The Greatest Riff EVUH!1!1Music

[Hot4]

Jonny be good, Chuck Berry!

)

 

[ceiling_fan]

You spelled all three words in the song title wrong, dude.

I'm more of a jazz guy but I think RATM has some huge riffs.

I also like 'Walk' by Pantera, and 'Mouth of War' by Pantera.

Wait a second, is it Mouth Of War, or Mouth For War?

 

[Ev0]

It's Mouth for War.

 

[Jimmy Enslashay]

This is impossible. I'm going to name by guitarist/band.

"Dimebag" Darrell Abbott - Pantera
Between Cowboys From Hell and Far Beyond Driven, there is a massive array of innovative, original and catchy riffs. Dimebag and Pantera blasted out probably my favourite riffs of all-time.

Jimmy Page - Led Zeppelin
You can't go past Zeppelin and the great Jimmy Page. 'Stairway To Heaven', 'Whole Lotta Love', 'Immigrant Song', 'Black Dog' ... the list goes on.

Angus Young - AC/DC
The masters of the catchiest riffs around. End of story.

Tom Morello - Rage Against The Machine/Audioslave
Tim Commerford and Tom Morello made RATM's riffs awesome. You can't go past them!

Jesper Strömblad and Glenn Ljungström - In Flames
The Jester Race and Whoracle had the best harmonic riff-work which I miss from In Flames. Shame on them for selling-out.

Slash - Guns 'N' Roses
No comment needed. 'Welcome To The Jungle', 'Paradise City', 'Sweet Child O' Mine'...

Tony Iommi - Black Sabbath
Iommi is god.

Jimi Hendrix
Wait no ... Hendrix is god. Had to be mentioned.

There are way too many more to think about, but it's an impossible question to answer. Honourable mention for Carlos Santana.

 

[ceiling_fan]

I agree with all of your mentions, Jimmy.

 

[Beelzebub]

Crazy Train - Randy Rhodes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[CDailey]

Audioslave - Like A Stone

 

[chinko]

Metallica - Master of puppets

leper messiah comes a close second. or plug in baby. that is the most kickass riff ever

 

[James2097]

AC/DC´s Thunderstruck, GnR´s Sweet Child O´Mine, Iron Maiden´s Wasted Years, I think their intros are more like little solos than riffs. To me, riffs are a sequence of power chords, not single keys played apart if you know what I mean.

That´s just my opinion though.

Technically, a "riff" is any repeated sequence of notes, be they single notes or polyphonic (variable number of notes at the same time, ie chords etc), or any individual section/passage in a composition that (in a way) could be considered an independent part of a song. A "riff" shouldn't be defined as only applying to guitars either. Bach, Beethoven, Thelonius monk, Herbie Hancock etc had some good riffs!

All the riffs you mention are still good however!

Its wrong to exclude a "riff" because it doesn't use tonic+fifth interval chords all the time ("power chords"). In this situation "Smoke on the Water" isn't a riff, as its made up of fourth chords! Excluding riffs because they don't use a particular interval as an important element in their contruction is just silly.

A lot of people here are equating a "riff" more closely with heavy metal music. While the word IS more commonly used in this genre, it shouldn't exclude people from mentioning catchy riffs they like outside of metal. 👍

 

[Jimmy Enslashay]

That's possibly because a lot of people in here listen to Hard Rock and Metal, but I agree with your assumption.

 

[DemonSeed]

what happens around 2.30 minutes before the end of 'the sleep' by pantera always has me putting volume up. well, generally, as jimmy said 'cowboys from hell' and 'far beyond driven' have too many to mention

also:
one before last good song of sepultura - 'refuse-resist'
finish of 'silhouettes' by dominion
'fear of the dark' and 'afraid to shoot strangers' by iron maiden

 

[Cakeman]

there are a lot of great riffs. my top 5 list atm would be something like this:
1. Nightwish - Wanderlust
2. Pink Floyd - Money
3. Hammerfall - Heros Return
4. Rhapsody - Holy Thunderforce
5. Uriah Heep - Easy Livin

 

[humbo]

Since RATM was mentioned, I have to say that one of my very favourites from them would be People of Sun. Both the guitar and bass kick ass in that one.

Oh and the one in the second half of Bullet in the Head, where it starts off palm muted, then normal, then the drums go double time.

 

[Hyperglide]

No one ever talks about the greatness called The Mermen. Maybe because they are Surf Rock. I still think it's the grooviest **** evar though.

I must say that Driving the Cow - The Mermen gets my vote.i

 

[Lee]

sleep now in the fire - rage against the machine

tom morello is a legend

 

[[FPV]Rusty]

I take that back. How could I forget. You guys have to listen to this one.

Avenged Sevenfold - Eternal Rest (1:00 in)

AMEN TO THAT! that sequence is so chunk.

from the new avenged sevenfold album City of Evil-

Strength of the World, the opening electric riffs after the harmonic intro and the verses

MIA - one minute in

40 seconds into The Wicked End. Amazing power metal riffs.

Trivium-Dying in your Arms- opening and chous riffs
Trivium-Like Light to the FLies, aobut 40 seconds in- combined with an amazing drum beat
Trivium-Pull harder on the Strings of Your Martyr - opening riff, and aobut 50 seconds in, very chunk

 

[Blackbird.]

AMEN TO THAT! that sequence is so chunk.

from the new avenged sevenfold album City of Evil-

Strength of the World, the opening electric riffs after the harmonic intro and the verses

MIA - one minute in

40 seconds into The Wicked End. Amazing power metal riffs.

Trivium-Dying in your Arms- opening and chous riffs
Trivium-Like Light to the FLies, aobut 40 seconds in- combined with an amazing drum beat
Trivium-Pull harder on the Strings of Your Martyr - opening riff, and aobut 50 seconds in, very chunk

Hey I got that album eary since a friend of mine knows them very well (used to be part of the band).

 

[F1GTR]

The White Stripes-Seven Nation Army

 

[sukerkin]

Nice idea for a thread but it's impossible to pick one riff out of all of musical history that is the best.

All I can say is that the first one that sprung into my mind as I posed the question to myself (if you catch my drift) was Deep Purple - Stormbringer (closely followed by Black Sabbath - Country Girl).

The fact that they're the ones I immediately thought of must say something about how strong a 'hook' they have for me .

There are, however, a myriad riffs out there all worthy of mention ... and that includes Stairway, just to quell any rumours that fear of gunfire would prevent it being mentioned (altho' technically 'Stairway' uses phrases rather than riffs ... ).