First impressions are important in all aspects of life; you can never quite forget how you felt about someone the first time you met them. The same holds true for music; there’s something about being absolutely blown away by a band on the first listen that just sticks with you permanently, even as your music tastes evolve. With that in mind, we’re looking at the best opening tracks off of debut albums. These songs were, effectively, how these bands and artists introduced themselves to the world, and in these instances, they made a huge impact right away.
10. Fountains Of Wayne – “Radiation Vibe”
Album It Opens: Fountains Of Wayne
This power-pop act is best known for their lone top 40 hit, 2003’s “Stacy Mom,” but the truth is, they were writing impossibly catchy songs throughout their career. The lead track off their self-titled debut is a fine example, as it features a memorable hook, and a chorus that sticks with you for days. Chris Collingwood’s chant of “Shine on / Shine on / Shiiiine oooooonnnnnn” just seems more perfect every time you hear it.
9. Oasis – “Rock ‘N Roll Star”
Album It Opens: Definitely Maybe
Definitely Maybe has a ton of classic tracks on it, but don’t sleep on the opener, which essentially acts as the band’s mission statement. While Oasis’s biggest hits tended to be their ballads, this song is a fine example of how killer they could when they rocked out. When we consider the band’s legacy, Liam Gallagher’s audacious delivery of “Toniiiiiiiiiiiiiight / I’m a rock ‘n roll star” is a perfect representation of their glorious arrogance.
8. Weezer – “My Name Is Jonas”
Album It Opens: The Blue Album
This was another tough one because, with the possible exception of “Holiday,” pretty much every track on The Blue Album is a masterpiece. That being said, if you’ve never chanted “THE WORKERS ARE GOING HOME!” at the top of your lungs, you’ve never truly lived.
7. (tie) The Specials – “A Message To You Rudy”
Album It Opens: The Specials
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbqiCxEIeEo
The English Beat – “Mirror In the Bathroom”
Album It Opens: I Just Can’t Stop It
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cbUW2EY4KE
The two most famous bands of the second wave ska era both began their debut albums with tracks that rank among their best, so they’re included together here. “A Message To You Rudy” is a simple-but-incredibly-effective song, as the refrain “Stop your messin’ around / Better think of your future” is instantly memorable. “Mirror In The Bathroom” is a faster tune with deceptive lyrics; the title makes it sound like it’s about cocaine, but it’s actually about narcissism. Both bands would go on to have plenty other great songs, but in each case, they might be best known for what strong starts they got off to.
6. The Velvet Underground – “Sunday Morning”
Album It Opens: The Velvet Underground & Nico
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qK82JvRY5s
The Velvets could often could get a tad ugly during their more experimental moments, but their debut album began with a moment of unabashed beauty. This is just an utterly perfect pop song, one that you can love whether you buy into the legend that surrounds Lou Reed or not.
5. U2 – “I Will Follow”
Album It Opens: Boy
U2 were always full of passion and energy, especially in their early years. This song, which led off 1980’s Boy, has become one of their all-time classics, and with great cause. Between the immortal riff, the killer drum beat, and Bono’s intense vocals, this was just an absolute head rush. No matter how you feel about Bono’s political activism, or the direction the band took on later releases, it’s hard to deny the rock ‘n roll perfection on display here.
4. Boston – “More Than A Feeling”
Album It Opens: Boston
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSR6ZzjDZ94
Carl from Aqua Teen Hunger Force once called this the greatest song of all time, and I’m not sure he was wrong. It certainly has one of the most memorable instrumental breaks ever, as just about everything from “She slipped awaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyaaaaaayyyyy” to the final chorus is pure musical bliss.
3. R.E.M. – “Radio Free Europe”
Album It Opens: Murmur
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXUkddrnsXQ
You couldn’t understand a word that Michael Stipe was saying, but it didn’t matter. This song was simultaneously weird as hell and also surprisingly catchy, which is fitting for band that came to define the idea of “alternative rock” while also having a ton of mainstream success. Also, I still think that in the second verse, Stipe says “Wheel Of Fortune really is absurd!” and no one can tell me different.
2. Bruce Springsteen – “Blinded By the Light”
Album It Opens: Greetings From Ashbury Park, N.J.
Springsteen’s storied career his given us dozens of classic songs, and he started things off with one of his absolute best. While Mannfred Mann’s cover became the bigger hit, the original is easily the superior version for its unique blend of folk and rock ‘n roll, which defined The Boss’s early career. I was lucky enough to see him perform Greetings From Ashbury Park, N.J. in its entirety when he came to Buffalo in 2009, and the crowd when nuts when the band kicked into this one, for perfectly understandable reasons.
1. The Ramones – “Blitzkrieg Bop”
Album It Opens: Ramones
This one basically invented a genre of music, so it wins easily. And yes, punk existed in a prototypical form before the Ramones’ first album, but that first chant of “HEY! HO! LET’S GO!” was where it really became a movement. Because of that, and because it’s just an amazing song in its own right, it easily tops this list.
