20 Greatest Classic Rock Acoustic Guitar Intros, Ranked

Rock and roll isn’t all about the amp. The acoustic guitar is definitely preferred in certain situations, whether it’s only for parts of a song or for the entire piece. A great unplugged introduction can be more than enough to hook listeners in for an entire track, every bit as much as an electric one. Starting off with a more raw sound can help a song build up to something more grand, or simply establish the kind of song you’re about to get. Often the introduction is basically just how the guitar is played throughout the song before the vocals and the rest of the band have joined in, which is no less beautiful than one more distinct from the rest of the song. In fact, setting the tone is pretty essential; imagine how awkward it would be if “Here Comes the Sun” or “Stairway to Heaven” began without their wordless introductions.

That said, sometimes the beginning of a track calls for something that doesn’t resemble the rest of the song—which sets the tone in its own unique way. There are many iconic classic rock intros to choose from, and there are certainly many not included here that totally could be. Built deliberately so that bands like Led Zeppelin and The Beatles don’t dominate this list, the following entries are exemplars of the form and taken from a variety of legendary artists from the 60s and 70s. A reminder: Just because one intro may be “better” than another does not mean that the song as a whole is better than the lower-ranking ones. Ordered based on their beauty, creativity, and complexity, the 20 best acoustic intros from rock’s greatest era never get old.

20

“Something in the Way She Moves”

James Taylor

“Fire and Rain” could be here too, but there is something so life-affirming about the opening seconds of James Taylor’s “Something in the Way She Moves.” Maybe it’s the magic of the A7 chord, or the way Taylor slides up the guitar neck ever so slightly. In any case, it shows that two chords and ten seconds are all you really need to hypnotize the listener.

It’s no surprise that Taylor’s fingerpicking is some of the best in the business, and this majestic lick shows us that he had this quality from his first album. This is more folk than rock, of course, but writing about acoustic pieces from this period without discussing Taylor just wouldn’t be right. It’s no wonder the brilliant George Harrison borrowed that first lyric for his own song; anything Taylor said after this intro would immediately stick in the mind.

19

“Tangled Up in Blue (Take 3, Remake 2)”

Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan had a knack for taking his time on certain songs, and his acoustic version of “Tangled Up in Blue” is a hidden gem that does that in a way that feels effortless. As opposed to the version from Blood on the Tracks that most fans know, this version from The Bootleg Series, Volumes 1-3 is in the open-E tuning. That makes for some magnificent chords, which are put front and center in the introduction.

In just under 40 seconds, Dylan completely subverts and transcends our expectations. He doesn’t play anything differently here than in the rest of the song, but these chords are just so riveting that we only love them more as the song continues. Fun fact: listen closely and you can occasionally hear Dylan’s guitar clanging up against a button (on Dylan’s sleeves, probably). This would be sloppy for anyone else, but for mid-70s Dylan, this just makes this song (and introduction) feel even more grounded and raw.

18

“The Prophet’s Song”

Queen

“Bohemian Rhapsody” this, “You’re My Best Friend” that. But when it comes to Queen‘s famous A Night at the Opera, people need to start talking about “The Prophet’s Song.” While the vocal-heavy middle section meanders for way too long, the majority of this track is top-notch. Especially the introduction, which starts off with wind (actually an air conditioner with a phaser on the microphone). When Brian May‘s acoustic guitar comes in, we know we’re in for a wild ride.

The extremely foreboding guitar pairs so well with that higher-noted instrument (a toy koto that May had been given in Japan), creating a perfectly atmospheric introduction to this tale of a prophet. The riff is strong on the electric later on, but there is something so terrifying in how it comes across on the acoustic. The takeaway: these first 40 seconds are shockingly overlooked.

17

“Mother Nature’s Son”

The Beatles

Such a casual walk down the guitar neck as the one-and-only Paul McCartney plays around with the D-chord. Volleying between lowering notes on the G-string and two strings below, he makes us wonder where this song is going. All the way to the top of the guitar, on the open E string, apparently. Then we hear a few knocks, presumably on the body of the guitar, and McCartney begins to strum.

This intro seems odd at first, given how bouncy the general rhythm of “Mother Nature’s Son” will be. The chords he’s playing now are either D major or variations of it, featuring little hammer-ons and pull-offs that display a McCartney-esque playfulness. Yet the tone is largely sad. Listening to the intro a second time, it seems as if the somewhat somber notes at the beginning prime us for a track that may very well make us cry. It’s one of those things that feels odd and unnecessary when you first hear it, fitting when you hear it again, and brilliant when you listen to it again and again.

16

“Dust in the Wind”

Kansas

It’s a classic, it’s heavenly, it’s Kansas‘ “Dust in the Wind.” Sometimes an introduction doesn’t need to do anything fancy or depart from how the rest of the song goes, and this is one of the most obvious examples of that. We start immediately with that C chord and those slight variations on the B string, the A minor chord with those same changes on the B string, and the fingerpicking pattern that’s used throughout the rest of the song.

That’s all you need, man. With what appears to be two guitars playing at the same time, the effect is so gorgeous that these first 20 seconds effortlessly float by like so much dust in the wind. It would be too abrupt for the song to begin with Steve Walsh singing the melody before we even get to appreciate the guitar it’s built upon, and this introduction gives us the perfect amount of time to steep into this tragic world.

15

“Dogs”

Pink Floyd

“Dogs” has some very cool chords, including and especially in the beginning. That E minor 9 whooshes in like a storm, and the effects in the background make the guitar feel all the more ominous. The coolest part of this chord progression may be those two suspended chords; the way that note on the high-e string changes from an open note to the second and first frets kind of jolts the listener.

The environment described here feels as sharp as a knife, which will go nicely with the rather dark description of these “dogs” to come. It’s not so common to have a few acoustic guitars dominate the space of a Floyd song, which makes the accomplishment of this intro all the more unique. As is happens with almost all their songs from this time, we’re reminded that no band was better at setting the mood than Pink Floyd.

14

“April Come She Will”

Simon and Garfunkel

Shifting gears now with Simon and Garfunkel‘s “April Come She Will,” which boasts an introduction that is so gorgeous that the only thing that could possibly improve it is Art Garfunkel‘s angelic voice. At first Paul Simon plays up the guitar neck, using a unique picking pattern that offers some nice contrast between open notes and relatively high ones.

Then Simon transitions to a chord that’s slightly lower down the neck, and finally settles on a deeper chord that feels much more shadowy. At this point, he uses a totally different (and more complicated) picking pattern from before. In fact, he uses two with this chord. Instead of tediously describing the difference between them, let’s just say that they each breathe life into the guitar in a way that only Simon and Garfunkel songs can.

13

“Here Comes the Sun”

The Beatles

What would a list of acoustic guitar introductions be without The Beatles‘ famous “Here Comes the Sun”? Clamping that capo on the seventh fret of his guitar, George Harrison flicks us through a bright and shiny day like it’s nobody’s business. It already sounds like the sun is out, what with these very high notes and how pretty much every single part of this song is essentially a hook. Which is why Harrison’s vocal melody will follow the guitar’s lead.

But the guitar isn’t the only thing here. We also have some kind of synthesizer joining in at the second half of the intro, adding more to the shimmering sense of happiness that inevitably comes whenever this song is played. Last but not least, we have that final pause right before the first verse begins. When the synthesizer gets a moment for itself, and we hear that byooooo passing by, it sounds like we’re watching the sun come up. A perfect start to a perfect Beatles song.

12

“Baker St. Muse”

Jethro Tull

Thirty seconds with Ian Anderson and an acoustic guitar is a gift, as shown in the introduction to Minstrel in the Gallery‘s “Baker St. Muse.” A deep minor chord transitions up the neck to a high note, and it already feels like we’re in for something complex. A few intriguing chords follow, and we turn to some very fast hammer-ons and pull-offs. But Anderson apparently messes up, amusingly swearing and calling for a second take.

Anderson’s irreverent sense of humor only makes this intro more memorable, emphasizing just how unpredictable this song will be. When he plays it right, he plays it one more time before he starts to sing. Along with that other guitar complimenting this main one in the background, we could have listened to another ten minutes of this classical-style intro.

11

“Stairway to Heaven”

Led Zeppelin

Sometimes slow and steady wins the race. The quintessential example would be Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” a masterwork so universally acclaimed that some fans might consider it heresy to not put this intro at number one. While that would be a bit high in this writer’s opinion, there’s no denying that this intro couldn’t possibly do its job more effectively.

Jimmy Page plays most of these notes one at a time, so we get the feeling that this track will gradually build in intensity. This first descending section ends with a sense of heavy finality. Then it’s repeated with a wind instrument that helps establish a tone that makes us feel like we’re walking through a forest. The different chords in the intro’s second half fit in just as perfectly, the best part arguably being how that G major shifts into a D major. Even 55 years after its release, this intro still keeps us listening to the rest of this Zeppelin IV powerhouse.