In addition, it was also thought that the guitar players who belted out these forbidden riffs were the least likely guitar shop ‘customers’ to actually buy something! Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Wayne's World- Filming Location- No Stairway To Heaven ()īeing utterly fed up of hearing the same old riffs over and over was not the only reason that the stores came to dread the most overplayed songs, however. In the scene in question, Wayne (Mike Myers) is immediately prevented from playing a banned song whilst test-driving the Stratocaster of his dreams. It is arguably this movie alone that made the idea of the forbidden riff a popular gag. Check out the list below for plenty more overplayed and forbidden riffs that guitar shops HATE with a passion.Ī famous example of the these being joked about in mainstream media can be seen in the 1992 comedy movie Wayne’s World. The forbidden songs include massive hits such as Stairway To Heaven, Sweet Child O’ Mine, and Smoke On The Water amongst many others.

Almost every new guitarist plays them badly (but still looks around looking for recognition of their smokin’ hot skills).

Almost every new guitarist thinks they are the only one to ever learn them.

Almost every new guitarist learns these forbidden riffs.These tracks are particularly frustrating to guitar stores as: The list consists of many well-known, but easy-to-learn riffs and licks that guitar store employees are fed up of hearing on a daily basis – for example, Stairway To Heaven! The forbidden riff is any overplayed song that has been (jokingly) banned from being played in guitar stores. You’ll also find a handy printable poster listing the forbidden guitar riffs that you can display in your guitar shop if you happen to be like me and work in one! What is the Forbidden Riff?

In this article, we’ll answer all of these questions, and reel off 21 of the most well-known forbidden riffs which are banned in guitar stores. But what does it mean, and where did it come from? And as the most famous example, why is Stairway to Heaven banned in guitar stores? As a guitarist, you’ve probably heard the term ‘Forbidden Riff’ bandied around.

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