Are you curious about What Song Is Banned In Guitar Stores? Well, at guitarplayers.net, we’re tuning into the tunes that might earn you a playful eye-roll from the staff! We’ll strum through the most overplayed guitar riffs and licks, revealing the tracks guitar store employees jokingly ban. Steer clear of these overplayed anthems to make a memorable impression and discover fresh, exciting sounds. Join us as we explore the world of forbidden riffs and uncover new musical horizons, ensuring you are always in harmony with the latest trends and techniques in the guitar world.
1. What Exactly Is a Forbidden Riff?
A forbidden riff is any song, often overplayed and easily learned, that guitar store employees humorously ban from being played within their hallowed halls. These are the songs that have been played repeatedly by budding guitarists, leading to a shared sense of musical fatigue. According to a 2018 survey by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), the most common reason for this “ban” is the sheer frequency with which these songs are played, often imperfectly, by customers testing out instruments.
These tracks are particularly grating in guitar stores because:
- Nearly every novice guitarist picks up these forbidden riffs.
- Most beginners believe they are the first to ever master these tunes.
- Almost every beginner’s rendition lacks finesse, yet they still seek validation for their “impressive” skills.
Famous examples include rock anthems like “Stairway To Heaven,” “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” and “Smoke On The Water,” among many others.
Mike Myers Wayne's World Stairway To Heaven
A popular depiction of this concept can be found in the 1992 comedy movie Wayne’s World. In a memorable scene, Wayne (Mike Myers) is immediately stopped from playing “Stairway to Heaven” while trying out a Stratocaster, solidifying the forbidden riff as a well-known gag.
However, the frustration of hearing the same songs repeatedly isn’t the only reason guitar stores have come to dread these overplayed tunes.
It’s also been observed that the guitarists who confidently belt out these forbidden riffs are often the least likely to make a purchase.
So, if you want to be taken seriously at your local guitar shop, avoiding these overplayed songs is a smart move!
And, of course, watching Wayne’s World is highly recommended simply because it’s a fantastic movie.
2. Where Did the Concept of the Forbidden Riff Originate?
The concept of the forbidden riff is widely believed to have started in the 1970s as an inside joke among employees of guitar stores on London’s famous Denmark Street.
According to a 2015 article in Guitar World, guitar shop employees began creating and sharing lists of forbidden riffs. These were songs they could no longer bear to hear from primarily beginner guitarists testing out instruments. Over the years, as new and popular songs emerged, these lists expanded, reflecting the evolving tastes and learning habits of novice players.
3. What Riffs Are Considered Forbidden in Guitar Stores?
While there’s no official list, here are 21 songs that are likely to elicit an eye-roll from guitar store employees:
3.1. “Stairway To Heaven” – Led Zeppelin
Many fans consider it Led Zeppelin’s magnum opus, but “Stairway To Heaven” has become a primary forbidden riff that guitar retailers simply can’t stand to hear.
Led Zeppelin Stairway To Heaven
Thanks to Wayne’s World, “Stairway to Heaven” is often regarded as the quintessential forbidden riff.
Learning “Stairway to Heaven” has almost become a rite of passage for new guitar players. It’s understandable why it gets played so frequently.
Even Robert Plant, Led Zeppelin’s singer, reportedly grew tired of the song. According to a 2019 article in Far Out Magazine, Plant allegedly paid $10,000 to a radio station to stop them from playing the track, claiming he could no longer relate to the lyrics.
Fun Fact! Jimmy Page’s solo on this iconic rock song was entirely improvised. He recorded three takes and chose his favorite. Guitar World has named it the greatest guitar solo of all time, a testament to its improvisational brilliance.
You can explore the tabs to learn “Stairway To Heaven” yourself.
3.2. “Smoke On The Water” – Deep Purple
The iconic opening riff from this classic rock staple is so simple that most new players can learn it within their first few weeks (or even days) of picking up a guitar.
And most do!
This rock song introduced many to power chords.
Released in 1972, the track was inspired by a fire at The Casino in Switzerland the previous year. Deep Purple was watching Frank Zappa play live at The Casino when the fire started. They were scheduled to record their next album at the venue the following day.
After the fire, a layer of smoke sat on Lake Geneva, inspiring the song’s title and lyrics, which revolve around the saga of recording their album, Machine Head.
You can check out the tabs to learn this classic yourself.
3.3. “Sweet Child O’ Mine” – Guns ‘N Roses
This is another standard in many a guitarist’s repertoire.
It is one of many standout tracks from the band’s 1987 debut album, Appetite for Destruction, and is one of those forbidden riffs that guitar store employees have heard countless times.
Slash revealed that this riff began as a warm-up pattern he would fool around with, which the band then developed into a full song.
In 2019, the song became the first 1980s music video to reach one billion views on YouTube.
Unsurprisingly, Slash has said that “Sweet Child O’ Mine” is the band’s most covered song.
This riff is more challenging than the previous two, with its intricate string skipping.
You can check out the tabs if you’d like to learn it yourself. Note that you’ll need to tune your guitar down a half-step to play along with the original track.
3.4. “The House Of The Rising Sun” – The Animals
This is the oldest song on the list, having been endured by guitar store employees since its release in 1964.
It’s also the only song on the list not originally written by the artist. The true origins of this traditional folk song are largely unknown, but it was the Animals that made it a mainstream hit.
Many bands and artists have covered the song since.
The origins of “The House of the Rising Sun” are uncertain, and we cannot say for sure what the song is about.
The two most popular theories are that it is about a brothel or a women’s prison, both located in New Orleans.
With its sequence of simple arpeggios using basic open chords, the track is very accessible, even for beginners.
It’s easy to see why so many guitar store employees have had to endure this song for decades!
Fancy adding this riff to your repertoire of forbidden songs? You can check out the tabs if you’d like to learn it yourself.
3.5. “Enter Sandman” – Metallica
It’s time to invoke your inner James Hetfield and become a down-picking god with this massive track from Metallica!
“Enter Sandman” is the first track and debut single from Metallica’s 1991 album The Black Album. The song explores the theme of a child’s nightmares and things that go bump in the night.
The lyrics were initially about crib death, but producer Bob Rock convinced Hetfield to compose new lyrics to make the song more accessible to the mainstream.
While mastering Kirk’s solo requires proficiency, the main riff to “Enter Sandman” is very straightforward to learn. Just remember, down-picking only!
You can check out the tabs if you’d like to learn this song that music store employees love to hate.
3.6. “Sweet Home Alabama” – Lynyrd Skynyrd
No list of overplayed riffs would be complete without this frustratingly catchy number from southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd.
“Sweet Home Alabama” was released in 1974 as the opening track on Lynyrd Skynyrd’s second album, Second Helping.
It was the band’s first big song and is also their biggest hit to date.
The song was written in response to a Neil Young track suggesting that people from the South were mainly racists with outdated points of view.
The Lynyrd Skynyrd track instead talks about southern pride and all of the good that can be found in Alabama. Neil Young later admitted that he regretted the lyrics in his song.
Learning this classic note for note on guitar is probably the hardest out of all of the tracks in this list.
Although much of the riffs are fairly standard, you’ll often find challenging parts where your fingers are placed where they wouldn’t usually go!
You can check out the tabs if you’d like to learn this Lynyrd Skynyrd classic yourself. Just remember, don’t play it in your local guitar shops!
3.7. “Back In Black” – AC/DC
This is another forbidden riff that has almost become a rite of passage for many a fledgling rock guitarist!
You cannot help but get all fired up unleashing this powerful monster.
“Back in Black” was the debut single from AC/DCs 7th studio album of the same name.
That album is currently the second best-selling album of all time! So, it’s easy to see why the lead track is such a recognizable tune!
This rock song was written as a tribute to the band’s former singer Bon Scott, after he tragically died of alcohol poisoning in February 1980.
The opening riff is often referred to as the greatest riff of all time! So, it’s unsurprising that so many guitarists have added it to their repertoires over the decades since its release.
It also helps that it is super-easy to learn!
You can check out the tabs if you’d like to add it to your collection of forbidden songs.
3.8. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” – Nirvana
Another absolute monster anthem that nearly every guitarist will learn at some point is the track that launched Nirvana into the stratosphere.
“Smells Like Teen Spirit” is the opening track and first single from Nirvana’s second album, Nevermind.
It is often quoted as being the song that brought grunge to the mainstream.
Kurt Cobain stated that when writing the song, he was trying to imitate one of his favorite bands – The Pixies.
He aimed to write the ‘ultimate pop song’, and this is perhaps why it went on to become such a phenomenal mainstream success.
The song sounds huge and is a ton of fun to belt out.
It is an absolute beginner’s dream to learn, as the main riff features just a few very simple powerchords coupled with some percussive muting.
You can check out the tabs if you’d like to learn it yourself.
3.9. “Seven Nation Army” – The White Stripes
Although this catchy lil ditty is now almost 20 years old, it’s still the most recently written track to appear in this entire list of forbidden songs!
Does that perhaps say something about the quality of modern popular music?
“Seven Nation Army” is the opening song on the White Stripes’ 2003 album Elephant.
Jack Black stated that he wanted to save this riff for if he was ever asked to write the theme tune for a James Bond movie.
However, he decided that was unlikely to happen and used it for this song instead. Ironically, 5 years later he was asked to write a Bond theme!
As a child, Jack White thought that the Salvation Army was actually called the Seven Nation Army.
The lyrics revolve around the theme of the rising popularity that the band was experiencing, plus the negatives that came along with that newfound fame.
Although the song is super simple to learn on electric guitar, you will need to tune to Open A to be faithful to the original! Here, Jack Black used an octave effect to make his electric guitar sound more like a bass.
You can check out the tabs if you’d like to learn this forbidden riff yourself.
3.10. “Crazy Train” – Ozzy Osbourne
“Crazy Train” was the first single release from Blizzard of Ozz. This was Ozzy’s first solo album after being fired from Black Sabbath in 1979.
The lyrics of this forbidden song revolve around the topic of the Cold War, and the song carries within it an anti-conflict message.
As far as the song title is concerned, both Randy Rhoads and bassist Bob Daisley were avid model train collectors.
Daisley commented that the sounds coming from Randy’s amp sounded a bit like a crazy train.
The intro riff is probably the one that is the most overplayed and most irritating to guitar shop employees. However, the main verse riff is also an absolute belter!
They’re both very easy to learn but sound absolutely monstrous with the gain cranked.
You can check out the tabs if you’d like to learn it yourself.
4. What Other Songs Are Often Banned In Guitar Stores?
Of course, there are more than just ten forbidden riffs. Here are additional overplayed songs that you might want to avoid playing in your local guitar stores:
| Song | Artist |
|---|---|
| Blackbird | The Beatles |
| Wonderwall | Oasis |
| Eruption | Van Halen |
| One | Metallica |
| Bleed | Meshuggah |
| Come As You Are | Nirvana |
| Nothing Else Matters | Metallica |
| Iron Man | Black Sabbath |
| Walk | Pantera |
| More Than Words | Extreme |
| Everlong | Foo Fighters |
The list keeps growing as new bands release catchy tunes that guitarists gravitate towards learning.
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9. FAQ: Forbidden Riffs and Guitar Store Etiquette
9.1. Why are some songs considered “forbidden” in guitar stores?
Certain songs become “forbidden” due to their excessive repetition by customers testing out guitars, leading to annoyance among store staff.
9.2. Is there an official list of forbidden riffs?
No, there is no official list, but certain songs like “Stairway to Heaven” and “Smoke on the Water” are commonly cited as overplayed.
9.3. Can I still learn these songs?
Absolutely! The songs are popular for a reason, but it’s best to practice them at home rather than in a guitar store.
9.4. What should I play in a guitar store instead?
Opt for lesser-known songs or original compositions to showcase your skills and avoid clichés.
9.5. How can I impress guitar store staff?
Demonstrate respect, ask informed questions, and avoid playing the same overused riffs.
9.6. Are there any benefits to knowing the forbidden riffs?
Yes, learning these songs can help develop fundamental guitar skills and provide a shared musical reference point.
9.7. What if I accidentally start playing a forbidden riff?
Acknowledge the cliché with humor and quickly switch to another song or style.
9.8. Do guitar stores have different forbidden songs?
Yes, the specific songs may vary depending on the store’s location, clientele, and staff preferences.
9.9. How has “Wayne’s World” influenced the forbidden riff concept?
The movie popularized the idea of the forbidden riff, particularly “Stairway to Heaven,” as a humorous cultural reference.
9.10. Where can I find resources to improve my guitar playing skills?
Guitarplayers.net offers a variety of lessons, reviews, and community forums to help guitarists of all levels enhance their skills and knowledge.10. Ready to Explore the World of Guitar?
Whether you’re just starting your guitar journey or looking to refine your skills, guitarplayers.net is here to help.
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