100 awesome opening guitar riffs! \m/

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1) Neu! - Hero

― Be sure to Loop! Loop, Loop, Loop. (ex machina), Monday, 24 May 2004 11:48 (twenty-two years ago)

What constitutes a riff here?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 24 May 2004 11:51 (twenty-two years ago)

2) Dire Straits - Money For Nothing

― mei (mei), Monday, 24 May 2004 11:53 (twenty-two years ago)

3) This Perfect Day - The Saints

xpost GOD!

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 24 May 2004 11:54 (twenty-two years ago)

3. Slayer - Angel of Death

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Monday, 24 May 2004 11:54 (twenty-two years ago)

5) Focus - Hocus Pocus

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 24 May 2004 11:55 (twenty-two years ago)

6) MC5 - Ramblin' Rose

― lovebug starski, Monday, 24 May 2004 12:04 (twenty-two years ago)

7) Rainbow - Since You've Been Gone

― zebedee (zebedee), Monday, 24 May 2004 12:08 (twenty-two years ago)

8) Black Sabbath - Paranoid

― Be sure to Loop! Loop, Loop, Loop. (ex machina), Monday, 24 May 2004 12:10 (twenty-two years ago)

GnR 'Sweet Child O Mine'

― Robin Goad (rgoad), Monday, 24 May 2004 12:25 (twenty-two years ago)

9)Deep Purple - Space Truckin'

― Michael B, Monday, 24 May 2004 12:29 (twenty-two years ago)

11. Wilco "I'm the Man Who Loves You"

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 24 May 2004 12:44 (twenty-two years ago)

12. Carcass "Carneous Cacoffiny"

― giblets, Monday, 24 May 2004 12:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Manic Street Preachers: 'Slash and Burn'

― Enrique (Enrique), Monday, 24 May 2004 12:50 (twenty-two years ago)

14. Led Zeppelin - "Whole Lotta Love"

― dleone (dleone), Monday, 24 May 2004 12:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Every AC/DC song to thread

― cw28 (cw28), Monday, 24 May 2004 12:56 (twenty-two years ago)

"Mean Streets" -- Van Halen

― cw28 (cw28), Monday, 24 May 2004 12:57 (twenty-two years ago)

17. Teenage Fanclub "Hang On"

― jb, Monday, 24 May 2004 12:58 (twenty-two years ago)

18. siouxsie - monitor

― cutty (mcutt), Monday, 24 May 2004 13:02 (twenty-two years ago)

19. Wire - Ex-Lion Tamer

― Sasha (sgh), Monday, 24 May 2004 13:03 (twenty-two years ago)

20. Gang of Four "Damaged Goods"

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 24 May 2004 13:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Boing! Damaged Goods is sorta like the postpunk "Whole Lotta Love."

― lovebug starski, Monday, 24 May 2004 13:10 (twenty-two years ago)

21: Survivor; Eye of the Tiger

― TheNewJMod (JMod), Monday, 24 May 2004 13:13 (twenty-two years ago)

♥ GOF

― Be sure to Loop! Loop, Loop, Loop. (ex machina), Monday, 24 May 2004 13:19 (twenty-two years ago)

black sabbath sweet leaf / butthole surfers sweat loaf

― simon 803 (simon 803), Monday, 24 May 2004 13:33 (twenty-two years ago)

The only reason I kept going to this one bar here in town is cuz they had Go4 in the jukebox.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 24 May 2004 13:38 (twenty-two years ago)

23(?): Genesis "Return of the Giant Hogweed"

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 24 May 2004 13:39 (twenty-two years ago)

black sabbath - "n.i.b."
black sabbath - "symptom of the universe"
black sabbath - "paranoid"
black sabbath - "black sabbath"

hawkwind - "brainstorm"
hawkwind - "masters of the universe"

the chameleons - "don't fall"

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Monday, 24 May 2004 13:42 (twenty-two years ago)

31. Prince - 'When Doves Cry'
32. Prince - 'Purple Rain'
33. Prince - 'Let's Go Crazy'
34. Cornelius - 'Last Night In Africa' (it's a Zep sample/replay but it opens the song)
35. Michael Jackson - 'Beat It'

― Crickets Dance On Tequila Booty (Barima), Monday, 24 May 2004 13:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Sleep: Jerusalem
Metallica: Damage Inc.
Thin Lizzy: Jailbreak
Black Flag: ALL

― ddb, Monday, 24 May 2004 14:27 (twenty-two years ago)

"Eighties" by Killing Joke.....you FUCKS!
"Supernaut" by Black Sabbath

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Pere Ubu- 30 Seconds over Tokyo
Rolling Stones- Honky Tonk Woman
Lynyrd Skynyrd- Don't Ask Me No Questions
AC/DC- Back in Black

― dialecticbricks (dialecticbricks), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:46 (twenty-two years ago)

"(I'm) Stranded" by the Saints

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:46 (twenty-two years ago)

"Maps" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Blackstreet ft ODB & Slash 'Fix'

808 State 'Cubik'

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:53 (twenty-two years ago)

"Killing An Arab" - The Cure

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:57 (twenty-two years ago)

"The Kiss" - The Cure
"InBetween Days" - The Cure
"Lullaby" - The Cure

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:59 (twenty-two years ago)

"Kennedy" by the Wedding Present
"Wild Flower" by the Cult
"Wild Blue Yonder" by the Screaming Blue Messiahs
"Deuce" by Kiss

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 24 May 2004 15:03 (twenty-two years ago)

46. Depeche Mode -- Personal Jesus

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Monday, 24 May 2004 15:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Amorphis, "Into Hiding"

― jb, Monday, 24 May 2004 15:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Anything by Foghat.

― Leon Lighips, Monday, 24 May 2004 16:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Beatles, "She Said She Said"

Nobody's mentioned BOC yet?

― phil dennison, Monday, 24 May 2004 17:36 (twenty-two years ago)

49. The Chameleons - "Swamp Thing"

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Monday, 24 May 2004 17:38 (twenty-two years ago)

"Thieves" - Ministry

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 24 May 2004 17:39 (twenty-two years ago)

51. the rolling stones - "brown sugar"

― you will be shot (you will be shot), Monday, 24 May 2004 17:40 (twenty-two years ago)

52. Shudder To Think - "9 Fingers On You" (first song that popped into my head)

― Nick Mirov (nick), Monday, 24 May 2004 17:42 (twenty-two years ago)

53: cruiser's creek is basically one long opening riff
54: budgie - crash course in brain surgery

― jake in portland (cerybut), Monday, 24 May 2004 17:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Nobody's mentioned BOC yet?
i'm sorry, that acronym has been usurped.

― zebedee (zebedee), Monday, 24 May 2004 18:01 (twenty-two years ago)

55. Linkin Park - Faint (sh.)
56. Magazine - Shot By Both Sides

Hero already totally won the thread though.

― Fergal (Ferg), Monday, 24 May 2004 18:03 (twenty-two years ago)

57. Television - Friction
58. Chic - Good Times
59. Fall - Fortress Deer Park
60. Funkadelic - Who Says A Funk Band Can't Play Rock?

― Fergal (Ferg), Monday, 24 May 2004 18:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Skipping 25 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

How come the Who's "Can't Explain" isn't on the list?

― deusner, Wednesday, 12 March 2008 21:39 (eighteen years ago)

Walt Mink - "Miss Happiness"

― HI DERE, Wednesday, 12 March 2008 21:43 (eighteen years ago)

Iggy & The Stooges, "Search And Destroy"
Primal Scream, "Movin' On Up"
Gang Of Four, "I Love A Man In Uniform"

― Millsner, Wednesday, 12 March 2008 22:04 (eighteen years ago)

PiL - "Public Image"
Joy Division - "Conquistador"
Creation - "Painterman"
Steely Dan - "Reeling in the Years"

― leavethecapital, Wednesday, 12 March 2008 22:14 (eighteen years ago)

Joy Division - "Conquistador"

Dead Souls?

― Millsner, Wednesday, 12 March 2008 22:27 (eighteen years ago)

Master of Puppets motherfucker

― chap, Wednesday, 12 March 2008 22:29 (eighteen years ago)

Movin' On Up? Seriously?

― Ismael Klata, Wednesday, 12 March 2008 22:31 (eighteen years ago)

Muse, Plug in Baby

― ledge, Wednesday, 12 March 2008 22:32 (eighteen years ago)

Pantera - Shedding Skin
Carcass - Embodiment

― chap, Wednesday, 12 March 2008 22:36 (eighteen years ago)

Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden

― our work is never over, Wednesday, 12 March 2008 22:43 (eighteen years ago)

Movin' On Up? Seriously?

I'm not scared of a little jangle.

― Millsner, Wednesday, 12 March 2008 23:31 (eighteen years ago)

^^ capo ftw there, but I have to agree it's not \m/ but it is killer

How come the Who's "Can't Explain" isn't on the list?

Excellent question. First riff I learned on guitar I think...

― rogermexico., Wednesday, 12 March 2008 23:39 (eighteen years ago)

The Cure - "M"

― LeRooLeRoo, Thursday, 13 March 2008 00:03 (eighteen years ago)

"Feed Me With Your Kiss" - MBV
"Black Math" - White Stripes
"Can't You Hear Me Knocking" - Stones

― Pillbox, Thursday, 13 March 2008 01:13 (eighteen years ago)

"Slow Death" the Flamin' Groovies.
"Tell Me When It's Over" the Dream Syndicate.

― that's not my post, Thursday, 13 March 2008 03:15 (eighteen years ago)

Capt. Beefheart "Safe as Milk" and "Moonlight in Vermont"
Neil Young "Sedan Delivery"
Dick Dale "Shake n' Stomp"
Smashing Pumpkins "Love"
Kyuss "Thumb"
Led Zeppelin "Wearing and Tearing" and "Houses of the Holy"
High on Fire "Blessed Black Wings" and "Anointing of Seer" and "Come Down Hessian"

― Drugs A. Money, Thursday, 13 March 2008 04:14 (eighteen years ago)

also see Death Valley 69

― Drugs A. Money, Thursday, 13 March 2008 04:15 (eighteen years ago)

also see Death Valley 69

NICE.

― myndbloom, Thursday, 13 March 2008 04:32 (eighteen years ago)

thx myndbloom : )

I actually meant The Face of Oblivion (I think that's what it's called) instead of ComeTH Down Hessian. Sorry fer the confusion!

― Drugs A. Money, Thursday, 13 March 2008 04:33 (eighteen years ago)

um...
how soon is now?, the smiths.

― cryfok, Thursday, 13 March 2008 04:50 (eighteen years ago)

Surprised that we haven't seen "This Charming Man" yet, either.

― Millsner, Thursday, 13 March 2008 05:59 (eighteen years ago)

how soon is now?, the smiths.

Epically, epochally awesome.

― rogermexico., Thursday, 13 March 2008 07:14 (eighteen years ago)

And no mention of "One Vision". Surely, even more awesome with those sci-fi effects at the very start, but the riff is brilliant too.

― Geir Hongro, Thursday, 13 March 2008 10:47 (eighteen years ago)

I replayed the whole thread in my head and came to the unexpected conclusion that 'Money for Nothing' is the most awesome of them all. Until I remembered:

T Rex - 20th Century Boy

― Ismael Klata, Thursday, 13 March 2008 11:02 (eighteen years ago)

almost forgot:

Salt "So I Ached"
Clutch "12 Ounce Epilogue"
Pixies "River Euphrates"

― Drugs A. Money, Thursday, 13 March 2008 13:56 (eighteen years ago)

Ted Nugent-Stranglehold

― Bill Magill, Thursday, 13 March 2008 14:21 (eighteen years ago)

Not enough metal on this thread.

― chap, Thursday, 13 March 2008 14:22 (eighteen years ago)

eye of the tiger

― Charlie Howard, Thursday, 13 March 2008 14:27 (eighteen years ago)

Ted Nugent-Stranglehold

played over the PA when the Detroit Tigers were introduced before their home games in the World Series two seasons ago...nearly brought tears to my eyes...

on a BOC tip: "Dominance and Submission"

radios appear!

― henry s, Thursday, 13 March 2008 14:39 (eighteen years ago)

haha 'rock 'n' roll singer' does indeed have the exact same riff as featured in 'wildflower'. hard not to think about astbury howling 'you're an angel, baaabeh!' when you've got that early ac/dc tune going full pelt

― Charlie Howard, Thursday, 13 March 2008 14:52 (eighteen years ago)

"on a BOC tip: "Dominance and Submission""

Nice call

― Bill Magill, Thursday, 13 March 2008 14:55 (eighteen years ago)

'live wire', also from TNT, has a pretty familiar sounding guitar intro too. think it cropped up in some john mellencamp tune. can anyone identify it?

― Charlie Howard, Thursday, 13 March 2008 15:06 (eighteen years ago)

haha 'rock 'n' roll singer' does indeed have the exact same riff as featured in 'wildflower'

I'm also 75% certain that "Edie (Ciao Baby)" is cribbed from Metallica's "Fade To Black"... note that I do not love Billy Duffy any less for any of this.

― rogermexico., Thursday, 13 March 2008 19:42 (eighteen years ago)

Status Quo "Paper Plane"
Music Machine "Talk Talk"

― Elvis Telecom, Thursday, 13 March 2008 21:55 (eighteen years ago)

haha, well 'heart of soul' from ceremony rips of skid row's 'i remember you', too

― Charlie Howard, Thursday, 13 March 2008 23:23 (eighteen years ago)

Joy Division - "Conquistador"

Dead Souls?

Yes, of course!! Brain fart....

― leavethecapital, Friday, 14 March 2008 00:35 (eighteen years ago)

haha, well 'heart of soul' from ceremony rips of skid row's 'i remember you', too

not for nuthin', but DO NOT listen to "Love Removal Machine" within five minutes before or after hearing "Start Me Up"...

― rogermexico., Friday, 14 March 2008 05:10 (eighteen years ago)

haha the cult seem to have a knack for recycling riffs that are well and truly ingrained in the average rock fan's consiousness. at least 'aphrodisiac jacket' (my favourite cut of the album) has a unique and distinctly cult feel to it.

― Charlie Howard, Friday, 14 March 2008 19:30 (eighteen years ago)

Was everyone deliberately trying to avoid "Satisfaction"?

― Jazzbo, Friday, 14 March 2008 19:43 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah. And Jumpin' Jack Flash.

― Ismael Klata, Friday, 14 March 2008 19:44 (eighteen years ago)

You've Got My Number - Undertones
Paranoid - The Dickies *casts*
Shot By Both Sides _ Magazine
Reign In blood - Slayer

And about nine billion more

― Fer Ark, Friday, 14 March 2008 21:54 (eighteen years ago)

two months pass...

electric funeral!
trouble - come touch the sky
megadeth - holy wars... the punishment due

― Charlie Howard, Wednesday, 21 May 2008 15:17 (eighteen years ago)

Saw X last night, so "Johnny Hit and Run Pauline."
And it's funny how there's no Chuck Berry mentioned.

― Jazzbo, Wednesday, 21 May 2008 15:21 (eighteen years ago)

Tygers of Pan Tang - The Story So Far

― gnarly sceptre, Wednesday, 21 May 2008 15:24 (eighteen years ago)

And my BOC choice: Transmaniacon MC

― gnarly sceptre, Wednesday, 21 May 2008 15:25 (eighteen years ago)

Or maybe 7 Screaming Diz-Busters.

― gnarly sceptre, Wednesday, 21 May 2008 15:38 (eighteen years ago)

g'n'r - welcome to the jungle

― 6335, Wednesday, 21 May 2008 16:06 (eighteen years ago)

possibly my favorite opening riff ever

― 6335, Wednesday, 21 May 2008 16:06 (eighteen years ago)

Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love

― kingkongvsgodzilla, Wednesday, 21 May 2008 16:12 (eighteen years ago)

megadeth - this was my life

― Charlie Howard, Wednesday, 21 May 2008 16:30 (eighteen years ago)

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