The Playlist: MY Top 20 NEW ROCK RIFFS

Now here is MY personal favorite riff list. I did my best to follow the rules, laid out by the original Edge Riff List meaning only songs that they would play on a new rock station like Edge 102.1, and only one song per artist (which makes for a more interesting list otherwise this entire list would be made up entirely of only RATM and QOTSA songs). This limitation also takes away from classic rock and metal songs (no Beatles here!).

20. "Downfall" by TRUSTCompany
19. "Last Resort" by Papa Roach
18. "Dammit" by Blink 182
17. "Down With The Sickness" by Disturbed
16. "Check My Brain" by Alice in Chains
15. "Schism" by Tool
14. "Romantic Rights" by Death From Above 1979
13. "Bulls On Parade" by Rage Against The Machine
12. "In My Place" by Coldplay
11. "El Scorcho" by Weezer
10. "Brain Stew" by Green Day
9. "Plug In Baby" by Muse
8. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana
7. "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers
6. "Interstate Love Song" by Stone Temple Pilots
5. "Enter Sandman" by Metallica
4. "No One Knows" by Queens Of The Stone Age
3. "Sweet Child O Mine" by Guns 'N Roses
2. "Slither" by Velvet Revolver
1. "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes



Slash himself calls "Seven Nation Army" this generation's "Smoke on the Water," as in the first song that everyone learns how to play on the guitar. A great riff is instantly recognizable and people should be able to hum along to it immediately and "Seven Nation Army" has this in spades.

The Playlist: Best Songs of the Year 1960-2012

From Adele Calvin Harris to Ray Charles

At the end of every year I look back and think of what I thought were the best songs of the year. This past year I made my list public with my post - Top Ten: Songs O' 2012 (also check out my Top Ten: Songs O' 2011). 

I've decided to take that idea and stretch it back to 1960 and so without further ado, what I think are the best songs of the year (along with runner-ups), starting with 2012 and going backwards. Surprisingly good playlist if played in order. 

Also, if you were a fan of this list back in 2011, I have to warn you that I made some changes since then. Please criticize as such.

The Playlist: Josie's Top 20 Halloween Haunts

Wow, I seem to listen to a lot of local Toronto new rock station 102.1 The Edge...  

So Halloween has came and gone (Hurricane Sandy be damned!) and it was always one of my favourite times of the year especially when everyone gets in the spirit of the scary festivities. 

Check out the list below for Josie's scary tunes which all have a certain eerie feel to them. No "Monster Mash" here.

The Playlist: Josie's Top 20 Edge Riffs

On my way home from a weekend road trip to Chicago (there will be something about this later), we caught local Toronto new rock station 102.1 The Edge and their top 20 "Edge" Riffs. 

If anyone knows anything about my taste in music - I am in love with the "riff".  A "riff" is a short, repeated, memorable musical phrase that a song revolves around.  This musical idea is what gets in your head, what separates it from other songs, what makes a song special. The riff can make a good rock song into a legendary rock song.

Check out the list below.  While I don't necessarily agree with this list, it still has some pretty awesome songs.