chudenk Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 Rock trio Muse are the greatest riff merchants of the 21st century, music fans said today. The band's 2001 track Plug in Baby - which reached number 11 in the UK singles chart - has been named the best guitar riff of the past decade. And the poll - for Total Guitar magazine - also placed the group, whose guitarist Matt Bellamy created the memorable lines, at number five with Knights Of Cydonia. Total Guitar asked readers to name the ultimate guitar riff of the past 10 years, which is celebrated in a special "monster riffs" edition of the magazine on sale today. Bands such as Green Day, Kasabian, Biffy Clyro, Elbow, Metallica and Red Hot Chili Peppers all made the top 50, which strips out the 60s and 70s acts which often dominate such lists. Last year a poll found that 1968 track Voodoo Child by Jimi Hendrix was the greatest all-time riff. Bellamy's winning riff is deceptively difficult to play, according to the magazine's experts. Stephen Lawson, Editor of Total Guitar magazine said: "I think Muse won because Matt Bellamy is a guitar hero for the 21st century. He's genuinely innovative, a real creative type who comes up with unique guitar parts. I'm sure it helps that his riffs are catchy too. LINK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hat Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 Finally an award that Muse deserves, wrong song though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nohopeinfear Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 Finally an award that Muse deserves, wrong song though SS? Actually I think the monster riff in KoC is just as good Especially live Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hat Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 SS, CE and KoC. I have never really liked the riff in Plug In Baby, but I guess it's better than nothing, they definitely deserve it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mozza Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 SS, CE and KoC. I have never really liked the riff in Plug In Baby, but I guess it's better than nothing, they definitely deserve it. Â I don't really see the fuss about the riff in Knights. Plug In Baby is a worthy winner, that and Hysteria are the few Muse songs that are mega-popular with casuals that I actually enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hat Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 I don't really see the fuss about the riff in Knights. Plug In Baby is a worthy winner, that and Hysteria are the few Muse songs that are mega-popular with casuals that I actually enjoy. Nah, KoC isn't really that special. I was actually gonna say that, but forgot. KoC is still one of the best riffs live for me. The screaming "Come on *random city/country*" and then going into the riff is just amazing. But yeah, I would probably say that SS is their best riff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anxyous Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 The best riff of all time is definitely Heartbreaker by Led Zeppelin IMO... After that it's Bring it on Back by LZ as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackparker Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 PiB deserved #1 but SS, Koc, CE, Newborn, hysteria and bliss are also all worthy of winning! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xbroken_ideals Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 I've always loved that riff, but I think that CE, New Born, SS and KoC all deserved it more than PiB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mozza Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 The best riff of all time is definitely Heartbreaker by Led Zeppelin IMO... After that it's Bring it on Back by LZ as well Well yes that's all well and good but I think the cut off was anything after 2000 for this contest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Fox Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 Bellamy's winning riff is deceptively difficult to play, according to the magazine's experts. I can play it though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riveon Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of the CE riff. Plug in Baby's is definitely better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spark_ Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 Yeah the CE riff isn't that flash. The bridge is better. In terms of riffs... PiB obviously a deserved winner, but New Born, SS and Hysteria in with a shout as well. Live, KoC can make a case. Nah, KoC isn't really that special. I was actually gonna say that, but forgot. KoC is still one of the best riffs live for me. The screaming "Come on *random city/country*" and then going into the riff is just amazing. But yeah, I would probably say that SS is their best riff. Self-contradiction? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LyraSilvertongue Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 I'd say Mk Ultra would be a worthy contender. But I guess more people know Plug In Baby as it's been around a lot longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshyBarth Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 PIB is definitely worthy of winning! its pretty difficult to play too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hat Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 Self-contradiction? A bit, yeah. But it's hard to explain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horcrux Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 They do deserve this, however I like Stockholm Syndrome's riff more than Plug in Baby. Reading some of the comments on the link: The riff is crap. So are they - music for taste-free spods. Have you see ever their audiences at Wembley Stadium? I mean. Jeez. Muse are the most overrated band going. They never did anything really worthwhile after their first record. The list is nonsense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LyraSilvertongue Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 And this one: Heard of Muse, but never heard any of their music - so I listened! Result - OK, but not particularly original. I should think they sound better live! Not particularly original? What planet is this guy on? I'm guessing most of those commenting are 40+ men who love only 'classic' rock from the 70s and think anything from this millennium is automatically crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nohopeinfear Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 And this one: Not particularly original? What planet is this guy on? I'm guessing most of those commenting are 40+ men who love only 'classic' rock from the 70s and think anything from this millennium is automatically crap. Pretty much. I had a convo with someone who listed the usual suspects from the 60s'/70s' as people who really changed music, well to be fair, it's not like they had much competition back then, it was an empty canvas to make whatever the hell they wanted to make. Muse might not be "changing" music, but they're certainly leaving their mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LyraSilvertongue Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 Pretty much. I had a convo with someone who listed the usual suspects from the 60s'/70s' as people who really changed music, well to be fair, it's not like they had much competition back then, it was an empty canvas to make whatever the hell they wanted to make. Muse might not be "changing" music, but they're certainly leaving their mark. Exactly. The Beatles, Stones, whatever made a huge impression on music because they were pretty much the only ones doing what they were doing. Today, there are a million bands doing what Muse are doing but they still manage to stand head head shoulders above the rest, which in a lot of ways must be harder. When everything's been done before, it's more difficult to come up with something that's new and fresh. It annoys me when people harp on about the good old days and dismiss anything new out of hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maximum Kaoss Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 Plug in Baby is the best riff Stockholme Syndrome is awesome too, but they couldn't be bothered trying to spell it in the mag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hat Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 Plug in Baby is the best riff Stockholme Syndrome is awesome too, but they couldn't be bothered trying to spell it in the mag Stockholm* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tofu Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 @Matt Bellamy's Muse and nohopeinfear: I agree, this one time my friend and I happened to be at a music workshop with a bunch of other people, all of whom were older than 40, and they were all talking about how everything after the 80s was crap and I just really wanted to prove them wrong but let it go because it wasn't worth it. Oh well. I mean, I understand if you prefer a certain era, but there's good and bad in every era. Plug in Baby is the best riff Stockholme Syndrome is awesome too, but they couldn't be bothered trying to spell it in the mag ANYWAY I like the Plug in Baby riff, so I'm happy. Apparently KoC won 5th as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LyraSilvertongue Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 @Matt Bellamy's Muse and nohopeinfear: I agree, this one time my friend and I happened to be at a music workshop with a bunch of other people, all of whom were older than 40, and they were all talking about how everything after the 80s was crap and I just really wanted to prove them wrong but let it go because it wasn't worth it. Oh well. I mean, I understand if you prefer a certain era, but there's good and bad in every era. ANYWAY I like the Plug in Baby riff, so I'm happy. Apparently KoC won 5th as well. I'm 39, I remember great music from the late 70s onwards. Doesn't stop me loving new music. There's no excuse for it really. People just get stuck in a rut, maybe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maximum Kaoss Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 Stockholm* I knew that I was in a rush and I have a habit of adding extra e's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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