10 Best Hard Rock Guitar Riffs From The 2000s

You'd think by the 2000s the Red Hot Chili Peppers might have started to decline in quality. They'd been through a string of guitar players and lead singer Anthony Kiedis had fallen off the wagon more times than a drunken farmer. But after John Frusciante's returned in 1998, and with the success of Californication a year later, the band were riding a creative wave.

By The Way was the record that solidified these guys as still being relevant in the rock scene. It was filled with stripped back but ever enjoyable guitar melodies. With the majority of the tracks taking on a fairly mellow tone, Can't Stop was one of the few exceptions. It was a fast paced take on a reggae style of playing.

From its first note this song is instantly recognisable. The opening riff merely serves as a catalyst for the excitement to follow. Before long, John Frusciante busts into a tantalising guitar part that encourages anyone who hears it to break into air guitar.

It's a riff that sounds simple enough. - which is probably why it's so alluring - but it's surprisingly difficult to master, particularly the way Frusciante plays it. That guy has a way of making the simple seem complex and the complex seem simple.