American Songwriter has put together a short list of three 1950s songs it argues are essential listening for anyone wanting to get into classic rock. The piece frames these tracks as foundational to the genre, showcasing artists whose influence stretched across subsequent decades of rock music.

The three picks are Buddy Holly's "Everyday" (1958), praised for its nuance and minimalism and cited as an influence on Paul McCartney and Rivers Cuomo; Little Richard's "Tutti Frutti" (1957), highlighted for its high-energy, joyous piano-driven sound; and Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" (1958), credited with helping define rock's storytelling and guitar style and influencing figures such as John Lennon and David Bowie.