Lenny Kravitz

I feel like that could describe most bands I listen to though... maybe even a majority of all artists and bands?

Really? I actually think it’s the opposite

I felt like most bands that stick around that long do so because of the first 3 albums, one or multiple of those early albums are popular enough and fuel their career to stick around over time, touring some and putting new albums that are decent but never as good as the earlier one that got them popular.

The ones coming to mind for me are all the like 2000-2013 emo/pop-punk/post-hardcore bands that are still making music... taking back sunday, my chemical romance, underoath, the used, etc...

oh also weezer probably... lots of rock bands seem to fit that in my mind - not as many as I originally thought though as I looked through

Boston's "Boston" was one of the biggest selling albums of all time. They almost nailed it (maybe did, tbh) with their second album "Don't Look Back". "Third Stage" was meh, at best, and it's been a long downward spiral since then.

99% of bands fit that category.

Third Eye Blind

Boston

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Faces

The Knack

The Cars

Warren Zevon

The Fray

Old Crow Medicine Show

No Doubt

Bad Company

Eddie Money

James Gang

Bachman-Turner Overdrive

Head East

The Band

There are a lot more examples, I just got tired of typing