10 Songs That Saved Rock And Roll

10. Blitzkrieg Bop - The Ramones

With 30 years of hindsight, it's time that Homer Simpson was given the truth: rock did not attain perfection in 1974. For all of the greats like Zeppelin and Floyd making waves on the scene, you also had acts like Grand Funk making rock sound a lot more boring than many may have liked to admit. Rock was getting a bit bloated, and it was up to a few guys from the wrong side of the tracks to help it slim down.

Kicking off the true punk revolution, The Ramones thesis statement Blitzkrieg Bop became the anthem for any rocker who wanted something a little more cut throat than something like ZZ Top. Considering this was also the time that disco was first starting to overtake the masses, this was the new generation of kids who were sick of listening to radio based schlock and ready to take the music world by the throat.

As much as you can claim that bands like the Sex Pistols or even The Clash served as greater ambassadors for punk rock, the real genesis of going back to basics begins right here. Rock didn't have to be some overbloated mess anymore. Just count it off and play your hearts out for anyone who will hear you.