Catchy Riffs???!!!!

Where have the catchy riffs gone from hard rock?

I mean call me what you will but in my opinion, what makes a song memorable and a classic is a riff that you can immediately attribute to that song. Enter Sandman from metallica for example, or Toxicity from System of a Down, Scar Tissue by the Chili Peppers are all overt examples of where a catchy riff has played a huge part in making that song the way it is.

I mean think for example Black Sabbath - Iron Man! what is that song without that riff??

I was listening to the new chili peppers album and i couldn spot a single catchy riff, was listening to some tool songs my friend told me to download, no catchy riffs there either. It's just powerchords, or really fast solo's (even solo's are out!).

Are hard rock songs becoming way to simple and too unoriginal ? I hate to be stuck in the past but a catchy riff makes a classic in my mind and if hard rock songs are getting simpler will they end up as just one chord played over and over again whilst an emo singer passed off as a metal god scream about how crap his life is?

I think that the riff is slowly, but surely, making a comeback. In the underground rock and heavy metal scene, bands like CKY, Trivium, Clutch, Five Horse Johnson, Fireball Ministry, Lamb of God, Shadows Fall, and a great number of others are enjoying great success in their efforts to bring the riff into the twenty-first century, supported by those members of the old guard (Maiden, Priest, Megadeth, Queensryche) who are still going strong. Even in the mainstream, bands like Nickelback are making guitar riffs increasingly central to their music, while there is also a wave of retro bands like Wolfmother, Jet etc. who are harking back to the '70s tradition of songwriting.

sounds good, was worried for a second. i think some more melodic riffs would be awesome too, love em or hate em system of a down have some pretty awesome middle eastern soundin riffs. I heard that trivium are tryin to be like metallica or somn, but i guess thats not all bad.

I'm waitin for the big albums this year, the new 'tallica one (bye bye bob rock), new offspring one, new maiden one etc, should be excitin. chili peppers one slightly dissapointing but it mite grow on me.

Plus, there's going to be a new Megadeth album next year! Also, check out "Operation:Mindcrime II" by Queensryche if you haven't already - it's more modern than anything else they've done, but it still makes room for sophisticated themes, intense solos, and of course, rockin' riffs!

The thing is nobody is trying to make music anymore. They're trying to make money. And as easily as possible. Most of these new "artists" probably don't know what a riff is. Just lay down some simple chord progression and whine about your crap life, and you're a hit.

Originally Posted by: acapellaThe thing is nobody is trying to make music anymore. They're trying to make money. And as easily as possible. Most of these new "artists" probably don't know what a riff is. Just lay down some simple chord progression and whine about your crap life, and you're a hit.

Then have the entire music scene outside of the Emo kids make fun of you for it...

I think metal is starting to slowly come back around from what was the '90s rock... which was basically all derived from the grunge movement of the early '90s.... simply power chord progressions and no solos... Now more and more bands are riffing and starting to add solos in to their songs... I think things are starting to revert more to the true roots of metal and guitar music...

i think part of the problem here is how music has evolved. i think another word for "catchy" tune is "poppy" tune. pop used to be cool, but these days people are stretching to not be "poppy", or trendy. im sure eventually "catchy" and "not poppy" will combine again. its probably just a phase our anti trendy musical leaders are currently going through

maybe people are so obsessed with trying to be non commercial that they are being anti-commercial. i mean lets face it there are a lot of crappy commercial artists but u noe what, kick me for sayin this, but there are AMAZING artists that have commercial success well because they are amazing! it's not all satan and michael jackson.

Satan and Michael Jackson!?!? That made me larf right out loud. I'm afraid I can't rep you yet, spreading it around and all that. But I owe you one!

Originally Posted by: jiujitsu_jesusI think that the riff is slowly, but surely, making a comeback. In the underground rock and heavy metal scene, bands like CKY, Trivium, Clutch, Five Horse Johnson, Fireball Ministry, Lamb of God, Shadows Fall...

Don't forget Scissorfight, Blood Duster and Artimus Pyledriver.

Originally Posted by: suicidalmoose was listening to some tool songs my friend told me to download, no catchy riffs there either. It's just powerchords, or really fast solo's (even solo's are out!).

Are hard rock songs becoming way to simple and too unoriginal ? I hate to be stuck in the past but a catchy riff makes a classic in my mind and if hard rock songs are getting simpler will they end up as just one chord played over and over again whilst an emo singer passed off as a metal god scream about how crap his life is?

I don't believe that Tool has ever attempted to fit into any specific category... whether it be metal, hard rock, prog, or pop... They've never really sank into one genre. The closest you can come to generally describe them is hard rock... but I garauntee that 70% of people that like modern "hard rock" won't like them........ Some genres embrace the riff... but some genres there just isn't a place for them. I love Tool... if you want a lot of riffing check out Chevelle... every single one of there songs is riffed out. It's amazing to see Pete play live too because some of the riffs are pretty crazy to play while singing... But the point to my post is that Tool... along with RHC aren't bands known to chug out riffs like Metallica... or Megadeth would... they're a lot more free form rock... more prog than anything else.

well red hot chili peppers have in pretty much every album since blood suga sex magic pumped out catchy riffs in a lot of their songs, its wats made their songs catchy.

if i played the first 5 seconds of under the bridge or californication or zephyr song or road tripping ppl would usually immediately be able to guess wat the song is. kinda makes u feel special when they go omg i know that song!

i'm not saying catchy is what it's all about, i just miss the classics is all, i like songs that are memorable for their guitar riffs. i'm finding some of the non-riffy songs nowadays so unmemorable. whether you listen to music for it to be memorable or not is another question, but i think in the music that i create in the future i'll try and create songs that aren't necessarily mainstream, but are individual in the sense that they are immediately recognizable and distinguishable from their guitar riffs.

Originally Posted by: RaskolnikovDon't forget Scissorfight, Blood Duster and Artimus Pyledriver.

Damn right Artimus Pyledriver.....We opened up for them in Atlanta at The Alley Cat this past April 1st and bringing them to Columbia this summer. They are some really cool guys...we've played a few shows with them. They do riff it up...

2 other bands that riff it up: Clutch and Stuck Mojo.

And there's always Symphony X, as well. I personally find the lyrics derivative and boring, but some of the guitar riffs are really badass! :cool:

yer not a fan of symphony x at all, one of my friends who's a music snobb and thinks that anything that wasn't made 10 or more years ago is crap likes symphony x, i dunno good guitar - but it's missing a lot for me.

have you not heard the new deep purple album rapture of the deep? just about every track on the album has more than 'catchy' riffs and there are also some fairly good solos included, i'd reccommend it to anyone.
On the subject of purple, is anyone else going to monsters of rock at milton keynes this year?? It's gonna be a beast!

Originally Posted by: holy diver
On the subject of purple, is anyone else going to monsters of rock at milton keynes this year?? It's gonna be a beast!

No, but I might be going to see Purple over here the week after next... :cool:

Wolfmother i think are belting out some mean riffs! Dunno how big they are outside aus yet but i definatly have a lot of respect for them! I agree that chili peppers still know how to write a catchy song though! Love the new cd! I am very interested to hear the Smashing Pumpkins also. All through high school i only listened to SP, Nirvana and RHCP!

Originally Posted by: InbetweenDaysWolfmother

They have landed here in the US. I've heard of them about 6-9 months or so ago... I'm really into underground music though...especially the movement of decent bands from outside of the US into the US... But yeah, they're a pretty solid band. They might just bring back the old school Zeppelin style... who knows?

had a bit of trouble getting in to wolfmother but maybe it just needs to warm to me. i miss music that just kicks me in the ass and says listen to me i'm amazing, not just plays in my earphones and i go "well it's well made, and it kinda sounds like so and so". Like the song that you listen too and you have to listen to it again cause you couldn't take it all in. That's what the entire master of puppets album felt like to me.