10 Songs That Started Hard Rock
3. My Generation - The Who
Completely immersed in the Mod scene, the Who originally made a name for themselves by taking American R&B and turning them into rock and roll. In an attempt to stand out amongst their competition, songwriter Pete Townshend found his distinctive sound by raising the volume.
When constructing a tune about teenage frustration, Townshend started to call around to find a different kind of amplifier to get the sound he wanted. After painstaking combinations of amps, "My Generation" was eventually brought to life by plugging the guitars into Marshall stacks. Now, Townshend had an abrasive sonic palette that was able to compete with the more eccentric antics of drummer Keith Moon.
Lyrically, the song has everything that was on the mind of a rock and roller, from the reckless everyday hustle to the frustration with their parents. To this day, the line "I hope I die before I get old" still rings in the ears of rock fans around the world.
By introducing volume and angst into the rock sphere, the Who set the standard for where rock would be going later down the line. Any band trying to play hard rock music in later years are still living in the shadow of what "My Generation" achieved.