10 Hard Rock Bands Never Better Than Their First Album

10. Lynyrd Skynyrd

Lynyrd Skynyrd are the definitive Southern rock band. Whenever you turn on any of the band's hits, it immediately transports you to a wide open field in the middle of the South, where it was equally as laid-back as it was dangerous. When talking about the band's best work, it all comes down to their sort-of self-titled album Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd.

While the band admittedly had many hits after this album like the anthem "Sweet Home Alabama," this concentrated blast of energy shows you everything you need to know about what made them so great. Across eight tracks, you get some of the band's greatest ballads like "Simple Man" and "Tuesday's Gone," while being balanced out with the immortal guitar jam "Free Bird" on the back half.

Even for those not suited for the latter's 9 minute slog, tracks like "Gimme Three Steps" get right to the point, as the band pump out a tune that is one part bluesy rocker and another part drunken sing-along. Some of the songs that Skynyrd made after this may have been heavier or more thoughtful, but in terms of raw power, their first record really is the perfect package. It's probably not something you'd revisit every day, but whenever you're in the mood for good Southern boogie, nothing hits the spot better.