Straight to No. 1

Here's an assemblage of incredible rock tunes that made the careers of some of the greatest bands on earth—from generation-defining anthems by The Who, Jimi Hendrix, and Bruce Springsteen to barnburners by The Clash, U2, and Guns N' Roses. Alt-pop bands like Sloan and Sam Roberts didn't hit the same commercial heights as others here, but they rock just as hard.