Consider this game the next time you have a party. Put together a list of songs, both famous hits and deep cuts, and only play the first second of the song. See who can name the song with just those opening notes. It’s honestly kind of fun, especially if you’re in a room full of audiophiles and music fans. The following classic earworms will be easy wins, though. I bet anyone could identify these songs within a second!
Videos by American Songwriter
“Welcome To The Black Parade” by My Chemical Romance
Who knew that a simple G note on the piano could light up the synapses in the brains of an entire generation? “Black Parade” by My Chemical Romance is one of the few songs out there that many people, at least millennials with an emo kid past, can identify with just one single note. Released in 2006, “Welcome To The Black Parade” was a massive emo hit. And the album The Black Parade has since become a classic among fans of the genre.
“Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses
That crunchy, distorted guitar riff at the start of “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses is recognizable immediately, even to those who weren’t born anywhere near 1988. This hard rock, glam metal classic is a standout release from Guns N’ Roses’ Appetite For Destruction. And I’d be bold enough to say it’s the band’s signature song. And once you’ve clocked this song after that opening riff, you won’t want to turn it off until it’s over.
“Another One Bites The Dust” by Queen
Queen was the kind of rock band that mastered the art of the catchy opening. Honestly, a few Queen tunes could have made it to this list. I went with “Another One Bites The Dust”, simply because that little bass movement and kick drum are just so funky and fun to listen to. It makes sense why this funk rock, disco-leaning hit made it all the way to No. 1 on the Hot 100 back in 1980.
“Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana
Sometimes, a solid melody is all you need for a song to be memorable. Grunge outfit Nirvana knew how to play around with melodies in a way that was unique to grunge at the time, and “Smells Like Teen Spirit” has to be one of the greatest classic earworms out there. That little guitar riff at the beginning can’t be found in any other song, and it makes sense why so many people still love this massive rock hit, decades after it was released.
Photo by Frans Schellekens/Redfern
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