13 Artists and Their Attention-Grabbing TV Debuts

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Way back before those crazy interwebs could make someone like Rebecca Black an overnight sensation, the best way to reach a national audience was to appear on TV.

For years, a stellar broadcast debut has been a chance for artists to penetrate the mainstream. Of course, there are decades and decades of performances that will go down in history as being especially earth-shattering, and a list like this can barely scratch the surface, so be sure to leave your favorites in the comments section below. Without further ado, we bring you 13 artists and their noteworthy TV debuts.

13. David Bowie on Top of the Pops

Technically, this early performance of “Space Oddity” wasn’t Bowie’s first time on TV; he appeared on a news program in 1964 as president of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired Men.

12. Janelle Monae on The Late Show with David Letterman

Riding high on the success of one of 2010’s best albums, Ms. Monae bursts onto the radar of the CBS faithful with a nod to James Brown (and a special appearance by Diddy).

11. Odd Future on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

Love ‘em or hate ’em, this hip hop collective is one of the most buzzed-about acts these days, due largely in part to this performance. You know you’ve done something big when you’ve got Mos Def screaming “Swag!” at the end of it.

10. Arctic Monkeys on Later with Jools Holland

Remember back when these guys were The Next Great Thing? After their rollicking debut, their album Whatever People Say That I Am, That’s What I’m Not became the fastest-selling record in British history, and the NME rated it higher than The Clash’s London Calling and The Beatles’ Revolver.

9. The Rolling Stones on The Hollywood Palace

Mick, Keith and company caught a little heat from Dean Martin on their first American TV appearance. Watch him roll his eyes while he says “Aren’t they great?” and pokes fun at their haircuts. Ol’ Dino’s probably just jealous; after all, how can he compete with that pout?

8. The Strokes on Top of the Pops