The Best Guitar Riff of the Century

[Beechwoods]

As voted for by readers of Total Guitar magazine:

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And the top 10 in full...

1. Plug in Baby - Muse
2. Slither - Velvet Revolver
3. Afterlife - Avenged Sevenfold
4. The Dark Eternal Night - Dream Theater
5. Knights of Cydonia - Muse
6. No One Knows - Queens of the Stone Age
7. Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes
8. Halo - Machine Head
9. Mr Brightside - The Killers
10. Beast And The Harlot - Avenged Sevenfold


Nice that 'this century' excludes all the venerable performers of the 60's and 70's that always come top of best of's usually. But I'm not sure that these tracks are good for the long distance... Hmmm...

[Stratmangler]

So the best guitar riff has been nicked from J.S. Bach ?:scratch:
Figures:rolleyes:

[Stratmangler]

And in support of my claim of "nicked from Bach"

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One minute and twenty seconds in the "riff" appears.
I know which one I'd prefer to listen to - his work was not voted best riff by Total Guitar magazine readers.

And I'm a big rock fan;)





(second thoughts here - maybe I'm just showing my age - "they don't do it as well as they did when I was younger").

[Stratmangler]

Now this is a pretty good riff....

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[DSJR]

Ian Drury had a bloody good band around him and it was the excellent musicianship behind his vocals which always drew my attention...

If that Muse riff is regarded as the best if the noughties, then I despair. The sound is cr@p too and not just because of the YouTube compression either I'll bet...

[Reid Malenfant]

If that Muse riff is regarded as the best if the noughties, then I despair. The sound is cr@p too and not just because of the YouTube compression either I'll bet...
I borrowed that CD from my local library ages ago, i didn't get to the end of the first track before skipping through the whole CD & imo each track was to say the least a bag of sh*te :rolleyes:


:eyebrows:

[John]

For riffs I think Jimmy Page created some cool riffs with Zep I think Slash Intro riff to Sweet Child of Mine is pretty cool Sabbath always managed to create great rffs I also love anything where Al DiMeola is more riffed based

[Alex_UK]

But none of those are from this century, John - any other suggestions from the floor? I actually love that Muse track and album, not sure it is the best of the century, but then I can't think of any better alternatives off the top of my head... :scratch:

[Grez]

That track really is rubbish - awful compressed guitar riff nicked from JS Bach. Sorry, but when I hear stuff that I could heve ripped off, I sit here less than impressed.

Still "all sorts" "make" and "world" spring to mind. Although "She does it Right" by decent pub rock band Dr Feelgood rips it to shreds. Is there no room for subtlety any more?

Go Wilko!

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[John]

But none of those are from this century, John - any other suggestions from the floor? I actually love that Muse track and album, not sure it is the best of the century, but then I can't think of any better alternatives off the top of my head... :scratch:
Ahh not read the start trouble when you come back from 12 hour shift and speed read
ahhhhhhhhh Well I love Dream Theater so the The Dark Ethernal Night does it for me

[Grez]

If you want something from the noughties that's class, bespoke and understated, there's always this:

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(and I liked it BEFORE they made the video....)

[The Grand Wazoo]

I thought everyone was agreed that the best riff ever was this one:

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[Techno Commander]

I thought everyone was agreed that the best riff ever was this one:

Sorry, but this one kicks Rubarb into next week.:lol:

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[The Grand Wazoo]

Do you really think so?

I love all of the DP albums (before they started flogging dead horses in the '80's) and Machine Head is probably my favourite, but that track bores me to tears - it always has. I think the riff is rather unimaginative & dumb. I have never understood why people rate it so much. I'd rather listen to 'Pictures of Home' or 'Lazy' anytime.

But that's just me!

[Techno Commander]

I think its an iconic tune and its a riff that has gone down in legend.
It also brings back many happy memories of a misspent youth. :)

[The Grand Wazoo]

I rather think the legend has rather outgrown the tune itself. In the meantime people like Dave Davies, Paul Kossoff & Peter Green who created far more interesting, diverse, original (and, if fact, influential) things on a regular basis are forgotten.

[Haselsh1]

For riffs I think Jimmy Page created some cool riffs with Zep I think Slash Intro riff to Sweet Child of Mine is pretty cool Sabbath always managed to create great rffs I also love anything where Al DiMeola is more riffed based

Al Di Meola's music is truly awesome with the album 'Orange and Blue' being my alltime favourite. I just love that gorgeous guitar based jazz thing that he does so well.

[anthonyTD]

Do you really think so?

I love all of the DP albums (before they started flogging dead horses in the '80's) and Machine Head is probably my favourite, but that track bores me to tears - it always has. I think the riff is rather unimaginative & dumb. I have never understood why people rate it so much. I'd rather listen to 'Pictures of Home' or 'Lazy' anytime.

But that's just me!
+1:)
anthony,TD...

[anthonyTD]

That track really is rubbish - awful compressed guitar riff nicked from JS Bach. Sorry, but when I hear stuff that I could heve ripped off, I sit here less than impressed.

Still "all sorts" "make" and "world" spring to mind. Although "She does it Right" by decent pub rock band Dr Feelgood rips it to shreds. Is there no room for subtlety any more?

Go Wilko!

1g19OVDVm98

ahhhh,
real music, and spell binding to watch too!
anthony,TD...

[Marco]

Do you really think so?

I love all of the DP albums (before they started flogging dead horses in the '80's) and Machine Head is probably my favourite

I much prefer the very first DP albums, when they were more chilled out and proggy, before they became a full-on heavy rock band, but that's just me ;)

Marco.

[Stratmangler]

I much prefer the very first DP albums, when they were more chilled out and proggy, before they became a full-on heavy rock band, but that's just me ;)

Marco.

Yes they were loud !
Yes they were heavy sounding !
I'd never call them a full on heavy rock band - they used to swing hard like the best of the jazz orchestras.

[Marco]

Hi Chris,

I agree. But the later stuff was certainly much heavier than their earlier proggy material :)

Marco.

[Grez]

Yes they were loud !
Yes they were heavy sounding !
I'd never call them a full on heavy rock band - they used to swing hard like the best of the jazz orchestras.

Lizzy were the best ones for swing. I'd love to hear "The Boys are back in town" done by Jools Holland's Rhythm & Bluse Orchestra with someone like Harry Connick Jnr giving it the full swing treatment on Vocals. It would be amazing.

[DanJennings]

here's a good guitar riff from this century:

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[Welder]

A bit confuzzled here, riff or break and which century are we in?
Oh well, never mind, I’ll just add these to the list.
Blackmoor speed and accuracy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4wpYIaF4wU
Not noted for guitar breaks but this I think is a really beautiful bit of guitar work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iypQvX49M8k&feature=related

[Stratmangler]

Blackmoor speed and accuracy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4wpYIaF4wU


Unfortunately it's not Blackmore.
It's Steve Morse.

[michaelhigh]

Unfortunately it's not Blackmore.
It's Steve Morse.

The bloody American is the bane of Purple nowadays. Give me the brilliance of Blackmore everyday.

[Gbeer7]

What about The Raconteurs - Stead as She goes ? Awesome riff and song IMO.

[Rabid1981]

nevermind guitar riffs, baselines are where its at! funk and rare groove, thats what gets u moving about and tappping ur toes!

my vote would go for a jah-wooble jobbie, think it may have to be careering, but poptones and public image run it close.

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[Jac Hawk]

Hows about da bloos
some great guitar riff's, Santana and John Lee Hooker, cooler than coolZJ1tJpBl1XE

[Rare Bird]

George Formby - My Little Stick Of Blackpool Rock..

[WAD62]

All Time;

Voodoo Chile - Some fellow from Seattle

Recent;

Gunman - Them Crooked Vulture

Formby;

'When I'm cleaning windows' was by far and away his most seminal work