"Riot Act" features a diverse sound, including folk-based and experimental songs. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic said ""Riot Act" is the album that Pearl Jam has been wanting to make since "Vitalogy"—a muscular art rock record, one that still hits hard but that's filled with ragged edges and odd detours." Gossard said ""Riot Act" really seems to showcase all of our thing. There's the simple rock songs we could have written in the earlier era, but it covers all the different times and dynamics we've had and still holds together." The musical experiments led several songs on the album to use alternate tunings, including "You Are", "All or None" and "Bu$hleaguer".