I think the first song on the album is undoubtably the most important song. It is so crucial to make a strong statement, and make the listener really want to listen to the rest of the album. It isn’t an easy task, but here are 10 of them that I think were wildly successful. I’m only doing it from 1990-present because this is turning into too much of an ambitious undertaking for the half hour that I have. Enjoy!
10. Since I Left You - The Avalanches
Since I Left You
9. The Ruler’s Back - Jay-Z
The Blueprint
8. Summer Babe (Winter Version) - Pavement
Slanted & Enchanted
7. Get Innocuous! - LCD Soundsystem
Sound of Silver
6. Misunderstood - Wilco
Being There
5. Ladies and Gentleman We Are Floating In Space - Spiritualized
Ladies and Gentleman We Are Floating In Space
4. Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) - Arcade Fire
Funeral
3. It’s Personal - The Radio Dept.
Pet Grief
2. Everything In Its Right Place - Radiohead
Kid A
1. One More Time - Daft Punk
Discovery
This is from one quick scroll-through on my iPod, so I don’t really expect this to be definitive. What are your favorite album openers?
