Top 10 Opening Tracks From 1980s Rock Albums

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The opening song on a great rock album has one job: seize the listener immediately and make it impossible to turn away. These 10 opening tracks from 1980s rock albums did exactly that, launching unforgettable records by AC/DC, U2, Van Halen, Bruce Springsteen, Sammy Hagar, and more.

Feature Photo: Ryan Rodrick Beiler / Shutterstock.com

Our Top 10 Opening Tracks from 1980s Rock Albums presents a wide variety of songs from some of the most legendary rock and roll albums of the Big ’80s. There were hundreds of thousands of songs to choose from, since so much music was released from the start of 1980 to the end of 1989. Of course, just picking the list is an impossible feat because there were thousands of great opening tracks. Nonetheless, we went with, for the most part, the ones that came to mind first. We wanted to vary the styles a bit, which I think we accomplished with these ten very cool picks.

# 10 – “Tell Me What You Want” – Zebra – (Zebra)

We open our Top 10 Opening Tracks from 1980s Rock Albums list with what is probably a surprise pick, unless, of course, you are a Zebra fan. The three-piece outfit from Louisiana, who made a name for themselves in the nightclubs of Long Island in the late 1970s, finally signed a big-time record contract with Atlantic Records in the early 1980s. Their Zeppelin-style progressive rock sound had cultivated a loyal following that the record companies could no longer ignore. Their debut album was released in 1983 and featured all the songs that their fans had fallen in love with, night after night seeing them perform live in the rock clubs of New York. The album featured musicians Randy Jackson, Felix Hanemann, and Guy Gelso.

# 9 – “Hell’s Bells” – Back In Black – (AC/DC)

AC/DC released five albums in the 1980s, so there were five songs to choose from if we wanted to include one of the most legendary rock bands of all time on this list. It came down to a choice between “Hell’s Bells” and “For Those About to Rock.” We went with the opening track from their legendary comeback album, Back in Black, which marked Brian Johnson’s debut as the band’s lead vocalist.

# 8 – “The End of the Innocence” – The End of the Innocence – (Don Henley)

The End of the Innocence, Don Henley’s third solo album, was released in 1989. The album’s opening and title track featured Bruce Hornsby on piano. The melding of Hornsby’s piano skills with Henley’s golden vocals created a song that was simply breathtaking. It stands out as one of the most beloved songs of the 1980s and, in my opinion, it is the best solo song Henley has ever released.

# 7 – “Higher Love” – Back in the High Life – (Steve Winwood)

I remember when the song “Higher Love” first came out in 1986. The CD era had pretty much gotten underway but was still in its early years. What I remember most about this song was how incredible it sounded. It might have been the best-sounding recording I had ever heard up to that point. Of course, the song itself was captivating, substantive, and just another wonderful showcase of Steve Winwood’s talents. The song also won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year. Steve Winwood also won another Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for the song. I would say this was a pretty successful opening song.

# 6 – “Only a Memory” – Green Thoughts – (The Smithereens)

The Smithereens - Green Thoughts - Enigma Records - 209 294-630

Whenever we can give The Smithereens some love on this site, we’ll do it. Here’s another opportunity. ‘Only a Memory’ was the opening track to The Smithereens’ Green Thoughts album. This was the band’s second studio album. While the song ‘Only a Memory’ was never a big hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 92, it became a much-loved song among their fans and received a lot of airplay on FM album-oriented rock stations. The song was simply captivating.

# 5 – “I Will Follow” – Boy – (U2)

Do you remember the first time you heard this song by U2? If it was in the early ’80s, you were probably blown completely away by the sound of that guitar and Bono’s voice. U2 was a very unique-sounding band when they first arrived on the scene in the early ’80s. This was just one of those once-in-a-lifetime songs that you hear for the first time and are completely knocked out by. U2’s debut album Boy was released in October of 1980. ‘I Will Follow’ was the second single released from the album in the UK, but the first single released in the US. It was the album’s opening track.

# 4 – “Mean Street” – Fair Warning – (Van Halen)

Van Halen released six albums in the 1980s. The decade began with Women and Children First, released in 1980, followed by Fair Warning in 1981, Diver Down in 1982, and then the final Van Halen album with David Lee Roth, titled 1984, in 1984. Sammy Hagar joined the band after David Lee Roth quit, and Van Halen released 5150 in 1986, which was followed by OU812 in 1988. Choosing a standout track wasn’t easy. Starting with ‘And the Cradle Will Rock…’ from Women and Children First, they had great opening songs on every album that epitomized their classic rock sound. But in the end, we went with the opening track from our favorite Van Halen album of all time, Fair Warning, and that, my friends, was the killer track “Mean Street.”

# 3 – “Welcome to the Jungle” – Appetite for Destruction – (Guns N’ Roses)

Guns N’ Roses’ album Appetite for Destruction was released in 1987. Interestingly, at first, this album did very little to become a worldwide hit. Eventually, the album caught on like wildfire. Once people became aware of Guns N’ Roses, the band pretty much turned the rock and roll world upside down. No rock and roll band had made such an impact with their debut album, perhaps since U2 at the start of the decade. “Welcome to the Jungle” was an outstanding way to start off this album. I’m sure everybody remembers that video. This is as classic as the ’80s got.

# 2 – “Born in the U.S.A.” – Born in the U.S.A. – (Bruce Springsteen)

Bruce Springsteen’s opening track on his Born in the U.S.A. album turned a rock-and-roll star with a massive following into a worldwide sensation on the level of Elvis Presley. Yes, Springsteen was that big in 1984. Everyone was talking about Bruce, largely because of the song “Born in the U.S.A.,” which is probably the most misunderstood rock-and-roll song ever released.

# 1 – “I Can’t Drive 55” – VOA – Sammy Hagar

We close out our Top 10 Opening Tracks From 1980s Rock Albums list with one of the most memorable tracks the Red Rocker has ever released. Yes, that’s Sammy Hagar we’re talking about, baby—one of our favorite rock stars of all time. Ask any Sammy Hagar fan to name their favorite Hagar tune, and “I Can’t Drive 55” will probably always be up there in the top two or three. Has there ever been a song released that defined the need for speed like Sammy Hagar’s “I Can’t Drive 55”? Sorry, David Lee Roth, we know “Yankee Rose” was a great tune, but you already got some love with Fair Warning. It’s time for Sammy to shine, and he shines at number one. Ouch, that’s got to hurt, Diamond Dave.

Read More: Top 10 Sammy Hagar Songs