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17 Best Modern Rock Songs To Learn on Guitar

Musicnotes

• 4 min read
Modern Rock Songs for Guitar

Did you say your Stratocaster is collecting dust? Is that new Gretsch you bought still sitting in a corner? It sounds like you need to pick up your axe and start playing, and there’s nothing more inspiring to get you started than some great modern rock songs. They have the best riffs and most exciting rhythms that really get your blood pumping. Of course, there are fab songs to play from every decade, but here we focus on epic tunes from 2000 onwards.

The Best Modern Rock Songs

What makes a great modern rock song, anyway? It’s subjective, of course; musical taste is always a personal thing. However, there are a few key elements that make a rock song more fun to play on the guitar. If you’re looking for a song to play, keep your eyes and ears open for the following:

As you look for the songs you want to play, stay open-minded. It may be that the bands or artists you like to listen to don’t always have the best guitar licks. It’s perfectly fine to pick up a song or two outside your normal listening range just to learn the riff.

Modern Metal

Metal bands have been around for decades, at least since Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Black Sabbath came on the scene in the late ’60s. Guitar players have much to thank this artistic movement for. After all, one of the most popular guitar riffs of all time, “Smoke on the Water,” belongs to Deep Purple, and let’s not even get started talking about the guitar in Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven.”

There’s still a lot of exciting metal music being made today. A hot metalcore band with infusions of punk, Code Orange’s 2020 release, “Swallowing the Rabbit Whole” has all the right riffs any metalhead would love to play. If nu metal is more your thing, try “Rollin’” from Limp Bizkit‘s 2000 album, “Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water.”

Modern Indie Rock

Originally a term used to describe bands signed with an independent label, indie rock has come to mean a sound all its own. In modern 2000s music, it can refer to anything from folk-rock singers to indie hip-hop bands. One common thread among the different styles is a low-fi sound production and a certain reluctance to embrace mainstream anything.

If indie bands are your thing, check out the following for great guitar work:

Modern “Classic” Rock

For anyone who’s a big fan of the classic rock sound, this is a great time to be alive. Many new bands have taken on the mantle of former legends such as The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, and Fleetwood Mac. There are so many fun guitar licks and riffs to dig into so you won’t have time to work your day job.

Some of the best bands include:

  • Muse: This British band led by frontman Matt Bellamy continues to crank out hit after hit in their iconic melancholic style. Try “Supermassive Black Hole” for awesome rhythmic distortion. “Uprising” is a huge power ballad with plenty of moments for your guitar to shine. Work on “Resistance” to develop your soloing skills.
  • Foo Fighters: Formed by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, Foo Fighters have found inspiration from grunge, punk, metal, and alt-indie bands. You’ll enjoy playing the driving rhythms of “Times Like These” or digging into power chords with “Best of You.” “Skin and Bones” gives you a chance to get into a more mellow mood.
  • The Black Keys: Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney are the duo behind this blues-rock band. “Howlin’ for You” has the perfect guitar riff for all you blues lovers out there, or try “Low/Hi” for a more driving rhythm. “Things Ain’t Like They Used to Be” has fabulous blues chording with enough slides and bends to keep everyone happy.

Modern R&B Guitar Solos

The old idea that R&B music is lacking in electric guitar riffs just isn’t the case. R&B tunes are full of guitar licks that are rewarding to practice and play. This genre has been around since the 1940s, growing out of the music of the African-American community as it melded Afro rhythms with jazz and blues. The early artists included such legends as James Brown, The Miracles, and The Supremes. Today we get huge talents like Beyoncé and Bruno Mars. What’s not to love?

If you’re looking for rock guitar inspiration in this genre, try any of the following:

Get Your Gear

Now that you’ve got a nice list of modern rock songs to play, it’s time to get your gear ready. There are a few basic things you’re going to need to properly rock out with these tunes. First, of course, is your guitar. There’s no need to spend a fortune, but invest in the best instrument you can afford. Then get the amp to go with it. Make sure you try your guitar with the amp you want before you buy it. The number-one criterion in choosing an amp is liking the sound.

The final touch is a few effects pedals. Your modern rock songs just won’t sound right without them. The four you need the most are compression, reverb, distortion, and overdrive. Buy them as you can afford them and gradually add new pedals to your collection. Without them, you won’t be able to replicate the sound of your favorite bands.

Playing modern rock songs is a fun and rewarding pastime. Start with a few of the songs listed here and then begin your voyage of discovery. There is no end to the number of great guitar songs you can learn.

Sources:

  • https://guitargearfinder.com/faq/what-is-a-guitar-riff/
  • https://www.guitar9.com/column/what-makes-great-guitar-solo
  • https://theconversation.com/explainer-indie-music-28321
  • https://prosoundhq.com/essential-guitar-effects-pedals-for-rock-music/
  • https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/entertainment/music/article/3072431/origins-metal-and-how-it-found-its-place-music