The 30 Greatest Song Intros of All Time: Iconic Openings That Hooked Us Instantly

Some songs take a minute to win you over. Others have you hooked before the singer even opens their mouth. A great intro is a promise: a drum beat, a chord, a sound effect or a few notes on a keyboard that tell you exactly what kind of ride you are about to take.

This list is about those opening seconds. We are not ranking the best riffs or the best solos here. We are ranking the sounds that start the song: the chord that rings out, the drums that kick the door open, the organ or synth line that is so familiar you can name the song after two notes.

Every pick on this list is a song people recognize instantly, often from across a crowded bar or a car radio turned down low. Some of these intros came from careful planning in the studio. Others were happy accidents that nobody expected to become famous.

So turn it up and see if your favorite made the cut. If you love this kind of list, you might also enjoy our ranking of the 30 greatest guitar solos of all time and our look at 80s rock songs with the best intros.

1. “A Hard Day’s Night” – The Beatles

One chord. That is all it takes. The opening of “A Hard Day’s Night” is a single, ringing crash of sound that may be the most famous chord in pop music. George Harrison played it on his new Rickenbacker 12-string guitar, with the rest of the band and producer George Martin adding to the blend. The result was so unusual that musicians argued for decades about exactly which notes were in it, and some even used mathematics to try to pick it apart.

The song was recorded in April 1964 for the Beatles’ first film, and the title came from one of Ringo Starr’s offbeat turns of phrase. It went to No. 1 in both the United States and the UK. The Beatles made plenty of great openings, but none that announced itself quite like this one. It still sounds like a starting gun.

2. “Be My Baby” – The Ronettes

Boom, ba-boom, crack. Before Ronnie Spector sings a word, session drummer Hal Blaine plays a simple beat on the bass drum and snare that has been copied by countless drummers ever since. It is one of the most recognizable drum intros ever recorded, and it was just the start of Phil Spector’s huge “Wall of Sound” production.

“Be My Baby” was released in 1963 and reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was recorded at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles, with layers of instruments that made it sound bigger than anything else on the radio. Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys has often said it is one of his favorite records, and he famously listened to it over and over. The Ronettes had other hits, but that drum beat is what generations remember first.

3. “Pinball Wizard” – The Who

Pete Townshend opens “Pinball Wizard” with a burst of fast, ringing acoustic guitar chords that sound almost like flamenco. The chords hang in the air and build tension, and then the band comes crashing in. It is one of the most exciting acoustic intros in rock music.

The song is from Tommy, the Who’s 1969 rock opera about a “deaf, dumb and blind kid” who becomes a pinball champion. Townshend has said he wrote it partly to win over a music critic friend who loved pinball. It was a hit in both the UK and the US, and Elton John later had a hit with his own version in the 1975 film of Tommy. Many guitarists learn this intro because it is fun to play and sounds impressive. It shows how much drama a single acoustic guitar can create.

4. “Light My Fire” – The Doors

Ray Manzarek’s organ intro on “Light My Fire” sounds a little like something you might hear in a church, and that is no accident. Manzarek was a classically trained keyboard player, and he built the opening around a winding, Bach-like pattern that climbs and turns before the band crashes in.

Guitarist Robby Krieger wrote most of the song, but the intro was Manzarek’s idea. The single version, cut down from the long album take, went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1967 and made the Doors household names. It is also the song Jim Morrison sang on The Ed Sullivan Show after being asked to change a line, which he did not do. More than half a century later, those first few organ notes still bring the 1960s rushing back.

5. “Paint It Black” – The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones never sounded more exotic than they did in the first seconds of “Paint It Black.” Brian Jones plays a buzzing, snaking line on the sitar, an Indian instrument that was still very new to rock fans at the time. Then Charlie Watts comes in with pounding drums, and the song takes off at full speed.

Released in 1966, the song went to No. 1 in both the US and the UK. It has a dark, almost menacing feel that set it apart from the cheerful pop of the day, and it has since been used in many films, TV shows and video games. Jones was known for picking up unusual instruments and finding a place for them in the band’s sound. On this song, his sitar intro turned a moody rock song into something people had never quite heard before.

6. “Thunderstruck” – AC/DC

The opening of “Thunderstruck” is a test of nerve for any guitarist. Angus Young plays a fast, rippling pattern of notes with his picking hand barely moving, while the band chants “Thunder!” in the background. It builds and builds until the whole band finally explodes into the song.

“Thunderstruck” opened AC/DC’s 1990 album The Razors Edge and quickly became one of their most popular songs. Angus has said the idea came from a frightening flight on which the band’s plane was struck by lightning. Today the intro is a fixture at sports stadiums, where crowds chant along with the band. It has introduced countless teams onto the field and has racked up huge numbers of views online. For many younger fans, this is the song that introduced them to AC/DC in the first place.

7. “Let’s Go Crazy” – Prince

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…” Prince opens “Let’s Go Crazy” like a preacher, speaking over a solemn church organ. For a few seconds it feels like a sermon. Then the drum machine kicks in, the guitars arrive and the song turns into one of the wildest party records of the 1980s.

“Let’s Go Crazy” is the first song on Purple Rain, the 1984 album and film that made Prince one of the biggest stars in the world. It went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and it also opens the movie. The spoken intro is a big part of why people love it: it is funny, strange and dramatic all at once. By the time the song ends with Prince’s blazing guitar solo, you have been taken to church and back again.

8. “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” – The Beach Boys

The opening of “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” sounds like a music box or a harp. It is actually a 12-string guitar, played by a session musician and plugged straight into the recording desk so it sounds bright, delicate and dreamy. Then a single loud drum hit cuts in, and the Beach Boys’ voices come pouring out.

The song opens Pet Sounds, the 1966 album that Brian Wilson spent months crafting in the studio with some of the best session players in Los Angeles. It was a hit single in the US, and it has since become one of the band’s most loved songs. Many musicians point to Pet Sounds as one of the greatest albums ever made, and this intro is the first thing you hear. Those few seconds sum up what made Wilson special: he heard sounds nobody else imagined.

9. “Bennie and the Jets” – Elton John

“Bennie and the Jets” sounds like it was recorded in front of a cheering crowd, but it was not. The song was made in the studio, and producer Gus Dudgeon added the applause, whistles and crowd noise afterward, borrowing sounds from earlier concert recordings, including one of Elton John’s own shows. Then come the famous stomping piano chords, played slightly off the beat.

The song was on the 1973 album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and became Elton’s second No. 1 hit in the US in 1974. It also did well on the R&B charts, which led to Elton appearing on Soul Train. The fake live intro is a clever trick, and it works. It makes you feel like you are in the room for a big show before the first word is even sung.

10. “Thriller” – Michael Jackson

A creaking door. Footsteps. A howling wolf. Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” starts like a horror movie, and that is exactly the point. The spooky sound effects set the mood before the funky bass and synths kick in and the song turns into a dance floor favorite.

“Thriller” was written by Rod Temperton and produced by Quincy Jones for the 1982 album of the same name, which became the best-selling album of all time. The single reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Its 14-minute music video, directed by John Landis, is one of the most famous ever made, and it was the first music video added to the National Film Registry. Horror legend Vincent Price also lends his voice to the song. Every Halloween, those first creepy seconds come back to life.

11. “Thunder Road” – Bruce Springsteen

Before the screen door slams, there is a harmonica. Bruce Springsteen opens “Thunder Road” with a gentle, wistful harmonica line over Roy Bittan’s piano, and the mood is set in a few seconds: a warm summer night, a car out front and one last chance to get out of town.

“Thunder Road” is the first track on Born to Run, the 1975 album that made Springsteen a star. It was never a big hit single, but it became one of his best-loved songs and a staple of his concerts for decades. Many fans consider it his finest piece of writing. That soft intro works because it is so quiet. It pulls you in close before the song builds into one of the biggest, most hopeful endings in rock. Few album openers have ever set the scene so well.

12. “Mr. Tambourine Man” – The Byrds

The chiming 12-string guitar at the start of “Mr. Tambourine Man” is one of the defining sounds of the 1960s. Roger McGuinn played it on a Rickenbacker electric 12-string, and its bright, jangling tone became the Byrds’ trademark and helped launch the folk rock movement.

The song was written by Bob Dylan, and the Byrds turned it into a shorter, catchier single. Released in 1965, it went to No. 1 in both the US and the UK. McGuinn was the only member of the band who played an instrument on the recording. The rest of the music was played by top Los Angeles session players, while the band sang the harmonies. That jangly intro went on to influence bands from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers to R.E.M., who all borrowed a bit of that ringing sound.

13. “Ring of Fire” – Johnny Cash

Mariachi trumpets were not something country fans expected to hear in 1963. But that is how “Ring of Fire” begins, with a bright, bold Mexican-style horn line that is now one of the most famous intros in country music.

The song was written by June Carter and Merle Kilgore and was first recorded by June’s sister, Anita Carter. Johnny Cash said that the horns came to him in a dream, and he insisted on putting them on his own version. It was a smart call. His “Ring of Fire” spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the country chart and became his signature song. Today it is sung at bars, ballparks and karaoke nights everywhere. Those trumpets tell you right away that something special is about to happen.

14. “Dancing Queen” – ABBA

“Dancing Queen” starts with a sweeping piano run that slides down the keyboard like a curtain opening. Then the full band arrives with a warm, rolling rhythm, and suddenly everyone in the room is on the dance floor.

Written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and manager Stig Anderson, the song was released in 1976. It became ABBA’s only No. 1 hit in the United States and topped the charts in many other countries. Before its release, the group performed it at a gala for the King of Sweden ahead of his wedding. The song’s laid-back beat was inspired by George McCrae’s “Rock Your Baby.” Decades later, “Dancing Queen” is still a fixture at weddings and parties. That piano run is the signal: it is time to get up and dance.

15. “Don’t Stop Me Now” – Queen

Freddie Mercury begins “Don’t Stop Me Now” almost tenderly, singing softly over his own piano. For a few seconds it sounds like it might be a ballad. Then the band bursts in and the song turns into a rush of pure joy.

The song is from Queen’s 1978 album Jazz and was a top ten hit in the UK. At the time it was not one of Queen’s biggest hits, and guitarist Brian May has said he had mixed feelings about it back then. Over the years, though, it has become one of the band’s most beloved songs, thanks in part to its use in movies and ads. It now regularly shows up on lists of the happiest songs ever recorded. The gentle opening is a perfect setup: it makes the moment the band kicks in even more thrilling.

16. “Pride (In the Name of Love)” – U2

The Edge’s guitar at the start of “Pride (In the Name of Love)” rings out like a bell. He plays a simple pattern through an echo effect, which makes it sound bigger and more urgent than one guitar should. Within a few seconds, it feels like an anthem.

The song is from U2’s 1984 album The Unforgettable Fire and was written as a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. One line places his death in the “early morning” of April 4, though King was actually shot in the evening, an error Bono has acknowledged. The song became one of U2’s first big international hits and is still a highlight of their concerts. The Edge’s chiming, echoing guitar sound became the band’s calling card, and this intro is one of its finest moments.

17. “Free Fallin'” – Tom Petty

Tom Petty opens “Free Fallin'” with jangling acoustic guitars playing a simple, repeating chord pattern. It is light and easy, like a drive through the San Fernando Valley on a sunny afternoon, which is exactly where the song takes you.

The song was written by Petty and Jeff Lynne, who also produced it, for Petty’s 1989 solo album Full Moon Fever. Petty said he came up with the chords while messing around on a keyboard, and that he sang the first lines partly to make Lynne laugh. It became one of the biggest hits of his career and a staple of classic rock radio. The intro is so familiar that a few strums are enough for crowds to start singing along, especially at the soaring chorus.

18. “Owner of a Lonely Heart” – Yes

Yes was known for long, complicated progressive rock songs. Then came “Owner of a Lonely Heart,” which opens with a punchy drum beat and huge, sharp orchestral blasts that sound like a whole orchestra hitting one note at once. That orchestra sound was a sample played on a new digital instrument called the Fairlight, and it gave the song a shiny, modern 1980s sound.

The song was written mainly by guitarist Trevor Rabin and produced by Trevor Horn for the 1983 album 90125. It became the band’s only No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Longtime fans were surprised by the new direction, but the song won Yes a whole new audience. The brash intro was a big reason why. It sounded like nothing else on the radio at the time.

19. “The Final Countdown” – Europe

Few intros are as big and bold as the keyboard fanfare that opens “The Final Countdown.” It is a grand, almost royal melody that sounds made for a stadium, and it has become one of the most recognizable synth lines of the 1980s.

Europe singer Joey Tempest came up with the keyboard riff years before the band recorded it. The song was released in 1986, topped the charts in the UK and many other countries, and reached the top ten in the US. It became the band’s biggest hit by far. Today the intro is a favorite at sports events, in movies and in comedy sketches. It might be a little over the top, but that is exactly why people love it.

20. “Rosanna” – Toto

Drummers still study the opening of “Rosanna.” Jeff Porcaro starts the song with a bouncing, half-time shuffle beat that sounds easy but is very hard to play well. He said he drew on the grooves of drummers Bernard Purdie and John Bonham to create it. The beat is now known among drummers as the “Rosanna shuffle.”

The song was the lead single from Toto’s 1982 album Toto IV. It spent five weeks at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won the Grammy for Record of the Year. Toto was made up of some of the busiest session musicians in Los Angeles, and this song shows off their skill. The horns, piano and guitar all shine, but it all starts with Porcaro’s groove, which keeps the whole song rolling.

21. “Mr. Blue Sky” – Electric Light Orchestra

“Mr. Blue Sky” opens with a steady, pounding piano beat that feels like sunshine breaking through the clouds. That is no coincidence. Jeff Lynne has said he wrote the song in a Swiss chalet after days of gray, rainy weather, and when the sun finally came out, so did the song.

The song is from ELO’s 1977 double album Out of the Blue, where it ends a suite of songs called “Concerto for a Rainy Day.” It was a top ten hit in the UK and has found new fans over the years thanks to movies like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. The song layers strings, choirs, sound effects and a robotic vocoder voice on top of that simple piano. But it is the opening beat that makes you smile before the singing even starts.

22. “Sledgehammer” – Peter Gabriel

“Sledgehammer” starts with a breathy, haunting flute sound, inspired by the Japanese shakuhachi and played on a sampling keyboard. It sounds mysterious for a moment. Then the horns blast in, the bass starts bouncing and the song becomes a full-on soul and funk party.

The song was the lead single from Peter Gabriel’s 1986 album So. It went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, replacing “Invisible Touch” by Genesis, Gabriel’s old band. Its stop-motion music video was a sensation, winning a record nine MTV Video Music Awards and becoming one of the most played videos in MTV history. The flute intro is a perfect example of Gabriel’s love of world music and new technology. It grabs your attention before the song has really begun.

23. “Everlong” – Foo Fighters

Dave Grohl opens “Everlong” alone on guitar, playing a fast, ringing pattern in a dropped tuning that gives it a deep, droning sound. It is restless and full of nervous energy, and when the drums crash in, the song becomes one of the most exciting rock tracks of the 1990s.

“Everlong” is from the Foo Fighters’ 1997 album The Colour and the Shape. Grohl, who had been Nirvana’s drummer, played the drums on the album version himself. The song became one of the band’s best-known songs and is still a concert closer. It is also a favorite of David Letterman, and the Foo Fighters played it on his final Late Show in 2015. Many guitarists learn the intro early on, but playing it with Grohl’s speed and drive is another story.

24. “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” – Journey

The pulsing synthesizer at the start of “Separate Ways” sounds urgent and dramatic, like the opening of an action movie. Keyboard player Jonathan Cain plays the repeating pattern, and then Neal Schon’s guitar and Steve Perry’s huge voice join in.

The song opened Journey’s 1983 album Frontiers and became a top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100. It is famous for its music video, filmed on the New Orleans waterfront, in which the band plays imaginary instruments while a woman walks past. The video has been mocked for years, but fans love it anyway. The song itself has aged well and keeps finding new fans through movies, TV trailers and video games. That synth intro is still one of the most dramatic in arena rock.

25. “Gimme Some Lovin'” – The Spencer Davis Group

“Gimme Some Lovin'” starts with a tough, catchy bass line, a few beats of drums and then a blast of Hammond organ that sounds like pure excitement. It is one of the great party starters of the 1960s.

The song was released in 1966 and became a hit in both the UK and the US. Steve Winwood, who played the organ and sang lead, was only about 18 years old at the time. His powerful voice and organ playing made him one of the most talked-about young musicians in England. He later went on to play with Traffic and Blind Faith and to have solo hits in the 1980s. The song got a second life in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers, and it is still used in movies and ads when someone wants to set an upbeat mood.

26. “I Feel Love” – Donna Summer

“I Feel Love” opens with a bubbling, pulsing synthesizer pattern that sounded like the future in 1977. Producers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte built the track almost entirely on a Moog synthesizer. The only part not made by a machine, besides Donna Summer’s voice, was the kick drum, played by a session drummer.

The song went to No. 1 in the UK and reached the top ten in the US. Musician Brian Eno is often quoted as telling David Bowie that this was the sound of the future of club music, and he was right. Its electronic beat helped shape dance, house and techno music for decades. Summer’s floating, dreamy vocals sit on top of that machine-made groove. Even today, the intro sounds modern, almost 50 years after it was made.

27. “Heart of Glass” – Blondie

“Heart of Glass” begins with a ticking, bubbling drum machine and a shimmering synth line before Debbie Harry’s cool, breathy voice drifts in. It sounded very different from the punk and new wave sounds Blondie was known for, and some fans were surprised by the disco feel.

The song was written by Harry and guitarist Chris Stein, who had first tried it out years earlier as a slower song. Producer Mike Chapman helped turn it into the polished version on the 1978 album Parallel Lines. Released as a single in 1979, it went to No. 1 in both the US and the UK. The drum machine at the start, a Roland model, was a new sound for a rock band at the time. It helped make “Heart of Glass” one of the great crossover hits of the disco era.

28. “Blue Monday” – New Order

“Blue Monday” starts with a pounding drum machine kick that stutters and rolls like a machine gun. Then come cold, eerie synths, and the song settles into a hypnotic dance groove that keeps going for more than seven minutes.

New Order released “Blue Monday” in 1983 as a 12-inch single, and it became the best-selling 12-inch single of all time. Its sleeve was designed by Peter Saville to look like a computer floppy disk, and the fancy cover reportedly cost so much to make that the label lost money on early copies. The song helped bridge rock and electronic dance music and influenced countless artists. The opening beat is still one of the most recognizable sounds in club music, and the song is a favorite of DJs to this day.

29. “Cars” – Gary Numan

The cold, buzzing synthesizer riff at the start of “Cars” sounded like nothing else on the radio in 1979. Gary Numan builds the song on a simple, repeating synth line and a steady beat, creating a song that feels both catchy and strangely distant.

Numan has said the song was inspired by a scary moment in London traffic when he felt safer locking himself inside his car. “Cars” went to No. 1 in the UK in 1979 and reached the top ten in the US the following year, his only big American hit. The song is from his album The Pleasure Principle, which had no guitars on it at all. It helped show that electronic music could be pop music. That chilly synth intro still sounds great on a long night drive.

30. “Wipe Out” – The Surfaris

Few intros are as wild as the opening of “Wipe Out.” It starts with the sound of a board cracking, a crazy cackling laugh and someone shouting “Wipe out!” Then drummer Ron Wilson launches into a pounding drum pattern that every young drummer has tried to play at some point.

“Wipe Out” was recorded by the Surfaris, a group of teenagers from Southern California, and released in 1963. It went to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and returned to the charts again a few years later. The laugh and shout were reportedly provided by the band’s manager. The song is one of the most famous surf rock instrumentals ever made, and it is still played at sporting events and in movies. It is silly, simple and loads of fun, just like an intro should be.

What Makes a Great Song Intro?

Every song on this list hooks the listener in a different way. Looking at them together, a few patterns stand out.

A sound you can name in two seconds

The best intros are instantly recognizable. The chord in “A Hard Day’s Night,” the drum beat in “Be My Baby” and the synth line in “The Final Countdown” all work like a signature. Hear a few notes and you know exactly what song is coming.

Setting the mood

A great intro tells you how to feel before a word is sung. The harmonica in “Thunder Road” feels hopeful, the creaking door in “Thriller” feels spooky and the piano run in “Dancing Queen” feels like a party. The mood is set before the story starts.

Building tension

Many great intros hold something back. “Don’t Stop Me Now” starts softly, “Thunderstruck” builds slowly and “Pinball Wizard” lets its chords hang in the air. When the band finally kicks in, the payoff feels even bigger.

How Intros Changed Over the Years

The sounds that open hit songs have changed along with technology. Here is a quick look at how intros evolved across the decades on this list:

1. 1960s: Drummers, organs and ringing 12-string guitars, as in “Be My Baby,” “Light My Fire” and “Mr. Tambourine Man.”
2. 1970s: Bigger studio tricks, from the fake crowd in “Bennie and the Jets” to the synthesizer sequences of “I Feel Love.”
3. 1980s: Drum machines, samples and big synth fanfares, as in “Blue Monday,” “Owner of a Lonely Heart” and “The Final Countdown.”
4. 1990s: A return to guitar-driven openings, as in “Everlong” and “Thunderstruck.”
5. Today: Many of these classic intros live on in movies, TV shows, sports arenas and online videos, introducing them to new generations of fans.

Whether it is one chord, one drum beat or one creaking door, a great intro can make a song unforgettable. Which song intro gives you the biggest rush? There are plenty more great openings out there, but these 30 are the ones that have stood the test of time.