Some country songs are so good, that just about anyone can recognize them from their opening bars and intros alone.

Within metal music, the first song is not just a tune but a declaration. A good opening set the tone for an album’s mood and ready the listener for the sonic onslaught to unfold. It has ranged from ...

While most rock songs center around a titular electric guitar riff, Queen and David Bowie’s “Under Pressure” uses a bassline as the basic building block. John Deacon’s riff is almost as iconic as the ...