Even if you’re not really a big piano fan, chances are you know the following classic rock piano intros like the back of your hand. There’s something about the instrument that just makes a melody all the more memorable and “hooky” to listeners, no matter the era in which the song was released. Let’s look at a few such piano-driven classic rock songs that just about everyone knows.
“Piano Man” by Billy Joel (1973)
A shoo-in? Yes. There’s no way I could avoid including this famous Billy Joel tune on our list of classic rock piano intros. I don’t think there’s a person alive today, including those who weren’t alive when Billy Joel dropped this song in 1973, that doesn’t know that piano melody by ear. “Piano Man” remains Joel’s signature song today, and it was quite popular when it was first released as well. The song peaked at No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and marked Joel’s breakthrough into the mainstream.
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“Tiny Dancer” by Elton John (1972)
This is another shoo-in, honestly. When one thinks of pianos and classic rock, one often thinks of Elton John. And few of his songs are more piano-driven from the start than “Tiny Dancer” from 1972. This legendary composition from Madman Across The Water was an impressive hit upon its release, peaking at No. 41 on the Hot 100 chart. If it wasn’t so long at six-plus minutes, it would have been a massive hit on our side of the pond. And just as “Piano Man” is Billy Joel’s most well-known song, “Tiny Dancer” is Elton John’s signature tune today.
“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen (1975)
That stunning piano intro is an immediately recognizable element in Queen’s magnum opus, “Bohemian Rhapsody”. What would a rock opera be without a bit of emotional piano to carry the bulk of the tune? Freddie Mercury wasn’t playing around when he put together the piano track for this legendary song. And while all the moving parts are essential, from Mercury’s vocals to Brian May’s guitar solo to the whole of the band’s iconic harmonies, the piano track still sticks out in the best way.
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