"Street Survivors" is the fifth studio album by the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, released on October 17, 1977. It marks the last album recorded by original members Ronnie Van Zant and Allen Collins, and it features guitarist Steve Gaines's only studio recording with the band. Just three days after its release, a tragic plane crash occurred, claiming the lives of several band members, including Van Zant, Gaines, and backup singer Cassie Gaines, along with other crew members, while severely injuring the survivors.
The album was a commercial success, achieving gold certification within ten days and later going double platinum. It peaked at number 5 on the charts, making it the band's highest-charting album. Notable singles from the album include "What's Your Name" and "That Smell," with the former reaching the top 20.
Street Survivors was recorded twice: first with producer Tom Dowd at Criteria Studios in Miami, and then at Studio One in Doraville, Georgia, five months later. The Doraville sessions were used for the album’s initial release. In 2008, a remastered version, Street Survivors: Deluxe Edition, was released, featuring alternate versions of songs, live tracks, and previously unreleased recordings.
The album showcases the talents of Steve Gaines, who joined the band shortly before the recording. His contributions included co-lead vocals on "You Got That Right" and the guitar-driven "I Know A Little." The album also includes the cautionary "That Smell," which addresses themes of drug abuse within the band.
Tragically, on October 20, 1977, just three days after the album's release, Lynyrd Skynyrd's chartered plane crashed en route to a concert, resulting in the deaths of several members. The surviving members and crew suffered serious injuries.
In the aftermath of the crash, Street Survivors went on to become the band's second platinum album. The original album cover, which depicted the band against a backdrop of flames, was replaced out of respect for the deceased, leading to an urban legend about the cover's imagery. The original design was later restored for the Deluxe Edition.
