What is the best guitar riff of the 2000s?

Not sure we got anything as indelible as Smoke On The Water, or even Aqualung. But there were still plenty of good riffs produced in the last ten years. The most well-known is probably Seven Nation Army. What is your favorite?

The big moshing riff in Converge's The Broken Vow.

Supermassive Black Hole

for better/worse, and on a pop level, Muse spring to mind as actual believers in proper OTT guitar riffs (Plug In Baby maybe their best example?)

the studio - 'origin' is an ass-shaker of a riff.

and of course

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14xgbeHsJXI

"Start Chopping" by Dinosaur Jr.

I know, and I don't care.

'no one knows' - QOTSA

the studio - 'origin' is an ass-shaker of a riff.

similarly, Radiohead 'I Might Be Wrong'

that reminds me, 'knives out'!

quite johnny marr-ish that one

The Wrens: Everyone Choose Sides

om, 'on the mountain at dawn'
om, 'unitive knowledge of the godhead'

'no one knows' - QOTSA

― Michael B, Monday, 20 July 2009 14:38 (1 hour ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Yeah, I'd vote that one.

The Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You

i don't know the answer, but mark cl is getting there.

if by there you mean best bass riff of the 2000s then yeah

Another vote for QOTSA, honorable mention for Rammstein 'Amerika'

This is actually a decent question and y'all have already fucked it up with ironic bullshit answers

As big dumb riffs go, I always thought the riff in Limp Bizkit's "Break Stuff" was pretty quality.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_eCIjr1Mb0

a bass is a guitar

lightning bolt - "assassins"

The #1 all-time unfuckwithable riff of the 2000s is MASTODON - BLOOD AND THUNDER. And I seriously defy anyone to come up with a better answer that isn't some contrarian "A 303 can be a guitar" hardstartrekman ilx buLOLshit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=labytsb3gfI

that shit is on some "riff qua riff" which is really the essence what "best guitar riff" arguments are about. stop being dicks.

i'm really bad at thinking of stuff for lists when the time comes but anyway..."Seven Nation Army" seems kind of iconic for a this-decade riff

The Wrens: Everyone Choose Sides

I'm not sure this is ultimately the right answer, but I love you man.

+ blue orchid > seven nation army imo

I must really be getting old because I couldn't even tell that people were being snarky :-)

Some of my favorites:

The Swish: The Hold Steady
Hate To Say I Told You So: The Hives
Marry Me: Drive-By Truckers
Conventional Wisdom: Built To Spill
Intravenous Agnostic: Manic Street Preachers
Up The Bracket: The Libertines
Light Rail Coyote: Sleater-Kinney

I must really be getting old because I couldn't even tell that people were being snarky :-)

Yeah, wtf, I liked my choice!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uShqlufsq5w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MFYuSnDPl8

I'm not a huge fan of the band, but in terms of being memorable and sort of ubiquitous, I can't really think of anything besides Seven Nations Army.

In the 90s, I guess Smells Like Teen Spirit is the obvious choice. Not sure what it would be for the 80s (a Van Halen song, maybe?). And I guess too many choices in the arena-rock 70s. Anyway, not such an easy question for most decades.

hey ya

ffs that seven nation army riff is terrible.

mastodon riffs otm.

lots of my fav riffs would be by local mpls bands probably

Seven Nation Army riff is somewhat simplistic

Not sure what it would be for the 80s (a Van Halen song, maybe?)

Sweet Child O Mine came to mind first

but that's the populist/well-recognised basis rather than "best"

are you saying its too simplistic to be a riff or too simplistic to be the iconic riff of the 2000s?

Simplistic but utterly, utterly deadly:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAKXkvXEaMY

(Opening riff is good, closing riff is all-time)

are you saying its too simplistic to be a riff or too simplistic to be the iconic riff of the 2000s?

the latter i guess. it's also the bass hook too which marks it out (down?).

"satisfaction" and "iron man" are pretty simplistic riffs too, sayin

ffs that seven nation army riff is terrible.

mastodon riffs otm.

Actually, I mis-read the thread title as being "What is the guitar riff of the 2000s?" Framed that way, I still say Seven Nation Army, for the reasons I mentioned above. But framed as what's the best guitar riff of the decade . . . I dunno. Maybe TVOTR's Wolf Like Me (not sure that's even a riff; it's more used for texture). Maybe something from Interpol.

Blueski's exactly right about Sweet Child O Mine in the 80s.

om, 'unitive knowledge of the godhead'

Best answer so far.

xp if we're talking Smoke on the water-type riffs, the kind every kid with a guitar knows, Seven Nation Army is probably still the best answer to this question. not my favorite though

xp re: satisfaction and iron man they had good rhythmic components which the white stripes have never been able to grasp.

Feel Good Hit Of The Summer is a good choice in terms of something I could totally hear Beavis And Butthead rocking out to (like DADADA DADA DA DADA DADADA).

One of my fav 90's ones is "Unsung" by Helmet. A good monster 80's one is "For Whom The Bell Tolls."

Dead Leaves On The Dirty Ground is a better riff than Seven Nation Army.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCDhiZr1q_s

I think the Beavis And Butthead test is good for determining if a riff is badass.. if you can hear them singing it..

i still like the 'Rollin' intro - just three chords

You guys may not know this riff by name, but it's been pretty iconic in the 00s if you watch TV. And it's a pretty amazing riff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgQ7qOCDFYQ

You might all hate me for saying this, but The Fiery Furnaces' "Widow City" album had about 3 stone-cold contenders, notably one that crops up during "Clear Signal From Cairo"

Up The Bracket: The Libertines
Light Rail Coyote: Sleater-Kinney

Very nice.

if you're going to say one of the best guitar riffs of the decade came from a fiery furnaces album, you really don't know much about riffs, guitars, the decade, the concept of "best," or posting on the internet

"For Whom The Bell Tolls" is a much better riff than "Sweet Child O' Mine.." And for that matter, the riff in the verses of "Paradise City" is better than "Sweet Child O' Mine."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n94ohYmQ38

Is it fair to say that the riff to 'back in black' is more popular and widespread in the 2000s than in the 90s, 80s, 70s, and looks to be on a trajectory to be best guitar riff of the 2010s as well?

I can get with Light Rail Coyote and The Swish, but my first thought is this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L960Yh-NF88

You might all hate me for saying this, but The Fiery Furnaces' "Widow City" album had about 3 stone-cold contenders, notably one that crops up during "Clear Signal From Cairo"

― mathgasmic! (country matters), Monday, July 20, 2009 5:23 PM (9 minutes ago)

dude

opening riff for "cast off crown," on Deerhoof's friend opportunity

Fuck Fiery Furnaces

That isn't even the best riff on the album, joygoat! ("You Should Be Ashamed, Seamus")

I also wish people would actually listen to a specific song before rubbishing it.

ah yeah deerhoof has good riffs! see i can never think of stuff when it's time for list makin'

actually speaking of..cuz of the the deerhoof connection...

my fav riff of this decade is "Who Wrote the Night?" by Sicbay because it's also my favorite rock song of the decade...but no one outside of mpls care abt them...

http://www.myspace.com/sicbay

One of the best bass riffs of the 00's
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-GbN_DPpX8

if smoke on the water is our choice for best riff of the 70s i dont see how riff of the 2000s can be anything but 7 nation army no matter how much you might hate it

But it's not even the best White Stripes riff..

all summer long

/check eddy

i would like to dispute that smoke on the water is our choice for best riff of the 70s.

The Go-Betweens - "The Clock"

I think it was just as an example of an iconic riff.. I'm pretty sure nobody thinks Smoke On The Water is the best riff of the 70s.

i am really blanking out on guitar riffs from the 00s ... but I'd be interested to know what the kids are playing in guitar stores these days. Back in the 90s it was all about "Plush" by STP or any Nirvana song ... Are kids playing "Seven Nation Army"? Probably.

I also wish people would actually listen to a specific song before rubbishing it.

― mathgasmic! (country matters), Monday, July 20, 2009 1:35 PM (10 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Some riff that "crops up" in the middle of some goofy avant indie blog song that no one has ever heard is not going to win a battle of being the decade's best riff against White Stripes, QOTSA and Mastodon.

Do you know how arguments work? You sound like someone trying to get me to vote for Ron Paul. Shut. The. Fuck. Up.

I thought back in the 90s everyone played "Under the Bridge" at guitar stores

are we talking about the best riff or the riff that the most 14 year olds are playing? can someone let me know?

i've never heard that white stripes song but is it better than https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxdrHbp6FzA#t=1m30s

we're talking about whatever riff makes Whiney the least angry

lol

fuk u embedder nazi

I have nothing against Mastodon, but the DFA79 track above has a better riff than anything I've heard from that band.

maybe the riff from "new slang" by the shins can soothe our frazzled nerves.

oh the lazer lite show guitar from 12:51 from the strokes is kinda neat-o.

http://assets.sheetmusicplus.com/product/Look-Inside/covers/17421344.jpg

featuring:
* Heaven
* Last Resort
* Slither
* I Stand Alone
* Californication
* Here To Stay
* Judith
* Fat Lip
* Stay Together For The Kids
* Original Prankster
* Nice To Know You
* Cochise
* Meant To Live
* Kryptonite
* Just Like You
* Dirty Little Secret
* Cold Hard Bitch
* Duality
* Mr. Brightside
* Suicide Messiah
* One Step Closer
* Happy?
* Best Of You
* Sugar, We're Goin' Down
* B.Y.O.B.
* Bat Country
* Crazy Bitch
* I Dare You
* Redneck
* This Love

i only know mr. brightside and californication, whoa is me.

lol

Now that I think about it I was watching a soccer game some years ago... Italy vs... idk some other country and the Italians were chanting the melody to the Seven Nation Army riff.

I am sure that this is not really what most people on here are going for, but two really personal classics for me:

Hot Snakes: "If Credit's What Matters I'll Take Credit"--especially the way the intro shifts into the main riff/verse, super-mighty.

Oneida: "Sheets of Easter"--Hmm, best? I don't know. Effective? Fuck yeah.

Half of those songs barely have riffs of any kind.

...referring to the 2000's guitar riffs

i am really blanking out on guitar riffs from the 00s ... but I'd be interested to know what the kids are playing in guitar stores these days. Back in the 90s it was all about "Plush" by STP or any Nirvana song ... Are kids playing "Seven Nation Army"? Probably.

― tylerw, Monday, July 20, 2009 5:48 PM (6 minutes ago)

oh yes they are. lots and lots of them. prob the only riff i hear over and over that is from the 00s. Still surpassed by "Walk" by Pantera tho for frequency of getting played.

"seven nation army" is pretty much marching band canon at this point and people in soccer fans sing it, so yeah it's the obv choice

it makes me chortle to think of my Pat Metheny-loving/guitar-teaching friend being forced to teach 11-year-olds Seven Nation Army

zombie nation - kernkraft 400

Half Man Half Biscuit, Melt-Banana, Meshuggah, Neurosis, Sleater-Kinney* and numerous others on my iTunes have purveyed riffs which to my own ears slay "Seven Nation Army" with a thousand brutal cuts. Why the hell can't I challenge the hegemony of mainstream hard rock?

*The Fox, obviously. Holy hell what a riff.

I mean, Whiney, I'd like to draw your attention to the following sentence in the opening post:

What is your favorite?

yeah 7na is probably iconic or best-known or whatever but i would rather ppl talk about what was awesome.

alien ant farm - smooth criminal

hot snakes is a good call, grandavis. and although "sheets of easter" is one of my favorite songs of the 2000's, i think it probably doesnt exactly belong here...

Like, seriously. Seriously.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qyay8YFkCTs

maps/since u been gone

In the Sleater Kinney, I just hear chords.. no riff

maps/since u been gone

― Pillbox, Monday, July 20, 2009 1:09 PM (1 minute ago) Bookmark

yes

p diddy "bad boy for life"

In the Sleater Kinney, I just hear chords.. no riff

― billstevejim, Monday, July 20, 2009 6:10 PM (1 minute ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

a riff is a chord until it is plucked

Oneida: "Sheets of Easter"--Hmm, best? I don't know. Effective? Fuck yeah.

How does the "riff" in this song go?

a riff is a chord until it is plucked

Sure, why not?

If riffs couldn't be chords then Earth wouldn't have existed. Dylan Carlson would just have been that guy who sold the shotgun.

LIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHTLIGHT

That SK riff is shite, Louis.

OK, what about...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOT2lNpzI4Q&feature=PlayList&p=CCB0472B8ADD05A4&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=88

I retract the Oneida, as really it is one chord pounded, agreed. Nostalgia got the better of me. There is a step up into the chord that is riff-like, but whatever. For some reason I knew that Whiney would not be too long in weighing in.

Maybe "Ride The Sky" by Lightning Bolt, for another nostalgiac choice.

a riff is a chord until it is plucked

Sure, why not?

― billstevejim, Monday, July 20, 2009 6:14 PM (6 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

sorry i was making the dumbest wire joke ever.

this would have been a good choice if everybody hadn't forgotten it 5 years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsm2hSKkH7E

fuku2

hahaha i got yer wire joke and lolled M@tt

i think hives would be near #1 for me

No Age: Boy Void is another good one.

also: unlikely contender, but that Muse song that is in guitar hero III gets played an awful lot around here

Well, Muse - Hysteria has one of the great 00's bass riffs.

I thought of The Hives before, but I just don't hear it as a monster riff.

Hysteria is a great choice. !!

also: unlikely contender, but that Muse song that is in guitar hero III gets played an awful lot around here

― wax onleck, wax affleck (jjjusten), Monday, July 20, 2009 6:33 PM (4 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

there's a song by that band The Sword on Guitar Hero that has a DOPE riff.

actually "Float On" by Modest Mouse is a Guitar Hero/Rock Band classic too

the DFA riff is pretty solid. right now they're at the top of my list with QOTSA not far behind.

as much as i don't like these bands, they've churned out some pretty good riffs:

muse - stockholm syndrome
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqgZjXrYjOs

wolfmother - joker and the theif
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCIlFzZXZwU

they might not be the best, but they certainly have that widespread quality other candidates have and they're pretty memorable, although that might be more because of the commercials they've been in as opposed to actually being memorable on their own.

hey, i might as well throw in some jet and nominate myself to be banned for life from the forum at the same time!

Jet has zero monster riffs, so that would be pointless.

i am thinking that basically guitar hero/rock band are the final arbiters on this question TBH

so you know lj when the fiery furnaces get their licensing shit correct they might be a shoo-in

remember these guys? oh ilxpaws...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJVYH7CEkB8

0-3 today just in case you were keepin track at home.

British Sea Power: Remember Me

Totally ridiculous, but I like this song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ypGMqogMq0

There's this band some of you may have heard of called High On Fire...

i nominate:

at the drive in - cosmonaut
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDJtAqXbZ1c

good call, phil
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOQ9MiEsaz4

^^^^^^NOW WE ARE TALKING

Wire - Mr. Marx's Table

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L83NHmMHEw4

Non-metal 00s guitar music hasn't really been interested in riffs as far as I can tell, which is a shame when you look back at it because riffs = awesome and better than all other uses for guitars.

Feel Good Hit Of The Summer seconded for it's sheer bludgeoning simplicity.

Do not click this if you hate really obvious, wussy indie answers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZGcw9HHOkU

yes, true

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Erh9RGuCr1Y

The ringtone is the guitar riff of the 00s. /challops

what are the kids on the back of the bus?

Those who are namechecking Muse don't seem to have mentioned this one yet. May be one of the greatest guitar riffs of the 00s IMO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65Gh0U0wkBs

sigh

No Age's Everybody's Down, from the Weirdo Rippers EP.

The ringtone is the guitar riff of the 00s. /challops

― De Mysteriis Dom Passantino (jim), Monday, July 20, 2009 9:10 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

i don't get it...like a musical ringtone or just a regular like phone ringing sound? cuz a musical ringtone could be anything, like literally a guitar riff or actually any song.

the ringtone being the thing that sticks in people's heads as shorthand representation of the larger thing it came from?
(this used to be riffs but now is the ringtone?)

but the ringtone could be a riff right so you're still just remembering the riff right? /whosonfirst

There's this band some of you may have heard of called High On Fire...

First thought when I saw the thread title:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6xr8P3upjw

Modest Mouse - "Float On"

I don't care much about iconic riffs, really. I guess I'd say it would probably come from White Stripes, QotSA, or DFA 1979.

These are some I feel deserve to be considered iconic.

Katatonia - July
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPGTEJbDfYo

Meshuggah - Combustion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7OFjw1cQCA

Pinback - Blue Harvest
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WOFB4ZHrwo

Wooden Shjips - Dance, California
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJMFTVenGJk

Yob - Quantum Mystic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0UNJ9pM6IU

Baroness - Red Sky
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hWXmQ_0_JE

I'm not trying to rep like either of these acts didn't totally get me hot and bothered with their first single only to crush all of my rock and roll fantasies with everything else they ever did, but still. It's gotta be one of these:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYc2bPbPbgo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXdSOxEnwWM

should've locked thread @ high on fire youtube.

I'll never understand the appeal of HoF. Love their production and tones, but nothing sticks.

I like the High On Fire songs that have been posted, but I don't really hear huge riffs as much as simply chord progressions.. I still prefer the riff in "Black History Month" .. and I actually think "Plug In Baby" is a great choice.

Non-metal 00s guitar music hasn't really been interested in riffs as far as I can tell, which is a shame when you look back at it because riffs = awesome and better than all other uses for guitars.

^
seriously!

And when I said "Black History Month" I meant "Romantic Rights."

riffs = awesome and better than all other uses for guitars.

Thirding how extremely correct this statement truly is.

There are Modest Mouse songs with waaaayyyyy better "riffs" than "Float On."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tmhp_NEH12Y

How come I can't correctly link to youtube anymore?

eagles of death metal - one of theirs should surely fit the bill

so long as we're on "a bass is a guitar", then:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-GbN_DPpX8

Maybe not the best, but always a guitar riff that makes me happy: "Bright Future in Sales" by Fountains of Wayne.

i don't get it...like a musical ringtone or just a regular like phone ringing sound? cuz a musical ringtone could be anything, like literally a guitar riff or actually any song.

Haha this is totally the new "but you can dance to rock and hip-hop, why isn't that dance music?"

Would rep for a number of Lightning Bolt riffs.

Surprised more people aren't mentioning The Hold Steady. One of the few non-metal bands that still care about big guitar riffs.

oh shit i forgot black mountain! tons of great riffs..."Stormy High" is the one i'm listening to right now.

also Comets on Fire...but i can never remember their song titles

Re: Black Mountain: The one 5 minutes into "Bright Light" is pretty definitive as far as one-and-a-slurred-note riffs go.

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the f?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4HEXWLZJ_U

that's better.

The riff at the beginning of Stormy High is fucking awesome.

Love the Stormy High riff. This Eddy Current riff is probably my favorite after Face of Oblivion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIX6YbpJ5wM

sorta like She Sells Sanctuary, but instead of big and open, it's claustrophobic

kudos 4 posting velvet revolver + audio slave

xposts

Does the guitar part from Ghostface Killah song "The Champ" count or is that considered a "lick" ????

There are Modest Mouse songs with waaaayyyyy better "riffs" than "Float On."

yeah, but most of them are in the 90's, and not the 2000s

I'll vote for "3rd Planet"

oh dip i forgot about "a topography of boils" by stnnng

Fav 00's modest mouse riff is prob the bass in "Tiny Cities Made Of Ashes."