The album opener should always set the tone for the rest of the album. Occasionally you will hit the play button and find yourself dropping everything to give the record your undivided attention. Track listing requires careful consideration for artists, but sadly many modern day listeners no longer sit through an album start to finish and instead skip from track to track. These 10 fantastic rock album openers create the mood, give you a taste of things to come, and lure the listener in to the record. Hitting skip is not an option for these openers.
12. “Untitled 1” – Interpol (Turn on the Bright Lights)
Interpol seem to put a lot of thought into the track listing of all their albums, and a number of their opening tracks were contenders for the list. It is the opener for their 2002 debut album that gets the nod, however, with the spine-tingling “Untitled.” Much like the entire record, the track is bleak yet simultaneously uplifting and delicate. It is a serene song beginning with chiming guitars which are kept grounded with a tight rhythm section, with delicate vocals delivered by Paul Banks. The track builds to a brief crescendo, before then gently reverting back to the soft opening guitar to close the song and settle the reader in for the rest of the album. The tone of Interpol frequently draws comparisons to Joy Division and The Cure, but they are equally a band in their own right and they prove that off the bat with this brilliant opener.