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Songs that Changed Rock Music...


steve_man

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There have been a ton of great songs and bands over the last 50-60 years, but there have been a few songs...songs that altered the course of rock music. For me, the song that I remember the most...that completely changed rock music was Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Sent the hair bands and glam rock packing...and opened the door for all those great Seattle bands...

 

[YOUTUBE]hTWKbfoikeg[/YOUTUBE]

 

If you have a song like this...post a video for us all to enjoy!

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If you have a song like this...post a video for us all to enjoy!

 

 

I would agree that this one might be the absolute best example of a rapid shift away from one type of music to another, in popular music. But that's the key word...popular.

 

For many of us Smells Like Teen Spirit wasn't really that much of a shock. Many of those bands were very very popular before that song broke. Just not "mainstream" popular.

 

This one did much the same as SLTS for hip hop...

 

[YOUTUBE]ScYZp492TxY[/YOUTUBE]

 

Anyone know what kind of guitar JP is playing?

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I would agree with everyone's input so far.

 

For early rock and roll, I'd have to say Bo Diddley's "I'm A Man" single (which was backed with "Bo Diddley") and Chuck Berry's "Maybelline" take the prize. Both were the first releases by these artists, both of whom, of course, helped write The Book of rock and roll.

 

Also from the 50s, I have to mention Little Richard. Take your pick--"Tutti Frutti," "Good Golly Miss Molly," "Long Tall Sally." His impact was immense and consider this--here was a howling, sweating, in-your-face, flamboyantly, openly gay black man from The American South. It's really a wonder he didn't get lynched. Many parents of the time must have thought he was, literally, Satan walking the Earth.

 

The next decade was incredibly expansive and inventive of course, but in a way I think the two pieces of music that could be said to define it are The Beatles' "A Day In The Life" and Jimi Hendrix' "Purple Haze."

 

Having been around for decades now, and heard a zillion times on radio, etc., and with all the other styles, genres and mini-revolutions in music, "Purple Haze" might seem kind of tame to us now.

 

But think of what it must have been like in early 1967 to turn on the radio and hear this psych-drenched, wild ass sonic meltdown. It must have been mind-blowing.

 

Just my 2 cents...I'll have to think about other songs and other decades...

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But think of what it must have been like in early 1967 to turn on the radio and hear this psych-drenched, wild ass sonic meltdown. It must have been mind-blowing...

 

 

good point here. that was a decade when any day you turned on the radio, someone was playing something different and new. Even on BBC after they shut down the pirates. UK radio audience was quite lucky I think.

 

for me, the turning point of the 60s was Hey Joe, with the walking bass line and the stuttering drums. Very few songs have made me go "there's a future-changer" but that one did.

 

But I think everyone's perception is coloured by what was around when they were teens. Looking back is a hard way to attribute importance and some stuff is best left in its own year.

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This one isn't so obvious but "Pretty Woman" by Roy Orbison made me take notice. Even as a little kid the heavy drums and pronounced guitar line made me take notice that this was different from a lot of what was out there at the time.

 

"Mississippi Queen" by Mountain was about the heaviest song out by 1970.

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Ike Turner's Rocket 88

Bob Dylan's Like a Rolling Stone

The Ventures' Walk Don't Run

The Beatles' first record and Sgt Peppers

Van Halen's first record

The Beastie Boys' Licence to Ill

Larry Conklin's version of Elvira

Jeff Beck's Blow by Blow

Jimi Hendrix

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Some great choices in here , but with respect I'd have to say that while some others are great songs they did not make other bands say "Hey I've got to bring that into my music" or create new branches in the rock and roll tree. That would be my personal take on "changed rock music"

 

First one that came to mind for me was Johnny B Goode. Side note, How Chuck Berry ever ended up recording My Ding-a-ling is beyond me :facepalm:

 

Louie, Louie, anyone?

 

She Loves You and I Wanna Hold your Hand arguably started the British Invasion

 

Blowin in the Wind was among the earliest and most influential folk-rock / protest music influences.

 

Rock and Roll All Nite - launched (or at least mainstreamed) the simple stupid, but very catchy teen anthem genre

 

Do You Feel Like We do may have been among the first songs c.1976 in the "Arena Rock" genre that peaked in the 80s

 

IMO, The Cars first album set the stage for new wave and at virtually the same time Blondie paved ther way for female-fronted new wave

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Ike Turner's Rocket 88

Bob Dylan's Like a Rolling Stone

The Ventures' Walk Don't Run

The Beatles' first record and Sgt Peppers

Van Halen's first record

The Beastie Boys' Licence to Ill

Larry Conklin's version of Elvira

Jeff Beck's Blow by Blow

Jimi Hendrix

 

:lol::lol::lol:

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Almost everything mentioned so far is worthy. Every guitarist who wants to know history should also hear these:

 

Santana-Jingo

Honky Tonk-Bill Dogget

Whipping Post, Rambling Man-Allman Bros

Hideaway-Freddie King

Sweet Sixteen-BB king

Rebel Rouser-Duane Eddy

Over Under Sideways Down-Yardbirds

Mr. Tambourine Man, Eight Miles High-Byrds

East West-Paul Butterfield Blues Band

Norwegian Wood-Beatles

Purple Haze, Machine Gun, Star Spangled Banner-Hendrix

(don't which song to choose)-(early) Motorhead

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Imagine turning on the radio in 1954 and hearing that. Sure, there were precursors like Rocket 88, but nothing did what That's All Right did. Nobody even knew what to call it when it came out.

 

After that seismic event, everything else listed here is just a series of aftershocks.

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