thing)’ was a #1 hit, the 10th debut single to top the chart and the only song by a female rapper to debut at #1 until Nicki Minaj pulled it off 24 years later. The other singles didn’t reach the top ten, but the album as a whole was a juggernaut, spending 92 weeks on the Billboard 200.

This is a concept album, of sorts, though the concept is simply (and profoundly) a dive into the mind and heart of its creator. One neat element is a conversation between a teacher (portrayed by poet Ras Baraka) and a classroom of middle-schoolers, excerpts of which play between the songs. The kids’ thoughts on love lend a sweetness to the project.

Hill removed herself from the public eye in the early 2000s and has recorded only one-off singles for movie soundtracks in the 25 years since. She’s only 51, so she has decades ahead of her to return to the studio if she desires. If not, she has already cemented her legacy through this magnificent album.