Makes you want to play it! Japanese rock with the coolest guitar riffs
For guitarists, the spotlight—the very face of a song—is the guitar riff.
Songs with riffs that symbolize the track really stick in your memory, and many classic hits in the rock scene come hand in hand with amazing riffs!
In this article, we’ve rounded up a bunch of songs with killer guitar riffs.
Just listening to cool riffs is enough to get your blood pumping, but if you’re a guitarist, why not pick up your guitar and try playing along?
There aren’t just single-note phrases—there are riffs built around power chords and octaves too, so try tackling all kinds of riffs from different songs!
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Makes you want to play! Japanese rock with insanely cool guitar riffs (41–50)
IsolationNothing’s Carved In Stone
You can’t help but exclaim, “Here stands Shinichi Ubukata, master of arpeggios!” The riff is as precise as a metronome.
And the slightly overdriven tone—crafted so that each note’s outline remains intact—further amplifies its appeal.
Makes you want to play it! Japanese rock with the coolest guitar riffs (51–60)
Jet EcstasyGotō Terumoto
Hearing that it’s a song by a comedian probably piqued a lot of people’s interest.
Written and composed by Terumoto Goto of the duo Football Hour, this track was born from a segment on TV Tokyo’s popular variety show God Tongue.
Its garage rock sound—showing clear respect for the rock band BLANKEY JET CITY—fits perfectly with his persona.
The style of earnestly delivering cliché lyrics creates a unique blend of humor and coolness, and together with the irresistibly playable guitar riff, it never fails to captivate listeners.
Get Off of My WayMAN WITH A MISSION
MAN WITH A MISSION is a mysterious band with wolf heads and human bodies.
They may look like that, but their performance is nothing but cool! Their sound is so grand and groovy it makes you wonder if there are overseas artists inside those wolves.
The Japanese lyrics are delivered with conviction, and the playing is cool as well.
Released in 2012.
Boyfriend-girlfriend relationshipBase Ball Bear
Base Ball Bear is a three-piece rock band that continues to create songs suited to the times, with a diverse musicality unbound by genre.
Their track “Kareshi Kanojo no Kankei,” included on their indie first album HIGH COLOR TIMES, leaves a lasting impression with its sprightly ensemble driven by an offbeat rhythm.
The funky, wah-pedal-driven chord chops will make any guitarist want to pick up their instrument.
With cool backing arpeggios and a noisy guitar solo, it’s a rock tune that’s highly recommended for covering.
Ready Steady GoL’Arc〜en〜Ciel
“READY STEADY GO” was released in 2004.
It’s a L’Arc~en~Ciel track that exudes youth and a sense of exhilarating speed.
At live shows, it’s a staple played just before the encore, sending both the band and the audience into a frenzy.
Waltz of Life9mm Parabellum Bullet
The signature roaring twin guitars of 9mm hurl riff after riff with an uncompromisingly heavy sound.
The song’s development, which incorporates a waltz rhythm, meshes superbly with a straight-ahead, classic hard rock sound, creating a unique worldview that only they can deliver.
POISON ~In a world like this where you can’t even say what you want~Sorimachi Takashi
When it comes to actor Takashi Sorimachi’s songs, it has to be “POISON ~ In a world where you can’t even say what you want to say ~.” The most memorable part is, of course, the chorus melody, but the intro also has a strong presence! The slide guitar technique in that intro not only feels great to play, but—believe it or not—it’s easy! It’s reassuring to have it in your back pocket as a little trick you can pull out, and it’s the kind of flashy phrase that’s well worth remembering.
Be sure to master it!
