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.