Thirteen songs that invented entire genres, according to BBC Classical Music

Other than “seminal”. Some songs have truly contributed to the birth of entire musical genres. With an ambitious selection of thirteen titles, the British magazine BBC Classical Music has tried to indicate some of them. “There are songs that don't just become great hits: they change the course of music forever – underlines Steve Wright in the introduction – A riff, a rhythm, a way of singing or a production technique can in fact give life to a completely new language, destined to influence generations of artists. Some of these songs had an immediate impact, others were understood only with time, becoming the starting point of entire musical movements. From folk-rock to grunge, passing through prog, heavy metal and electronic dance, these songs represent the true 'big bangs' of their respective genres: works that redefined what rock and popular music could become.”

Here, then, is the list of thirteen songs that invented entire musical genres, according to BBC Classical Music (here is the complete report).

Folk rock
The Byrds – “Mr. Tambourine Man” (1965)
The famous reinterpretation of Bob Dylan's classic, with the characteristic sound of the 12-string Rickenbacker and the group's vocal harmonies, transformed folk into electric music, officially giving birth to folk-rock.

Disco
Manu Dibango – “Soul Makossa” (1972)
The groove irresistible, the union between afrobeat and funk and the famous refrain made this song one of the fundamental models from which disco was born and, later, much of dance music.

Rock 'n' Roll
Bill Haley & His Comets – “Rock Around The Clock” (1954)
Exploded thanks to the film “Blackboard Jungle”, the song transformed rock'n'roll into the symbol of youth culture and kicked off the first great rock revolution.

Psychedelia
The Beatles – “Tomorrow Never Knows” (1966)
Loops of tape, drones, oriental influences and studio experimentation gave life to the psychedelic manifesto, destined to influence countless artists from Pink Floyd to the Chemical Brothers.

Prog rock
King Crimson – “21st Century Schizoid Man” (1969)
With complex structures, virtuosity, jazz and dystopian lyrics, the song marked the birth of progressive rock, taking rock beyond the boundaries of psychedelia.

Punk
Richard Hell And The Voidoids – “Blank Generation” (1976)
A concentration of anger, sharp guitars and rejection of the values ​​of the previous generation who anticipated and inspired the British punk of Sex Pistols and Clash.

Jazz rock
Blood, Sweat & Tears – “Spinning Wheel” (1969)
The fusion of rock energy, jazz horns and sophisticated arrangements paved the way for jazz-rock, influencing bands such as Chicago and Steely Dan.

Dance music
Donna Summer – “I Feel Love” (1977)
Produced by Giorgio Moroder, it was the first major success built almost entirely on synthesizers. Brian Eno defined it as “the sound of the future”: house, techno and modern electronica start from here.

Grunge
Green River – “Come On Down” (1985)
Years before Nirvana's explosion, the Seattle group combined metal, punk and hard rock into a raw blend that would become the blueprint for grunge.

Heavy metal
Black Sabbath – “Black Sabbath” (1970)
Dark riffs, eerie atmosphere, use of the tritone and horror lyrics defined the sonic and thematic language of heavy metal for the first time.

Art rock
The Beatles – “A Day In The Life” (1967)
More than a song, an artistic construction created in the studio: sound collages, orchestra and experimentation redefined the very concept of rock as an art form.

Hip hop

Fatback Band – “King Tim III (Personality Jock)” (1979)
Released a few weeks before “Rapper's Delight”, it is considered the first commercial rap album, bringing the MC culture born in the Bronx parties to vinyl.

Garage rock
Link Wray – “Rumble” (1958)
With his deliberately distorted guitar and the aggressiveness of power chordlaid the foundations of garage rock and influenced everything that came after, from proto-punk to rougher rock.