The Best Riffs of 1984 with Uncle Ben Eller

Downloadable TABS, bonus lessons, backing tracks, and MORE available on my Patreon page! / benellerguitars ! This week, you all are also getting an extra video featuring a handful of my OTHER favorite riffs from 1984 that just couldn't fit into this video! This video will be available to everyone who supports my channel over there, even for just $1 a month. There's some pretty deep cut stuff in there, so check out the Patreon page, so sign up today and scope it out!
Hey guys! Its your good buddy, Uncle Ben Eller, and today we will be going through my list of the top riffs of 1984!!! There was an absolutely INSANE amount of great records released that year, plus it was the year i was born! I decided to only choose one riff from each album to keep the playing field level. There's obviously plenty of '80s hair metal hits in here, as well as top picks from the worlds of blues, rock, pop, alternative, and MORE! Its a musical odyssey!
Even though this video is full of sick licks, i'm sure i forgot at least one of your favorites! Let me know your favorite riffs of '84 in the comments section below!
Everything was recorded using my Suhr Modern guitars and Suhr J Classic bass. All tones are coming from the Fractal AXE FX III, and the guitar tones i'm using all came from the free pack that ‪@RoccoPezzin‬ put up recently. They're INCREDIBLE! I'm using his Friedman BE and Marshall patches for everything with minimal tweaks. Get em!!!

[@BenEller]

Thanks for watching The Best Riffs of 1984!!! What you do you want a riff-by-riff countdown of next?

[@andresmoncayo6843]

The Best solos of 1984? Or the Best riffs of 1986!!!

[@flekkzo]

Dual guitars. There’s so many cool layers to it. From two rhythm guitars to Iron Maiden to Dethklok. Or triple and quadruple is good too:) Just skip Queen. Brian needs his own episode.

[@SuperJimic]

The year 1990 would be an absolutely wank worthy one in my humble opinion. 😁

[@BenEller]

Jay C dude. You wanna talk about an INSANE year for good music!!!

[@DunlopTortex05mm]

1990 ! Common we all know what album from 1990 we want on the list ?! (rip)

[@MartyDadRiffs]

I don’t care what year you pick for the next one. Just please do a next one. Thank you

[@jennyprorock]

1986-89 would be perfect. I miss the 80s.

[@andyspendlove1019]

I vote 1992! Dirt by Alice In Chains, Angel Dust by Faith No More, RATM's self titled, Sleep's Holy Mountain, Dirty by Sonic Youth, maybe even some Check Your Head by the Beastie Boys

[@bradbuckinghamhandsomeprin6027]

It was really awesome

[@JJames666male]

I like your style

[@sole__doubt]

Exactly, these are so cool I wish he was still doing them.

[@RyanAtkinsC]

"This is one of the most difficult thing flea has ever played" *plays it*

[@bobbynip66]

Uncle Ben can’t hold back that smile while playing “Hot For Teacher”. 😀

[@michaelsavides8856]

Hot for teacher always felt ZZ Top vibe for me. Anyone else? Just such a super hot Texan vibe!

[@pa28cfi]

@@michaelsavides8856 It should. It's basically the reverse of the intro to La Grange.

[@flekkzo]

Usually these lists are dreadful (especially best guitarists), but every single riff here belongs as a stand out riff. Sure there are others, but none should be removed. Well done.

[@tylersherkin9487]

The idea of this as a series is wild, man. DO IT! We love it.

[@appeasedbeast408]

Please!

[@adamwarlock5286]

I see what you did there 🤣

[@devonparker4728]

The “Die” riff in creeping death. Not only one of the best from 1984, but one of the best riffs ever written

[@TheSeraphim75]

Hammett is so proud of this riff he wrote he cried when talking about it....and stopped writing riffs after and lost the tape of all his riffs

[@damageinc81292]

@@TheSeraphim75 kinda weird he "loses his tape" then a year later a band called Megadeth releases a debut album lol

[@lebannerfan65]

@Laurence Pinney The riff is not from 1984. Hammett originally wrote it for Exodus - Die By The Sword ;)

[@xXFraudXx]

@@lebannerfan65 it's "die by his hand" by exodus, "die by the sword" is Slayer.

[@MKDumas1981]

You mean the Exodus riff Metallica used?

[@ashtabet3450]

‘86. Best year for thrash in history, and that’s a damn fact.

[@tanirbergenmustafa92]

Master of puppets is my favourite

[@micheldolores5924]

Whiplash - power and pain. So fucking underrated. Spit on your grave is a great one.

[@sole__doubt]

RIB and MOP are two of the best metal albums ever.

[@johnboleyjr.1698]

You thought 1984 was full of great music, just wait till it becomes 1987. Two of the greatest years of that decade.

[@mthwnicodemus]

Any video that acknowledges weird al’s contributions to humanity automatically gets a like from me.

[@TheUncannyCthulhu]

My favorite riff of 1984 is the downwards chug in For Whom The Bell Tolls, that riff is just so deliciously chunky

[@Ruefus]

Kid Gloves - OMG - yes. Did not see that coming, which is a good thing. The riff is killer, of course. The solo is one of, if not my favorite solo of all time. Just amazing stuff from a guy that's, let's face it, is overlooked compared to his bandmates.

[@theoriesabound6711]

I could not agree more. Alex's solo in Kid Gloves should be on somebody's best solos of 1984 list. Between the Wheels should be, too.

[@NicknLex]

The Top Gun theme was written Harold Faltermeyer and played by Steve Stevens👍

[@composerdave68]

This. Steve has no writing credit on the piece. I'm sure he came up with the improvised solo part, but the piece itself, and the theme, were Faltermeyer.

[@astralmarmoset]

For my money, it would be Panama; but you’re right, that whole album is full of magic. Dig the theme of the video. 👍 Maybe you could do a more specific breakdown: like best riffs of the 80’s in Phrygian dominant, or something like that...

[@djsnackypants]

That'd be awesome: pick a scale, then pick the best riffs in that scale (any key obviously). Sepultura owns Super Locrian, so it's kind of unfair to pick it, but damn I love that scale (and them)

[@lw1391]

Panama is a great call. Personally I would go with Drop Dead Legs. That whole album is fantastic

[@jsoye]

I hadn't come across the Dio one before, it rocks... they rock... wait a minute...

[@tonepoet]

In 1984 I was that 16 year old stoner wearing spandex to the movie theater after I teased up my mullet and I remember when all of this stuff came out that year. We knew how good we had it, trust me.

[@backslash68]

You should do best riffs of 1985, and Lay it down by Ratt should be there.

[@tristantristan4733]

Best song for waking up the neighbourhood

[@brenb87]

I have news

[@jf4196]

master of puppets

[@PDXguitarfreak]

LOVED THIS. I got my first guitar in November '83, and '84 was such a special year for me because of that (also the year of my first concert - the mighty VH). Song choices here was excellent! :)

[@jaysunten]

I also started playing in 84. Such a great year!

[@diverdown1982]

Hey PDX, what's up bro! I would love to see you do one of these videos too!

[@Jedediah73]

Ya mad respect for including Dio

[@SamiHelenius]

I would have picked "2 Minutes to Midnight" instead of "Powerslave", but nevertheless it was cool that Maiden got a mention.

[@kennethchartrand4251]

Aces High has a much more enduring riff....

[@cfg1991]

No

[@clenjones5748]

NOOO. NOT THE MIDNIGHTERINOS!

[@psyco3193]

Meh I sort of agree with Ben, Midnight is overplayed while powerslave has a really interesting exotic choice of notes, however even if is not the strongest song of the album I would have picked the stellar riff of back in the village

[@bloodofmyenemies]

2 Minutes To Midnight has one of the most used metal riffs of all time though. Maiden were probably the 10th band to use it.

[@UltraViolence74989]

I remember being 10 years old, going to my cousins to go swimming and he had the VH 1984 cassette. I had dabbled with guitar for about 3 years, my grandpa made bluegrass records, my dad played and after I heard that album that was it for me. There were no "Uncle Bens" back then so I had to teach myself, which I did along with Cherry Lane tab books that would take 4-6 weeks to arrive cause you had to send a check.

[@khoiplaysguitar]

Ok but can we talk about how 1984 that blue and purple/pink swirl Suhr is?

[@fromdepthswerise3024]

He just pulled off a lick that even Prince himself said he couldn't remember so he had it backtracked for live shows. Damn.

[@paramentalproductions2053]

Yes sir. I was 15. And got to see Van Halen that last tour with DLR

[@andygogocomics]

Yes, Weird Al's original songs are criminally underrated. I probably know every word 😂 SO CATCHY. Finally someone said it!

[@Gonzo2707]

You were born in 1984?!? YOU‘RE NOT MY UNCLE, you‘re my little brother 😄. Good call on G/P, my first and still absolute favourite Rush album.

[@nanthilrodriguez]

Are you saying you're his BIG BROTHER? Because you're always WATCHING HIM? Because its 1984?

[@tonepoet]

@@nanthilrodriguez George Orwell would approve.

[@andygogocomics]

Uncle Ben is only one year older than me, and this is why I suck at guitar. 😂

[@ronniejacobsen3000]

Yeah no shit. Just a wee lil baby uncle... Or wait uncle from the future?? Love you unck....

[@TeeMost]

Ok, I’ll do it. it’s p/g... 😁

[@ChrisRash]

Just keep going every year...85, 86, etc up to 90

[@bobbynip66]

I was a high school senior in ‘84....so many different styles to choose from...there was something for everyone!

[@guitardavepdx]

Being an older dude these videos make me realize how influenced I was by then. I was 7 when most of these came out and I found my head grooving along with these. Also a "runaway" tutorial would be awesome

[@RichardONeil]

That was so much fun! You could go back to the 60s and move forward year by year and we would just watch them...or you could move onto '85!

[@hrosemd]

Ahhh. To be a 13 year old in 1984. Good times.

[@GetzGoth]

Grace Under Pressure. Actually one of my favorite Rush albums. A healthy dose of nostalgic value probably contributes somewhat to that. Kid Gloves is possibly my favorite track on it. Btw, this Ben Eller cat can straight up play!

[@sbiegs3885]

Ya. Crosby “The King” and Warren has a bad ass sound. Riff masters.

[@davidbakerscuba]

Ratt and Stryper were baddest guitar duos bands of the 80’s!

[@brandenmducharme]

David Baker Skid Row? They had the best second to Ratt in my opinion

[@AJ82778]

You had me at Powerslave. Had to hide that album from my parents (they thought I might end up worshiping Egyptian cat gods or something).

[@davidbakerscuba]

Anything from Stryper’s debut Yellow and Black Attack could have made the list but especially From Wrong to Right. Michael Sweet and Oz Fox are an amazing guitar duo and still doing it to perfection today.

[@Jacksonkellyfreak]

No joke Uncle Ben I put a pickup called the 1984 in one of my neon pink guitars today, and I bought it on a whim because I was born in 84, then you upload this same day. Must have been a good year.

[@BenEller]

Wow!

[@TheGuitarman1968]

A Great list from a great time to be alive! I was 16 in 1984 and a Sophomore in high school. I Got my driver's license that year and we did a LOT of cruisin' to almost all of these songs. I had already been playing guitar for 4 years by 1984 and could play most of these riffs back then and still play them today. Another great, but lesser known, band of the 80's (and still touring today) is Y&T. Their album "In Rock We Trust" was released in July of '84. "Lipstick & Leather" and "Don't Stop Running" are just two of the many great songs from that album. Dave Meniketti is such an amazing musician as both a guitar player and singer. Keep up the great work with these lists. They bring back a lot of "most excellent" memories from those really fun years. 🎸 🎸 🎸

[@allancerf9038]

They were fun years, weren't they!?

[@shanemendiola5615]

He even kills the bass!!!! I love this man. He would be a star if this were the 80s

[@tassobear]

what are you talking about? He is a star! ;)

[@garylisbon8933]

LMAO I was wondering if you were going to get to VH 1984...such a kick ass song. I seen them on the Meanstreet tour and they opened up with just that. Eddie came out alone doing the tapping intro and when he busted into the rhythm the lights shined bright and it was all uphill from there!!! They even did Ice Cream Man...killllllller!!!!

[@denniscasey2883]

I graduated in 1984. It was a truly awesome time to be eighteen in SoCal 12 miles from hollyweird on the beach.

[@GODANMEDIA]

Great choices. I knew them all except one the chili peppers. I was 12 in 1984. Awe I miss my boom box and cherished tapes! Lol

[@coldvoid]

1984 here as well! Cheers, Uncle ;)

[@greybanner1830]

Nice list! Love that you included Rush as well as that opening lick from When Doves Cry. Next up has gotta be 86. That might be the best year in music EVER.

[@TheShreddingHand]

Such a great year! The WANT is HIGH on that pink/blue Suhr!

[@TheThunderchild666]

That intro riff to bad boys running wild by scorpions. Never seen it done or sound right yet

[@cuttheloop]

I graduated HS in '85 We had the best jams by far!!

[@coincrazy9338]

after seein that slap I think the world needs you to challenge davie to a battle

[@KingBeevr]

I'm just here waiting for the best riffs of 1944.

[@cheenu711]

I can literally take 3 or 4 riffs from house of pain and put them on this list. Just goes to show just how good Eddie was.

[@lw1391]

I can't believe you put Mr. Popeil on the list - completely unexpected, but that's awesome. "You can even cut a tin can with it ... but you wouldn't want to"

[@jakehyde2408]

I'm just here with my mind blown that Ride the Lightning was '84! I was 9 then and had no idea that Metallica existed until junior high. Wow! Better late than never? Great list of riffs; please do more. A list of 5 or so riffs that made you want to play guitar would be cool to see! 🤘

[@l1feson]

So pleased you included Kid Gloves. One of my all time favourite Rush tracks 👍👍🤟🏻🤟🏻

[@stupidusername38]

1984, what an album, from start to finish a monster record. House Of Pain was actually written before the first Van Halen album but didn't make the cut. It got resurrected for 1984 and man, what a riff. Here's a few others from 84 that are worth a mention. Queensryche Child of Fire. Deep Purple Perfect Strangers. Bruce Springsteen Born in the USA. Black Star Yngwie Malmsteen

[@theboozecannon]

Extra points for including Powerslave! One of the riffs that made me want to play guitar. Really expected Panama to be number 1, but no complaints. More of this, please!

[@h0tsex0r]

84 what a fuckin year. Kudos for Kid Gloves, great record.I had no idea RHCP were even around in 84. And yes i owned “dare to be stupid”

[@jrgilbert]

That summer started it all for me. I was 13. I bought Ratt Out of the Cellar and Prince and the Revolution Purple Rain the same day. About a week later I bought Van Halen 1984 and Duran Duran Seven and the Ragged Tiger. Lol. Needless to say, metal stole my heart. I think the next album I bought was Kiss Animalize! That album was full of great riffs!! The opening I've had Enough (Out of the Fire), freaking jams. I think it's Kiss's heaviest album. Anyway, that was a very very special summer and year. So long ago. I listened to these album's everyday don't my paper route. Memories...sigh.

[@mykneeshurt8393]

the only time i turn it down, is when i'm sleeping it off.....

[@RqtballPro]

I graduated HS in '84... miss those metal days...right on Ben! \m/

[@Sephy1346]

Ummm so who is going to tell him that "Psycho Killer" didn't get released in 1984

[@BenEller]

SHHHHHH KEEP IT SECRET

[@romanperez4774]

Not very secret

[@DrCrowie]

Not the original but they did release the feature length music video Stop making sense, which opened with my favorite version of Psycho Killer, you know the one where he plays the backing track on cassette on a boombox

[@danielmatemusic]

@@DrCrowie you mean the version with no bass?

[@erike76]

And Steve Stevens didn’t write that piece (Top Gun), he just played on it...

[@squicker]

So glad Steve Stevens gets a slot. Amazing guitarist. Love him so much I recently bought a Music Man Axis, weirdly it did not mean I could suddenly play like him and I feel they should have pointed that out in the small print.

[@bimscutney1242]

I’m not normally into neon colored guitars but that pink and blue Suhr swirl is freaking amazing. It looks like the world’s best lollipop.

[@sbssta41]

That pink and blue suhr...such beauty. Makes me wanna roll up in a ball and cry

[@dixonworld]

Just keep going! 85 86 and 87 are astonishing for the number of quality riffs...

[@demongeminix]

I came here from the Best Riffs of 1985 video just to say that I was 9 years old in 1984... And also, I had to pause this video after every entry to go listen to the full song before coming back to watch the rest of this one... except for The Scorpions... I had to listen to Rock You Like A Hurricane like 15 times to get it out of my system before coming back here.

[@SkyscraperGuitars]

I thought you were going to do the intro to hot for teacher... That cemented Eddie atop the all time throne for me. When I heard it the first time my brain couldn't even conceive of what I was hearing much less how the hell he played it. Great list Ben!

[@doodles6200]

Damn Uncle Ben! Love hearing your opinions after I've been learning from you for years. Much love.

[@corallaroc2946]

That Suhr power strats are some pure 80ies gold

[@GZUS316]

Finally, someone hit up the awesomeness of maiden! 83 was another great year for music...bark at the moon, shout at the devil, eliminator, pyromania, syncronicity... ahhh.

[@nanthilrodriguez]

Your dystopian police state overlords approve of this video and the year in question.

[@sole__doubt]

So my uncle is younger than me? This just keeps getting weirder. Love ya Uncle Ben

[@tylersherkin9487]

Slaying it on that Peppers riff... WE ROCK! I love that tune. This video gets better and better as we go through. Thanks, Uncle Ben!

[@randellwillis]

I was 21 and in college in 1984, best of my 6 1/2 years of college! You look like one of my roommates, Ben.

[@tobiasreitsma3381]

You should totally make these a series! Usually when I click on these kind of video's I expect to see the same lists over and over again but you introduce me to new music by putting in a lot more effort it's awesome!

[@SuperJimic]

Aaah, this is killer. Looking forward to this series. Long may it continue. 🙌

[@BrianH020]

Ok Ben, I may be picking a nit here, but Psycho Killer was originally released in 1977, though Wikipedia DOES say it was part of the concert film Stop Making Sense, which was released in '84 and had clips on MTv certainly. Just thought I'd point that out, apologies if someone else already did. Carry on my Wayward Son!

[@djsnackypants]

7 people can't get over the fact that Puppoids is not Mortillica's sophomore record ;)

[@oswaldoaguirre8634]

Buenísimos....gracias Ben. Un documento musical histórico

[@garycoraluzzi1166]

Wow !! Another Incredible Video !! Thank you Ben

[@CrazyHenkie777]

That solo in Turn up the radio is certainly worth the mention!

[@CP-wr6fm]

I love all your vids and can't wait untill the next, it's refreshing to see that someone actually did their homework and went the extra mile to get the guitar riffs dead on. Awesome job! TY.

[@WallyBoots]

I would love to see this as a series!! Awesome!!

[@TremorBear]

B. Eller-I discovered your channel 3 weeks ago. I’m 57 years old and I started playing when I was in sixth grade. These last ten years have been so blah (concerning my “playing”). My playing stopped progressing back in the 80’s! I found your synchronize your hands video and these last 3 weeks have been so encouraging. Thank you! I’ll keep watching and learning. My goal is to be able to play 16th notes at 120bpm. I’m at 97 bpm and slowly progressing. More progress in 3 weeks than 30 years! Thank you!

[@mojo-hand4539]

In 1984 - I was a junior in highschool, and now i'm learning guitar from a guy who was born that year.

[@dusty3913]

The bigger the waistband, the deeper the quicksand. Or so it may seem...

[@MarkArandjus]

Checked out Dio's 'We Rock' because of this video, I want you to know that.

[@donniebrook9900]

I bought my first nice guitar in 1984. A 1978 Les Paul Firebrand with an all walnut body. It weights a ton but plays so nice. I still have it. Keep rocking Ben. Thanks for the vids.

[@brett327]

I love that you went to Kid Gloves. I remember learning that Riff as a kid. Probably the first time I realized that you could synch your picking to the delay timing.

[@calvinmartin3711]

Uncle Ben...admittedly, I cannot believe you pulled Kid Gloves out of Rush GUP. Great find and one of my favorite songs on that LP. As a side note, at age 49, I'm struggling to call you uncle, but I'm game to envision myself as in my late teens again.

[@cpottervlog8122]

If you hadn't put VH on this list you would never hear the end of it

[@shanedeel2]

Damn straight

[@Frodojack]

I love these kind of videos. My suggestion is to go back farther in time to the 1960s, maybe starting with 1964 and do YOUR top 20 riffs for each year. That's a ton of content right there.

[@renzitutoringandguitar3047]

Yes! Marvy video. Thank you, Sir! 1984 was magical, it was the absolute heyday for hard rock and classical metal.

[@anthonyw5261]

Best top 10 list iv seen in a long time. Thanks

[@eddieissa]

This was fun to watch, uncle Ben. You should definetly do another one.

[@victormarqves]

Great video idea! Also, I love your sense of humour and want to thank you for your lessons, I began to improve on guitar only after watching you!

[@literalemu2815]

Yesssssss, Runaway getting some love! That keyboard riff has always been such a stand out for me

[@MarkPritchardGuitar]

Awesome video Ben, more of these please 🙏🏻

[@ranskal]

Love you channel Ben...thanks!

[@brucetrebilcox5648]

One of the best years of my life (graduated high school....barely). This video along with your teaching videos made me finally become a patreon. Great work, sir.

[@schmoofadoop]

Loving these riffs of bits, interesting and entertaining, good work!

[@Xtrememan512]

Best riffs of 1986-87 lets goooooo! Awesome stuff man!

[@buggybunny5769]

Sammy Hagar's I can't drive 55 was on MTV nonstop in 1984. Very Iconic.

[@elistovall2767]

Awesome stuff Uncle Ben. Keep this going...each year!