5 Guitar Riffs That Summed Up an Entire Era of Alt-Rock

The ’90s were the age in which Alt-Rock began its rise, but it was the early 2000s when it began to find its most defining moments.

Musicians raised on ’70s rock and early grunge began pumping out riffs of their own, and it made for some truly incredible tunes. (It also made for a slew of cookie-cutter, one-hit wonders, but that’s not what here to talk about!)

Scroll down for a list of the most distinctive and beloved guitar riffs that comprehensively define the 2000s era of Alt-Rock…

“Hash Pipe” – Weezer

It had been five years since Weezer had released their fan-loved album Pinkerton when the band dropped their self-titled third album, widely known as The Green Album, in 2001.

While the band’s first album — also self-titled but known as The Blue Album — certainly put them on the map, and Pinkerton solidified them as indie heroes, it was The Green Album that made them rock stars, and a big reason for that is their riff-heavy first single, “Hash Pipe.”

To this day, when that unmistakable riff kicks off, just chugging on like some soft-thrash, there’s nothing you can do but just headbang.

“No One Knows” – Queens of the Stone Age

Like a fuzzy nursery rhyme cadence, Queens of the Stone Age’s “No One Knows” bopped its way into our brains way back in 2002, putting the band squarely on the map where they belonged and have remained since (but you should also be listening to their first few albums, which flew under the mainstream radar initially).

“Last Night” – The Strokes

The Strokes were a crucial part of early ’00s culture, regardless of what anyone tries to tell you. Before influencing music, fashion, and almost single-handedly inspiring a generation of apathetic millennials, the New York band burst onto the scene with “Last Night,” a song you would believe was a vintage cover if you didn’t know any better.

Like an announced blend of The Who and Tom Petty, play “Last Night” on the TouchTunes next time you’re in a bar and watch how every 40-something gets drunkenly excited as soon as that Pete Townshend-esque riff begins.

“Are You Gonna Be My Girl” – Jet

It may not get more “feel good” than Jet’s quintessential 2003 jam “Are You Gonna Be My Girl.” The song has this retro vibe with a truly remarkable riff that will still get your foot tapped and your head bobbing.

“Seven Nation Army” – The White Stripes

This is it. This is THE ONE. The God of 2000 Alt-Rock riffs. The Alpha and the Omega.

(“But that song starts with drum and bass, so it’s not technically a ‘guitar riff.’” To quote “Baby Billy” Freeman: “Go outside, nerd! I ain’t got time for your worthless chime-ins!”)

Jack White’s riff on “Seven Nation Army” is so iconic that not only is it a defining moment for the late ’90s – early ’00s rock, but I dare you to conjure a song in the past 25 years that is comparable in terms of recognition and continued relevance.