Among rock fans, I’m sure many of you listen especially for the guitar.
After all, the guitar is the star of the band, and your ears naturally gravitate toward it, right? In particular, songs with striking, cool guitar riffs right from the intro are the very essence of rock.
In this article, we’ll introduce a wide range of songs with awesome guitar intros, mixing Western and Japanese tracks.
You’ll find not only catchy, singable riffs, but also simple, powerful songs driven by strummed chords.
It’s a must-see song list for not just guitarists, but rock fans in general.
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[Across Japanese and Western music] Supreme guitar riffs: songs with cool intros (1–10)
Smells Like Teen SpiritNirvana
It’s just four power chords played rough, and yet why is it so cool? This is a masterpiece among masterpieces that thrust the legendary band Nirvana—who changed the rock scene from the 1990s onward—onto the world stage.
The band themselves didn’t seem too happy that the song became so famous, but there’s no question the intro riff alone sent shockwaves around the globe.
Stripped to the extreme, and that’s exactly why it’s an ultimate, ultra-cool iconic phrase.
Back In BlackAC/DC
This is the title track from the monster album Back in Black, which recorded an astonishing 50 million copies sold.
Needless to say, the guitar riffs AC/DC has created are some of the most iconic performances in the history of heavy metal and hard rock.
The riff that opens this song is packed with that instantly recognizable AC/DC flair.
The chord progression is extremely simple, yet the faint hint of blues in it showcases Angus Young’s signature taste.
PearlTHE YELLOW MONKEY
When talking about Japan’s rock scene, you can’t leave out THE YELLOW MONKEY, known as The Yemon.
Their breakup in 2004 and reunion in 2016 created a huge buzz.
For listeners who followed their activities in real time from their formation in 1988 up to the breakup, just hearing the intro of this song probably makes something hot surge up from within.
The fact that a single stroke of a power chord can be this cool—it’s something you can’t help but admire.
Pink Spiderhide with Spread Beaver
You can tell how great this song is from the fact that so many young bands and artists cover it.
Released in 1998 under the name hide with Spread Beaver, it’s a masterpiece packed with hide’s cutting-edge talent and charm.
The cool intro phrase, featuring striking guitar work that makes extensive use of effects, incorporates elements typical of ’90s alternative rock and industrial, and results in a world-class sound that also conveys hide’s signature playfulness.
Guerrilla RadioRage Against The Machine
Guitarist Tom Morello is known for his wildly inventive style and has left many performances that practically redefine what the guitar can be, yet he has also created a wealth of simple, insanely cool riffs.
Featured on the classic 1999 album The Battle of Los Angeles, this track—one of Rage’s signature songs—makes a powerful impact from its very first intro riff.
It’s a guitar line for the ages, brilliantly fusing old-school hard rock elements with the groove-centered sensibilities that came to the fore from the ’90s onward.
BAD FEELINGBOØWY
A classic whose exquisitely brushed intro guitar cutting creates a distinctive groove.
When it comes to BOØWY, people often talk about their “beat rock” rooted in 8-beat rhythms, but listening to this guitar work with its hint of funk, you can’t help but feel Tomoyasu Hotei’s overwhelming sensibility.
Beyond basic technical skill, you simply can’t craft phrases like this without an accurate sense of rhythm.
Just practicing this phrase alone seems like it would help you grow as a guitarist.
Are You Gonna Go My WayLenny Kravitz
The title track from American singer-songwriter Lenny Kravitz’s third album, released in 1993.
In Japan, the song’s intro has often been used in commercials, so many people have likely heard it at least once.
The same phrase is played not only in the intro but also in the first verse, making it a memorable number with a riff that appears through much of the song.
Although it’s built on repeating a simple phrase, it features clever touches that keep it engaging—such as adding harmonies to the same phrase for contrast and shifting positions while playing.
