12 Greatest Hard Rock Riffs Of The 1990s

With the grunge wave still in full swing in the early '90s, the time for real rock stars had fallen by the wayside. Sure, bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam may have sold a lot of records, but the rock star swagger of days past had been traded in for brooding and tales of dejection. While Stone Temple Pilots may have gotten lumped into the grunge category, "Vasoline" showed that they were a force to be reckoned with all their own.

After a few seconds of guitar feedback and droning dissonant chords, the riff hits you like a smack in the mouth from Dean DeLeo's amplifier. Using only two notes, this riff feels like a throwback to the glam days of David Bowie and T.Rex, with every single crunchy note squeezed for maximum impact. Even with all the stage charisma Scott Weiland exudes, he eventually has to give up and ride the riff instead of trying to beat it at its own game.

The track may give wa to something a bit more traditional in the chorus, but as soon as you think you're off the hook, the beat turns around and you're brought back right to the riff again. It's not so easy trying to make just two notes catchy, but if you put them in the hands of true artists, two notes is really all you need.