10 Songs That Started Hard Rock

When the Rolling Stones began making the rounds in their London stomping grounds, the sound they were creating was no different than the other blues-rock outfits on the scene. Across their first records, the band were taking the standard blues rock of the day and giving it with their signature snarl. It wasn't until Keith Richards came up with the germ of a song that the band became something truly spectacular.

Wanting to write a R&B song, Keith Richards came up with a small musical piece that he intended to be played by a horn section. Once he brought it back to the band, the group were so captivated by the sound of Keef's electric guitar that they based the song around the musical motif.

Instead of becoming the swing-orientated tune he envisioned, Richards came up with the foundation of the rock and roll guitar riff, which was then made instantly infectious when he fed his guitar through his new fuzz box on the recording. After making the rounds in the clubs, the band realized they had hit on a bold new songwriting approach. From now on, every single hard rock song was now centered around a menacing guitar riff thanks to The Stones's innovative guitar fury.