While rock albums often saving the best for last, several classic albums opened with their strongest music. In the same way that bands want to hook their audience with an epic opening at a live show, a rock album needs to have a strong hook to grab listeners' attention, give them a taste of what's to come, and lay the groundwork. for the style of the record. In some cases, bands did such a good job with their opening song that the album peaked right then and there and never reached the same heights as the debut track again.
A truly great album can take artists to another level, and all of these rock records have something special to offer. Just because these albums peaked with their opening song doesn't mean the rest of the music should be discarded, as in many cases, these collections of songs represented some of the most enduring and iconic rock music ever made. An album is a complete listening experience where each track informs the othersbut these rock n' roll records achieved something special with that first song.
10
Ramones (1976)
The Ramones: “Blitzkrieg Bop”
It's hard to think of a band that better encapsulated their sound in just one track than the Ramones did with “Blitzkrieg Bop,” the opener from their debut album. Ramones 1976. As a precursor to the pioneering music that would follow in 1977, the year punk broke out, the Ramones laid the template for punk rock with this album openerwhich was raw, simple and to the point. As a signature song that blends the destructive violence of WWII German raids with the danceable energy of punk's anti-establishment sound, “Blitzkrieg Bop” was the Ramones summed up in 2 minutes and 12 seconds.
While Ramones was a record filled with iconic songs like the strangely sentimental and wholesome “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” or the aggressive energy of “Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue”, this album had already reached its peak by the time the first song came to an end. This was a testament to the Ramones' ability to write concise, memorable, straightforward rock 'n' roll that condensed the spirit and attitude of New York's burgeoning punk scene into quick bursts of pioneering music. musical energy.
9
Elephant (2003)
The White Stripes: “Seven Nation Army”
The cultural impact of the White Stripes' hit track “Seven Nation Army” is easy to underestimate, as its ubiquitous presence as a sporting event chant meant it transcended its origins as an alternative rock single. “Seven Nation Army” was the White Stripes’ signature song and a defining event in the garage rock revival of the 2000s. From its memorable repeated bassline to the way the song builds toward a big crescendo in its powerful chorus, even those with little interest in rock will immediately recognize this song.
While the White Stripes' fourth album Elephanthad another big hit with “The Hardest Button to Button” and memorable songs like “I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself” and “There's No Home for You Here”, none of which match the epic opening that was “Seven Nation Army.” As the 36th best song of all time, according to Rolling Stone magazine, this was the track that made Jack and Meg White two of the biggest names in music in the mid-2000s.
8
Violent Women (1983)
Violent Women: “Blister in the Sun”
As one of the most important artists of the underground folk punk and alternative rock scene of the 1980s, Violent Femmes have had a major influence on today's indie rock music scene. With a style that blends folk, rock, grunge, pop punk and emo, Violent Femmes infused their music with energy and emotion, as their hopeless romance lyrics connected with sensitive teenagers of the 1980s. Violent Femmes' 1983 self-titled debut remains their most popular albumand it started off with a bang as listeners marveled at the power of “Blister in the Sun.”
With a fast-paced energy that captured the excitement of youth combined with the angst of adolescence, “Blister in the Sun” boasted an unapologetic DIY aesthetic, off-kilter, nasally vulnerable vocals from Gordon Gano, and enigmatic lyrics of teenage lust, passion, and energy. nervous. Violent Femmes had other fantastic songs, like the raw intensity and built-up frustration of “Add it Up,” but nothing on the record had the same lasting appeal as “Blister in the Sun.” Although Violent Femmes has a great catalogue, it was the first song from the first album that would be remembered forever.
7
You Are Experienced (1967)
The Jimi Hendrix Experience: “Purple Haze”
When thinking about the greatest guitarists in the history of rock n' roll, one name usually stands out above the rest: Jimi Hendrix. As a defining figure of the 1960s psychedelic music movement, Hendrix and his group, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, sent shockwaves through the music industry in their brief history, ending tragically with Hendrix's death at age 27 in 1970. While time of Hendrix on this Earth was brief, he left behind an incredible body of work, and all three of his band's albums released during his lifetime were included in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
It's incredible how fully formed Hendrix's style has come, as it's hard to top “Purple Haze”, the opening track on the North American edition of the band's debut album, You are experienced. While other songs like “Foxy Lady” and “Hey Joe” are some of Hendrix's best work, “Purple Haze” featured innovative guitar work and otherworldly psychedelic sensibility that was truly ahead of its time. As a firm demonstration of Hendrix's status as a guitar legend, “Purple Haze” laid the foundation for the hard rock and heavy metal of the following decades.
6
Nevermind (1991)
Nirvana: “Smells like teenage spirit”
Although the Seattle sound known as grunge music had been slowly developing since the 1980s, as groups blended styles of punk rock and heavy metal to create something new, its popularity exploded with the release of Nirvana's second studio album. , Let it go. This album was a defining piece of 1990s music history, as the raw lyricism and emotional vulnerability of Kurt Cobain it connected with a large number of listeners, and the group became a worldwide sensation. The mainstream acceptance of grunge can be summed up in just one song, “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, the opening track on the album. Let it go.
From its catchy, fast-paced opening guitar riff to its thunderous chorus, the loud, quiet approach to “Smells Like Teen Spirit” captured the band’s sound and was the best track on Nevermind. With mysterious yet relatable lyrics that expressed teenage frustration and alienation, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” became an anthem for lazy Gen X teens who wanted to take a stand against the corporatization of music and the commodification of anti-establishment beliefs. . While songs like “Come as You Are” and “In Bloom” pack a real punch, Let it go peaked with its opener.
5
Led Zeppelin II (1969)
Led Zeppelin: “Whole Lotta Love”
As a band that rose from the ashes of the Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin was one of rock's first supergroups, as it combined the virtuoso guitar skills of Jimmy Page with the undeniable power of Robert Plant's vocals. While this was on full display on exclusive tracks like “Black Dog” and “Stairway to Heaven,” it's hard to top the album's incredible opener in Led Zeppelin II that was “Whole Lotta Love.” With a catchy riff, a sing-song chorus and a hard rock sound that sums up everything great about the band, the appeal of “Whole Lotta Love” has never waned.
Led Zeppelin II was a breakthrough album that reached number one in the UK and US and laid the foundation for the band to be one of the most impactful groups of all time. Although this album has many other incredible songs like “Ramble On” and “Heartbreaker”, none of the other tracks have the same kind of mainstream recognition as the opening number. “Whole Lotta Love” was a rock masterclass, as its hypnotic riff and heavy groove helped propel the psychedelic sounds of the 1960s toward the hard rock innovation of the 1970s.
4
Bat Out of Hell (1977)
Meatloaf: “Bat Out of Hell”
While other musicians adopted the fast, quick and simple style of punk rock in 1977, Meat Loaf chose to open his debut album with one of the most ambitious and dramatic compositions rock n' roll has ever seen. The song of the same name Bat Out of Hell The album had an operatic quality and theatrical energy that was unlike any other album released at the time. At 9 minutes and 52 seconds, “Bat Out of Hell” combined cinematic imagery with Meat Loaf's intense vocal performance that transported listeners to a world of genre-blending romantic rebellion.
While it could be argued that the second track, “You Took The Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night),” rivals the title song, this opening was so powerful and energetic that it signaled the album at its peak. As an album that developed from the musical Neverland. Neverlanda futuristic rock version of Pedro Pan, Bat Out of Hell it is best enjoyed as a complete work where each song complements the others. Marking the beginning of an extraordinary career, “Bat Out of Hell” was the perfect track to introduce listeners to Meat Loaf.
3
Let It Bleed (1969)
Rolling Stones: “Give Me Shelter”
From “Sympathy for the Devil” onwards Beggar's Banquet for “Rocks Off” on Exile on Main St.The Rolling Stones have a wealth of incredible album openers. However, the most obvious example of an opening track that stood out from the rest of the record was “Gimme Shelter” on Let it bleed. This iconic track immediately set the tone of the album, was one of the Rolling Stones' best songs, and earned an undeniable place in mainstream pop culture due to its frequent appearance on film and TV soundtracks.
Let it bleed started and ended with two incredible songs when the Rolling Stones closed with “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” However, “Gimme Shelter” was a masterpiece of evocative atmosphere and dark lyricism, perfectly encapsulating the band's late 1960s appeal. With Mick Jagger's vocals at their best, the power of their performance was heightened by the iconic backing vocals from gospel singer Merry Clayton, which gave the track a feminine energy that made it stand out in her catalogue.
2
David Bowie (1969)
David Bowie: “Space Weirdness”
David Bowie is remembered for his chameleon-like ability to consistently reinvent himself while excelling at everything from psychedelic folk to glam rock and drum and bass. However, it took Bowie some time to truly find his voice, and after a failed attempt to release his first album in 1967, he returned once again with a new sound in 1969 and a hit single with “Space Oddity.” This fascinating song expressed Bowie's feelings of alienation at that point in his career and received widespread coverage due to its release in conjunction with the moon landing.
“Space Oddity” was the first song on Bowie’s second self-titled albumand although other tracks like “Cygnet Committee” and “Memory of a Free Festival” are beloved by Bowie enthusiasts, no song on this record has had the same kind of lasting appeal as its opening number. incredibly successful and even threatened to destroy it, it was a high point in David Bowie this helped lay the groundwork for his later career success with other space-related songs such as “Starman” and “Life on Mars.”
1
Who's Next (1971)
The Who: “Baba O'Riley”
Having already become one of the biggest names in music during the 1960s, The Who continued the pioneering success of their rock opera triumph, Tommywith their most urgent and commercially appealing album, Who's next, in 1971. Although this album began as another complex and ambitious concept album from lead songwriter Pete Townshend called living housethat project was abandoned and the resulting record was a collection of some of the best individual songs he had ever written.
Who's next began with a bang as the synth sound of “Baba O'Riley” felt like the beginning of a new era for the band, and the power of Roger Daltrey's vocals sent shivers down listeners' spines. While Who's next had many more masterful tracks, like its epic closer “Won't Get Fooled Again,” none of which achieved the same unstoppable energy and anthemic appeal as “Baba O'Riley.” As a song that features prominently on TV soundtracks, such as the theme song for CSI: NY“Baba O'Riley” is instantly recognizable even to those with little interest in rock music.
Sources: Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time