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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?
128x128onhwy61
ifsixwasnin9
12 posts
 
"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
paulsax
275 posts
 
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.
soundgasm
152 posts
 
'Come to Love' by Matthew Sweet.

martykl
3,578 posts
 
One of the "purest" riff songs ever is Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk". Built around a repeating three note riff - -and two other short riffs. For me, this is about as primal as music gets. It does bounce around -guitar/bass/accordian/marching band - whatever's on hand, so I'm not sure it technically qualifies here. Still, this is great riff rock IMO.

Marty

Gasm, good to see Matthew Sweet get a shout out here.
slaw's avatar
slaw
22,016 posts
 
Mapman, Love is Like Oxygen ends when it't just starting to jam! Robin Trower, "Too Rolling Stoned"
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