Top 40 Album-Opening Songs

First impressions are the whole lot. And with consideration spans what they’re, music artists do not have the luxurious of finally getting round to what they wish to say. There is a good purpose so many basic albums start with their greatest songs.

From the Beatles and Led Zeppelin to U2 and Nirvana, rock historical past is crammed with nice album-opening songs. Whether or not prologues to LP-length ideas or killer singles, the primary tune on an album not solely helps set temper and tempo, it is also a key consider figuring out if a listener goes to stay round for the subsequent 40 or so minutes. With out that first hook, the percentages get a lot, a lot slimmer.

As you may see within the beneath checklist of the Prime 40 Album-Opening Songs, the elemental start line is commonly a make-or-break second for a basic file. Would the Jimi Hendrix Expertise’s debut nonetheless matter all these years later with out “Purple Haze”‘s well-known guitar introduction welcoming listeners? And since we’re as regards to that colour, Prince’s from-the-pulpit invitation to Purple Rain undeniably had a component in making the album the longest-running No. 1 of 1984.

And one of the best factor in regards to the Prime 40 Album-Opening Songs beneath is that they are simply the beginning of LPs value diving into. However you gotta begin someplace.

40. David Bowie, “5 Years” (From The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, 1972)

The opening observe on Bowie’s star-making LP serves because the prologue to the story of an extraterrestrial rock star who falls to Earth in an try to reserve it from destruction. “5 Years” slowly fades in as information of an impending apocalypse is relayed.

39. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, “Refugee” (From Rattling the Torpedoes, 1979)

From the rolling drums that introduce “Refugee,” Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ third album seemed like one thing large was on the horizon. Rattling the Torpedoes proved to be Petty’s first Prime 10 LP, filler-free rock ‘n’ roll straight from the heartland.

38. 9 Inch Nails, “Head Like a Gap” (From Fairly Hate Machine, 1989)

The minute-long instrumental intro to the primary tune on 9 Inch Nails’ debut album set the template for his or her profession: skittering digital drums, buzzing synths and chain-saw guitars. Then Trent Reznor’s scraped vocals present up. A career-making second.

37. U2, “Stunning Day” (From All That You Cannot Depart Behind, 2000)

U2 had spent a lot of the ’90s within the wilderness, experimenting with new sounds and types. For 2000’s All That You Cannot Depart Behind, they returned to the basic U2 sound, beginning with the familiar-sounding guitar main “Stunning Day.”

36. Ramones, “Blitzkrieg Bop” (From Ramones, 1976)

The Ramones’ template was set out from the opening seconds of the primary observe on their debut album. Energy-chord guitars collide with booming bass and a gentle 4/4 … after which it is throughout in lower than two and a half minutes. Not a second is wasted.

35. New York Dolls, “Persona Disaster” (From New York Dolls, 1973)

New York Dolls made their intentions clear within the opening tune of their self-titled debut. All the band stumbles in as singer David Johansen lets unfastened with a throat-clearing scream adopted by “yeah, yeah, yeah” after which “no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!”

READ MORE: 40 Songs With Titles Not within the Lyrics

34. Led Zeppelin, “Immigrant Track” (From Led Zeppelin III, 1970)

Temporary suggestions hiss provides method to a galloping exhausting rock rhythm that prices via ice and snow on its method to Valhalla. “Immigrant Track” is a deceiving begin to Led Zeppelin’s third album, a largely acoustic file that exposed new layers to the supergroup.

33. The White Stripes, “Seven Nation Military” (From Elephant, 2003)

Probably the most well-known guitar riff of the century began life as a possible James Bond theme when Jack White got here up with it whereas on tour in Australia in 2002. His band with ex-wife drummer Meg, the White Stripes, turned rock saviors with its fourth LP Elephant.

32. Rush, “Tom Sawyer” (From Transferring Photos, 1981)

Rush had already began transferring to a extra accessible sound when their eighth album catapulted them to the massive leagues. From the opening assault of “Tom Sawyer,” Transferring Photos sharpened the Canadian energy trio to their best factors.

31. The Rolling Stones, “Begin Me Up” (From Tattoo You, 1981)

An album of castaways relationship again to 1972 carried the Rolling Stones’ streak into a brand new decade. And Tattoo You began robust, with “Begin Me Up” – that includes one other in an extended line of basic Stones riffs – crusing to No. 1, shortly adopted by the LP to the highest.

30. King Crimson, “twenty first Century Schizoid Man” (From Within the Court docket of the Crimson King, 1969)

Thirty seconds of largely inaudible silence greet the beginning of King Crimson’s debut album. However as soon as Greg Lake’s distorted voice and a hard-rock thump led by Robert Fripp’s slashing guitar take part, it is prog mayhem at its most razor-sharp disciplined.

29. Journey, “Do not Cease Believin'” (From Escape, 1981)

Journey’s greatest album begins with their one simple basic. Impressed by new keyboardist Jonathan Cain, “Do not Cease Believin'” pulls off an enormous tease, saving its fist-raising refrain till the tune’s ultimate minute. Surprisingly, it isn’t the LP’s greatest single.

28. AC/DC, “Freeway to Hell” (From Freeway to Hell, 1979)

AC/DC has no scarcity of nice album openers, however “Freeway to Hell” strengthens that place with a killer riff and a Bon Scott entrance that makes the upcoming street journey sound greater than a bit menacing. It is one in all their all-time greatest choruses, too.

27. Aerosmith, “Again within the Saddle” (From Rocks, 1976)

The opening observe on Rocks strikes from a trot to a gallop in its first 30 seconds, clearing the best way for a larynx-shredding scream by Steven Tyler earlier than one in all Aerosmith’s most recognizable riffs kicks in. The LP’s subsequent 35 minutes not often let up.

26. Metallica, “Enter Sandman” (From Metallica, 1991)

Metallica’s industrial breakthrough begins with an introduction to their darkish, foreboding world. “Enter Sandman” cracked the Prime 20 – a band first – and launched the quartet into one other stage of success. 4 extra singles from the Black Album adopted.

25. R.E.M., “Radio Free Europe” (From Murmur, 1983)

The primary tune on R.E.M.’s debut album begins with ghostly static calling from one other dimension. Then it will get weirder, as Michael Stipe stitches phrases collectively – some actual, some probably made up – that followers nonetheless debate. An invite to Murmur‘s gothic draw.

24. Bruce Springsteen, “Badlands” (From Darkness on the Fringe of City, 1978)

The rolling drums that push “Badlands” into view marked the tip of a three-year break between data for Springsteen – nearly an eternity within the ’70s. From there Darkness on the Fringe of City goes to different lands, some extra promising than others.

23. Black Sabbath, “Warfare Pigs” (From Paranoid, 1970)

Simply as Black Sabbath opened their self-titled debut album seven months earlier with the sound of a tolling bell, they slowly work their approach into the lead observe from the follow-up with a minute-long instrumental intro. Eight minutes later they arrive up for air.

22. Radiohead, “All the things in Its Proper Place” (From Child A, 2000)

Following landmark OK Pc, Radiohead turned towards digital music for his or her fourth LP. The opener “All the things in Its Proper Place” had stalled earlier than synths have been added and Thom Yorke’s vocals layered with audio sludge. A brand new world awaited.

READ MORE: Prime 40 Albums of 1983

21. U2, “The place the Streets Have No Identify” (From The Joshua Tree, 1987)

U2 had been constructing towards The Joshua Tree since 1983’s Warfare. 1984’s The Unforgettable Hearth revealed the Irish band’s deep curiosity in American tradition, a theme explored extra deeply in its follow-up. The opening observe goes full widescreen.

20. The Seaside Boys, “Would not It Be Good” (From Pet Sounds, 1966)

From the opening notes of “Would not It Be Good,” the Seaside Boys’ Pet Sounds revealed new layers of depth to their music. Brian Wilson engineered the file as an idea album about experiencing advanced feelings for the primary time. It is nonetheless inspiring.

19. Boston, “Extra Than a Feeling” (From Boston, 1976)

Boston got here out of nowhere in 1976, shortly breaking gross sales data with their bestselling debut. From the fade-in of the opening tune and first single “Extra Than a Feeling,” their tackle ’70s AOR helped lay a path for the upcoming decade’s shifts.

18. Black Sabbath, “Black Sabbath” (From Black Sabbath, 1970)

Falling rain, a tolling bell, thunder … Black Sabbath made fairly an entrance on the opening tune of their debut album. Not a lot occurs within the six-plus minutes it takes for “Black Sabbath” to unfold, but it surely positive units a temper that formed their complete profession.

17. AC/DC, “Hells Bells” (From Again in Black, 1980)

Like “Black Sabbath,” AC/DC’s “Hells Bells” begins with a ringing bell. And like its 10-year-old predecessor, it serves a objective: Singer Bon Scott died in 1979, changed by Brian Johnson for the band’s seventh album. It alerts the tip and a brand new starting.

16. The Beatles, “Come Collectively” (From Abbey Highway, 1969)

There are a lot of noteworthy opening moments from the Beatles’ catalog, beginning with the “one-two-three-four” count-off on their debut album to the bittersweet begin of Let It Be. However the snaky bass and drums that introduce their final recorded LP stand out.

READ MORE: Rock’s Most Hated Information

15. The Rolling Stones, “Gimme Shelter” (From Let It Bleed, 1969)

Let It Bleed was the Rolling Stones’ requiem for the ’60s, and its opening tune slowly creeps in like a malevolent storm, bringing with it dread and despair. Not even the gospel voices can save the battered souls searching for shelter. Simply pray it passes.

14. Prince and the Revolution, “Let’s Go Loopy” (From Purple Rain, 1984)

“Dearly beloved, we have gathered right here at the moment to get via this factor known as life,” Prince preaches on the high of his monster-selling album, Purple Rain. After which the music – a mixture of pop, funk and rock – rushes in, and the whole lot goes to be all proper.

13. Queen, “We Will Rock You” (From Information of the World, 1977)

It isn’t a lot of a tune, simply 135 seconds of repetitive percussive hand claps and foot stomps accompanied by a group-sing stadium chant. Then a guitar solo barges in and goes into repeat mode. However what a method to begin an album.

12. Led Zeppelin, “Black Canine” (From Led Zeppelin IV, 1971)

Is there a extra excellent intro to one of many all-time best rock albums than a swaggering Robert Plant intoning, “Hey, hey, mama, stated the best way you progress / Gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groove“? A filler-free 42 minutes follows.

11. Van Halen, “Runnin’ With the Satan” (From Van Halen, 1978)

The sluggish fade-in alerts one thing large is on the horizon. The opening tune on Van Halen’s first album makes a grand entrance, successfully shifting the panorama of exhausting rock music transferring into the ’80s. Everybody right here will get a show-stopping showcase.

10. Marvin Gaye, “What’s Going On” (From What’s Going On, 1971)

Informal conversations begin one of many all-time greatest protest songs earlier than a wounded saxophone brings in the remainder of the band. All these years later, “What’s Going On”‘s message remains to be wanted. Marvin Gaye’s elegant tune cycle hasn’t aged one bit.

9. Bob Dylan, “Like a Rolling Stone” (From Freeway 61 Revisited, 1965)

Bob Dylan’s first absolutely electrical album begins out swinging. With a single drum hit main, the remainder of the band joins in with one of many rock’s all-time-greatest LP openers. Dylan snarls, accuses and spits his approach via a bitchy putdown that made it to No. 2.

8. The Conflict, “London Calling” (From London Calling, 1979)

One of many best albums ever made begins with a declaration over a marching beat: “London calling, now do not look to us, phony Beatlemania has bitten the mud.” The subsequent hour flips via punk, pop, rockabilly, jazz, R&B, reggae, new wave and basic rock.

7. The Who, “Baba O’Riley” (From Who’s Subsequent, 1971)

Pete Townshend fed the opening repeated notes of “Baba O’Riley” into an organ, kicking off the Who’s 1971 basic Who’s Subsequent with one thing futuristic-sounding. The LP was scaled again from a extra formidable venture; it stays their leanest work.

READ MORE: 25 Underneath the Radar Albums From 1973

6. The Jimi Hendrix Expertise, “Purple Haze” (From Are You Skilled, 1967)

“Purple Haze” first appeared because the second single by the Jimi Hendrix Expertise of their native U.Ok. However the tune was their introduction to U.S. listeners, main their debut album with guitar heroics by no means heard earlier than. An awesome begin to a necessary debut.

5. Weapons N’ Roses, “Welcome to the Jungle” (From Urge for food for Destruction, 1987)

Stuttering, echoed guitars introduce one of the vital potent rock bands of the late twentieth century. By the point Axl Rose closes the intro with an anguished howl, the remainder of Weapons N’ Roses roll in like a heavy storm. One of many fiercest welcomes ever heard in music.

4. Nirvana, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (From Nevermind, 1991)

The opening guitar riff of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” shouldn’t be solely one of the vital well-known in rock historical past, it was additionally a rallying cry for a revolution. With Nevermind, Nirvana fired a warning shot for a brand new era of artists. Nothing could be the identical after this.

3. Led Zeppelin, “Complete Lotta Love” (From Led Zeppelin II, 1969)

The beginning of Led Zeppelin’s second album options one of the vital iconic guitar riffs in rock historical past. By the point the tune fades to an in depth 5 and a half minutes later, there are canyon-filling howls, thundering drums and a midsong freakout.

2. The Rolling Stones, “Sympathy for the Satan” (From Beggars Banquet, 1968)

Ghostly percussion ushers in devices one by one till practically six and a half minutes later “Sympathy for the Satan” winds down in a flurry of screams and guitar squeals. The Beggars Banquet opener launched one in all music’s all-time best runs.

1. Bruce Springsteen, “Thunder Highway” (From Born to Run, 1975)

“Thunder Highway” slowly sneaks in from the opened display door Bruce Springsteen sings about within the first line of his legend-making LP. It proceeds to put out the theme of Born to Run: on a regular basis losers searching for new begins. No tune units an album’s scene higher.