Noughtie: My Favourite Riffs

Overall Favourite Artists | Best of 2000 | Overall Least Favourite Artists | Best of 2001

Where Are They Now? | Best of 2002 | Best New Artists | Best of 2003 | My Guilty Pleasures
Best of 2004 | My Favourite Riffs | Best of 2005 | Underrated Artists | Best of 2006
 My Favourite Albums | Best of 2007 | Best Videos | Best of 2008 | Most Important Artists
Best of 2009 | 100 Favourite Songs of the Decade | 100 Most Important Songs of the Decade

Here we are, Part 11 of the Noughtie series. In chapters, this is the halfway point of the series, but the last two parts are going to be very long, so in days, we're no where near finished! Anyway, here's an interesting listing for you, where I talk about my 10 favourite guitar riff songs. This isn't to say they are the best, but that I love them the most. These are different riffs with different sounds, a nice variety. If you're a fan of the guitar, and have not heard some of these songs, I'd recommend you give them a listen. I've got six videos for six of the entries below, for ease. Anyway, let's go!

10. "Hash Pipe" by Weezer

As I said, I didn't claim best, but favourites. I love this riff, and I love the "uh" noises that work with the riff too. Hash Pipe is a cracker of a track, it's my favourite Weezer song. The video is good too. Weezer really did shine with this song, it's a shame it's not as popular as other tracks by the band.

9. "Bad Things" by Jace Everett

Yes I'm a True Blood fan. It's pretty much guaranteed that you are if you've heard this song before. I love the guitar in this song, the first guitar strums that bring you into the song, the guitar solo, everything. It's a killer track. Not a True Blood fan? Never heard this song? Here it is below:

8. "Beast and the Harlot" by Avenged Sevenfold

If you're a metal fan, I'd be amazed if you've not heard this song. It's featured on Guitar Hero 2 as well. The entire song, the guitars are just brilliant. I love the main riff as well, it's some great work by this band. I don't really know what else to say, apart from shame on you if you've not heard it!

7. "Shinobi vs Dragon Ninja" by Lostprophets

I don't claim to be a huge Lostprophets song but one thing is for sure is that they really got hold of a killer riff with this song, a riff that hasn't even come close to being rectified. While they're off trying to keep up with the emo bandwagon, this song remains as awesome as ever, remaining their best song, probably not going to be beat anytime soon.

6. "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes

Chances are, this is the most memorably riff of the decade. If this was an unbiased list, I'd probably place this at number 1. It's just so easy, so memorable, it just clicks. Jack White can play very difficult guitar riffs, he's a phenomenal guitarist, yet how ironic that his most famous song will be one of his simplest riffs?

5. "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" by The Queens of the Stone Age

I'd put the music video up... but it's NSFW. So this is just the song with the album cover in the background. The riff from this song is another simple one but fuck me, it kicks ass. Not as much as the guitar riff at 1:02 mind. That is a ridiculous piece of guitaristry (new word, if it gets into the dictionary I'd like you to at least credit me for it) right there. I love this song so much, it's one of my favourites by this fantastic band.

4. "Grounds for Divorce" by Elbow

This song was a sleeper hit on me. I never really paid much attention to it when it came out. Then it got put on some adverts and I kinda thought it sounded cool. Then not too long ago, I remembered it and started playing it a lot. Man, this song really kicks ass. The riff is just gorgeous, and pretty much serves as a chorus for the song.

3. "Keine Lust" by Rammstein

This is probably the heaviest riff on the listing. Being a huge fan of industrial metal, the guitar riff in this song will just blow your ears off with those machine guitars. The song is about a premonition for the future, when the band retire they'll just become lazy and fat. The video for this song represents this and is fantastic, with the band all huge and fat (apart from the keyboard who apparently doesn't eat much). It's great. Anyway, the riff for this song is just fantastic, as I said, if you like industrial metal.

2. "Romantic Rights" by Death From Above 1979

This is one of my favourite songs of the decade. You will see it very high in the biased Top 100 list that will be posted later on in the series. If you have not heard this song, seriously, listen to the song below. Yes, that's a base. That's a fucking base. How the fuck is he making that noise with a base?! It's just amazing this song, it truly is. I love the guitar in this song, I love that riff. It's so innovative. I told you in a previous listing that they have reunited, I really hope they make more songs like this, it's just awesome. By the way, I can't actually find the music video on Youtube, if you have it, let me know. They have "the making of" but not the actual video. What's up with that?!

1. "New Born" by Muse

It's hard choosing one Muse song it really is. I was close to choosing "Knights of Cydonia", but the main riff from this song just pips ahead. Man, the guitar riff on 1:04, is just, in my opinion, one of the best guitar riffs of all time. My ears just melt when I hear it. There's a reason why Matt Bellamy is considered the decade's best guitarist, this song being one of them. Say what you want about Muse, but there's no denying the talent Matt Bellamy has as a guitarist. Sorry, it's just not even under dispute.

I hope you enjoyed this listing, paying homage to some of rock's best guitar riffs. If there's songs on here that you've not heard before and like the sound of, you're welcome. So, what are your favourite guitar riffs of the decade? I'll be back on Thursday, starting off the second half of the decade mixtapes, with 2005.