10 Greatest Rock Instrumentals

Pete Townshend really had has work cut out for him when composing the music for Tommy. These songs didn't just have to be good rock songs, but have the same amount of gravitas to birth the rock opera as we know it. And like all good operas, we start with the "Overture."

The intro to the album does an exquisite job at setting the scene for the amazing journey that is about to unfold, with each section providing a subtle hint of things to come. Whereas many people might incorporate rock instrumentation first before adding the lush elements, this track gets the audience acclimatized right from the get go with different brass and strings leading the charge along with the guitars and drums. The song is also great at providing a musical summary of the opera in general, with snippets of key moments like "Go To the Mirror," "Pinball Wizard," and "We're Not Gonna Take It" laced throughout the melodic phrases.

By the time we finally reach the ending, Pete Townshend wastes no time as he tells the story that leads right into the next track "It's a Boy." In 5 minutes of sonic bliss, Townshend was able to put all of the dramatic tension of his magnum opus into one magical performance.