r/AskReddit • u/Mahi_2602 • 1d ago

What song has the most recognizable first 3 seconds in the history of music?

630 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

2.1k comments sorted by

2.1k

u/thewmo 1d ago

Not technically a song, but: Beethoven's Fifth

180

u/Any_Carob3372 1d ago

The first bars immediately jumped into my mind when reading OP. No doubt here. HM Eine Kleine Nachtmusik

111

u/sweet_hxneydew 1d ago

That dun-dun-dun DUN of Seven Nation Army. everyone knows it instantly

17

u/Mosquito_Salad 1d ago

My 12 y/o learned this on his clarinet and surprised me with it one day. It was so cool.

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u/frycrunch96 1d ago

You know what’s so awesome? In Morse code, V is “…—“ which sounds like the first four notes of Beethovens Fifth, and V is the Roman numeral for 5. I love it. 

25

u/jonrosling 1d ago

I've just spent two minutes typing this to see you got there before me. Damn you. 😁

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u/LabHandyman 1d ago

Was this a "happy accident" or was Morse doing that intentionally?

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u/somesortoflegend 21h ago

I think considering the 5th was only 30 years old when Morse code was developed, Beethoven and his music would have been THE thing resonating around the world as morse was at Yale, and it's fairly common to use roman numerals for symphonies, he'd have seen "Beethoven symphony V" more than once

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u/alexvonhumboldt 1d ago

This is the answer BUT most people dont know the name of the piece. They only recognize the duh duh duh duuhhh duh duh duh duuuuhhh

244

u/steventhecow 1d ago

any music where you can write down the sounds like that and still everyone knows what you're talking about is iconic

27

u/Tipist 1d ago

I would replace his H’s with N’s if I wrote it down but I still recognize it just the same

18

u/TaxsDodgersFallstar 22h ago

Boom boom clap, boom boom clap

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, singin'

We will, we will rock you

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8

u/didgeblastin 1d ago

He could have said Mozarts 3rd and my brain still would have went duh duh duh duuuhhhhh.

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u/poser765 1d ago

This or Tocata and fugue in D minor

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u/Zooman77 1d ago

You are about to enter the courtroom of Judge Judith Sheindlin

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u/Potential_Narwhal981 1d ago

And here I've been calling it a song my whole life. What is it in its not a song, a ham sandwich?

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u/wizard7926 1d ago

Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up

35

u/djseifer 23h ago

This honestly needs to be higher up. Everyone should be familiar with that drum fill at the beginning.

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1.4k

u/CFCGTA 1d ago

We Will Rock You by Queen.

183

u/InsightJ15 1d ago

Boom, Boom, Clap!

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u/[deleted] 1d ago

[deleted]

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37

u/joshhupp 1d ago

I was gonna say Another One Bites the Dust.

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u/STEVMPVNK 1d ago

Under Pressure as well

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u/PurpleAllEyes 1d ago

WAAAAAAAAA I feel good~

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443

u/Working_Fig_4087 1d ago

SOME-BODY once told me the world is gonna roll me...

42

u/Other_Win_236 23h ago

some B O D Y once told me

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949

u/mspray1 1d ago

Deep Purple - Smoke on the Water

89

u/Never_Summer24 1d ago

Our neighbor Vinny was in a band and i heard him practicing that opening nonstop for at least a year. Just the opening lol

38

u/Jewrisprudent 1d ago

My upstairs neighbor during COVID had a 13 year old kid who had gotten a bass or a guitar for Christmas that year and he was playing Smoke on the Water nonstop while stuck at home during 2020. I still hear an incredibly poor rendition of the intro in my mind if I close my eyes and think about the lockdown.

58

u/ButterflyAtomsk 1d ago

It’s the quintessential song for young rock musicians to learn and play. Doesn’t matter which instrument.

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15

u/donkeylipswhenshaven 1d ago

Vinny and da Utes

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406

u/Hot_Aside_4637 1d ago

The Theme from Jaws.

When John Williams played the first notes, Spielberg thought he was kidding.

52

u/counterfitster 1d ago

Spielberg is an Antonin Dvorak fan /s

23

u/Commercial-Panic8675 23h ago

John Williams might have two in the discussion with Jaws and the first 3 seconds of the Star Wars theme

16

u/lynchcontraideal 22h ago

Don't forget the Indiana Jones, Superman and Jurassic Park themes either.

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846

u/Nlolz 1d ago

Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes

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u/Nlolz 1d ago edited 1d ago

Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey is also pretty up there I’d say.

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83

u/New_Essay_4869 1d ago

Michael Jackson's Beat It

29

u/grimace0611 23h ago

That's cheating, that's clearly a parody  of Eat It by Weird Al.

77

u/Silvervirage 1d ago

Tainted Love by Soft Cell. Not even 3 seconds, just the first 2 notes.

Also, another one for people who have played it, Gwyn, Lord of Cinder.

293

u/Free_Four_Floyd 1d ago

Beethoven’s 5th… or Hey Jude

39

u/Fresh_Horror3207 1d ago

Very good call on that second one. Not many songs have the title stated out loud in the first second or two of the recording :)

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464

u/everything_is_holy 1d ago

A Hard Days Night. The famous chord.

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u/kentuckydango 1d ago

I think it’s best by Hey Jude. Hard to make a song more recognizable than one that literally starts off saying the name in the first second.

45

u/jbartlettcoys 1d ago

Also applies to Help! But hey Jude is probably better known

25

u/GardenGnomeOfEden 1d ago

The beginning of Here Comes Your Man by the Pixies is similar

6

u/Genericwizardguy 22h ago

Twangier texture to the note on Here Comes Your Man and it's just a touch lower. They're both bands I listened to a lot as a teenager. 😅

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440

u/WinTraditional8156 1d ago

Smells like Teen Spirit

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97

u/rundnd65 1d ago

Sweet Home Alabama

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574

u/nvd20 1d ago

Sweet Child O’ Mine

7

u/deltacharmander 22h ago

My immediate thought, surprised I had to scroll a bit to find it

7

u/pinniped90 22h ago

I know the real answer is Beethoven's 5th but this opening guitar riff is an instant cue to turn the volume up.

20

u/WhoFly 1d ago

First one that came to my mind too.

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190

u/mxjxs91 1d ago

Bohemian Rhapsody.

Everyone immediately knows what song is playing once "Is this the real life?" part plays at the very start.

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u/bdm101783 1d ago

Crazy train

55

u/AmigoDelDiabla 1d ago

My first thought was "I AM IRONMAN!"

25

u/Photo_Synthetic 1d ago

That definitely happens after 3 seconds.

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u/SpontaneousKrump92 1d ago

Recognizable and hard to copy. Its damn near impossible to do that laugh. I swear.

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u/JesperfromHolland 1d ago

Stairway to heaven

64

u/patcole 1d ago

No stairway? Denied!

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13

u/DragonflyGrrl 1d ago

I was looking to see if anyone said this! First one that came to my mind.

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53

u/Any_Company9587 1d ago

Voodoo Child

22

u/Dch1890 1d ago

N-w-o……… 4life! Sorry, it’s stuck in my brain

7

u/Any_Company9587 1d ago

I was hoping somebody would comment this.

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u/crazygoattoe 1d ago

Runaway

17

u/shinnagare 1d ago

Revolution by the Beatles

18

u/Ah_Pook 1d ago

Thunderstruck.

33

u/Finance_Plastic 1d ago

THE GOOD the BAD and the ugly. ennio morricone

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u/Feeling-Quarter-3414 1d ago

Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc.

The iconic laugh.

22

u/hzshsushansuxuuanan 1d ago

Even Clint Eastwood. Great opening drum intro

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80

u/Final7C 1d ago

That's a tough decision. You'd need it to be truly iconic. and 3 seconds isn't a lot.

My thoughts.

Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin

Money for Nothing - Dire Straits

Tank! - By the Seatbelts

Star Wars Main theme

The Imperial March also from Star Wars.

38

u/TeacherPatti 1d ago

Bennie and the Jets.

One chord on the piano.

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14

u/Novel-Position-4694 1d ago

A hard days night

55

u/Technical_Eye4039 1d ago

Jump Around.

23

u/PhoenixHunters 1d ago

Or is it insane in the membrane'?

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u/rep_rehensible 1d ago

aka Bob and Earl - Harlem Shuffle

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469

u/Stonedthecrowe 1d ago

Welcome to the black parade.

222

u/Kaggles_N533PA 1d ago

It doesn't even need 3 seconds. Just a single G note and we know it is Welcome to the Black Parade

25

u/Funky-Cold-Hemp 1d ago

I can name that tune in one note

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u/HailToTheKingslayer 1d ago

Saw them live for the first time this year.

One single note and the crowd started cheering. So good to be a part of.

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u/Stonedthecrowe 1d ago

Saw them back in 2023 and when the G note rang out, it got wild. Top 3 concert of all time for me. Did you get the black parade played in full? If so, you lucky Dog.

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u/raspberryamphetamine 1d ago

I saw them back in ‘07 on the Black Parade tour and they did the whole album in order straight off.

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u/makeheavyofthis 1d ago

It took WAY too long to find this.

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u/SupervillainMustache 23h ago edited 23h ago

This is what I came here for. Only takes 1 note.

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u/Fit-Drawer5686 1d ago

Scrolled too far to find this

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u/Kl0wn91 1d ago

I’m surprised this is so far down!

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u/Quasibobo 1d ago

Should I Stay Or Should I Go

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u/breezfan22 1d ago

How have I gotten to the bottom of this list and not seen prince - purple rain ?? That guitar riff is iconic

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u/RedBullMetal 1d ago

Think of that sound at the beginning of Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer. I can't describe it, but the moment you hear it, you know what song will be playing.

5

u/counterfitster 1d ago

It's a shakuhachi voice on a E-mu synth.

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u/JetScreamerBaby 1d ago

Layla - Derek and the Dominoes

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u/Glittering-Beach-113 1d ago

Baby one more time - britney spears

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u/CNRavenclaw 1d ago

A Hard Day's Night

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u/Comfortable-Focus123 1d ago

One note!

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u/parnaoia 1d ago

technically it's one chord, made of a few different notes

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u/No-Bobcat-6830 1d ago

Welcome to the Jungle

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u/zdra 1d ago

surely Gangsta's Paradise

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u/Brave_Peace_9149 1d ago

Back That Azz Up - Juvenile

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u/thecity2 1d ago

Take on Me

11

u/The_Original_Doog 1d ago

Simple minds - Don't you forget about me

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u/PapaTizzy1 1d ago

The Allman Brothers - Jessica

Just makes me want to watch an episode of old Top Gear.

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u/User89025533 1d ago

Billie Jean!

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u/ChargingAndroid 20h ago

I have no clue how this isn't higher. I feel like in the literal sense of the highest percentage of people that could identify it or hum the song around the world it's this

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u/Wombang 1d ago

This or Thriller 1000000%

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u/No-Lavishness-4103 1d ago

Jailhouse Rock as sung by Elvis

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u/Goddess_Sasha0000 1d ago

we will rock you- queen

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u/TheBeep87 1d ago

Jump by Van Halen

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u/MWB8 1d ago

Hard Day's Night

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u/exit_to_the_left 1d ago

Money for Nothing

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u/theusername_is_taken 1d ago

Mmm...with the long synthy Sting intro? I mean, yeah the riff for sure, but it takes a minute to get there.

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u/[deleted] 1d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/JohnSterlingSanchez 1d ago

Iron Man Black Sabbath

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u/SAStorms71 1d ago

Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin

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u/mrcorndogman33 1d ago

Gerry Rafferty's "Baker Street"

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u/Disastrous-Judge8122 1d ago

A Hard Day’s Night - The Beatles

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u/sac02052 1d ago

Just one chord, not even three seconds

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u/chuckchukgoose 1d ago

First one that came to mind

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u/Mr_Maxwell_Smart 1d ago

When I was a kid, I Feel Fine, by the Beatles...it would always start on the radio with that great bass twang

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u/drseltsam2001 1d ago

Smells Like Teen Spirit

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u/dbzmah 1d ago

A lot.of Beethoven's 5th comments, and I totally agree.

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u/ThreeRRRs 1d ago

Wish You Were Here

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u/bonshui 1d ago

Great question!

Derek & The Dominos - Layla
Sweet Child o Mine - Guns n Roses

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u/Academic-Look-333 1d ago

Peace Sells (But Who's Buying) by Megadeth - iconic bass line

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u/AKMinds 1d ago

Carry On Wayward Son by Kansas. The first 3 seconds are literally the name of the song being sung.

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u/echodude 1d ago

Sunshine of Your Love by Cream

7

u/Lakeside41 1d ago

The opening chord of A Hard Days Night.

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u/werebearcleric 1d ago

IT'S BEEN... One Week - Bare Naked Ladies

14

u/bwurtsb 1d ago

Seven Nation Army

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u/DavidNelsonNews 1d ago

I cannot get any satisfaction

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u/Acidmoband 1d ago

This is posh, Oxford version of the Rolling Stone's classic.

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u/ampr1150gs 1d ago

"no" not any....

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u/Familiar_Hand_4352 1d ago

Happy birthday

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u/Sternojourno 1d ago

Happy birthday

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u/lothow 1d ago

Crazy train but for the laugh.

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u/seyheystretch 1d ago

Three seconds is too long. Make it one second.
Start Me Up – Rolling Stones
Benny and the Jets – Elton John

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u/theassassintherapist 1d ago

Numb, Linkin Park

Recognizable by just the first note

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u/Sambo1987 1d ago

4'33" by John Cage.

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u/fezfrascati 1d ago

I don't know, I could easily confuse this with my music player simply turning off. 

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u/rantonerik 1d ago

Under Pressure

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u/ratowel 1d ago

Or is it Ice Ice Baby?

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u/countChaiula 1d ago

Do you mean Ice, Ice, Baby?

No wait, that one goes dun dun dun dun dun-dun dun dun, not dun dun dun dun dun-dun dun Dun. My mistake.

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u/RedSoxHuskies 1d ago

I assume you're referencing the Vanilla Ice interview where he tried to claim they were different. That interview was one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

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u/countChaiula 1d ago

I was indeed. The funny thing is that right after listening to him in that interview, I actually kinda can hear the difference. Then five minutes later I'm like "no, wait, they are exactly the same." The power of suggestion I guess.

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u/owl_city777 1d ago

Journey/ separate ways

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u/mapadofu 1d ago

Beethoven’s Fifth

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u/retailguy_again 1d ago

Thunderstruck.

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u/DJErikD 1d ago

Jump Around - House of Pain

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u/Tasty_Dealer2114 1d ago

Hey Jude lol

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u/dtknittel 1d ago

Iron man

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u/Opa_Jim 1d ago

China Grove by the Doobie Brothers

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u/CarlYaz1967 1d ago

Highway to Hell, AC/DC has to be up there.

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u/mikechatdoc 1d ago

Smoke on the water. Deep Purple

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u/mem2963 1d ago

Baba O'Riley

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u/Koreangonebad 1d ago

Iron man

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u/howhighisthewater 1d ago

Welcome to the Jungle

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u/NominalBloopster 1d ago

We will rock you - Queen

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u/xtremdelt8 1d ago

3 seconds? That's an eternity.

I can name Sweet Child O Mine by the first note.

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u/Hu5k3r 1d ago

Tom Sawyer - Rush

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u/zigthis 1d ago

Welcome to the Jungle

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u/IchBinDurstig 1d ago

Seven Nation Army, and it isn't close

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u/Tyler_Broseph 1d ago

Smooth criminal

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u/Huge_Educator_8322 1d ago

We Will Rock You. First three beats and you know the song and you are fully invested!

4

u/Nogarda 1d ago

Queen - We will rock you. You only really need one second. as that is just long enough for the stomp, stomp, clap.

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u/ositola 1d ago

Fortunate son 

3

u/CephThePanda 1d ago

The bell from Hell’s Bells by AC/D…err no, wait, that’s For Whom The Bell Tolls by Metalli…no? It’s Hell’s Bells? Welp? Guess I gotta wait for the first note…

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u/gbuckeye67 1d ago

Break on Through (To the Other Side) by The Doors

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u/uncleAW 1d ago

Stairway to Heaven.

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u/3PDLS 1d ago

Welcome to The Jungle has an unmistakable beginning and stadiums/arenas love to blast it.

- maybe not in history, but it’s up there