10 Artists Who Released Their Best Album First

10. Illmatic - Nas

A rare occasion where music critics knew better than audiences, Illmatic is now widely considered to be one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time. Nas got it right out of the gate as his seminal first album, Illmatic, released at the height of hip hop's heyday and still receives praise to this day.

Illmatic is as quintessentially 'New York' as Derek Jeter or cream cheese bagels, and though it often paints the city in a less than desired light, it's an honest indicator of the big apple itself, and indeed the man who grew up there. A young Nas is plastered on the cover with an urban city block providing the backdrop, perfectly capturing the essence of the 1994 release.

There's a simplicity in the production value that, with the vast majority of releases would have been seen as a rookie error and a learning curve to be navigated with future releases, yet the way the melodies unfold on Illmatic only places emphasis on Nas' immense vocal ability.

All subsequent Nas offerings were, predictably, compared to Illmatic. Though there are pockets of brilliance dotted along the rapper's decades-long career, none lived up to the bold, authentic and immensely honest first release.

A true classic.