10 Best Hard Rock Comeback Albums Ever

It's quite rare that in the music industry, an artist or band's career rarely follows a straightforward path, and that's never more apparent than in the world of rock.

There are very few musicians that have actually managed to stand the test of time, and even for the ones who have, that was nearly never the case for so many. Many bands have been ripped apart due to internal conflicts, separated or been forced out of the industry as a result of drink or drug abuse, while some, like so many artists, simply lose their popularity over time.

But then there are the ones who, just when you thought they'd had their day, they came back with music so brilliant, it put them right back in the spotlight. Whether it's down to new band members, a change in their style of music, or long-awaited returns, these groups ended up putting out some of their best work to date.

Here's the ten biggest hard rock comeback albums that remain timeless today...

After some middling success in the mid-80s, David Coverdale's Whitesnake was about to fold. The band had undergone a number of line-up changes over the years and with various issues on tour, it seemed like the end was nigh.

However, following the departure of drummer Cozy Powell, studio executives at Geffen reportedly urged vocalist Coverdale, who was considering disbanding the group, to continue collaborating with guitarist John Sykes, as they saw potential in the pair. A couple of years later, Whitesnake's self-titled album was released (1987 in some countries).

It turned out those studio execs were right to continue putting their faith in the band - the album went eight times platinum in the US and it produced the major power ballad 'Is This Love', while the re-release of 'Here I Go Again' was a number one hit. Its success in the US even led to a surge in sales for the band's previous album, Slide It In, which went from gold to double platinum status, reinvigorating the band in the process.