Top 40 Opening Tracks of All Tme

The inspiration for this list came mostly from my lack of classic rock intake in recent years. My life has been so cluttered with new music for the last few years that making a list like this was therapeutic for me. Making this brought me back to some records I haven't listened to in quite some time. That being said, a great deal of this list is made up of older records (21 are from before 1980), but that doesn't mean I completely negated newer records on purpose. I just think that older records (the classic rock years) were conceived in such a way that gave a lot more thought to opening tracks. This isn't to say that music in general was better then, but rather that music was labored over in a much different nature than today. The opening track was (and should still be) the mission statement of a band. A good opening track shouldn't just be a good song; rather it should also be an opus for the rest of the record. A good opening track should change the mood your in and most importantly it should make you want to listen to the rest of the record from beginning to end.

40.) The Clash -- "Clash City Rockers" --- The Clash

39.) The Bad Plus -- "Big Eater" --- These Are The Vistas

38.) Coldplay -- "Don't Panic" --- Parachutes

37.) Nick Drake -- "Pink Moon" --- Pink Moon

36.) The dB's -- "Black and White" --- Stands For Decibels

35.) Damien Jurado -- "Ohio" --- Rehersals For Departure 

34.) Dusty Springfield -- "Just A Little Lovin'" --- Dusty In Memphis

33.) Neutral Milk Hotel -- "The King of Carrot Flowers Part One" --- In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

32.) Elvis Costello -- "No Action" --- This Year's Model

31.) The Clash -- "London Calling" --- London Calling

30.) The Flaming Lips -- "Race For The Prize" (Mokran Remix) --- The Soft Bulletin

29.) Radiohead -- "Airbag" --- OK Computer

28.) Bill Callahan -- "Jim Cain" --- Sometimes I We Were An Eagle

27.) XTC -- "Summer's Cauldron" --- Skylarking 

26.) Bob Dylan -- "Tangled Up In Blue" --- Blood On The Tracks

25.) Chicago -- "Introduction" --- Chicago Transit Authority

24.) King Crimson -- "21st Century Schizoid Man" --- In The Court of the Crimson King

23.) The Strokes -- "Is This It" --- Is This It

22.) Boston -- "More Than A Feelin'" --- Boston

21.) Marvin Gaye -- "What's Going On" --- What's Going On

20.) Funkadelic -- "Maggot Brain" --- Maggot Brain

19.) John Lennon --  "Mother" --- Plastic Ono Band

18.) Arcade Fire -- "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" --- Funeral

17.) The Beatles -- "Come Together" --- Abbey Road

16.) Pink Floyd -- "In The Flesh?" --- The Wall

15.) Elton John -- "Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy" --- Captain Fantastic And The
Brown Dirt Cowboy

14.) U2 -- "Where The Streets Have No Names" --- Joshua Tree

13.) The Beatles -- "Back In The U.S.S.R." --- The Beatles (The White Album)

12.) The Doors -- "Break On Through (To The Other Side)" --- The Doors

11.) Prince -- "Let's Go Crazy" --- Purple Rain

10.) Sonic Youth -- "Teen Age Riot" --- Daydream Nation


9.) The Rolling Stones -- "Gimme Shelter" --- Let It Bleed


8.) Wilco -- "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart" --- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot


7.) The Who -- "Baba O'Riley" --- Who's Next


6.) Led Zeppelin -- "Whole Lotta Love" --- Led Zeppelin II


5.) Radiohead -- "Everything In It's Right Place" --- Kid A


4.) Bob Dylan -- "Like A Rolling Stone" --- Highway 61 Revisited


3.) Nirvana -- "Smells Like Teen Spirit" --- Nevermind


2.) The Beach Boys -- "Wouldn't It Be Nice" --- Pet Sounds

1.) Bruce Springsteen -- "Thunder Road" --- Born To Run

Beach House -- "The Hours"

Beach House, the dream pop duo out of Baltimore, have been making quite a bit of buzz the last few years. After a totally solid debut and sophomore album, 2010's Teen Dream was a total knockout. It was a record that everybody was in total agreement upon. However, their most recent album, Bloom, has not been as well received. While being most predictably adored  by Pitchfork, many music critics have been very mixed on this new record. For me, I like it a great deal, but is it as great as Teen Dream... eh maybe not. I will just say that I think many critics are being slightly luke-warm to this album simply because of the popularity that the band received with Teen Dream.  Music critics are a bunch of tools who often get upset when a super talented band like Beach House ends up "stealing" that sound the critic created in 94' in his mom's basement. "Dude, we like opened for some serious acts..." Sure you did buddy.

Sorry for the tangent. Anyway, while it takes a little bit of time to get into Bloom, if you peel back the layers of this record, you will find some serious gems. "The Hours" is by far the absolute standout on this record. It goes in so many different places at once. From that weirdo sample in the beginning, to those beautifully airy harmonies, to that rifffffffff. Oh man, that riff is easily the most killer guitar work I have heard all year. Then, about thirty seconds into the song, you are dropped right into Victoria Legrand's lap with that absolutely beautiful melody. Don't even get me started on the chorus. I have been humming the part where Legrand sings "don't care about me" every day since my first listen of this song. This may rival "Walk In The Park"  as my favorite Beach House song. Check it out!


Beach House -- "The Hours"

Spiritualized -- "Hey Jane"

Spiritualized, a psych rock band from across the pond, have just put out their seventh studio album, Sweet Heart Sweet Light - an album that I am totally hooked on. Sadly enough, I have only listened to the album maybe three times all the way through. I would give it more listens if it weren't for the fact that once the first track, "Hey Jane," finishes I immediately click the back button. This song hits on many aspects of songwriting that I absolutely adore: A.) It's sprawling B.) It has a false ending C.) It's catchy D.) It picks a groove and stays in it E.) It is totally anthemic F.) I love back-up singers ... I'm winded so I will just stop there. Moreover, this song is great. I can't get enough of it, but I suggest you get past this song and listen to the rest of the record which is also great.

Spiritualized -- "Hey Jane"

Bobby Womack -- "Please Forgive My Heart"

It goes without saying that Bobby Womack is a legend. However, many soul legends end up putting records out at the end of their careers that are just super lame. Fortunately, I don't think this notion is the case with Bobby Womack. Following in the footsteps of Mavis Staples (working with Jeff Tweedy on her last solo record) and the late great Gil Scott-Heron (PLEASE listen to his last record, I'm New Here) - legends who have put out fantastic records in the last few years, Bobby Womack is teaming up with the amazing Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz) and XL Records boss Richard Russell on his forthcoming album, The Bravest Man In The Universe. The first song to be released from the record, "Please Forgive My Heart," is an absolute knockout. It is a song that is just so unbelievably inventive. I have never in my life heard something so classic sounding and yet also so fresh. The production is just out of this world. This is a song that couldn't come out in any other year than 2012. The combination of a super angular and dope production, along with a fantastic and honest performance by Womack makes this easily the best song I have heard all year.

Jack White -- "Hip (Eponymous) Poor Boy"

Jack White I have missed you so much. Like everyone (ever) I absolutely love Jack White. There is nothing the man can do wrong. However, when I read of the White Stripes break up, I did get worried that his career might slip a bit. Fortunately, the release of Blunderbuss has proved me wrong. This album is like hearing from a dear old friend. It has made me smile more than any other record this year. Bob Boilen's interview with Jack White hits on this notion precisely. Boilen discusses how this album is familiar sounding in the best way possible. I feel that 50 years from now people will look back on this record in the same way that people have looked upon early Dylan, Neil Young, and Lennon solo records. Some of you may think that this analogy is a bit of a stretch, but give it time... For me, Jack White has meant more to music than any other musician of the last 20 years.



Jack White: How I Made 'Blunderbuss'