Best Album Openers
 

So what do you consider the best album openers in the history of the music? You know, those tracks that immediately set the tone and make you want to sit all the way through the album. I'm curious to see which songs people would would choice, so bring it on! Of course, it can be the entire song that makes you feel all warm inside, but also just those first few seconds, or even just that first note that makes it so perfect - doesn't matter, just choose! =D

My choices, limited to 10:

The Jesus & Mary Chain - Psychocandy - "Just Like Honey"
The Arcade Fire - Funeral - "Neigborhood #1 (Tunnels)"
Interpol - Turn On The Bright Lights - "Untitled"
Antony & The Johnsons - I Am A Bird Now - "Hope There's Someone"
Shiina Ringo - Karuki Zamen Kuri No Hana - "Shuukyou"
Explosions In The Sky - Those... - "Greet Death"
Fra-Foa - 13 Leaves - "Edge Of Life"
Refused - Songs To Fan The Flames Of Discontent - "Rather Be Dead"
U2 - The Joshua Tree - "Where The Streets Have No Name"
Cocteau Twins - Treasure - "Ivo"

In no particular order, although I like Gwen's best.

Ayumi Hamasaki- Catcher In The Light
It actually made the album start off well despite the not so stellar tracks and actually holds up our interest.

Utada Hikaru- Sakura Drops
Amazing song which grabs your attention at the very start and doesnt let go till the end.

Gwen Stefani- What You Waiting For?
Gives you a taste of the upcoming tracks, like a heavily condensed version of the actual album. Shocking, thought-provoking and stunning.

Natalie Imbruglia- That Day
An oddball, compared to the other tracks. But quite raw and colourful and strong. Like a beautiful disaster.

The Corrs- My Lagan Love
Excellent start of an excellent album. Fits the mood of everything and starts the CD well enough, ethereal and peaceful.

I think LOVEppears has one of the best openers ever. The first song implies what to come, without revealing much, and keeps the tension before the chorus of Fly High starts. ANd then I'm hooked at least.

I agree with those definately.
Also,

Ayumi Hamasaki- Duty
Utada - Exodus (the opening is explaining the album)
Namie Amuro - Style

Bold & Delicious - (miss)understood album - Ayumi Hamasaki









...not!

I actually realized that i like it when albums started out with a short catchy instrumental, just like how Ayu started My Story w/ "Catcher in the Light" or most of her other albums. They can really get you into the mood.

Without a doubt:

1 - Soushun - Hitomi Shimatani - crossover

Free Hand - Answer - SUPERCAR
Catcher In The Light - MY STORY - ayumi hamasaki
Opening - EXODUS - Utada
Identity~intro~ - ID - dream
L'utero - thermo plastic - hitomi
Comodón Johnson - TRAVELER - hitomi
5:09 - LOVE COOK - ai otsuka
Humpty Dumpty - Lost In Space - Aimee Mann
BREAK OF DAWN - BREAK OF DAWN - Do As infinity

Good one as well (and funny enough, I'm just listening to Lost in Space now, haha). Brilliant opening song.

Sarah McLachlan - Surfacing - Building a Mystery
A beautiful song to start Sarah's greatest album imo.

Hamasaki Ayumi - I Am... - I Am...
Perect way to start an album, just Ayu's vocals then the music hits. Coupled with opening RUN and Connected, I Am... has a fantastic start.

Hitomi Shimatani - Heart & Symphony - Sky High
Really makes you believe this song will be a beautiful ballad but transforms into your typical Shimatani dancey song, very good indeed.

Marilyn Manson - Anti-christ Superstar - Irresponsible Hate Anthem
My favourite Marilyn Manson track.

Koda Kumi - grow into one - teaser feat.Clench & Blistah
My favourite intro in any J-Pop album.

Onitsuka Chihiro - Insomnia - Gekkou
Beautiful song, the single version which opens the album will certainly stick with me forever. Chihiro's vocals are goosebump inducing.

Shakespeare's Sister - Hormonally Yours - Goodbye Cruel World
Love this track, from one of my favourite albums ever.

Kate Bush - Hounds of Love - Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)
The best of them all, my most admired artist to date, Kate Bush and her best album 'Hounds of Love' with the stunning track, 'Running Up That Hill' very good start to an unforgettable album.

I'm quite a fan of Catcher In The Light too. It's a great way to spirit you away into the mood of the album.

Then again, most albums I own have had terrible openers. I almost always skip opening tracks.

BoA's Korean Album Atlantis Princess has a good opening song called, "Time to Begin", but the song loses it after the introduction and the album isn't that good (but It was good at it's time).

Same heree. Some of them just don't fit, like Starting Over in Duty. And tons of others. I hate when first singles become album openers. Hate hate hate. Gwen Stefani's an exception though.

exactly! i was going to list that song too, but for some reason I had forgotten its name.

RURUTIA - WATER FOREST - PAVANU (Pavane)
It is simply, in my opinion, the best J-pop album intro, ever (I don't listen to American music so I wouldn't know).

5:09 am - LOVE COOK - Ai Otsuka
This song's really cool. I love the instruments and I love songs with really constrating choruses. The best song on the album, and one of Ai's best songs ever.

Soushun - crossover - Hitomi Shimatani
I love the bridge, so Tim Burton-y. I think I like the music more than I like the singing, but once again, best song on the album.

Comodón Johnson - TRAVELER - hitomi
Haha. What a great way to start off this album. It's such a cute/nostalgic little intro. The motocycle's a nice touch too. I never get sick of the "La la la la la"s.

Shuukyou - Karuki Zamen Kuri No Hana - Shiina Ringo
Not the best song on the album, but it's still amazing and gets you prepared for whatever's coming up next. This one never really amazed me, but I like it a lot.

Love Goes On - pop/rock2 - globe
This song's really cool, and is pretty much the theme song for the album. It sounds like they all had fun making it.

Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary - You Are A Runner And I Am My Father's Son ...probably the best song on the album, IMHO

Lots of good ones out there but I can only think of a few at the moment.

*Riders Of The Storm - Hammerfall (Crimson Thunder)
One word...WOW!!! If you haven't heard this song (or the album), you're seriously missing out.

*1000 Years - Sting (Brand New Day)
Really good song. Nice exotic, peaceful sound.

*Introduction - Ayumi Hamasaki (LOVEppears)
Turn it loud. This is probably one of the best tracks on the whole album. :)

*Harem - Sarah Brightman (Harem)
Really exotic sounding song that sets the pace for the whole CD.

Three of Orange Pekoe's albums have introduction tracks that are just perfect. They're all called Introduction. They really make a perfect set-up for the following track, and convey the general mood of the album very well. ^_^ They're all good, but I like the one from their first album Organic Plastic Music best.

Pretty Queen - Zwei ~ For one the song is just awesome. It really bursts forth with a great kind of energy that most of the tracks continue.

shortcut - Bonnie Pink ~ this is from the short album Daisy. The introduction is a bright acoustic guitar bit. Although it's short, it's probably one of my favourite tracks.

Triangle - Hajime Chitose ~ from her second album, this short piece is completely gorgeous. It allows you to listen to Chitose's voice with only a soft piano backing. And what a voice. The emotion conveyed in this simple piece is extrordinary and moving. I've almost cried listening to this song.

INTRODUCTION - HALCALI ~ from their second album, Ongaku no Susume. I love this one. It's great fun. Accapella rapping about how awesome their own cd is going to be hehehehe. HALCALIROXORZ!

Uchuuhikoushi no Uta - Maaya Sakamoto ~ from her 5th original album Shounen Alice. This is a beautiful, soft piano piece with Maaya's gorgeous vocals overtop. The feel of this song is mimicked by the equally pleasing final track, Okitegami.

Lucy - Maaya Sakamoto ~ It's not terribly often that the title track of an album is an instrumental bit. It's true in this case though, and it's just lovely! Strings and piano perfectly set up what is one of my favourite Maaya albums. ^_^

Frater Ave Atque Vale - Faith and the Muse ~ from their special double disc album Vera Causa: The Morning and Night (found on the morning side). This piece is rather amazing actually. It's an entire acappella choir singing~but the trick is the choir is the same woman recording, and re-recodring and layering her vocals over and over and over again. The result is a specacularly haunting and beautiful track.

mfa "the difference it makes" / meek "happy"
both xcellent openers4both discs of "balance005" mixt by james holden

hitomi "It's only access"
too bad da rest of da "LOVE LIFE" album culdnta been mo like dis track, it rox...

wong fei "開到荼蘼" er... "kaidao chami"??? anyways, gr8 opening 2 da only love strangers album...

(t.a.t.u (!!!) dangerous and moving intro... yeah, "all about us" sucked some major ass, an not in a good way, but dis album wasnt as bad as i thought itd be hehe)

theres a load more im sure but i cant think of em @da moment...

You guys are going to think I'm crazy but Jennifer Lopez's song "Love don't cost a thing"is one of my favorite album openers. It is just a really powerful and danceable song. Also all the SOULHEAD intro's are really good album openers.

Gackt's Ares. I've never heard a better opening since.