17 Songs With the Best Build Up: 17 Epic Songs

oday we’re venturing into the enthralling world of crescendos and climaxes with 17 Songs With The Best Build-Up. We all know that spine-tingling moment when the momentum surges and our hearts race. These masterpieces don’t just drop the beat; they build castles in the sky with it!

From classic anthems to underground gems, this eclectic mix is sure to elevate your playlists and DJ sets to new heights.

Tune in as we unravel tracks that expertly wind the clock before an exhilarating sonic boom!

Here are the songs with the best build Up that you can check out:

List Of Songs With the Best Build Up

Songs with the best build up in a list format:

1. Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin

Ah, let’s kick things off with an eternal classic – Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin. Nestled in their untitled fourth album (often called Led Zeppelin IV) from 1971, this track is a mesmerizing journey through varying tempos and genres. Released under Atlantic Records, it starts with a gentle acoustic guitar and transcends into an electrifying hard rock crescendo. A timeless marvel!

2. Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen

Hold on to your headphones because Queen‘s Bohemian Rhapsody is a roller coaster ride! From their 1975 album, A Night at the Opera, under EMI Records, this monumental track throws you into a whirlwind of rock, ballad, and opera. Freddy Mercury’s commanding voice and the musical twists are legendary!

3. Paranoid Android by Radiohead

You’re in for a treat with Radiohead’s Paranoid Android. A part of their 1997 album OK Computer, released by Parlophone, it’s a three-part epic that seamlessly fuses rock with electronic elements. Its manic energy and unexpected shifts will keep you captivated.

4. Knights of Cydonia by Muse

Time to saddle up with Muse‘s galactic western, Knights of Cydonia. This single from the 2006 album Black Holes and Revelations, released under Warner Bros. Records, combines galloping riffs and a soaring climax to fire up your spirits. Ride on!

5. Dance Yrself Clean by LCD Soundsystem

Get your groove on with Dance Yrself Clean by LCD Soundsystem. This indie-dance treasure from their 2010 album This Is Happening, under DFA Records, starts mellow and abruptly leaps into an infectious synth-pop frenzy. An excellent party-starter!

6. The Chain by Fleetwood Mac

Feel the rumble with Fleetwood Mac‘s The Chain. Hailing from their iconic 1977 album Rumours, and released by Warner Bros. Records, this track’s haunting harmonies and fierce bassline create a storm that’s hard to forget.

7. In The Air Tonight by Phil Collins

Get ready for those air drums! In The Air Tonight by Phil Collins is an atmospheric gem. Featured in his 1981 debut album Face Value, released by Virgin Records, the build-up to the drum break is the stuff of legends. Spine-tingling!

8. Breathe by The Prodigy

The Prodigy invigorates us with their electrifying Breathe. From the 1997 album The Fat of the Land, under XL Recordings, this high-octane track fuses big beat and techno for a ferocious musical experience. Play it loud!

9. Ghost Love Score by Nightwish

Orchestral metal at its finest! Ghost Love Score by Nightwish from their 2004 album Once, released by Nuclear Blast, is a symphonic voyage that combines haunting melodies and heavy riffs. It’s grandiose!

10. Somebody to Love by Jefferson Airplane

Take a trip back to the 60s with Somebody to Love by Jefferson Airplane. Featured on their 1967 album Surrealistic Pillow, released by RCA Victor, this psychedelic rock anthem is powered by Grace Slick’s explosive vocals. Groovy!

11. Runaway by Kanye West

Hip-hop maestro Kanye West blesses us with Runaway, a reflective and intricate piece from his 2010 album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, released by Roc-A-Fella Records. It’s a nine-minute magnum opus that’s evocative and haunting.

12. Rez by Underworld

Electronic pioneers Underworld bring us Rez, a pulsating trance odyssey. Originally released in 1993 as a non-album single by Junior Boy’s Own, its hypnotic loops and energetic beat make it an eternal rave anthem.

13. Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd

Feel the freedom with Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Part of their debut 1973 album (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd), released by MCA Records, this southern rock opus crescendos into an epic guitar solo. Let loose!

14. Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd

Lose yourself in Pink Floyd’s Comfortably Numb. From their 1979 album The Wall, released by Harvest Records, the emotive lyrics and David Gilmour’s mesmerizing guitar solo build into a stunning climax. Truly a sonic painting!

15. The End by The Doors

Immerse into the poetic allure of The End by The Doors. Featured in their 1967 self-titled album under Elektra Records, Jim Morrison’s haunting vocals and the track’s psychedelic soundscape make this an iconic build-up piece.

16. First Breath After Coma by Explosions in the Sky

For post-rock lovers, First Breath After Coma by Explosions in the Sky is aural bliss. Hailing from their 2003 album The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place, released by Temporary Residence Limited, this instrumental track envelops you with cascading guitar lines and powerful crescendos.

17. Born Slippy .NUXX by Underworld

We’ll wrap up with another gem from Underworld, Born Slippy .NUXX. This 1995 release under Junior Boy’s Own is a euphoric techno anthem with relentless energy. Its catchy hook and pulsating beats ensure it remains a dancefloor favourite!

Fun Facts: Tracks With the Best Build Up

Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin

• Auctioned Lyrics: The original lyrics to Stairway to Heaven, written in Robert Plant’s own hand, were auctioned off for a staggering $87,000 in 2014.
• Record Breaker: Despite never being released as a single, Stairway to Heaven is one of the most requested and played songs on FM radio stations in the US.

Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen

• Operatic Innovation: Bohemian Rhapsody broke new ground by incorporating opera into a rock song, and its innovative video is often hailed as one of the first true music videos.
• Wayne’s World Effect: The song enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in the 1990s due to its memorable inclusion in the movie Wayne’s World.

Paranoid Android by Radiohead

• Cartoon Connection: The music video for Paranoid Android was created by Magnus Carlsson and features characters from a Swedish cartoon called Robin.
• Title Origin: The song’s title is a nod to Marvin the Paranoid Android from Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series.

Knights of Cydonia by Muse

• Video Game Feature: Knights of Cydonia is a playable track in the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, challenging players with its galloping rhythm and soaring solos.
• Cydonia Link: Cydonia is an actual region on Mars, famous for the “Face on Mars” image captured by the Viking 1 orbiter in 1976.

In The Air Tonight by Phil Collins

• Urban Legend: An urban legend suggests that Phil Collins wrote the song about witnessing someone who could have saved another person from drowning but didn’t. Though intriguing, Collins has debunked this myth.
• Miami Vice Debut: The song was used in the first episode of the iconic TV show Miami Vice, helping to cement its place in pop culture.

Ghost Love Score by Nightwish

• Live Magic: Ghost Love Score is particularly famous for its live performances. Floor Jansen’s performance at Wacken Open Air in 2013 is widely regarded as one of the most powerful renditions of the song.
• Evoking Imagery: The band’s composer, Tuomas Holopainen, mentioned that he wrote the song with a mind filled with “pirates, distant shores, and high adventure”.

Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd

• Two Solos, Two Stories: Comfortably Numb features two guitar solos, both highly acclaimed. David Gilmour said that the first solo is to convey feelings and emotions, while the second is meant to be an unleashed version of the same theme.
• Medicinal Origins: The lyrics are inspired by Roger Waters’ experience when he was injected with tranquilizers before a Pink Floyd show due to stomach cramps.

Born Slippy .NUXX by Underworld

• Movie Boost: Born Slippy .NUXX gained worldwide recognition after being featured in the closing scene of the film Trainspotting.
• Alcohol Reference: The song’s lyrics were inspired by an alcohol-fueled night out, and its repetitive chant of “lager, lager, lager” is a nod to this.

What an enthralling journey through songs that tickle our senses and musical trivia that tickles our brains!

Remember, music is a treasure trove waiting to be explored.

Keep your ears open and heart receptive. Until next time, stay groovy and keep the records spinning.

Thanks for reading.

TBone