Johnny B Goode (1959) — Chuck Berry -

In 1977, NASA selected it for the Voyager Golden Record . It is the only rock 'n' roll song currently traveling through deep space as a representation of human creativity for potential extraterrestrial life.

The song's 17-second opening riff is considered one of the most explosive and recognizable in music history. Chuck Berry - Johnny B Goode (1959)

Although the song claims Johnny "never ever learned to read or write so well," Berry was actually well-educated and had a degree in hairdressing and cosmetology. Musical Innovation: The Riff Heard Round the World In 1977, NASA selected it for the Voyager Golden Record

"Johnny B. Goode" has achieved a status that few songs can match: Although the song claims Johnny "never ever learned

The song reached a new generation in 1985 through its iconic appearance in Back to the Future , where it was depicted in a humorous "bootstrap paradox" as the moment the sound was "invented".

The name was a tribute to his longtime pianist, Johnnie Johnson , who influenced much of Berry’s guitar style. Ironically, Johnson did not play on the actual recording; the piano work was handled by Lafayette Leake .

Released in and further cemented by its appearance on the 1959 album Chuck Berry Is on Top , "Johnny B. Goode" is often hailed as the definitive blueprint for rock 'n' roll. It introduced the world to the first "rock biography," chronicling the rise of a guitar hero from humble roots—a story that mirrored Chuck Berry’s own journey to stardom. The Story Behind the Song