You're getting a lot of great responses. I'll throw my two cents in......
Most all of the DAWs these days are really good. Whatever you choose you'll probably stick with for a while because there is a learning curve to the program and you get used to the workflow. I would definitely recommend a DAW that supports multiple plugin types.
I'm not going to get into the Mac/Windows debate. I record on a Mac because when I started (6.3 million years ago), the Mac platform was a LOT better for music production. These days, that's definitely not true.
I've used several DAWs in the past. Currently, I'm settled on Ableton Live. Ableton is big in the EDM community, but I don't use it that way at all. I record everything myself and don't use samples. Ableton provides a really interesting workflow that provides some amazing functionality for song writing and arranging. I can play with ideas in Ableton in an easy and intuitive way that just are not possible in any other DAW (except for Bitwig). Ableton can also act like a linear DAW just like the other options so it has two distinct flavors that really act as different inspirations for creating new material. Everything is not perfect. Mixing in Ableton is a bit of a chore. I've gotten pretty good at it, but the mixing environment in Logic is far superior.
I'm a HUGE fan of EZ Drummer and highly recommend getting it. It's super intuitive and easy to use. It has some pretty fantastic mixing functionality. I keep saying I should "upgrade" to Superior Drummer, but EZ Drummer is so damn good and so damn easy that it's hard to justify a change.
If I were doing this from the beginning I'd probably go with Studio One from Presonus. Why? Well, it has all the basic functionality of any good DAW. However, Presonus is doing an interesting thing where they integrate a lot of their hardware deeply with their software. Once you start recording, you find that getting away from the mouse and using a tactile surface for tracking and mixing is helpful. However, finding a good tactile surface that really integrates with your DAW is a chore. EVERYTHING in this area is a big compromise unless you go insanely high-end with Pro Tools. However, Presonus is providing some really cool tactile surfaces that integrate amazingly well with their Studio One software. I'd really take a look at this.
Recording can be an easy and relatively inexpensive hobby, or it can be a rabbit hole that takes you down a path of gear acquisition. You're always looking for that next big thing that's going to improve your sound. It's a lot of fun!! It starts with the DAW, then the audio interface, then mics, then preamps, then ..... Heck, just building a decent mic locker can put you in the poor house. Then there are preamps. Ooof......
