Southern rock staples Lynyrd Skynyrd hit the scene with their phonetically titled 1973 debut. Befitting the band's Florida roots, there's a thick, swampy funk vibe that runs through these hard-rocking cuts. The cocksure guitar lines and pounding drums of "I Ain't the One" and "Gimme Three Steps" set a backdrop for Ronnie Van Zant's wry, everyman lyrics. But it's the epic closer, "Free Bird," that takes the spoils, as it builds from a soulful ballad into a frenetic, guitar-driven rave-up.
- Molly Hatchet
- Hank Williams, Jr.
- Led Zeppelin