2. music
  3. 1083605493

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 14 responses by mapman

mapman's avatar
mapman
21,888 posts
 
Two I've recently listened to worth a mention is Steve Howe on " Heart of the Sunrise" and Steve Hackett on "Please Don't Touch". 
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,888 posts
 
"Where the River Flows" - Collective Soul
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,888 posts
 
Love is like oxygen by sweet
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,888 posts
 
I'll share some love for Martin Barre.
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,888 posts
 
yes, reptile is a good one!
i've seen the church do it live twice in recent years in a jazz club like venue. excellent!
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,888 posts
 
Legend - Poco
Some People - Savoy Brown
Louisiana Blues - Savoy Brown
Raunchy - Bill Justis
Dizzy Miss Lizzy Larry Williams
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,888 posts
 
"Love Is Like Oxygen" by Sweet. Simple but effective and most catchy!
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,888 posts
 
slaw,

yeah, it does kind of end prematurely.

oh well, still lots of fun while it lasts.

its nice hearing old am radio fare like that again on a good system to appreciate all that is going on that was not discernable then. nice audio candy!
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,888 posts
 
gel - collective soul
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,888 posts
 
With Alvin Lee's passing yesterday, I gotta give some love to Alvin Lee's guitar in the Ten Years After classic "I'd Love To Change the World".
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,888 posts
 
The guitar leads and riffs in the fairly recent tune "Uprising" by Muse is one of my current favorites.
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,888 posts
 
Uprising by Muse
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,888 posts
 
Maybe one of the very first is still the best, "Rumble" by Link Wray? I think that was first conceived in 1953 though a modest hit later in 1958. Very possibly in terms of overall influence.
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,888 posts
 
" Ride the Tiger" by Jefferson Starship has great lead guitar throughout and a great riff to boot. On of my favorites to get the blood flowing. I’m guessing it was Craig Chaquico who played it but not sure.
More to discover