Some songs have riffs that are so iconic, they’re instantly recognizable for even the most casual of music listeners. You might find yourself singing the riff, rather than the words! 

Check out this list of what we think are some of the most memorable riffs of all time. 

“Back in Black” – AC/DC 

 “Back in Black” was AC/DC’s tribute to their former singer, Bon Scott, who died suddenly in the same year the album was released. It was AC/DC’s first album with Scott’s replacement, Brian Johnson. 

Purple Haze

One of The Hendrix Experience’s best known songs, “Purple Haze” features Jimi Hendrix’s use of his signature chords and a blend of blues and Eastern modalities.

Sweet Child o’ Mine

Famously, Guns ‘n Roses guitarist Slash came up with the riff for “Sweet Child O’ Mine” as a joke, playing what he called “a circus melody” during a jam session warm up. Lead singer Axl Rose wrote lyrics for the song by the next day.

“Smells Like Teen Spirit” – Nirvana

Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain said that “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was a result of trying to write a song that sounded like The Pixies. When I heard the Pixies for the first time, I connected with that band so heavily that I should have been in that band—or at least a Pixies cover band,” Cobain told Rolling Stone in 1994. “ We used their sense of dynamics, being soft and quiet and then loud and hard.”

“Crazy Train” – Ozzy Osbourne

Guitarist Greg Leon (Motley Crue/Quiet Riot) said he helped Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist, Randy Rhoads, come up with the riff for “Crazy Train” after showing him the riff for “Swington” by Steve Miller.  “I said: ‘Look what happens when you speed this riff up.’ We messed around, and the next thing I know he took it to a whole other level and end up writing the ‘Crazy Train’ riff”, Leon said in a 2012 biography on Rhoads.

“Killing in the Name” – Rage Against the Machine 

RATM guitarist Tom Morello wrote this iconic drop D riff while giving a guitar student a lesson in Drop D tuning. He told Triple J in 2009 that he briefly paused the lesson to go record it. 

“Seven Nation Army” – The White Stripes

White Stripes singer and guitarist Jack White wrote the riff that would become “Seven Nation Army” while on tour in Australia. White originally wanted to save the riff in case he ever was called on to write a song for a James Bond movie – but thinking that the chances were slim, he incorporated it into a White Stripes song instead. Five years later, he did write a song for a Bond movie (“Another Way to Die” with Alicia Keys).

“All Right Now” – Free

English band Free’s drummer, Simon Kirke, said that their hit “All Right Now” was written following a lackluster gig. “. We finished our show and walked off the stage to the sound of our own footsteps. The applause had died before I had even left the drum riser,” Kirke told a newspaper in 2008.. It was obvious that we needed a rocker to close our shows.”

“Beat It” – Michael Jackson

Jackson and producer Quincy Jones tapped Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen to add a guitar solo for a “rock song” for Thriller. The resulting riff is not only “fire” for how cool it is – according to a 2010 BBC piece on Jones, while Van Halen was recording his solo, the sound of his guitar caused the control room’s monitor speaker to catch fire. “This must be really good!” one of the sound engineers exclaimed.

“No One Knows” – Queens of the Stone Age

According to Queen of the Stone Age founding member Josh Homme, although the song “No One Knows” came out in 2002, the song’s iconic riff was created about five years prior. “We have patience with music, a year or five years down the road it may kind of rewrite itself and become what it’s supposed to be,” Homme said in a 2005 biography of the band.

“Can’t Stop” – Red Hot Chili Peppers

RHCP guitarist John Frusciante utilizes a reggae style – strumming only on the upbeat – during the bridge of this 2002 hit.

“Alive” – Pearl Jam

The riff for Pearl Jam’s debut single predates the formation of the band. Guitarist Stone Gossard, who was then playing in a band called Mother Love Bone, wrote the music for the song, which was then called “Dollar Short”. The band unfortunately dissolved following the overdose death of Mother Love Bone frontman Andrew Wood. Gossard, bandmate Jeff Ament and guitarist Mike McCreedy recorded the song along with four other tracks on a demo in hopes of finding a singer and drummer. Vocalist Eddie Vedder, who was then working as a security guard, got a hold of the tape, recorded some vocals, and sent it back to the band in Seattle. The rest is rock history. 

“Walk This Way” – Aerosmith

“Walk This Way” was created during a soundcheck, while Aerosmith was opening for The Guess Who in Honolulu in 1974. Guitarist Joe Perry was fooling around with riffs, and singer Steven Tyler began scatting over the groove. They had the basics of a song by the time soundcheck was over. 

“Sunshine of Your Love” – Cream

Cream bassist Jack Bruce wrote the riff that would become the basis for “Sunshine of Your Love” after seeing Jimi Hendrix perform.  “I don’t think Jack [Bruce] had really taken him in before … and when he did see it that night, after the gig he went home and came up with the riff,” Cream guitarist Eric Clapton told Rolling Stone in 1988. “It was strictly a dedication to Jimi. And then we wrote a song on top of it.”

It’s easy to dismiss superstitious beliefs – Stevie Wonder famously sang about it in one of the catchiest songs of all time. However, performing a ritual before a stressful task – like playing a sold-out show, for example – can actually help alleviate anxiety, helping promote a good performance, a study by Harvard Business Review found. 

During the study, researchers conducted four experiments during which the participants performed a ritual before completing stressful tasks, which included singing “Don’t Stop Believing” for an audience and taking a math test. 

They concluded that performing a “ritual” before a high-stakes situation can ease feelings of anxiety, allowing the ritual-performer to do better on the task. 

Many famous musicians have pre-show rituals to help them perform their best. Here are some of them: 

The Rolling Stones

Don’t touch Keith Richards’ Shepherd’s Pie! The legendary Rolling Stones guitarist has a rule that he must have a pre-show Shepherd’s Pie (an English pub favorite) and that he’s the one who breaks the crust. “Nobody touches the pie till I’ve been in there,” Richards wrote in his 2010 autobiography Life.  “Don’t bust my crust, baby.”

Led Zeppelin 

Led Zeppelin was famous for their hard-partying antics during the band’s heyday – but the remaining members have calmed down a bit. During their reunion show in 2007, lead singer Robert Plant requested a special spot to iron his shirts. He explained that the task of ironing his own shirts helps to get him into the mood to perform. 

Foo Fighters

These rockers get ready for a show by listening to Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall album and downing some Jager bombs (aka “David Lee Roth juice”), lead singer Dave Grohl said in 2007. 

Coldplay

The British band has a quiet moment and a group hug together before they perform. Lead singer Chris Martin has some additional rituals of his own, including brushing his teeth. “For me, there are about 18 things I have to do before I can go out to perform—most of them are too ridiculous to repeat!” Martin told Clash Music in 2009. 

Taylor Swift

Triskaidekaphobia, where? Any true Swiftie knows that Taylor’s lucky number is 13, and the singer/songwriter used to write the number on her hand or body before each performance. She doesn’t appear to do this ritual anymore – but she now has the most number one albums by a woman in history, so maybe it worked! 

Mumford & Sons

Before a show, the members of Mumford & Sons light some palo santo wood, a type of wood native to South America and used in ritual purification there. Lead singer Marcus Mumford has said that the fumes of palo santo seem to be the only thing that can help his pre-show headaches. 

Leonard Cohen 

The late singer/songwriter used to prepare for shows with a whiskey and a Latin phrase – “Pauper sum ego, nihil habeo”, meaning  “I am poor, I have nothing.”

Do you have a pre-show ritual? Let us know what it is in the comments! 

In this new series, we’re introducing you to the Fret Zealot instructors! Fret Zealot has dozens of teachers with unique backgrounds and styles, so that you can find the one who’s right for you. 

Name: Andre Von Berlo

Check out some of Andre’s lessons and courses below! 

Time After Time 

Here Without You 

Heading out to jam with friends, play an open mic, or perform at a gig?

Don’t leave without taking these four items with you: 

Guitar pick 

Guitar picks are so tiny, they’re easy to forget – but you don’t want to have to strum without it! Most guitarists have a specific type of pick they prefer, so make sure you have the type of pick you like the best with you before you leave. Always leave an extra pick or two inside of your guitar case. 

Tuner

Being in tune is crucial to sounding your best, and meshing with other musicians. Make sure your guitar kit includes a tuner – you can buy a clip-on version, or use the tuning function in the Fret Zealot app. 

If you’re playing in alternate tunings, the Fret Zealot app has every tuning available – right in the app! 

Capo

A guitar capo is especially useful if you’re playing with a singer and need to easily transpose the key of a song. It’s a clamp that goes onto the guitar neck to act as a “barre”, raising the pitch of the strings.

Guitar strap

Playing with a guitar strap will make it easier to stand up while you’re playing. It will stabilize the guitar against your body so that you can focus on playing, and not worry about accidentally dropping your instrument. 

@fret_zealot Don’t leave home without these! #Guitar #GuitarTok #Guitarist #Musician #FretZealot #stereotypes ♬ original sound – Fret Zealot