33YOU REALLY GOT ME THE KINKS

(1964)

Ingredients: Two chords and one vandalised amp

A blueprint for countless rock and heavy metal riffs to come, the opener of the Kinks’ You Really Got Me ricochets ceaselessly between F5 & G5 powerchords. Having slashed the speaker of his little green Elpico amp in a fit of angst, guitarist Dave Davies happened upon the track’s signature distorted sound, and in doing so changed the course of rock history. The unforgettably raw riff propelled the track to the top of the UK charts in 1964 and - legend has it - inspired Pete Townsend to write The Who’s

I Can’t Explain the following year. Van Halen notably covered it

(with added squealies) on their 1978 self-titled debut.