Modern Epic Riffs

[New Damage]

So back in the day there were songs like 'Sweet Child O' Mine', 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', 'Iron Man', 'Walk This Way', 'Smoke on the Water' and 'Sunshine of your Love' to name just a few songs which have given us instantly recognisable riffs known the world over. Riffs that have in some cases become more famous than the song.

But what songs/riffs from the last 8 years or so could one day possibly reach that status? Post ones that in say a decade or so from now could have the same status.

For me, these are candidates.

'Cochise' - Audioslave

'Learn To Fly' / 'Best Of You' / 'The Pretender' - Foo Fighters

'No One Knows' - QOTSA

There are several others I could imagine getting that status, but wouldn't be mainstream enough, not even in the future (such as Black Stone Cherry or Shinedown).

So, yours?

Note: I guess this can also serve a purpose of wanting to find new riff driven music similar to those mentioned.

[lari]

"Morphine Child" by Savatage

[Dingle]

"Morphine Child" by Savatage

Really?

I'd say it'd end up being indie tracks like Propane Nightmares (Pedulum, the synthy dance-y bridge), Chelsea Dagger (horrid song, well known riff), Helicopter is rather well known for it's riff I believe. Oh and the Kaiser CHief's song that starts PES08, that is awesome.

[NobBe Nobbs]

I still can't get my head around what qualifies as a riff and what doesn't, but the bass intro to Hysteria is pretty impressive, although it's probably not the sort of thing this topic is talking about

[Liam]

Muse's 'Plug In Baby' intro into subsequent riff should be more highly thought of.

I agree with Jouzy about some of the songs he mentions. Oh, and 'No One Knows' to some extent.

[Synjynpsychobitch]

Spread Your love - BRMC

[Crybaby Bunting]

I'm confused where exactly the riffs in those Foo Fighters songs are? Isn't it more a progression of chords that are the standout parts?

And Breakout would easily beat them Foos songs, and possibly Monkey Wrench. They're simple but really addictive

[METALMAN]

None of those Foos songs really have riffs as such.

Priestess are pretty riff driven. Songs like Living Like A Dog and Lay Down have good riffs.

There's loads I'm sure but I can't really think of any. When The Sun Goes Down by Arctic Monkeys could qualify to some extent.

[Farmer Reil]

Dunno how 'popular' these are, if they'd be 'popular' enough to be considered epic riffs or whatever (except the first two, shame on you all for overlooking the White Stripes ). But these are the ones that stick in my head:

Seven Nation Army, and Icky Thump.

Iced Earth's 1776. (dundundun duh! dundundun duh! duh duh-duh-duh duh duh)

Mastodon - Blood And Thunder. (duh, duh-duh, duh-duh, duh-duh, duh-duh duh, duh-duh duh, duh-duh-duh-duh-duh)

Wintersun - Beyond The Dark Sun. (do... dododo. Do... dodo dododododo *wankery*. Repeat)

Kamelot - March of Mephisto (duuuh duh duh duh duh, duuuuhhh duh duh duh duh, duhhh duhhh duh duh, duh duh duh duh-duh.)

Also, despite it not being a guitar riff really (though it is played by a guitar, you don't really notice ¬_¬), Trollhammaren deserves a mention! I'm not even going to try and type it though, it didn't work too well even for the easy ones

Edited August 12, 2008 by Farmer Reil

[NobBe Nobbs]

Oh jesus, Seven Nation Army qualifies like crazy. Not Icky Thump though.

[New Damage]

Ah yes, Seven Nation Army, it escapes my mind because I'm not a fan of the song, but I do agree with its inclusion.

Also, 'Woman' by Wolfmother, although I presume they're gonna fade into obscurity now they've broken up. Perhaps 'Are You Gonna Be My Girl' by jet is one too.

[Synjynpsychobitch]

This is farther back than 8 yrs, but one of the best riff's I've heard in my lifetime (other than Welcome to the Jungle), hands down, is Marilyn Manson's The Beautiful People.

Edited August 12, 2008 by Synjynpsychobitch

[Dingle]

I agree with The Beautiful People. I was thinking the songs that would qualify (fully agree with Seven Nation Army) would be riffs that you can easily identify as soon as it comes on, and have quite a decent amount of popularity regardless of it's genre. It kinda limits a lot of genre's because some are too heavy, or some are too gay, but yeah. I probably wouldn't recognise most of Reilly's metal stuff, because it's metal >_>.

Some other things I'd throw in because of their popularity and are easily identifiable; BYOB and Chop Suey by System of a Down (BYOB maybe not so much, I'm not sure how well known it is), Killing in the Name would easily be there (and it hasn't been mentioned yet, but it is from 1992), throw in By The Way and Californication by the Chilli's, oh and for Foo Fighters, I'd probably say that All My Life would be a more well known riff (opening riff at least) and I definately agree with Liam on Muse - Plug In Baby, I'd add Time Is Running Out too.

[New Damage]

Talking of Muse, sure the ultimate one is Knights of Cydonia? Especailly with the Guitar Hero boost and all. I, not knowingly at least, haven't heard the other Muse songs mentioned.

Were it ever released as a single, I'd mention 'Hollywood' by Nickelback off Silver Side Up, but alas, it wasn't http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bwm84CDNVMs that is a prime candidate.

EDT: I just remembered, Numb (and Numb/Encore) by Linkin Park. As much as I dislike them, that is instantly recognizable, not really a guitar driven riff, but still.

A couple of Shinedown songs have potential, just whether they can break into the mainstream is the thing. Songs like 'Devour', 'Sound of Madness', 'Atmosphere', 'Heroes' and 'Fly From the Outside' could do it.

I guess the thread asks another question; if the Beatles were the biggest band of the '60s, Guns N' Roses of the late '80s, Nirvana the early '90s, then who could be the biggest band now? It just doesnt seem like we've had any major standouts like that for ages. Sadly, it'll probably end up being Coldplay.

Edited August 13, 2008 by TheModernWay

[livid]

They're not well known but pretty much anything High on Fire, especially "Commeth Down Hessian".

That is all.

[Dingle]

If you watch music channels or listen to the radio you are going to have heard Time Is Running Out, not a great song by any means, but it's had a lot of airplay, same for Hysteria, but I'd think Time Is Running Out has had more airplay. Knights of Cydonia doesn't have that as far as I know, and I've only seen the video on television once, could juyst be me, but it doesn't seem to be as popular at all. Although, with that said, Supermassive Black Hole is probably their most well known song, so heh.

Edited August 13, 2008 by Devil In Jouzy City

[lari]

Okay, maybe with the Savatage one I was going too much in the direction of 'epic' and not towards 'distinguishable riff'.

(crap quality live footage, but there's no promo video for the song)

But here's a good one -

by Mustasch

[Crybaby Bunting]

Crush 'Em would probably have qualified if it wasn't such an old riff.

I've just remembered Porcupine Tree's Fear of a Blank Planet, it has some excelent riffs but would probably be too long or unknown to make the list

[Farmer Reil]

Another one that will doubtless be laughed at, but deserves just as much of a mention: Shinobi vs. Dragon Ninja by lostprophets.

In Flames - Bullet Ride

Also, can't believe I forgot to mention The Unbeliever by Edguy .

Disturbed - Down With The Sickness?

Apocalyptica - Life Burns

Edited August 13, 2008 by Farmer Reil

[supergrass]

Of all the Muse riffs 'Stockholm Syndrome' is my favourite - which goes for the entire song too. Other favourites would be 'Death On The Stairs' by The Libertines, 'Men's Needs' by The Cribs and the outro of 'Midnight Surprise' by Lightspeed Champion.