This has been my toughest shortlist by far. I have rationalised and justified and explained in its making. I have limited the list to the last 60 years or so – I mean who can deny the first movement of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony – but I’ve tried to be broad in the search for my favourite intros of all time. Also, I have leant towards songs in which the intro is my favourite bit. And finally, I have tried to be methodical in my thinking about genres as a way tackling an enormous amount of popular music, let alone the body work that has already featured on this blog. As such, you’ll notice the honourable mentions is a notably long roll call.
And it’s all, of course, IMHO. Let me know what you think…
The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Crosstown Traffic (1968)
The Rolling Stones – Gimme Shelter (1969)
David Bowie – Modern Love (1983)
Radiohead – Airbag (1997)
The Strokes – Modern Age (2001)
The Walkmen – The Rat (2004)
Sigur Rós – Hoppípolla (2005)
Kanye West feat. Pusha T – Runaway (2010)
Tame Impala – Let It Happen (2015)
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Honourable mentions also go to: Elvis Presley for ‘My Baby Left Me‘ (1957); Miles Davis for ‘So What‘ (1959); Martha & The Vandellas for ‘Heatwave‘ (1963); The Kinks for ‘You Really Got Me‘ (1964) and ‘Waterloo Sunset‘ (1967); Four Tops for ‘Reach Out I’ll Be There‘ (1966); Spencer Davis Group for ‘Gimme Some Lovin’‘ (1966); Love for ‘Alone Again Or‘ (1967); The Doors for ‘Light My Fire‘ (1967); Marvin Gaye – I Heard It Through The Grapevine (1967); The Jimi Hendrix Experience for ‘Foxy Lady‘ (1967); Jackie Wilson for ‘(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher‘ (1967); The Rolling Stones for ‘Jumping Jack Flash‘ (1968); Otis Redding for ‘Hard To Handle‘ (1968); Led Zeppelin for ‘Whole Lotta Love‘ (1969); The Velvet Underground for ‘Rock & Roll‘ (1970); The Who for ‘Baba O’Riley‘ (1971); Marvin Gaye for ‘“T” Plays It Cool‘ (1972); Lyn Collins for ‘Think (About It)‘ (1972); Lou Reed for ‘Walk On The Wild Side‘ (1972); Roxy Music for ‘Virginia Plain‘ (1972); Bruce Springsteen for ‘Born to Run‘ (1975);Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers for ‘American Girl‘ (1976); Silvetti for ‘Spring Rain‘ (1976); Donna Summer for ‘I Feel Love‘ (1977); Sex Pistols for ‘Holidays In The Sun‘ (1977); The Clash for ‘London Calling‘ (1979); Chic for ‘Good Times‘ (1979); Joy Division for ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart‘ (1980); Visage for ‘Fade To Grey‘ (1980); Tom Tom Club for ‘Genius of Love‘ (1981); New Order for ‘Temptation‘ (1982); Prince & The Revolution for ‘When Doves Cry‘ (1984); The Smiths for ‘How Soon Is Now?‘ (1984); Prince for ‘Pop Life‘ (1985); Big Audio Dynamite for ‘E=MC2‘ (1985); The Cult for ‘She Sells Sanctuary‘ (1985); Rhythim Is Rhythim for ‘Strings of Life‘ (1987); Public Enemy for ‘Bring The Noise‘ (1987); U2 for ‘Where The Streets Have No Name‘ (1987); A Guy Called Gerald for ‘Voodoo Ray‘ (1988); Pixies – Where Is My Mind? (1988); Massive Attack for ‘Unfinished Sympathy‘ (1991); Crystal Waters for ‘Gypsy Woman‘ (1991); Beastie Boys for ‘Sabotage‘ (1994); Jeff Buckley for ‘Last Goodbye‘ (1994); Radiohead – Let Down (1997); The Flaming Lips for ‘Race For The Prize‘ (1999); The Avalanches for ‘Since I Left You‘ (2000); Beach House for ‘Walk In The Park‘ (2010); and Kurt Vile for ‘Pretty Pimpin‘ (2015).
Samuelsounds 