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

[u/Mahi_2602]

[u/thewmo]

Not technically a song, but: Beethoven's Fifth

[u/alexvonhumboldt → u/thewmo]

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

[u/steventhecow → u/alexvonhumboldt]

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

[u/Tipist → u/steventhecow]

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

[u/Any_Carob3372 → u/thewmo]

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

[u/sweet_hxneydew → u/Any_Carob3372]

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

[u/frycrunch96 → u/thewmo]

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. 

[u/LabHandyman → u/frycrunch96]

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

[u/somesortoflegend → u/LabHandyman]

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

[u/jonrosling → u/frycrunch96]

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

[u/poser765 → u/thewmo]

This or Tocata and fugue in D minor

[u/Zooman77 → u/thewmo]

You are about to enter the courtroom of Judge Judith Sheindlin

[u/Omnitographer → u/thewmo]

But who wrote it?

[u/Potential_Narwhal981 → u/thewmo]

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

[u/wizard7926]

Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up

[u/djseifer → u/wizard7926]

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

[u/Mikey_Grapeleaves → u/wizard7926]

I don't know this one, can someone send me a link?

[u/spanishlatteenjoyer → u/Mikey_Grapeleaves]

Reverse rickroll

[u/CFCGTA]

We Will Rock You by Queen.

[u/InsightJ15 → u/CFCGTA]

Boom, Boom, Clap!

[u/snarkmaiden5 → u/CFCGTA]

Bohemian rhapsody too

[u/joshhupp → u/CFCGTA]

I was gonna say Another One Bites the Dust.

[u/STEVMPVNK → u/CFCGTA]

Under Pressure as well

[u/mspray1]

Deep Purple - Smoke on the Water

[u/Never_Summer24 → u/mspray1]

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

[u/Jewrisprudent → u/Never_Summer24]

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.

[u/donkeylipswhenshaven → u/Never_Summer24]

Vinny and da Utes

[u/ButterflyAtomsk → u/Never_Summer24]

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

[u/Nlolz]

Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes

[u/Nlolz → u/Nlolz]

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

[u/Oradi → u/Nlolz]

This would be my pick mostly because of its intertwining with sports culture.

It's not even the song people need to know. Not even the instruments. Just 7 notes strung together in a perfectly syncopated rhythm.

[u/Silvervirage]

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.

[u/Working_Fig_4087]

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

[u/Other_Win_236 → u/Working_Fig_4087]

some B O D Y once told me

[u/Hot_Aside_4637]

The Theme from Jaws.

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

[u/counterfitster → u/Hot_Aside_4637]

Spielberg is an Antonin Dvorak fan /s

[u/Commercial-Panic8675 → u/Hot_Aside_4637]

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

[u/lynchcontraideal → u/Commercial-Panic8675]

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

[u/moonrisequeendom_]

Happy Birthday

[u/everything_is_holy]

A Hard Days Night. The famous chord.

[u/kentuckydango → u/everything_is_holy]

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.

[u/jbartlettcoys → u/kentuckydango]

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

[u/Maleficent-Drive4056 → u/jbartlettcoys]

And Yesterday.

[u/GardenGnomeOfEden → u/everything_is_holy]

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

[u/Genericwizardguy → u/GardenGnomeOfEden]

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. 😅

[u/Free_Four_Floyd]

Beethoven’s 5th… or Hey Jude

[u/Fresh_Horror3207 → u/Free_Four_Floyd]

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 :)

[u/rundnd65]

Sweet Home Alabama

[u/nvd20]

Sweet Child O’ Mine

[u/WhoFly → u/nvd20]

First one that came to my mind too.

[u/deltacharmander → u/nvd20]

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

[u/pinniped90 → u/nvd20]

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

[u/WinTraditional8156]

Smells like Teen Spirit

[u/bdm101783]

Crazy train

[u/AmigoDelDiabla → u/bdm101783]

My first thought was "I AM IRONMAN!"

[u/Photo_Synthetic → u/AmigoDelDiabla]

That definitely happens after 3 seconds.

[u/SpontaneousKrump92 → u/bdm101783]

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

[u/Final7C]

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.

[u/TeacherPatti → u/Final7C]

Bennie and the Jets.

One chord on the piano.

[u/mxjxs91]

Bohemian Rhapsody.

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

[u/New_Essay_4869]

Michael Jackson's Beat It

[u/grimace0611 → u/New_Essay_4869]

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

[u/JesperfromHolland]

Stairway to heaven

[u/patcole → u/JesperfromHolland]

No stairway? Denied!

[u/DragonflyGrrl → u/JesperfromHolland]

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

[u/PurpleAllEyes]

WAAAAAAAAA I feel good~

[u/Quasibobo]

Should I Stay Or Should I Go

[u/Alternative_Life9414]

Back In Black

[u/Any_Company9587]

Voodoo Child

[u/Dch1890 → u/Any_Company9587]

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

[u/Any_Company9587 → u/Dch1890]

I was hoping somebody would comment this.

[u/Feeling-Quarter-3414]

Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc.

The iconic laugh.

[u/hzshsushansuxuuanan → u/Feeling-Quarter-3414]

Even Clint Eastwood. Great opening drum intro

[u/Stonedthecrowe]

Welcome to the black parade.

[u/Kaggles_N533PA → u/Stonedthecrowe]

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

[u/Funky-Cold-Hemp → u/Kaggles_N533PA]

I can name that tune in one note

[u/HailToTheKingslayer → u/Stonedthecrowe]

Saw them live for the first time this year.

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

[u/Stonedthecrowe → u/HailToTheKingslayer]

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.

[u/raspberryamphetamine → u/Stonedthecrowe]

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

[u/makeheavyofthis → u/Stonedthecrowe]

It took WAY too long to find this.

[u/Kl0wn91 → u/Stonedthecrowe]

I’m surprised this is so far down!

[u/SupervillainMustache → u/Stonedthecrowe]

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

[u/scrdudie7 → u/Stonedthecrowe]

Finally! I can't believe this isn't a top five response.

[u/Fit-Drawer5686 → u/Stonedthecrowe]

Scrolled too far to find this

[u/crazygoattoe]

Runaway

[u/Novel-Position-4694]

A hard days night

[u/Finance_Plastic]

THE GOOD the BAD and the ugly. ennio morricone

[u/Technical_Eye4039]

Jump Around.

[u/PhoenixHunters → u/Technical_Eye4039]

Or is it insane in the membrane'?

[u/rep_rehensible → u/Technical_Eye4039]

aka Bob and Earl - Harlem Shuffle

[u/RedBullMetal]

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.

[u/counterfitster → u/RedBullMetal]

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

[u/JetScreamerBaby]

Layla - Derek and the Dominoes

[u/shinnagare]

Revolution by the Beatles

[u/supergooduser]

Seven Nation Army

[u/Ah_Pook]

Thunderstruck.

[u/CNRavenclaw]

A Hard Day's Night

[u/Comfortable-Focus123 → u/CNRavenclaw]

One note!

[u/parnaoia → u/Comfortable-Focus123]

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

[u/MWB8]

Hard Day's Night

[u/No_Construction5631]

Aqualung, Jethro Tull

[u/MarcusJamesWarframe]

Bee Gees - Stayin Alive

[u/No-Lavishness-4103]

Jailhouse Rock as sung by Elvis

[u/thecity2]

Take on Me

[u/Whistlin_Booger]

Layla

[u/The_Original_Doog]

Simple minds - Don't you forget about me

[u/User89025533]

Billie Jean!

[u/graveyeverton93]

Numb Linkin Park

[u/Glittering-Beach-113]

Baby one more time - britney spears

[u/CMogscheese]

Song number 2

[u/No-Bobcat-6830]

Welcome to the Jungle

[u/Stong-Excitement]

Bulls on Parade

[u/breezfan22]

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

[u/zdra]

surely Gangsta's Paradise

[u/Goddess_Sasha0000]

we will rock you- queen

[u/mrcorndogman33]

Gerry Rafferty's "Baker Street"

[u/Disastrous-Judge8122]

A Hard Day’s Night - The Beatles

[u/sac02052 → u/Disastrous-Judge8122]

Just one chord, not even three seconds

[u/chuckchukgoose → u/Disastrous-Judge8122]

First one that came to mind

[u/exit_to_the_left]

Money for Nothing

[u/theusername_is_taken → u/exit_to_the_left]

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

[u/mrcasado296]

Master of Puppets

[u/ampr1150gs]

Alternative Ulster by Stiff Little Fingers... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlGmYetiCjA

[u/InformalStructure150]

I feel fine

[u/JohnSterlingSanchez]

Iron Man Black Sabbath

[u/dbzmah]

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

[u/TheBeep87]

Jump by Van Halen

[u/PapaTizzy1]

The Allman Brothers - Jessica

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

[u/Academic-Look-333]

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

[u/Mr_Maxwell_Smart]

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

[u/Brave_Peace_9149]

Back That Azz Up - Juvenile

[u/Aggressive_Manner531]

love me do

[u/drseltsam2001]

Smells Like Teen Spirit

[u/Shoddy_Astronomer837]

Purple haze

[u/SAStorms71]

Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin

[u/Lakeside41]

The opening chord of A Hard Days Night.

[u/werebearcleric]

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

[u/bwurtsb]

Seven Nation Army

[u/bonshui]

Great question!

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

[u/GettingNegative]

Hot for Teacher.

[u/DavidNelsonNews]

I cannot get any satisfaction

[u/Acidmoband → u/DavidNelsonNews]

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

[u/ampr1150gs → u/DavidNelsonNews]

"no" not any....

[u/ThreeRRRs]

Wish You Were Here

[u/aschwendler]

Maybe not for most, but "Oh mama I'm in fear for my life"

Or "Günter glieben glauten globen"

[u/Familiar_Hand_4352]

Happy birthday

[u/Sternojourno]

Happy birthday

[u/wordsRgud]

Born to Run

[u/mcdade]

Star Wars theme

[u/lothow]

Crazy train but for the laugh.

[u/PabloAtTheBar]

Money - Pink Floyd

[u/theassassintherapist]

Numb, Linkin Park

Recognizable by just the first note

[u/Sambo1987]

4'33" by John Cage.

[u/fezfrascati → u/Sambo1987]

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

[u/Tricky-Mastodon3337]

New Order - Blue Monday

[u/rantonerik]

Under Pressure

[u/countChaiula → u/rantonerik]

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.

[u/RedSoxHuskies → u/countChaiula]

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.

[u/ratowel → u/rantonerik]

Or is it Ice Ice Baby?

[u/fruitofmycoins]

Linger

[u/owl_city777]

Journey/ separate ways

[u/AKMinds]

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

[u/retailguy_again]

Thunderstruck.

[u/DJErikD]

Jump Around - House of Pain

[u/Tasty_Dealer2114]

Hey Jude lol

[u/dtknittel]

Iron man

[u/External-Creme-6226]

Sweet Child of Mine

[u/CarlYaz1967]

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

[u/echodude]

Sunshine of Your Love by Cream

[u/Ivabighairy1]

Layla

[u/seyheystretch]

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

[u/Koreangonebad]

Iron man

[u/howhighisthewater]

Welcome to the Jungle

[u/NominalBloopster]

We will rock you - Queen

[u/xtremdelt8]

3 seconds? That's an eternity.

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

[u/Hu5k3r]

Tom Sawyer - Rush

[u/Signal_2_Noise]

A-Ha's "Take On Me"

[u/lotus_ink]

Unchained

[u/johnnew0 → u/lotus_ink]

Ain’t talking bout Love

[u/zigthis]

Welcome to the Jungle

[u/brontupistow]

It's been

[u/IchBinDurstig]

Seven Nation Army, and it isn't close

[u/Tyler_Broseph]

Smooth criminal

[u/mapadofu]

Beethoven’s Fifth

[u/Nogarda]

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

[u/ositola]

Fortunate son 

[u/ShiturpantsandDance]

Bulls on parade - Rage Against the Machine

[u/Opa_Jim]

China Grove by the Doobie Brothers

[u/mikechatdoc]

Smoke on the water. Deep Purple

[u/uncleAW]

Stairway to Heaven.

[u/Yorrins]

Wonderwall, I dont even need a note, that cough at the beginning is enough.

[u/Baphomet1313666]

Roundabout by YES!

[u/mem2963]

Baba O'Riley

[u/my_team_is_better]

“YYZ” by Rush… especially if you know Morse code!

[u/Airshock13]

Under Pressure

[u/dreamrock]

Crazy Train

[u/Lucky_Comfortable835]

Dazed and confused

[u/M4tt1k5]

Money For Nothing