Part of what made grunge so likable in the 1990s was its focus on gritty, fuzzy, distorted guitar riffs. It was only natural that rock music would evolve in grunge’s direction. And while the genre’s heyday was short and sweet between the late 1980s and mid-1990s, so many amazing songs from that era remain favorites of listeners today. And many of those songs have totally killer grunge riffs. Let’s look at just a few, shall we?
“Unwind” by Green River (1987)
The year 1987 seems to be the one that started it all for grunge, according to some music historians. That year, Sub Pop took off and brought numerous “Seattle sound” bands to international fame. Also that year, the rock outfit Green River released their final EP, Dry As A Bone, via Sub Pop Records. And it’s considered by many to be one of the first grunge albums to hit shelves. The EP opens up with “Unwind”, and that opening guitar riff has equal parts groove and that classic early grunge edge to it. It’s a gem, one that deserves more love nowadays.
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“Touch Me I’m Sick” by Mudhoney (1988)
Diehard grunge fans know how incredible Mudhoney is. However, in terms of mainstream popularity, Mudhoney didn’t hit quite as well as, say, Nirvana. That’s a shame, because this band really embodied the spirit and sound of grunge consistently across 12 albums as of 2026. Way back in the early years of grunge, Mudhoney was dishing out pioneering tracks like “Touch Me I’m Sick” in 1988, a sound loaded with the dark humor that was common in grunge tunes and a super fuzzy, overdriven guitar riff that just can’t be beat.
“Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana (1991)
Well, there was no way we could avoid this one. That opening guitar riff is as synonymous with grunge as Seattle, Washington. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” may have been Nirvana’s entry into pop stardom (much to Kurt Cobain’s chagrin), but you really can’t say that definitive grunge riff sucks. It’s amazing. Though, it’s worth noting that there are quite a few other excellent riff-focused songs on Nevermind. A few include “On A Plain”, “Territorial Pissings”, and “Come As You Are”.
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