The 30 greatest Classic Rock album opening tracks

2 March 2025, 09:00

What are the best examples of the opening track? From vintage tunes by The Doors and Pink Floyd to classics from The Police and Led Zeppelin, take a trip back through the best Side 1, track 1s.

By Radio X Classic Rock

@xclassicrock

1. Love - Alone Again Or

   • From the album Forever Changes
   • Album release date: 1st November 1967

   "Yeah, said it's all right / I won't forget / All the times I've waited patiently for you"

   The gentle acoustic guitar intro of Bryan MacLean's gorgeous song is the perfect intro to this blissful evocation of the Summer of Love. But all was not "peace and love" within the Californian band: MacLean left after Forever Changes, leaving Arthur Lee to fire all the other members.

   

   Alone Again Or (2015 Remaster)

2. The Beatles - Come Together

   • From the album Abbey Road
   • Album release date: 26th September 1969

   “Here come old flat top / He come groovin' up slowly…”

   Originally planned as a campaign song for psychedelic guru Timothy Leary on his quest to become a politician, it wound up as the opening track of the last Beatles album to be recorded: 1969’s Abbey Road.

   Lennon's words later came back to haunt him when legal action was taken over some “borrowed” phrases from Chuck Berry’s 1956 song You Can’t Catch Me.

   

   The Beatles - Come Together

3. The Doors - Roadhouse Blues

   • From the album Morrison Hotel
   • Album release date: 9th February 1970

   "Oh keep your eyes on the road, your hand upon the wheel"

   This no-nonsense blues boogie kicks off the "Hard Rock Cafe" side of The Doors's fifth studio album, taking us right into the thick of a hard-drinkin' hard-lovin' night out.

   

   The Doors - Roadhouse Blues (Official Video)

4. Led Zeppelin - Immigrant Song

   • From the album Led Zeppelin III
   • Album release date: 5th October 1970

   "We come from the land of the ice and snow / From the midnight sun where the hot springs flow"

   Zeppelin could even make white noise sound threatening: the hiss from a guitar echo unit counts in one of their harder rocking tunes, which leads off a more folk-based collection of songs.

   

   Led Zeppelin - Immigrant Song (Official Audio)

5. The Who - Baba O'Riley

   • From the album Who's Next
   • Album release date: 2nd August 1971

   "Out here in the fields / I farm for my meals / I get my back into my living"

   Originally written for Pete Townshend's aborted Lifehouse theatre project, this was the lead track from the 1971 Who's Next album. Baba O'Riley's stadium rock style was partially offset by Townshend's clever use of an organ in the intro.

   

   The Who - Baba O'riley

6. Black Sabbath - Sweet Leaf

   • From the album Master Of Reality
   • Album release date: 6th August 1971

   "Alright now! Won't you listen? / When I first met you, didn't realize / I can't forget you or your surprise"

   A horrible loop of Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi coughing seems an unlikely way to open one of the most influential albums of all time, but the thick sound of Sweet Leaf's guitar riff had a huge impact on future grunge bands.

   

   BLACK SABBATH - Master of Reality (Full Album)

7. Elton John - Tiny Dancer

   • From the album Madman Across The Water
   • Album release date: 5th November 1971

   "Blue jean baby, L.A. lady / Seamstress for the band / Pretty-eyed, pirate smile / You'll marry a music man"

   One of Elton's greatest ballads kicked off his fourth album, which while not a huge commercial or critical success at the time, has gone on to be one of the most important LPs in his catalogue.

   

   Tiny Dancer (Remastered 2016)

8. Pink Floyd - One Of These Days

   • From the album Meddle
   • Album release date: 5th November 1971

   "One of these days I’m going to cut you into little pieces!"

   Eeries synthetic wind and Roger Waters' echo-laden bass lead off Floyd's transitional album that bridges the gap between the psychedelia of the early years with the progressive rock of Dark Side Of The Moon.

   

   Pink Floyd - One Of These Days (Official Audio)

9. David Bowie - Five Years

   • From the album The Rise And Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars
   • Album release date: 16th June 1972

   "Pushing through the market square / So many mothers sighing"

   An audacious way to open the most important album of Bowie's career: Woody Woodmansey's slow drum beat fades in to break the news of Earth's imminent destruction. Who can save us? Keep listening to find out!

   

   Five Years (2012 Remaster)

10. Bruce Springsteen - Thunder Road

    • From the album Born To Run
    • Album release date: 25th August 1975

    "The screen door slams, Mary's dress sways / Like a vision she dances across the porch as the radio plays"

    Springsteen's wistful ode to dreams of a better life was incredibly never issued as a single, but as the lead track from The Boss's breakthrough album, it's become one of his all time classics.

    

    Thunder Road

11. Patti Smith - Gloria

    • From the album Horses
    • Album release date: 10th November 1975

    "Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine"

    Smith's reinterpretation of Van Morrison's R&B standard looks back to rock history while simultaneously reinventing the genre for the 1970s.

    

    Patti Smith - Gloria (Audio)

12. Queen - Death On Two Legs (Dedicated To...)

    • From the album A Night At The Opera
    • Album release date: 28th November 1975

    "You suck my blood like a leech / You break the law and you breach"

    A revenge song apparently written about the head of Queen's former management company, Freddie Mercury's elaborate piano floats in out of nowhere, before some tense Brian May guitar sounds reach an agonising crescendo... the first of a series of spectacular moments on an innovative album.

    

    Queen - Death on Two Legs (Official Lyric Video)

13. Bob Dylan - Hurricane

    • From the album Desire
    • Album release date: 5th January 1976

    "Pistol shots ring out in the barroom night / Enter Patty Valentine from the upper hall"

    Dylan's return to the protest song genre concerned the trial and imprisonment of boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter caused some controversy but it leads off one of the musician's finest albums of the 70s.

    

    Bob Dylan - Hurricane (Official Audio)

14. ELO - Turn To Stone

    • From the album Out Of The Blue
    • Album release date: 28th October 1977

    "The city streets are empty now / The lights don't shine no more"

    Jeff Lynne mastered the world of popular symphonic rock with Turn To Stone, that opens the double album that marked the peak of ELO's recording career.

    

    Electric Light Orchestra - Turn To Stone (1977) HD #elo

15. Van Halen - Runnin’ With The Devil

    • From the album Van Halen
    • Album release date: 10th February 1978

    "I live my life like there's no tomorrow. / All I've got, I had to steal"

    Discordant traffic noise.. a sinister, thumping bassline... and one of Eddie Van Halen's greatest-sounding performances.

    

    Van Halen - Runnin' With The Devil (Official Music Video)

16. Blondie - Hanging on The Telephone

    • From the album Parallel Lines
    • Album release date: 8th September 1978

    "I'm in the phone booth, it's the one across the hall"

    One of the era's finest albums opens with the sound of a (British) phone ringing. Cue Debbie Harry, cue an incredible cover version. And this is only the first track: bring up the rear are tunes like One Way Or Another, Picture This, Sunday Girl and Heart of Glass.

    

    Blondie - Hanging On The Telephone

17. Elvis Costello - Accidents Will Happen

    • From the album Armed Forces
    • Album release date: 5th January 1979

    "Oh, I just don't know where to begin"

    Costello opens his third album - and second with the band The Attractions - with one of his most lyrically intriguing songs.

    

    Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Accidents Will Happen

18. Ramones - Do You Remember Rock & Roll Radio?

    • From the album End Of The Century
    • Album release date: 4th February 1980

    "Rock 'n rock 'n roll radio, let's go!"

    The punk outfit's collaboration with legendary producer Phil Spector begins with the sound of a radio dial scanning the airwaves and the announcement: "This is rock 'n' roll radio - come on and rock 'n' roll with the Ramones!" Yes, sir!

    

    Ramones - Do You Remember Rock and Roll Radio? (Official Music Video)

19. AC/DC - Hells Bells

    • From the album Back In Black
    • Album release date: 25th July 1980

    "I'm a rollin' thunder, pourin' rain / I'm comin' on like a hurricane"

    The Aussie rockers' singer Bon Scott had died in February of 1980; the tolling bell that opens this album was in tribute to their fallen comrade.

    

    AC/DC - Hells Bells (Official 4K Video)

20. Rush - Tom Sawyer

    • From the album Moving Pictures
    • Album release date: 12th February 1981

    "A modern-day warrior / Mean, mean stride / Today's Tom Sawyer / Mean. mean pride"

    Slick drums, mysterious synths and Geddy Lee's distinctive voice. An instant classic leads off the Canadian prog giants' eighth studio album.

    

    Rush - Tom Sawyer

21. Rolling Stones - Start Me Up

    • From the album Tattoo You
    • Album release date: 24th August 1981

    "If you start me up, If you start me up, I'll never stop"

    For a collection of outtakes, Tattoo You is a surprisingly solid set of tunes, with this disco-era song becoming one of the Stones' biggest tunes.

    

    The Rolling Stones - Start Me Up - Official Promo

22. The Police - Spirits In The Material World

    • From the album Ghosts In The Machine
    • Album release date: 2nd October 1981

    "There is no political solution / To our troubled evolution"

    This low-key, troubled single from the hugely-popular trio led off their fourth studio album - and their third chart-topper in a row.

    

    The Police - Spirits In The Material World (Official Music Video)

23. ZZ Top - Gimme All Your Lovin'

    • From the album Eliminator
    • Album release date: 23rd March 1983

    "I got to have a shot / For what you got is oh so sweet"

    The trio of Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard hit the big leagues with their 1983 album, which came along as MTV began to have a serious influence. The video for Gimme All Your Lovin' helped make Eliminator the band's biggest-selling UK album, with the LP going four times Platinum.

    

    ZZ Top - Gimme All Your Lovin' (Official Music Video) [HD Remaster]

24. Genesis - Mama

    • From the album Genesis
    • Album release date: 3rd October 1983

    "I can't see you, mama / But I can hardly wait"

    Phil Collins is genuinely terrifying on this intimidating opening song, which leads off the eponymous 1983 album by the prog legends.

    

    Genesis - Mama (Official Music Video)

25. Talking Heads - And She Was

    • From the album Little Creatures
    • Album release date: 10th June 1985

    "And she was lying in the grass / And she could hear the highway breathing"

    One of the New York art rockers most accessible tunes opened their sixth album. The song was accompanied by a surreal animated video directed by Jim Blashfield, who would use the same techniques on the quirky clip for Paul Simon's Boy In The Bubble.

    

    Talking Heads - And She Was (Official Video) [HD]

26. Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill

    • From the album Hounds Of Love
    • Album release date: 16th September 1985

    "It doesn't hurt me / Do you wanna feel how it feels?"

    Side 1 of Hounds Of Love included the hits: the title track, Cloudbusting, The Big Sky and this all-time classic. The second side was dubbed "The Ninth Wave" and showed the more conceptual side of Kate.

    

    Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill - Official Music Video

27. INXS - What You Need

    • From the album Listen Like Thieves
    • Album release date: 14th October 1985

    "Hey, here is the story / Forget about the troubles in life"

    The Australian band, fronted by the late Michael Hutchence, had their British breakthrough with their fifth studio album Listen Like Thieves and its opening track. Issued as a single, What You Need broke into the Top 5 in America!

    

    INXS - What You Need (Official Music Video)

28. Peter Gabriel - Red Rain

    • From the album So
    • Album release date: 19th May 1986

    "Red rain is coming down, red rain"

    An emotional start to the former Genesis man's most commercial solo album from 1986.

    

    Peter Gabriel - Red Rain

29. U2 - Where The Streets Have No Name

    • From the album The Joshua Tree
    • Album release date: 9th March 1987

    "I want to run, I want to hide / I wanna tear down the walls that hold me inside"

    The Irish band's biggest-selling album - over 25 million copies and counting - is another classic album that opens with a fade-in... before The Edge's distinctive guitar riff eventually reveals itself.

    

    U2 - Where The Streets Have No Name (Official Music Video)

30. Guns N'Roses - Welcome To The Jungle

    • From the album Appetite For Destruction
    • Album release date: 21st July 1987

    "Welcome to the jungle / We've got fun 'n' games."

    The raucous opening to 1987's Appetite For Destruction, later released as GN'R's second single. Talk about getting a recording career off to a no-nonsense start. This is rock 'n' roll, folks.

    

    Guns N' Roses - Welcome To The Jungle