Groundbreaking Songs
 

I was just listening to the White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army" which I think is just amazing, extremely different from anything I've heard on the radio lately.

Anyway, that made me think back to some other groundbreaking songs from rock 'n' roll history:

• Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley and the Comets
  The song that started rock 'n' roll
  
• Hound Dog - Elvis Presley
  Jump started the music industry, added sex to rock 'n' roll
  
• She Loves You - The Beatles
  Began the British Invasion, and of course Beatlemania
  
• Blowin' in the Wind - Bob Dylan
  The birth of the singer-songwriter, and the rock artist
  
• California Girls - Beach Boys
  Introduced a radically different sound, spawned a whole lifestyle
  
• Another One Bites The Dust - Queen
  I remember being a teenager, and sick of sappy disco -- and then this song broke through the barrier
  
• Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
  When that first guitar lick played, hair bands everywhere died a merciful death

So what am I forgetting? Or am I totally off-base here?

Epic - Faith No More, a great song that unfortunately helped set the groundwork for $hitty rap-metal bands like Limp Bizkit.

How about Nuthin But a G Thang from Dr. Dre?

"Good Vibrations" - Beach Boys one of the first songs, if not the first, to be played on the radio that was over the 3 minute mark.

"Straight Outta Compton" by N.W.A. introduced a majority of the world to Gangsta Rap.

what about Hey Jude? That thing is like 6 or 7 min.

" Hey Jude " was released following the White Album I believe. The White Album was released in 1968.

"Good Vibrations" was released on the Smiley Smile album which was put out in 1967.

Billy Joel - Piano Man
Brought piano ballads to the radio, helped usher in the mellow 70s

I Melt With You - Modern English
One of the more popular early songs from New Wave (there may be a better example, this is all I can think of)

Honorable mentions (should be mentioned, but I can't quite put my finger on their groundbreaking contributions):
Meat Loaf - Paradise By the Dashboard Lights
Eagles - Hotel California
Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven
Pink Floyd - Money

Sugar Hill Gang - Rapper's Delight
Introduced the world to hiphop.

"How Soon Is Now?" Smiths
"Blue Monday" New Order
"Radio Free Europe" REM