Okay guitar fans, welcome to the 70 Most Underrated Guitar Riffs Of All Time Part 2 .
I’ve scoured my brain and cd collection to make a unique list of riffs that deserve more credit, and are just cool as the same old songs that always grace Rolling Stone and Guitar World best of lists.
Be sure to check out part 1 to see Entries 70 through 46.
If you wish to preview or buy in iTunes I’ll have a playlist at the bottom of the post, or click on the image if you want to buy it on cd from Amazon. Every purchase helps with the running of this site :-).
Let’s start:
45.”Autonomy”-The Buzzcocks (1977)
[amazon_image id=”B00005MAGA” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Singles Going Steady[/amazon_image]
The opening riff is awesome, but the chorus riff is even cooler. Guitarist Steven Diggle’s alternating 2 note figure is one of the best punk rock riffs ever.
44. “Alice”-The Sisters Of Mercy (1983)
[amazon_image id=”B000005RMY” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Some Girls Wander By Mistake[/amazon_image]
Wayne Hussey’s hypnotic high string runs align perfectly with the bass and drums making this one epic goth song.
(Amazon only)
43. “Mean Spirits”-Silversun Pickups (2012)
[amazon_image id=”B007YQ8N52″ link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Mean Spirits[/amazon_image]
I recently reviewed their excellent new album “Neck Of The Woods” and this is one of the best tracks, with Brian Aubert’s slamming fuzztone riff that erupts after the choruses.
42. “It Must Have Been Years”-Gary Numan and Tubeway Army (1979)
[amazon_image id=”B0010DJ1GA” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Replicas Redux[/amazon_image]
Synth-king Numan plays guitar on occasion and does a great T.Rex-style riff on the chorus ( it’s also one of the darkest albums ever).
41.”From The Edge OF The Deep Green Sea”-The Cure (1992)
[amazon_image id=”B001OGRGWE” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Wish[/amazon_image]
The Cure’s “Wish” album isn’t seen as a classic, and I’m not sure why. This track has a great cinematic riff that’s one of their best.
40. “Shamrocks and Shenanigans”-House Of Pain (Butch Vig Mix) (1992)
[amazon_image id=”B0011Z111A” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]House Of Pain (US Release) [Explicit][/amazon_image]
How can a has-been rap act qualify here? Well, super-producer Butch Vig remixed “Shamrocks” with his band mates from Garbage and added a killer chorus riff.
39. “Come On Baby”-Moby (1996)
[amazon_image id=”B000002HP1″ link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Animal Rights[/amazon_image]
Yep, that Moby. He ditched the techno and rocked out on his album “Animal Rights”. Not surprisingly, it bombed. But his metal riff here is sweet. Dude can play. For real.
38. “The Fly”-U2 (1991)
[amazon_image id=”B005Y5DA2Q” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]The Fly[/amazon_image]
The first single off “Achtung Baby”, it never resonated like “One” and “Mysterious Ways”. But this is the hardest the Edge ever rocked, with a sweet wah-wah-soaked guitar riff.
37. “Gentlemen”-The Afghan Whigs (1993)
[amazon_image id=”B000002HD5″ link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Gentlemen[/amazon_image]
Rick McCollum’s slippery hammer-on verse riff is magnetic.
36. “Knock’em Dead Kid”-Motley Crue (1983)
[amazon_image id=”B001EN1R2W” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Shout at the Devil[/amazon_image]
Motley Crue’s output is mixed at best. But guitarist Mick Mars has made some great glam-metal riffs. This track off “Shout At The Devil” swings hard in both the verse and chorus.
35. “Crank Call”-Billy Idol (1983)
[amazon_image id=”B000003JAR” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Rebel Yell[/amazon_image]
Idol’s long time guitar-player Steve Stevens always had chops to spare, and this snarling riff that opens this track is one of Idol’s lesser known songs.
34. “Is It Just Me”-The Darkness (2004)
[amazon_image id=”B000BP86OG” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]One Way Ticket to Hell & Back[/amazon_image]
This was a great Queen style tune that boasted great verse and chorus riffs, but was on their little heard sophomore album.
(Check out my review of their brand new album “Hot Cakes.)
33.”Reptile”-The Church (1987)
[amazon_image id=”B004P91ETS” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Reptile[/amazon_image]
This Australian psych band are woefully ignored, but not for lack of guitar hooks, including this haunting alternating guitar figure.
32.”Supermassive Black Hole”-Muse (2006)
[amazon_image id=”B000FVQYYK” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Black Holes & Revelations[/amazon_image]
This riff is like a hybrid of Prince and Tom Morello and it rocks. Matthew Bellamy has serious chops.
31. “Curl of The Burl”-Mastodon (2011)
[amazon_image id=”B005DKLPF6″ link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]The Hunter[/amazon_image]
Some fans didn’t like it when this band simplified their prog-metal sound, but sometimes simpler is better, and the main riff here is bottom heavy goodness.
30. “Crackerman”-Stone Temple Pilots (1992)
[amazon_image id=”B001OGNJUC” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Core[/amazon_image]
This wasn’t a single, but it should have been, featuring one of Dean Deleo’s tastiest Drop-D riffs.
29. “Never Enough”-L.A. Guns (1989)
[amazon_image id=”B000VZPGQ2″ link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Never Enough[/amazon_image]
This 80’s Sunset strip band were rivals with G’N’R but their vocalist couldn’t match Axl. Not guitarist Tracii Gun’s fault though. His verse riff is great glam ear candy.
28. “Stick It Out”-Rush (1993)
[amazon_image id=”B00123B9TU” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Counterparts (Re-Issue)[/amazon_image]
Rush shedded their 80’s keyboard sheen and got heavy again on “Counterparts”, of which this was a single. Guitarist Alex Lifeson’s low, sinister riff is one of their hardest to date.
27. “Wax Ecstacic”-Sponge (1996)
[amazon_image id=”B000002BIQ” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Wax Ecstatic[/amazon_image]
These guys were always seen as derivative of 90’s alt-rock but they had some really great riffs, and this skronky, bent note beauty is killer.
26.”Albatross”-Corrosion Of Conformity (1994)
[amazon_image id=”B008BIVDMM” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Albatross[/amazon_image]
A former punk band that embraced grunge,metal and southern rock, this song boasts a Leslie West-style riff, courtesy of Pepper Keenan that is blues metal ecstasy.
25. “Blues From A Gun”-The Jesus And Mary Chain (1989)
[amazon_image id=”B00122O312″ link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Automatic (DMD)[/amazon_image]
A lean mean single off their undervalued “Automatic” album. William Reid’s sleazy opening riff is noise rock gold.
Well, that wraps up 70 Most Underrated Guitar Riffs Of All Time Part 2. Now go check out click here for Part 3.