10 Best Rock Music Album Openers Of The 2010s
1. Do I Wanna Know? - Arctic Monkeys (AM)
There have been a few good riffs on this list already, but the best of the bunch has to be this slow, moody set of notes from the Arctic Monkeys' song Do I Wanna Know?
Acting as the opening track and second single from their 2013 record AM (what a year 2013 was), Do I Wanna Know? takes its cue from the downtrodden world of stoner rock, as its protagonist wonders aloud if his feelings of love are unrequited.
Alex Turner has his moments as a lyricist, but sometimes his words are too complicated for their own good. He gets so caught up in the idea of being poetic that he forgets to actually, you know, make sense.
Not here though. These lyrics perfectly track the story of a man in limbo, combining stunning imagery with down-to-Earth admissions of confusion and regret. This is Turner's songwriting at its peak.
Do I Wanna Know? became an instant success and slotted perfectly into the Monkeys' existing catalogue. In many ways, it's the song that defines this album, and that is no bad thing.
When it comes to excellent opening tracks, there is no uncertainty here.