Greatest Rock Guitar Riffs


A British guitar magazine recently polled it readers to compile a list of the greatest guitar riffs. Guns 'N Roses "Sweet Child of Mine" came in at the number spot. Here's a link to the poll results. As you can see the list is entirely metal oriented.

My list would include:

The Chuck Berry intro
The Chuck Berry rhythm
The Bo Diddley beat
Temptations - My Girl
Kinks - You Really Got Me
Steely Dan - Reelin' In the Years
Sam & Dave (Steve Cropper) - Soul Man
Stone Temple Pilots - Plish
Beatles - I Feel Fine intro
Jimi Hendrix - Purple Haze intro

Is it my fault that nearly all the great riffs are pre-1980?

What's on your list?
128x128onhwy61

Showing 3 responses by creeper

Jimi Hendrix - "Purple Haze"
Black Sabbath - "Iron Man"
Led Zeppelin - "Stairway to Heaven"
Fujindemon,

No hurt feelings. I threw that one in because when I was learning to play guitar in the mid 80's, Stairway was one of the most overplayed riffs of the day. It seemed like everyone of my era knew it (at least the beginning, few learned the whole song). Same for Purple and Iron, everyone knew them.