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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?
onhwy61
stevecham
3,340 posts
 
Gimme Shelter - Stones
Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress intro - Hollies
Don't Fear the Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
Up Around the Bend - Creedence Clearwater Revival
Minstrel in the Gallery electric riff - Jethro Tull
Voodoo Chile slight return - Jimi
School's Out - Alice Cooper
Helter Skelter - Beatles
Pinball Wizard - Who

stay tuned I have more...
mijknarf
266 posts
 
The only other one I can remember is from the one hit wonder band named Head East "Never Been Any Reason" 1975. Definately not the best, but a nice first 45 seconds.
shadorne's avatar
shadorne
7,491 posts
 
good challenge - the one hit wonders great riffs

Tommy Twotone 867-5309
Devo - Whip It
Lipps - Funkytown
Gary Numan - Cars
Vapors - Turning Japenese
qdrone
1,041 posts
 
Sookie Sookie by Steppenwolf
seditious3
184 posts
 
The guitar solo in Sympathy for the Devil. Not a riff, per se, but IMHO the definitive solo. What Keith doesn't play is as important as what he does play.
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