12 Greatest Hard Rock Riffs Of The 1990s

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are a bit of an interesting case study in the world of hard rock. Arriving around the same time as bands like Nirvana and Soundgarden were coming up the ranks, the band's unique blend of funk, hip hop, and hard rock ended up fitting pretty nicely alongside their disenchanted brethren up north. The grooviness of these riffs are in the Chilis' DNA, but the quintessential riff of their catalog has to be "Give It Away."

Though most of the groove is dominated by Flea's relentless bassline, the real character of the tune comes in the form of John Frusciante's guitar work, which veers in every direction and somehow fits right in the pocket every time. As opposed to just following Flea's lines, this riff ends up going in completely opposite directions and makes it look effortless. As Flea is climbing up his bass, Frusciante is going down his fretboard, but never once does the tone sound schizophrenic or awkward.

To add even more spice to the riff, the band go into double time towards the end, with Frusciante trading in his funky tone for a more punky guitar crunch. The Chilis had already been mainstays of the alternative scene, but this was one riff that was destined for legendary status from the moment it graced our eardrums.