If you were a kid or teenager in the year 1979, chances are at least one of the following rock songs inspired you to save up cash to finally buy an electric guitar. And even if you weren’t particularly inspired by these tunes, I bet you still loved them way back in the late 1970s. Let’s revisit some gems, shall we?
“London Calling” by The Clash
Any self-respecting punk out there knows this song all too well. And if you were a little punk back in 1979, this is probably one of many punk rock songs that inspired you to begin playing the guitar. That syncopated riff might just be one of the most memorable riffs in the history of punk rock, after all. Joe Strummer was on another level.
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“London Calling” dropped in late 1979 and was a pretty successful tune for the relatively not-mainstream genre. It peaked at No. 11 on the UK charts and No. 30 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in the US.
“Heartbreaker” by Pat Benatar
“Heartbreaker” by Pat Benatar is another song from 1979 that is known for its powerful guitar riffs. Right off the bat, listeners are treated to Neil Giraldo’s shredding guitar lines and killer solo. Pat Benatar sounds amazing, but you just can’t beat Giraldo’s guitar on this one.
“Heartbreaker” was released in October of 1979 and was a fast hard rock hit for Benatar. The song peaked at No. 23 on the Hot 100 and did similarly well in Canada and New Zealand.
“The Logical Song” by Supertramp
This classic from Breakfast In America might be more well-known for those stunning keyboard tracks. However, the guitar work is nothing to sneeze at. In fact, I think Roger Hodgson’s electric and 12-string guitar tracks on “The Logical Song” are the most memorable parts of the composition.
One of the finest rock songs of 1979, this pop-rock jam hit the Top 10 on quite a few charts after it was released. “The Logical Song” peaked at No. 6 on the Hot 100 and No. 7 on the UK Singles chart. It also did very well in New Zealand, South Africa, and in many countries in Europe.
Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images
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