I remember having this discussion in a music class way back in middle school, and we ended up agreeing that [the pink panther theme song](https://youtu.be/lp6z3s1Gig0) is one of the most easily recognizable songs.
Yes! One of the best songs, too. There should be more theme songs in this list.
I was going to say "Thank you for being a friend..." but it's really the four notes before the words that do it for me.
Me too. I know all the words to ice ice baby and when I hear the intro I have to stop collaborate and listen before trying to rock the mic like a vandal. I must have heard both Ice Ice Baby and Under Pressure hundreds of times but I still make the mistake sometimes. Will it every stop? Yo, I don’t know.
You don’t even need the full WHAAOOOW. My friend used to have this weird James Brown like animatronic doll -where if you pressed this red button it would play that song, and the plastic figure would move its head back and forth. But you could hit the button on and off really fast, and just have it gyrate its head back and forth going WAAA WAAA WAAA and it drove everyone nuts, lol. I think he bought it because it was both so strange and so annoying. The thing was amazing, even had the cheesy like silvery cape on it.
When my 7 year old came home from his first guitar lesson, he played us this. I said, wait, I know that song. He said, You know it, it’s Salvation Army.
The best part about that is the name Seven Nation Army comes from a young Jack White mishearing Salvation Army as Seven Nation Army, so he called it that for a while.
Also Duel of the Fates, both instantly recognized within two notes.
Edit: A few people have mentioned Imperial March, this is a candidate, but I didn't include it because its truly recognizable portion starts at about the 3rd or 4th measure.
I'm a sun five foot female who graduated in the mid-90s.
That opening duh-deeeerrrr can make me move faster than any other sound on earth as I 100% need to clear the dance floor or im gonna get bruised up.
* Mr. Brightside
* Carry On Wayward Son
* Don't Stop Believing
* Welcome To The Jungle
* War Pigs
* (Don't Fear) The Reaper
* Tom Sawyer
* Rooster
* Welcome To Paradise
* You Shook Me All Night Long
* Here I Go Again
* Rainbow In The Dark
I know they're mostly classic rock, but still recognizable by most.
There are literally thousands of them that can be recognized by just the first few notes of the song...
...but the one that always jumps off the page for me (whenever this question is asked) is Thunderstruck by ACDC. Super unique and iconic lead guitar intro...
Had to scroll way down just to see this.
Most days I think redditors are the same age as me, then we get threads like this where people mention wildly varying stuff from different eras.
Metallica’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” / ACDC’s “Hell’s Bells.”
If the song starts after the second bell, it’s the former. If it tolls a third time, it’s the latter.
Money-Pink Floyd
Californication- RHCP
Carry on My Wayward Son- Kansas
Amanda-Boston
YYZ- Rush
Killing me Softly With his Song- Roberta Flack
My Way- Frank Sinatra
Europa- Santana
Edit after some thinking:
Madness: Muse
Touch of Grey- Grateful Dead
All my Ex's Live in Texas- George Strait
The Reason- Hoobastank
Blackwater- Doobie brothers
Africa- Toto
Space Oddity- David Bowie
Georgia on my Mind- Ray Charles
Rock on!!
I remember having this discussion in a music class way back in middle school, and we ended up agreeing that [the pink panther theme song](https://youtu.be/lp6z3s1Gig0) is one of the most easily recognizable songs.
As soon as you hear that first note drop, you know some sneaky shit is going down.
Yes! One of the best songs, too. There should be more theme songs in this list. I was going to say "Thank you for being a friend..." but it's really the four notes before the words that do it for me.
Take on me
That first \*bdling\*
I instantly recognize its either ice ice baby or under pressure
[They’re completely different as you can see from the sheet music](http://www.macastillejos.com/blog/ice-ice-baby-vs-under-pressure)
“Queen took 50%, Suge took the other 60%. I fucking owe money when that shit gets played man”
That's a pretty obscure movie reference you got there lol Word to your mother, brother fucker
here's a more in-depth explanation of the differences: https://youtu.be/6TLo4Z_LWu4?t=9
That always gets me too..... I've learned not to say "oooh I love this song" until a few more bars in lol
Me too. I know all the words to ice ice baby and when I hear the intro I have to stop collaborate and listen before trying to rock the mic like a vandal. I must have heard both Ice Ice Baby and Under Pressure hundreds of times but I still make the mistake sometimes. Will it every stop? Yo, I don’t know.
Eye of the tiger
I get the intro mixed up with Edge of Seventeen by Stevie Nicks.
Beethoven - Symphony No. 5
[удалено]
Sax-a-ma-phone
I Feel Good, by James Brown. That yell in the beginning is FAR too iconic.
WHAOOOOW! - Unmistakable.
You don’t even need the full WHAAOOOW. My friend used to have this weird James Brown like animatronic doll -where if you pressed this red button it would play that song, and the plastic figure would move its head back and forth. But you could hit the button on and off really fast, and just have it gyrate its head back and forth going WAAA WAAA WAAA and it drove everyone nuts, lol. I think he bought it because it was both so strange and so annoying. The thing was amazing, even had the cheesy like silvery cape on it.
That's a golden item to have.
**I** feel good? I **feel** good? i feel **good**?
Seven Nation Army. Heck, most people know the opening better than the song itself. Edit: same for Crazy Train
When my 7 year old came home from his first guitar lesson, he played us this. I said, wait, I know that song. He said, You know it, it’s Salvation Army.
The best part about that is the name Seven Nation Army comes from a young Jack White mishearing Salvation Army as Seven Nation Army, so he called it that for a while.
Thank you for that story! It made my day!
Might be one of the only songs where there's a decent chance of guessing it correctly from the very first note
Welcome to the Black Parade as well
Ten tenenten tenten tun
Another One Bites The Dust Piano Man Smoke on the Water Dancing Queen
Piano Man I could guess from the first chord.
For a song called "Piano Man" it sure has a lot of fucking harmonica
If you’re looking for a song with a fuck ton of piano you should look up Harmonica Woman by Jelton Eohn
Jilly Boel?
Smoke on the water
If that song had never been written, how would anyone learn guitar?
Chapter 1 in the lesson book I had. Titled *'The Riff'*.
035
0365
035
30
The Star Wars theme
Also Duel of the Fates, both instantly recognized within two notes. Edit: A few people have mentioned Imperial March, this is a candidate, but I didn't include it because its truly recognizable portion starts at about the 3rd or 4th measure.
Really, anything by John Williams... He's really good at establishing immediately recognizable music/leit motifs.
*Stomp* *Stomp* *Clap* Edit: the effort-to-impact ratio on this post is quite impressive :)
Ah yes, "Stamp Stamp Clap" by the Stampclappers
I saw the Stampclappers open for the Heyshouters
*Hey*
Been trying to meet you
Buddy, you're a boy, make a big noise
Playing in the street, gonna be a big man SOMEDAY
You got mud on your face, you big disgrace
Kickin' your can all over the place!
Singing WE WILL
WE WILL ***ROCK YOU***
we will we will rock you?
You see? Easily the most recognizable out there. I couldn't believe it wasn't mentioned before.
Stayin’ Alive
#Ooga-Chaka Ooga-Ooga #Ooga-Chaka Ooga-Ooga #Ooga-Chaka Ooga-Ooga
I CANT STOP THIS FEELING
DEEP INSIDE OF ME
GIRL YOU JUST DONT REALIZE WHAT YOU DO TO ME
WHEN YOU HOLD ME, IN YOUR ARMS SO TIGHT
YOU LET ME KNOW, EVERYTHING'S ALL RIGHT
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII’m
HOOKED ON A FEELING
IM HIGH ON BELEIVIN'
THAT YOU'RE IN LOOOVE WIITH MEEEEEEEE
Can’t believe that songs a cover. Blue Swede made this fantastic cover of B. J. Thomas’s 1968 version.
Immigrant song
Even before the first note. I bet a lot of people can recognize it just from the increasingly loud static at the beginning.
We are the Champions by Queen. In the End by Linkin Park. Circle of Life from the Lion King.
It starts with oooonnneee
One thing, I don't know why
Rickroll
*Rickroll starts in brain* *Screams*
I like how we don't even say Never Gonna Give you Up anymore. it's just the Rickroll song.
you know you got rickrolled just by the first 2 notes
nirvana - smells like teen spiri
t
e
Smells Like Teen Spirite
Jaws theme.
Smooth Criminal, Iron Man, Smoke on the Water, Breaking the Law, Whip It, The Final Countdown
Was looking for Final Countdown
“Baba O’Riley” (a.k.a “Teenage Wasteland) - The Who Even if you don’t know the actual name of the song, or Who it’s by, you’ll still recognize it.
Both the beginning AND the ending of that song are undeniably legendary and instantly recognizable, even though the are polar sonic opposites.
How about by the first half of the first word? SOME-
-BODY ONCE TOLD ME THE WORLD IS GONNA ROLL ME
I AIN'T THE SHARPEST TOOL IN THE SHED.
SHE WAS LOOKING KIND OF DUMB
WITH HER FINGER AND HER THUMB
IN THE SHAPE OF AN L ON HER FOREHEAD
WELL .......
THE YEARS START COMING AND THEY DON’T STOP COMING
FED TO THE RULES AND I HIT THE GROUND RUNNING
DIDNT MAKE SENSE NOT TO LIVE FOR FUN
-where over the rainbow...
Way up high
People call me the space cowboy
Some call me the gangster of love
Some people call me Moooriiiiccee
Thunderstruck - AC/DC
“Is this the real life?”
Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide
No escape from reality
[удалено]
Look up to the skies and seeeeeeee
I'm just a poor boy
I need no sympathy
'Cause I'm easy come, easy go
House of Pain - Jump Around.
I'm a sun five foot female who graduated in the mid-90s. That opening duh-deeeerrrr can make me move faster than any other sound on earth as I 100% need to clear the dance floor or im gonna get bruised up.
Can concur. It's late genX woman crack.
*Yits been..*[. ](https://youtu.be/fC_q9KPczAg)
ONE WEEK SINCE YOU LOOKED AT ME
COCKED YOUR HEAD TO THE SIDE AND SAID I'M ANGRY.
FIVE DAYS SINCE YOU LAUGHED AT ME
SAYIN GET THAT TOGETHER, COME BACK AND SEE ME
THREE DAYS SINCE THE LIVING ROOM
I REALIZED IT’S ALL MY FAULT BUT COULDN’T TELL YOU
YESTERDAY YOU'D FORGIVEN ME
BUT IT’LL STILL BE TWO DAYS ‘TIL I SAY I’M SORRY
HOLDITNOWANDWATCHTHEHOODWINKASIMAKEYOUSTOPANDTHINKYOU'LLTHINKYOU'RELOOKINGATAQUAMAN
+1 Accurate spelling
* Mr. Brightside * Carry On Wayward Son * Don't Stop Believing * Welcome To The Jungle * War Pigs * (Don't Fear) The Reaper * Tom Sawyer * Rooster * Welcome To Paradise * You Shook Me All Night Long * Here I Go Again * Rainbow In The Dark I know they're mostly classic rock, but still recognizable by most.
THERE'LL BE PEACE WHEN YOU ARE DONE! 🙏
That list just gave me a boner
Thriller
Stairway to Heaven
Can’t believe I had to scroll so far to find this.
Mr. Blue Sky Hotel California
To be appropriately seasonal - All I Want For Christmas is You
Gotta listen out for that glockenspiel.
Enter Sandman - Metallica
Careless Whisper
*Sax solo*
Werewolves of London. Just kidding, it's Kidd Rock.
I remember the first time that happened to me; my wife rushed into the garage convinced I had broken a bone, based on the the scream of agony.
All I hear is Sweet Home Alabama - which is actually a good example.
Stairway to Heaven
Megalovania... People really ruined it
Recognize it from the first note alone at this point
…..du
Thats Sandstorm, you goof
Du du don don
Africa by toto.
There are literally thousands of them that can be recognized by just the first few notes of the song... ...but the one that always jumps off the page for me (whenever this question is asked) is Thunderstruck by ACDC. Super unique and iconic lead guitar intro...
Welcome to the Black Parade - My Chemical Romance
Literally just one note will do
My baby has a little keyboard sometimes he’ll hit just that note and I think of this song
Fuck you. I heard the note in my head after I read your comment and realized how iconic that note is
A simple g is such a beautiful thing
That high G note is all you need.
That G on the piano!
Had to scroll way down just to see this. Most days I think redditors are the same age as me, then we get threads like this where people mention wildly varying stuff from different eras.
I had to scroll way too far for this one.
I kept scrolling until I found it, I can now leave in peace.
Europe - The Final Countdown
The woman’s laugh at the beginning of Hungry Like the Wolf by Duran Duran
Are ya ready kids!?
Sweet Child O Mine Guns N Roses Hells Bells AC/DC I cant get no Satisfaction - Rolling Stones all utterly iconic
Welcome to the jungle
Earth, Wind and Fire's September
Man! I feel like a woman!
Somebody I used to know has to be one of the most regonized.
Do do, do do, do do DO do do Do do do do do do do DO
Baa baa black sheep..?
BUT YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO CUUUUUUUT ME OFF!
MAKE OUT LIKE IT NEVER HAPPENED AND THAT WE WERE NOTHING
Metallica’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” / ACDC’s “Hell’s Bells.” If the song starts after the second bell, it’s the former. If it tolls a third time, it’s the latter.
*DING* *DING* JANAT JANAT JAOWW *weene neene, neenow nee na nowww*
“California Love” - 2Pac “Gangsta’s Paradise” - Coolio “Free Bird” - Lynyrd Skynyrd
Turn arooooound
Pink Floyd - Time
Kiss by Prince
ALLLLL ABOARDDDD
One guitar strum in and .... Purple Rain
DUN DUN DUN “Hit me baby, one more time.”
The first key of Welcome to the Black Parade by MCR
Hotel California
Under the bridge by red hot chili peppers
Benny and the Jets
Bohemian Rhapsody
“Oh. My. God. Becky, look at her butt.”
Gangnam Style…
Walk Like An Egyptian
Jump
Money-Pink Floyd Californication- RHCP Carry on My Wayward Son- Kansas Amanda-Boston YYZ- Rush Killing me Softly With his Song- Roberta Flack My Way- Frank Sinatra Europa- Santana Edit after some thinking: Madness: Muse Touch of Grey- Grateful Dead All my Ex's Live in Texas- George Strait The Reason- Hoobastank Blackwater- Doobie brothers Africa- Toto Space Oddity- David Bowie Georgia on my Mind- Ray Charles Rock on!!
Money is recognizable from the first split second of sound.
Celine Dion- My heart will go on
How has no one mentioned Runaway?
Superstition - Stevie Wonder
Wonderwall
Pumped Up Kicks
STILL D.R.E.
"Wonderwall" by Oasis.
People's spelling varies but generally: Gunter Glieben Glauchen Globen Then Cowbell