Top 10 Metallica Songs with the Greatest Riffs

Metallica, the legendary band that helped shape the face of heavy metal, has graced us with an array of unforgettable riffs over the years. Whether it's the iconic opening to "Enter Sandman" or the soul-shattering strums of "Master of Puppets," there's something in Metallica's catalog for every riff enthusiast.

When it comes to the mind-blowing, face-melting riffs that make you want to pick up a guitar and start strumming, everyone has their own personal favorites. Maybe it's something from the Ride the Lightning album that sends shivers down your spine, or perhaps a hidden gem from one of their later albums that you think deserves more love.

So go ahead, scroll through the choices, and vote for the songs that you think should reign supreme.

1. Master of Puppets

   

   This song, Fade to Black, Through the Never, Sad but True, and Enter Sandman are my favorite Metallica songs. They are my favorite band. I love Metallica!

   I can listen to this over a thousand times and still not get bored of it.

2. One

   

   My favorite by miles! But I am a romantic.

3. Fade to Black

   

   The music really speaks to me. When I hear Fade to Black, it strikes a chord deep inside my soul, almost as if the song was written about me, as though Metallica wrote the song for me.

   Disposable Heroes by far has the best bass riffs ever, but Fade to Black has completely angelic riffs. I cannot stop listening to this song for those acoustic riffs.

   Although Master and Blackened are really fast and heavy, I'd have to say this one wins it for me. It's just so amazing!

4. For Whom the Bell Tolls

   

   This is by far one of the most epic Metallica riffs. The riff has a really evil and heavy sound to it, and you can't beat the bass solo at the beginning.

   This is the best riff ever, although I don't think this is my favorite song. Forever FTBT!

5. Battery

   

   This song kicks ass. They shred the guitar with some kick-ass solos. This song should at least be #2.

   This galloping heaviness overload just does it. Period.

6. Enter Sandman

   

7. Blackened

   

   Unstoppable is the only word that comes to mind when I listen to this riff.

   The main riff in Blackened is my favorite riff of all time... by anyone!

8. Wherever I May Roam

   

9. Creeping Death

   

   Personally, I think that most of the best riffs ever done by Metallica (songs like The Four Horsemen, parts of Ride the Lightning, a lot of Call of Ktulu) were Dave Mustaine riffs. But Creeping Death easily takes the cake for being the best that he didn't write.

   Not the most difficult or technical riff, but the main riff is absolutely epic-sounding.

   The main riff and the Die riff are the best that James and Kirk have come up with.

10. Ride the Lightning

    

    Oh, come on! This has one of Metallica's most epic intros as well as one of their best solos!

    Amazing intro, amazing solo, amazing lyrics... amazing song. Before voting for Master of Puppets or Enter Sandman, listen to all these amazing kick-ass songs.

The Newcomers
11. ?

    Suicide and Redemption

    
12. ?

    All Nightmare Long

    
The Contenders

13. Damage, Inc.

    

    The riff about halfway through the song is the best they've ever written.

    The riff starts about halfway through and is very cool.

14. Seek & Destroy

    

    The riff before the solo is awesome! Sometimes I regret that Dave Mustaine was kicked out of Metallica...

    This should surely be #1, or at least top 10. What the hell?

15. Sad But True

    

    This song has the best riff, definitely. I mean, this is not the best song by Metallica, and others of their earlier stuff are better, but the heavy riff of Sad But True is absolutely fantastic and amazing, with an aggressive solo by Kirk Hammett!

    Metallica had never used drop D tuning before, but they knocked it out of the park in one swing with the riff in this song.

    So simple, but so powerful as well. Love it!

16. Jump In the Fire

    

    Why is there so little Kill 'Em All on this list? I mean, half of those riffs were written by Dave Mustaine (who is a far better riff writer than James or Kirk), and they all sound amazing.

17. ...And Justice for All

    

    This song has several riffs. All of them are great. Yeah, the intro riff is nice, but I think the variation of the main riff that plays immediately after the solo is the best. It's one of my favorite guitar riffs ever.

    One of the best riffs ever. Simply beautiful.

18. Fight Fire With Fire

    

    The verse riff defines what thrash metal is: crushingly hard, blindingly fast, and definitely unstoppable.

    The beginning riff is just amazing!

19. Frantic

    

20. Fuel

    

21. Harvester of Sorrow

    

    The riff is awesome, just like this song. It's a criminally underrated song.

    The world's darkest, heaviest riff.

    Aggression, power, unstoppable, invincible, incredible - five words that describe how I feel when I hear this song. The clean riff in the intro and the heavy version of that riff may be simple, but they are very, very powerful and pure heavy metal! Probably my favorite 'Tallica song.

22. Don't Tread On Me

    

23. The Four Horsemen

    

    One of the best riffs in Metallica's collection. Yes, Dave Mustaine wrote the riff, but remember, he was a part of Metallica at some point in time. Unfortunately for him, this song came out first, so he had to increase the tempo for The Mechanix.

24. Trapped Under Ice

    

25. Until It Sleeps

    

26. Whiplash

    

27. To Live Is to Die

    

    Cliff all the way. Hetfield is a god because of the way his guitar is on this one. I mean, just listen to it.

    Some Kind of Monster in the top 10? Sorry, I'm just laughing.

    Seriously, To Live Is to Die riffs are Cliff's last, so that just has to be number 1, haha.