LOVESICK BLUES, HANK WILLIAMS (1949)

 A colossus of country music and a doggone progenitor of rock ’n’ roll, Williams’ first No. 1 single in the US embodies his characteristically emotional, desperately heartfelt approach to singing and songwriting. &nb...

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FALLING AND LAUGHING, ORANGE JUICE (1980)

Released on the semi-legendary Postcard Records, Orange Juice provided a joyful alternative to the sturm und drang of post-punk’s austere intellectualism. The Edinburgh band’s debut single, Falling And Laughing was a little ray of sunshine; with a young Edwyn Collins at the helm, they sounded every bit as fresh as their name suggested. ...

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TYPICAL GIRLS, THE SLITS (1979)

 The Slits were gobby and fearlessly uncompromising; they also gloriously redef ned the perception of what a girl band could be. Their classic debut single Typical Girls is driven by the band’s distinctive punky-reggae rhythms with a less-than-faithful version of Heard It Through The Grapevine on the B-side. It was the 45 that set the stage for the riot grrrls to come. &nb...

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UNDER ME SLENG TENG, WAYNE SMITH (1985)

 The digital bassline of Wayne Smith’s irresistible 45 was the first time computerised rhythms were used in Jamaican recordings and sparked a mini-revolution. It drew dancehall reggae closer to the production values of its cousin, US hip-hop. The rhythm may have been an attempt to recreate Eddie Cochran’s Somethin’ Else.&nb...

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MOTÖRHEAD, MOTÖRHEAD (1977)

 Lemmy named his post-Hawkwind outf t after a track he’d previously recorded with the druggy space rockers; it was a safer bet than his first choice – the less-than-radio-friendly Bastard. This breakneck ode to speed-freakery bridged the gap between metal/punk and would go on to have a profound effect on any number of bands, including Metallica.&nb...

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PEOPLE GET READY, THE IMPRESSIONS (1965)

Helmed by Curtis Mayfield, The Impressions bridged the energy of 50s R&B and the increased sophistication of 60s soul. Mayfield was one of the first black songwriters to bring a social and political charge into soul music. ...

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LITTLE JOHNNY JEWEL, TELEVISION (1975)

 Recorded and released in 1975, this lost treasure of a 45 reveals that somehow Television were post-punk before punk had even arrived. The painfully intellectual art-rockers laid down the foundation for guitar-orientated alt-rock in the ...

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