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 it! Japanese rock with the coolest guitar riffs (51–60)
PearlTHE YELLOW MONKEY
It’s a rock number with a distinctive atmosphere and an impressive sense of drive.
It’s a song by THE YELLOW MONKEY, released in 2000.
The deep lyrics feel like a metaphor for a journey in search of something lost, and the worldview delicately portrays loneliness and emotional instability.
The striking guitar riff stands out within the band’s sound and has an addictive quality you won’t forget once you hear it.
The balance between the fast-paced sound and the melodic vocals is also exquisite.
It’s a perfect track for driving on the highway at night.
Be sure to give it a spin!
Ride on shooting starthe pillows
It’s a classic with a gleaming, jagged-toned guitar riff.
The snappy melody drifts along, and the dreamy lyrics deftly capture the feelings of youth.
“Ride on shooting star” was released as a single in April 2000 and became a hit as the ending theme for the anime FLCL.
Together with the anime’s appeal, it etched itself into the hearts of many.
It’s great to listen to while chatting with friends, and I also recommend singing it at home with a guitar in hand.
Give it a spin when you need a boost or want to push toward your dreams.
HandroidDAITA
A solo track by DAITA, known as a member of SIAM SHADE.
As one of Japan’s foremost technical guitarists, his playing is astonishingly precise.
The piece is centered around tapping, and in the intro you can hear a riff that darts about with dizzying speed.
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.
Makes You Want to Play It! Japanese Rock with the Coolest Guitar Riffs (61–70)
earnest desireSUPER BEAVER
A song by SUPER BEAVER featuring a guitar riff so catchy it’s guaranteed to loop in your head after just one listen.
With a simple chord progression and a somewhat wistful melody, the lyrics directly capture the feelings of people living in the present day.
Included on their full-length album “Ongaku” released in February 2024, the track emphasizes the importance of the smiles that arise through human connection.
It’s a supportive, uplifting anthem that gently gives listeners a push forward.
INVERSIONSuspended 4th
Suspended 4th, a four-piece rock band known by the abbreviation “Sasfo” and famed for electrifying fans with the high-level musicianship honed through street performances.
Their track “INVERSION,” the title song of their seventh self-produced release, cranks up the energy with a tight ensemble that interlocks with the vocal melody.
The intro—backing parts layered over a single-note riff—creates a destructive, distinctly Suspended 4th-style sonority despite its simplicity.
It’s a modern, stylish rock tune that will make not only guitarists but players of other instruments want to take on the challenge.
frecklesJUDY AND MARY
A song marked by an exhilarating, powerful guitar riff that instantly lifts your spirits.
Crisp, cutting guitar tones intertwine with YUKI’s soaring vocals to create music that feels incredibly good.
The driving melody alone is enough to energize you.
The lyrics, which express the joy and bittersweetness of love, are also worth noting.
Released in 1996 as their ninth single, the track was used as the theme song for the anime Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story and became a major hit.
It remains very popular at karaoke even today.
Bright and uplifting, it can be considered one of JUDY AND MARY’s signature songs.