If you’ve ever tried to write the opening bars of a song, you know the truth: the intro has to do a lot of work in a very short amount of time.
That’s the idea behind a ranking from Rick Beato, the veteran producer and music educator behind the popular YouTube channel Everything Music, where he breaks down famous recordings, interviews artists, and digs into the craft behind classic songs. Beato has worked in studios for decades, has taught music at the university level, and he’s built a massive online audience by translating music-nerd details into plain-English “wait…that’s why it hits!” moments.
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In a recent video counting down his Top 20 acoustic guitar intros of all time, Beato explains what separates a truly unforgettable opening from a great chord pattern:
"Crafting the introduction of a song with a memorable guitar part is a difficult thing to do. There should be an identifiable instrumental hook called the signature. That begins the song. It’s usually a combination of a melodic line and the chord progression," says Beato before launching into the list.
In the end, Beato’s No. 1 choice was a 1971 classic that has lived on as a rock-radio rite of passage for decades: Led Zeppelin’s iconic “Stairway to Heaven.”
Before he reveals it, he tees it up like it’s the only possible answer: "Coming in at number one, well, I think you all know what it is. It really couldn’t be anything else."
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Part of what makes “Stairway to Heaven” such a fascinating pick is the contrast between its cultural footprint and its chart story.
Despite being one of the most-requested songs on FM rock radio for years, “Stairway” wasn’t released as a commercial single in the U.S. at the time. Instead, it lived as the centerpiece of Led Zeppelin IV and grew through airplay, album sales, and sheer legend-building.
Musically, it also fits Beato’s definition of a “signature” intro: you can hum the shape of it, not just strum along. The opening pattern is instantly identifiable, but it takes its time, which makes that opening guitar part feel like it's teeing up something incredible, like you're lightly shaking a can of pop before you open it.
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Rick Beato’s Top 20 Acoustic Guitar Intros
Here’s Beato’s full countdown:
“Free Fallin’” – Tom Petty“Cat’s in the Cradle” – Harry Chapin“Solsbury Hill” – Peter Gabriel“Time in a Bottle” – Jim Croce“Stay Away” – Alice in Chains“Pinball Wizard” – The Who“Crazy on You” – Heart“Fire and Rain” – James Taylor“Here Comes the Sun” – The Beatles“Roundabout” – Yes“Scarborough Fair” – Simon and Garfunkel“Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” – Led Zeppelin“Wish You Were Here” – Pink Floyd“Closer to the Heart” – Rush“Over the Hills and Far Away” – Led Zeppelin“More Than a Feeling” – Boston“Norwegian Wood” – The Beatles“Angie” – The Rolling Stones“Hotel California” – The Eagles“Stairway to Heaven” – Led ZeppelinNow the only real question: if you had to pick just one… would you put “Stairway” at No. 1, too?
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