10 songs recogniseable from their first note
If we greeted one another with the warmth we greet the introductions to our favourite songs by bands such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and the Eagles, the world would be an incredibly polite place. We have a unique connection to songs, as they comfort us, trigger memories, encourage good times, and are an overriding factor in a number of aspects of everyday life. As such, it’s only natural that we love the opening seconds of those that mean a lot to us.
Some songs have such iconic introductions that we can recognise them within a moment. This is a real achievement by songwriters, as it means a track has a unique sound, but a unique sound appealing enough that people want to listen to it over and over. Often, repetition can be frustrating, but if the songs are good enough, that’s not the case.
The opening riff is a pinnacle factor for many rock songs. Many guitarists took pride in their ability to put a riff together and do it so that people were excited to listen to the rest of the song. Given riffs open up a lot of songs, a number of tracks that we recognise immediately fall within the rock category. When you listen to pop music, the crux of a song leans more on the chorus as opposed to the introduction, so fewer of them are immediately recognisable.
That being said, some songs stem from outside the world of rock music that are also instantly recognisable. Here, we will look at some of the best songs ever written, which are identifiable after the very first note.
10 songs that are instantly recognisable:
AC/DC – ‘Back In Black’
The E Chord that kicks things off on AC/DC’s ‘Back In Black’ might be the most prominent E chord in all music. The moment Angus Young hits that solitary note, there is no mistaking the track playing. It only seems fitting that a song which was meant as an ode to their former singer Bon Scott has, subsequently, been welcomed into the realm of immortality.
The song’s timelessness is also embedded in the lyrics that make it up. It’s interesting that while Brian Johnson confirmed there wasn’t much rhyme or reason to the lyrics, lines like “Forget the hearse cause I never die” seem to pay homage to both the song’s tone and to Scott’s memory—a real serendipitous tune.
Guns N’ Roses – ‘Sweet Child O Mine’
One of the most shocking facts in music is that Slash initially wrote the opening riff for ‘Sweet Child O Mine’ in a bid to ruin the song. He wasn’t a fan of what the band were making and so tried to kill the track with a botched opener. “I was the guy who initially was not a big fan of ‘Sweet Child O Mine’ back in the day,” he said. “It was really more about the type of song it was at the time.”
Even if Slash wasn’t a fan of the song at first, it would be hard for him to deny its impact now. The track is one of the band’s most famous, and it’s so well-loved that people can recognise it from the moment he begins plucking away at the intro.
Led Zeppelin – ‘Stairway to Heaven’
Led Zeppelin is often considered the best rock band in history. This is because each musician was so versatile that they could easily bring that versatility to whatever they were working on. Acoustic, blues, rock—it didn’t matter with Led Zeppelin; they could do it all.
No better track in their discography flaunts this versatility as much as ‘Stairway to Heaven’ does. The song starts acoustic, steady, plucking and serene and ends in a hard rock outro that is borderline impossible not to nod your head to. That acoustic intro has become so iconic at this point that it’s hard to hear it and not immediately recognise the tune.
Survivor – ‘Eye of the Tiger’
“Answering machines were still something of a novelty back then and to see that blinking light was a thrill,” said Jim Peterik from Survivor, recalling the moment they were asked if their song could be in the upcoming Rocky movie. “When I pressed the playback button I heard, ‘Hey, yo, Jim, that’s a nice message you got there. This is Sylvester Stallone’. It was too thick to be really, but it was him. That’s really the way he talks.”
Stallone told Peterik he wanted their song ‘Eye of the Tiger’ to be the theme song for the upcoming Rocky movie. Peterik agreed, and the track has become synonymous with boxing and working out ever since. All you need is one note, and you know it’s time to lock in with the eye of the tiger.
Britney Spears – ‘…Baby One More Time’
As mentioned earlier, not every song on this list is a rock song, as Britney Spears proves with one of the most recognisable intros in pop music. Three hits on a piano are all it takes for heads to turn, dancefloors to fill, and attitudes to well and truly engulf everyone within a one-mile radius.
Despite having a successful career with a barrage of classics attached to her name, there is something about the addictive nature of ‘…Baby One More Time’, which is difficult to let go. Spears proves herself as a pop icon with this track, and its recognisable nature is a testament to its quality.
Michael Jackson – ‘Thriller’
“Who liked Thriller? You did,” said Questlove when talking about Michael Jackson’s hit album and the song that inspired its name, “White people, black people, skinny people, fat people, straight people, gay people, punks, rockers, hip-hop kids, thugs, nerds. You. Everyone alive.”
Thriller took over America when it came out, both the album and the song. The song came coupled with an ambitious music video that got people both whistling the tune and copying the dance moves. The result? A track that is completely inescapable and infectious. The moment that synth kicks in, we all know what song will follow.
Oasis – ‘Wonderwall’
When Oasis announced that they were getting back together, people around the country started speaking to friends, checking their savings accounts, and working out the logistics of how they would get to the gig. Simply put, Oasis’s songs are built for singalongs and live shows, so fans far and wide are ecstatic at the idea of seeing them in the flesh.
Even during the band’s hiatus, their songs remain timeless and get played in pubs and clubs everywhere, which means that they have songs that are recognisable from the word go. Not even a chord, but a cough, one so specific and alerting, is all it takes for people to down tools and start singing along to ‘Wonderwall’.
Nirvana – ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’
There are multiple accounts of people talking about the first time they heard Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’. Many of them heard it live before they listened to the studio recording, as Nirvana was playing festivals and reeling out some of their new songs from Nevermind during them. That first listen was enough for people to start going crazy over the grunge pioneers, so it’s no surprise that iconic introduction still plays in our heads today.
The chords: simple. The guitar: tinny. The energy: an unstoppable force. There is no denying the impact of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ both as a moment in time and a cultural milestone. That opening, simple, tinny guitar chord marks the beginning of a musical revolution. It’s pretty hard to mistake it for anything else.
Lynyrd Skynyrd – ‘Free Bird’
Given it’s ten minutes long, ‘Freebird’ has several parts that stand out to the listener. Whether it’s the sweet-sounding opening guitar runs, the hauntingly beautiful vocals, or the five minutes of shredding that ensue as an outro, the track does plenty to ensure it becomes recognisable.
As a result, while the first chord hit might not be the standout moment in the song, it has been heard so often and by so many that it marks the beginning of one track and one track only. The heavenly chord played on an organ is ascending in its own right. Historical and iconic.
White Stripes – ‘Seven Nation Army’
There are a number of options out there when it comes to considering the most famous riff of all time, but the White Stripes ‘Seven Nation Army’ certainly is a contender. Adored by music lovers and football fans worldwide, the riff that makes up this track’s beginning, middle, and end is as revered as it is recognisable.
Anybody who has been to a music venue in the last ten years will be able to year that bassy, fuzzy first note and immediately recognise it as the introduction for ‘Seven Nation Army’. The song is musical heritage at this point, even if its structure might be a little one-note.
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