Some don't have any of these instruments
We know a song intro is really good when it comes on and we instantly recognize it. Be it a guitar riff, a piano melody, a beat, or anything else, we don't need much more to know which song we're listening to!
We previously discussed the greatest opening lyrics of all time, and now it's time to bring you the most recognizable song intros of all time. Click on to discover them all.
The major key piano intro in this Journey classic just sounds so positive and hopeful. Indeed it is timeless.
If there's an intro that make you smile and headbang immediately, it's 'Back in Black.' Though as far as iconic intros go, the Aussie rockers have many more, including 'Thunderstruck' and 'Highway to Hell,' to name a few.
Slash's iconic guitar intro was originally an exercise he did to warm up his fingers. It turned into one of the most recognizable intros of all time!
The year was 1986. Hard rock Swedish band Europe released a song with one of the most iconic intros of all time, and we still recognize it to this day.
The intro the this southern rock classic is instantly recognizable. You can almost feel the warm sunshine on your face as the guitar starts playing.
Yes, we chose two songs by Queen. They are both so easily recognizable as soon as they start, and indeed such great songs, that we couldn't choose one over the other. Of course, there are many others, including 'Under Pressure' and 'Another One Bites the Dust.'
A simple drum beat and an iconic synth line. It's all it takes to make us tap our feet and click our fingers to the intro of this Michael Jackson tune.
The guitar line, followed by the Man in Black's iconic percussive guitar strumming, makes this one of the most recognizable song intros of all time. Cash's 1963 hit 'Ring of Fire' is also a strong contender, with its Mariachi-style trumpet intro.
Bands such as Nirvana have many instantly recognizable song intros. 'Smells Like Teen Spirit,' however, is on another level. The guitar chords strummed by Kurt Cobain, followed by Dave Grohl's drumming, is just spectacular.
Released in 1982 and famously part of the soundtrack of 'Rocky III,' 'Eye of the Tiger' really is a classic with an epic intro.
It's (almost) impossible to not recognize the beautiful piano intro to 'Imagine.'
Metallica's famous ballad got many kids to pick up guitars in the '90s and start playing. But there's more. 'Master of Puppets,' 'Enter Sandman,' and 'Sad But True,' among many others, also have epic intros.
The words "I want my MTV," followed by a crescendo and Mark Knopfler's epic guitar riff, make this song a Dire Straits classic. Another song by the band also has a guitar intro that we all know. That song is, of course, 'Sultans of Swing.'
Now, this is what a sax intro should sound like. George Michael really hit the nail on the head with this one, and we love it!
Depeche Mode delivers an epic synth line on this song that is almost impossible to forget. 'Never Let Me Down Again' is also a good example, as are so many other songs by the British band.
The guitar intro to this Red Hot Chili Peppers song really is something special. So much so that we can recognize it as soon as we hear it.
The melancholic chord progression on the keyboard in the intro of this INXS hit is as iconic as it gets.
The guitar intro on this punk rock classic sets the tone for the rest of the song, and just sounds really cool!
Probably one of the first songs aspiring guitarists in the '90s learned to play, 'Creep' not only is a classic, but it also has a very recognizable intro.
You couldn't be a keyboard player in the '80s and not know how to play 'Jump,' right?
The iconic British rockers have many famous song intros. Among them, we picked the haunting melody of 'Stairway to Heaven.' Of course, there are a lot more, including 'Whole Lotta Love.'
The heaviness of Tommy Iommi's string bending, followed by one of the most recognizable guitar riffs of all time, make 'Iron Man' really special.
Which guitar hero hopeful hasn't tried to emulate the sound of George Thorogood's guitar lick, right? It's a true blues rock classic!
The timeless guitar riff of 'Smoke on the Water' was released in 1972, but it's not going anywhere anytime soon.
Punchy and memorable, this intro by New Order sounds as powerful today as it did in 1983.
You know what's coming when you listen to the line, "You are now about to witness the strength of street knowledge."
Most of us will recognize the super groovy intro of this song when we listen to it.
Simple, catchy, and truly memorable. The intro to this classic Stones' song is one that virtually everyone can recognize.
The unique intro of 'Come Together' is what makes it so memorable. As for 'Let it Be,' well, the piano melody is just beautiful.
The atmospheric synth of this song transports us to a club in the late '70s and we love it.
The opening chords of 'Wonderwall' are recognizable to almost everyone.
Uplifting guitar chops and horns, with a catchy vocal line, make this song instantly recognizable.
Two epic songs by The Boss with equally epic intros that are instantly recognizable.
A chugging guitar chord, and the same line played on piano and bass, makes this a really catchy intro.
The intro to 'Light My Fire' incorporates all the elements that made The Doors such a unique band. Ray Manzarek's keyboard line is instantly recognizable.
The Aussie band was huge in the '80s. The drum and pipes intro on 'Down Under' make their hit instantly recognizable. The sax intro on 'Who Can It Be Now?' is also a classic!
Possibly one of the most iconic song intros of all time, 'Let's Get It On' is a true classic.
Sources: (MusicRadar) (TheTopTens) (RouteNote)
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The most recognizable song intros of all time
Can you guess these famous songs just by hearing their intro?
MUSIC Tunes
We know a song intro is really good when it comes on and we instantly recognize it. Be it a guitar riff, a piano melody, a beat, or anything else, we don't need much more to know which song we're listening to!
We previously discussed the greatest opening lyrics of all time, and now it's time to bring you the most recognizable song intros of all time. Click on to discover them all.