What's your go to song?

[JGremore]

I'm new to the board and I'm sure this thread has been done before, but oh well! Anyway, when you introduce Alter Bridge to someone who has not heard them before, what are your go to songs? For me it depends on the person: female, male, music taste, etc. For girls I usually go to the ballads like Watch Over You, Wonderful Life, or the catchy chorus songs: Rise Today, I Know It Hurts, etc. Either way my top 3 go to songs for anyone are: Isolation, Rise Today, Watch Over You. If those don't work (hardly ever that they don't) that is when I'll get use songs more to their taste, etc. I've honestly shown close to around probably 100 people and I have only literally had ONE..ONE person not like them and start listening to them. His excuse was he didn't like Myles's voice..too high for his liking..whatever. Also fun fact, when ABIII came out I pushed it enough through my school so much that we ended up using Wonderful Life as our class graduation song based off of a class vote (2011). Pretty awesome experience.

[AB23]

Broken Wings usually. Because its a song with one of those choruses that Americans like.

Blackbird and/or Achilles second.

[SHEAKENBAKEN]

I'm new to the board and I'm sure this thread has been done before, but oh well! Anyway, when you introduce Alter Bridge to someone who has not heard them before, what are your go to songs? For me it depends on the person: female, male, music taste, etc. For girls I usually go to the ballads like Watch Over You, Wonderful Life, or the catchy chorus songs: Rise Today, I Know It Hurts, etc. Either way my top 3 go to songs for anyone are: Isolation, Rise Today, Watch Over You. If those don't work (hardly ever that they don't) that is when I'll get use songs more to their taste, etc. I've honestly shown close to around probably 100 people and I have only literally had ONE..ONE person not like them and start listening to them. His excuse was he didn't like Myles's voice..too high for his liking..whatever. Also fun fact, when ABIII came out I pushed it enough through my school so much that we ended up using Wonderful Life as our class graduation song based off of a class vote (2011). Pretty awesome experience.

I usually always show them

Blackbird (Their 'epic')
Shed My Skin (softer side)
Cry of Achilles (heavier side)
Water's Rising (Marks vocals)
Words (Mark & Myles Dynamic)

[JGremore]

I've used Shed My Skin and Broken Wings also. I'm hesitant with Blackbird because I feel that it takes such an appreciation to understand the song. That an average listener will quit paying attention after around 3 minutes. IMO.

[AB23]

It isn't until after the first Broken Wings listen that I introduce Blackbird. So, if they like BW, I'll talk about the meaning behind BB for like 20 seconds before putting it on.

Makes them listen intently

[Timotheus]

If they're not really into heavy music I almost always go with Watch Over You. If they are into rock and metal Ties That Bind. It's not long, it shows great musicianship, it's got a great hook and it's really high on my AB list. If they're still interested after those songs I'll let them listen to songs like Cry of Achilles, Broken Wings, White Knuckles and Slip To The Void.

I usually don't let them listen to Blackbird. If feel like it's important to let that song kinda do its own thing.

[Jim]

I prefer the staple style heavy rock tracks by them..

Find The Real
Buried Alive
White Knuckles
Isolation
Addicted To Pain
Farther Than The Sun

Those kinds of songs... It's only if they like them then I'll show them the songs I'm REALLY proud of being in love with... Blackbird, Wonderful Life, Brand New Start..

[One Drew Remains]

The first time I saw them (on the AB III tour) I thought my brother was going to bail on me. So I asked a friend who had never heard them if they wanted to go. I lent him Blackbird, and by Come To Life, his head was nodding in the car. CTL passed the headbang test, so that's my intro for people who like the harder stuff.

[gbruin]

Because I feel like AB can span a variety of preferences within the rock/metal genres, I try to get a feel for the new listener's preferences. Those who are more mainstream/poppy get Before Tomorrow Comes and Open Your Eyes, modern rock fans get Come To Life and I Know It Hurts, guitar aficionados get One Day Remains and Metalingus and the the Brand New Start solo, prog rockers get Cry of Achilles and Fortress, metal heads get White Knuckles and Bleed It Dry, others get Wonderful life and Broken Wings.

And if they don't like it, then they suck.

[abw1987]

As others have said, it really depends on the person. Although I'm so indecisive (how can you pick just one?) that I usually give them a list of 3-4 songs representing the full range of Alter Bridge. I'll include short descriptions of what each one is like, and hope that they pick the one best suited for them -- or ideally, listen to all of them.

For example:

• "Isolation" - their most successful single to date; a heavy yet catchy rocker
• "Watch Over You" - a softer ballad
• "Blackbird" - their magnum opus; a sprawling epic
• "Cry of Achilles" - a dynamic song with impressive musicianship and a powerful melody

Edit: really cool that your class voted for an AB track as your graduation song! I'm surprised whenever someone I meet has even heard of Alter Bridge, let alone having a plurality of classmates like them enough to vote for their music.

[Lotha]

If they are into rock and metal Ties That Bind.

Yes. It's the song that got me hooked, so usually that.

[Jim]

Metalingus, of course! Why didn't I think of that before? It's the obvious choice really when so many people will have heard it before and maybe not known who played it

[Daniel]

I prefer the staple style heavy rock tracks by them..

Find The Real
Buried Alive
White Knuckles
Isolation
Addicted To Pain
Farther Than The Sun

Those kinds of songs... It's only if they like them then I'll show them the songs I'm REALLY proud of being in love with... Blackbird, Wonderful Life, Brand New Start..

Pretty much this! And I'll add in Come to Life cause that hook is money!

[nagpo]

I tend to lean towards the b-sides when i want a quick fix

[erau]

Find the Real.

[poshisjarker]

I always start with Save Me and then follow that up with a live version of Before Tomorrow Comes

[Jim]

Say what!? I love this ^^

[slasherbridge]

Cry of Achilles. It's probably one of the most complete songs they've ever done. That intro gets me pumped, the chorus makes me want to sing along. Myles' solo is super intense and Mark's solo is ridiculous. And the ending was perfectly executed.

[gbruin]

Good call, slasher bridge. I just played CoA a couple days ago for a coworker who knew I saw AB the previous night and asked me to play him something. He's a big Springsteen fan, so I wasn't sure where to go. Figured CoA was a good summary of where they are now. I suppose Show Me A Leader would have fit, too.

[dFhimz]

Depends on the person.
Girl not THAT into rock: In Loving Memory/Watch Over You/Life Must Go On/Wonderful Life (ballad)
Friend into (not hard) rock: Before Tomorrow Comes/Rise Today (something upbeat)
Friend into hard rock/metal: Any of their recent singles will usually do.

Once I have them on the hook, I reel them in with Blackbird.

**If the girl doesn't even like the ballads, I at least make them fall for Myles with Summergirl. If that doesn't work, to the curb they go! (Just kidding. Sorta...)