The music industry is one of the most popular throughout America and the world. Just about everyone has at least one song that they love and know backward and forwards. Some songs feature impressive hooks that leave the world humming, singing, and dancing along. That being said, here are ten of the most iconic song intros of all time.

10: “Black Dog” by Led Zeppelin

Most people are going to know Led Zeppelin, and with this being their most famous song, it makes sense that the intro is as recognizable as it is. I was super close to putting “Stairway to Heaven” instead, but despite being the forbidden song, it is not quite as popular.

9: “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” by Panic! At The Disco

“Oh, well imagine” not knowing this song. This song was one that a lot of Gen-Z was raised on. Even though this song is as old as me, I still hear it everywhere I go. While it may not be the most popular song on this list, most people still can recognize it in the first few seconds.

8: “Hooked on a Feeling” by Blue Swede

I honestly just laugh when I hear this intro. If you don’t think you’ve heard this intro, trust me, you have. It is so much better to listen to when you’re with a group of people all just chanting “ooga-chacka ooga-ooga” for no reason whatsoever.

7: “Paint It, Black” by The Rolling Stones

If you remember back when this song was used for the trailer of Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, you are automatically one of my favorite people. This was an incredibly popular song when it came out, which is why most people know it, but if you didn’t from that, you did from it being played on TV every 30 seconds because Activision was quite proud of their new game.

6: “Father Stretch My Hands Pt.1” by Kanye West

The perfect song to listen to on a “beautiful morning”. Despite being by far the newest song on this list, most people know this song, or at the very least parts of it. Vine was a major part of making this song as popular as it is. The Metro Boomin producer tag at the beginning was all it needed to become iconic, but Kid Cudi and Kanye still came in and crushed the rest of the song.

5: “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne

“All aboard!” Ozzy Osbourne screaming this itches my brain in just the right way. This is also a fun song if you want a whole crowd of people screaming “ay ay ay” at the top of their lungs. Crazy Train features one of the most iconic guitar riffs of all time, probably second to “Stairway to Heaven”. For that reason alone, among others, it had to be on this list.

4: “Welcome to the Black Parade” by My Chemical Romance

I’m not crying, you are! This masterpiece of an intro is especially well-known in the alt community, but most people under the age of 35 will know it, or at least have heard it a few times. This classic piano intro starts off a great song that often ends up being overshadowed by how amazing the intro is.

3: “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson

Dodging child support in style. MJ drops this hit of an intro like the kids he may or may not have had. This song as a whole is so well-known that only a smooth criminal could get away with not putting it on this list. 

2: “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana

My personal favorite intro on this list, but definitely not as iconic as number one. Whatever Kurt Cobain put into this intro (knowing him, it was some strong stuff) makes it one of the most well-known (and best) song intros this world has ever seen.

1: “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen

This song’s intro will have you asking “is this the real life” because whatever sounds the band was making during the recording of this song were made in heaven (see what I did there?). This song is one that just about everyone knows and loves. The only reason I can think of not to like it is if you remember that one night that Uncle Joey tried to sing it at karaoke thinking he could do the ‘Galileos’.