Guitar, bass, piano, drums—these are all instruments we’re used to hearing on a rock and roll track. But oftentimes musicians enjoy getting a little more creative. The dawn of the digital age made more sound effects possible, and listeners have thus spent years wondering, “How on earth did they make that sound?” Sometimes it’s a digital effect, and sometimes it’s just good old-fashioned creativity. The artists behind these seven songs achieved a unique sound as no one else could.
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1. Dolly Parton — “9 to 5”
Dolly Parton was already a beloved country star when she began her acting career in the 1980s. Her first film was 9 to 5, a workplace comedy. She also wrote the title song for the movie, a track that notably features the sound of typewriter keys clacking along in the background. To achieve the sound, Parton incorporated an interesting technique: she hit her acrylic nails together close to the microphone.
2. Sonic Youth — “Teenage Riot”
Alt-rock band Sonic Youth was known for using unique and experimental techniques to achieve their sound. For their 1988 song “Teenage Riot,” each guitarist had their instrument tuned in a different and unusual way. The result was that they were never quite in tune, leading to a discordant and even otherworldly feel. It was exactly what they were going for with the song, which also featured an unconventional spoken-word monologue.
[RELATED: Behind the Song: Sonic Youth, “Teenage Riot”]
3. Phil Collins — “In the Air Tonight”
Phil Collins is a superstar, and he proved it right from the beginning. His debut single was the iconic “In the Air Tonight,” now one of his signature songs. But the electric performance itself wasn’t the only reason the track became famous. It was also at least partially due to the unique gated reverb effect that was used in the studio. Collins had discovered it accidentally while recording drums for a Peter Gabriel album in 1979. He and his sound engineer completely rewired their sound board to replicate the effect. Though he used it while playing with Gabriel, it was “In the Air Tonight” that made gated reverb famous.
4. Björk — “Five Years”
Icelandic chanteuse Björk has never shied away from creating her own strange or experimental sounds. Though experimentation is par for the course with her, some attempts at ingenuity are more successful than others. Take “Five Years” from her fourth album, Homogenic. The singer plays with an unusual low vocal register against distorted percussion, which gradually increases until it makes you feel like you’ve fully broken from reality.
5. The Beatles — “Strawberry Fields Forever”
The Beatles were sometimes questioned over their experimental—and yes, drug-enhanced—later years, but they proved they were true pioneers with songs like “Strawberry Fields Forever.” The Fabs juxtaposed two recordings of the song, one fast and one slow. It also included unusual instrumentation for the time, including Mellotron, swarmandal, and güiro. Greeted by thrilling confusion at first, “Strawberry Fields Forever” has become known as one of the greatest examples of early psychedelic rock.
6. The Velvet Underground — “Sister Ray”
Another important piece to the advent of early psychedelic rock is “Sister Ray,” a 1968 track by The Velvet Underground. Clocking in at 17 minutes and 29 seconds long, it was almost entirely a work of improvisation, which the band recorded in a single take. Consequently, it has moments of instrumental call-and-reply, which has been likened to avant-jazz. But the most distinctive aspect of “Sister Ray” is the unique organ accompaniment, which was achieved by connecting the organ to a distorted amplifier.
7. U2 — “Bullet the Blue Sky”
The Edge is widely known for his intense and creative musical experimentation. The U2 guitarist has been hailed as a “sonic architect” thanks to his otherworldly ability to create sound effects on the guitar. “Bullet the Blue Sky” is one example, an ambitious song inspired by U.S. military intervention in Central America. The Edge nailed the enthralling guitar riff by playing through an amplifier so loud as to maximize feedback. The result sounds an awful lot like fighter planes, which of course was exactly what he was going for.
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