Let’s Talk About This: The Greatest Alt-Rock Guitar Riffs of All Time
I’ve long been thinking about doing a Secret History of Rock segment on the 10 greatest alt-rock guitar riffs of all time–a list that did not include the old standbys like “Satisfaction,” “Whole Lotta Love” and “You Really Got Me.”
But when I began perusing through lists of all-time great guitar songs, I began to notice something odd: alt-rock didn’t seem to have much of a presence. The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” made most of these lists as did “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and the Chili Peppers’ “Under the Bridge.” But beyond that, the pickings were awfully slim. Why is that?
Were all the best riffs taken by Angus Young, Tony Iommi and Jimmy Page? Or is there something about alt-rock aesthetics that rely less on the riff as the superstructure of a song.
No, that can’t be it. What about Tool, Pearl Jam, Rage, Killing Joke, the Pixies and Alice in Chains? Surely someone must think highly of the Replacements or Dinosaur Jr. Shouldn’t Blur’s “Song 2” count? Hell, even Matthew Sweet’s “Girlfriend” should be included somewhere. Must be some kind of oversight. Or maybe riffage just doesn’t resonate with alt-rock fans like they do with, say metallers and other hard rockers.
But even when I did manage to put together a top ten list, I noticed that with the exception of “Seven Nation Army,” all of the songs were pre-2000. That doesn’t seem right. Where do Muse, the Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age fit in?
Here’s what I’ve come up with so far.
1. Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit
2. White Stripes – Seven Nation Army
3. David Bowie – Ziggy Stardust
4. Soundgarden – Rusty Cage
5. Cult – She Sells Sanctuary
6. RHCP – Under the Bridge
7. Smiths – How Soon Is Now
8. Blur – Song 2
9. Pearl Jam – Alive
10. Clash – Should I Stay or Should I Go
It’s not a bad list, but I’m not sure if it’s THE list I was hoping to create. What do you think?
Before you weigh in, though, let’s agree on what a guitar riff is.
For the purposes of this discussion, we will define it as a brief, instantly recognizable and often repeated section of a song that’s played on guitar. The best riffs make your body ache to scream “F**K YEAH!”
For a more formal definition, check out this entry on ostinato. And if you need audio examples, this will work nicely.
I’d add:
Obstacle 1 (Interpol)
Morning Glory (Oasis)
Wildflower (The Cult)
Money City Maniacs (Sloan)
Super tough… but these two just came to mind
Big Wreck – Ladylike
Stone Temple Pilots – Interstate Love Song
Ones that come to my mind…
-Only Shallow or Soon by My Bloody Valentine
-Screamager by Therapy?
-Here Comes Your Man by the Pixies
-Say It Ain’t So by Weezer
Does the rhythm guitar from Wonderwall count?
Electioneering by Radiohead
What about Stop by Jane’s Addiction?! Or Mountain Song?
Personally, I preferred either Whores or 1%, but I don’t think they got enough commercial play to be wholly recognized on this list. Regardless, Navarro’s riffs used to be really badass and one of them should make this list.
Float On – Modest Mouse
Where Is My Mind – Pixies
Academy Fight Song – Mission of Burma
Bastards of Young – The Replacements
Girl on Heaven Hill – Husker Du
Pearl Jam – Alive ?
Alice in Chains – Rooster ?
Smashing Pumpkins – Today ?
American Idiot – Green Day
Learn to Fly – Foo Fighters
Do I wanna Know – Arctic Monkeys
Here comes your man – Pixies
Loser – Beck
Today – Smashing Pumpkins
Some here I already like, these are some of my additions
Pantera- cowboys from hell
Radiohead- creep
Beck- loser
Lenny Kravits- are you gonna go my way
Oasis- wonderwall
Metallica- enter sandman
Jet- are you gonna be my girl
Wolfmother- woman
Radiohead- just
Sloan- she says what she means
U2 – Pride (In the Name of Love)
The Cure – In Betwren Days
The Smiths – This Charming Man
Ministry – NWO
Always on the run – Lenny kravitz
The universe in you – I Mother Earth
Money city maniacs – Sloan
Joker and the thief – wolf mother
Queens of the Stone Age – No One Knows
I don’t think we can define an “instant classic” riff. When we were ripping Def Leppard’s “Photograph” on air guitar (way, WAY back in the day), was “Whole Lotta Love” already a classic riff? That’s why the 00’s aren’t on the list – yet.
As well, we’re not hearing the riffs on FM radio repeat anymore so the classics aren’t engrained.
That said, +1 to Screamager, Loser and Mountain Song. The bass intro to Our Lady Peace’s “Naveed” deserves an honourable mention for instant recognition.
Let me just say in response to the above article that an alternative to anything is not going to be as good as whatever it is an alternative to. It will by definition always be at the most second rate.
Killing in the Name Of… – RATM
Bomb Track – RATM
Bulls on Parade – RATM
Giveitaway – RHCP
Stone Cold Bush – RHCP
agree with:
Always On the Run (Mama Said) – L. Kravitz
Are You Gonna Go My Way – L. Kravitz
Rooster – Alice in Chains
The bridge in Stars by the band Hum
I’d add “The beautiful People” by Marilyn Manson. Still, not a post 2000 song.
Some of tracks aren’t riffs as such. Rikki Rooksby wrote the book on ‘riffs’.
The greatest alt-rock riff of all time is:
Alice in Chains, “What the Hell Have i?”