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?
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"Voodoo Child" - Hendrix
"Stone Free" - Hendrix
"Little Wing" - Hendrix
"Too Rolling Stoned" - Robin Trower
"Little bit of Sympathy" - Robin Trower
"Day of the Eagle" - Robin Trower
"Free Will" (solo) - Rush/Lifeson
"Circumstances" - Rush/Lifeson
"La Villa Strangiato" - Rush/Lifeson
"Jacob's Ladder" - Rush/Lifeson
"Xanadu" - Rush/Lifeson
"Mr Crowley" - Randy Rhoads
"Believer" - Randy Rhoads
"Lazy" - Deep Purple/Blackmore
"Supernaut" - Sabbath/Iommi
"Hole in the Sky" - Sabbath/Iommi
"Sunshine of your Love" - Cream
"White Room" - Cream
Something newer?

Anthem by Rock n Roll Soldiers
Don't shut the gate by The Living End
Walkie Talkie Man by Steriogram

Think catchy/addictive/fun rather than pure guitar gods.

For the guitar legend I would toss out Willy the Wimp by SRV.