Not sure of the first tape or vinyl, but I remember the first CD I bought was The Doors -
“Morrison Hotel”.
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Aerosmith Greatest Hits
I actually still have the cd I purchased to replace the cassette version
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I clearly remember that the first Album I ever bought was that well known Audiophile staple “Absolutely” from Madness on Cassette.
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If you must know, it was the Manfred Mann album. The one that had “Do Wah Diddy Diddy” on it. The rest of the album was jazz and blues that I didn’t understand until decades later, and it’s still one of my favorites. How’s that for dating oneself?
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First record was Ozzy Osbourne Bark at the Moon. First cassette ZZ Top Eliminator. First CD Guns N Roses Appetite for Destruction.
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Awesome @Hifihillbilly Ozzy Rocks and your other two are great albums! Check out the thread and introduce yourself over at New Here? This Is The Spot To Introduce Yourself
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Every time I try to recall what my first album was, memory completely fails me. My parents were music nuts, had a large collection of records, but not a very good sound system. We weren’t well to do. Music was our luxury. So, mom would stop by a local music shop and she would usually let me pick a record out. Since it started early, I just can’t remember.
Sooo… I think my earliest most influential album, from earliest memory that I purchased myself, is one of these three: Van Halen “1984”, Metallica’s “Kill 'em all”, or Dire Straits “Brothers In Arms”.
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I was probably about 5 years old, and was in an old record shop called Adagio here in Vancouver (long since closed.) I really liked the song they were playing over the speaker system in the shop, so while my mum was doing her thing I asked what the shopkeeper what the song was. Turned out it was “take 5” from Time Out by the Dave Brubeck Quartet. I asked my mom if I could buy the album, and she said I could. Years later, I would end up learning the drum solo note for note, and have performed variations on take 5 multiple times. All these years later, it is probably my favourite song. I realize it can be overplayed for some people, but I always enjoy it. 
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I know these feels! Tons of music I remember, from Bob Marley, Rolling Stones, Muddy Waters, James Brown, Red Hot Chili Peppers…to Ohio Players and some unknown bluegrass and jazz musicians lol
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I had a tape copy of Achtung Baby that I listened to for an entire summer building fences until the tape started to flutter and warble.
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The first album I bought I remember quite well, it was during the summer of 1975 and the LP was Nazareth’s Hair Of The Dog. I was 13 years old and had a few records I had received as gifts but this one was the first I purchased with my own money. Man I tell ya, my father couldn’t stand it. To make things worse He had just bought the first so-called “monster receiver” aka Pioneer SX1010. Officially rated at a conservative 110 watts per channel, as it was usual for Pioneer to publish specs below the actual value. Nevertheless even at 110wpc that made the most powerful receiver on the market at the time though you could never tell just looking at its plain appearance, which was very similar to Kenwood receivers of the same vintage. It was HEAVY though. Dad has also purchased very large JBL L300 Summits to handle the juice. He liked jazz, and he liked it “as if I were right there with the musicians, I like to feel bottom end waves cross my bones” as he put it.
Anyway at 13 I could care less about jazz I liked rock and I liked it heavy and punchy. I thought that system was perfect for Nazareth and let’s just say I over-indulged more than a few times, it felt more like an earthquake than music or so Dad would say lol. I still have that album but it’s so scratchy it can’t be played without damaging the cartridge, at least that’s my opinion. I don’t even have a working TT anyway. 
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@ProfFalkin - I remember one year at Christmas Santa gave my younger brother a tape of Van Halen “1984” and me a a tape of Lionel Richie “Dancing on the Ceiling”. No knock on the former Commodore, but for a kid, seemed a lot less cool.
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Haha, well, I guess it depends on your tastes, but I think Eddie trumps Lionel most days. 
I remember listening to the radio for hours waiting for a song to air, and frantically trying to hit record on my tape deck so I didn’t miss anything. Radio - The original streaming service.
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I don’t think this was the absolute first purchase, but my most memorable early purchase was “Brave Enough: Live at the Variety Playhouse” by Sara Bareilles on HDTracks.
I have listened to this end to end so many times. Not only is it a GREAT recording (for enjoying with good gear) but also one of the best music performances I have heard. Her rendition of “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” is probably in my top 5 songs across all genres, ever.
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In 1998 I bought 2 CDs at the same time. It was The Offspring’s : Americana and Rush’s: Retrospective 2.
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When I was maybe 7, I begged my folks to buy me “The Sound of Music” and they did. Fast forward to my first bought album…
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Love to get the Led out! That was a big album for me in my teenage years and remains one of my favorite albums of theirs to this day!
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Metallica - Load (back in 4th grade). I thought it was rather sinister music compared to all those NSync stuff on TV. But then it grew on me and ended up with the full discography by the end of 8th grade.
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