Greatest Rock N Roll Guitar Riffs - 1-50

OK, so I'm gonna list what I consider to be the greatest rock guitar riffs of all time. Now remember, this is MY list... and some of you wont agree; but that's how it goes. I looked for more than just the riff alone; I looked for things like the ability of the guitarist, the licks, the overall blend of the riff with the song, and you'll also notice that I drifted away from most of the other lists out there that place Smoke on the Water as number 1. This is nothing against Deep Purple or Ritchie Blackmore... I think they're awesome. I just felt that it truly wasn't the greatest riff. It may be the most well known, but that doesn't make it the best.

Most riffs are simple chords, mostly power chords... and it's what an artist does with that simplicity that makes a great riff. Keep in mind that this is a rock list and there are other great riffs out there, but they didn't fit into the genre. Although I did have to include Bo Diddley... because any kind of "riff" list wouldn't be a list without him. I also included the year the songs were released, as well as the guitarist(s).

1. Derek and the Dominos - Layla (1971) Eric Clapton, Duane Allman
2. The Beatles - Day Tripper (1965) George Harrison
   
3. Black Sabbath - Iron Man (1971) Tony Iommi
4. Cream - Sunshine of Your Love (1968) Eric Clapton
5. The Beatles - I Feel Fine (1964) John Lennon
   
6. Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode (1958) Chuck Berry
7. Rolling Stones - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (1965) Keith Richards
8. AC/DC - Back In Black (1980) Angus Young, Malcolm Young
9. Roy Orbison - Oh, Pretty Woman (1964) Roy Oribison
10. Ozzy Osbourne - Crazy Train (1980) Randy Rhoads
11. Black Sabbath - Paranoid (1970) Tony Iommi
12. Rolling Stones - Jumpin' Jack Flash (1968) Keith Richards, Brian Jones
13. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama (1974) Gary Rossington, Allen Collins
14. Jimi Hendrix Experience - Purple Haze (1967) Jimi Hendrix
15. Metallica - Master of Puppets (1986) Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield
16. Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine (1987) Slash
17. Led Zeppelin - Heartbreaker (1969) Jimmy Page
18. Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child (Slight Return) (1968) Jimi Hendrix
19. AC/DC - Hells Bells (1980) Angus Young, Malcolm Young
20. Deep Purple - Smoke on the Water (1971) Ritchie Blackmore
21. Iron Butterfly - In A Gadda Da Vida (1968) Eric Brann
22. David Bowie - Rebel, Rebel (1974) David Bowie
23. Metallica - Enter Sandman (1991) Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield
24. Aerosmith - Walk This Way (1975) Joe Perry
25. Eddie Cochran - Summertime Blues (1958) Eddie Cochran
26. The Animals - House of the Rising Sun (1964) Hilton Valentine
27. The Kinks - You Really Got Me (1964) Dave Davies
28. ZZ Top - La Grange (1973) Billy Gibbons
29. Soundgarden - Outshined (1991) Kim Thayil
30. Metallica - One (1989) James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett
31. Dire Straits - Money For Nothing (1984) Mark Knopfler
32. Rolling Stones - Brown Sugar (1971) Keith Richards
33. The Guess Who - American Woman (1970) Randy Bachman, Greg Leskiw
34. Led Zeppelin - Black Dog (1971) Jimmy Page
35. Joan Jett and the Blackhearts - I Love Rock N Roll (1982) Ricky Byrd, Joan Jett
36. Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley (1958) Bo Diddley
37. The Troggs - Wild Thing (1966) Chris Britton
38. Kiss - Heaven's On Fire (1985) Ace Frehley, Paul Stanley
39. Tommy Tutone - 867-5309 (Jenny) (1982) Tommy Tutone
40. Led Zeppelin - D'yer Mak'er (1971) Jimmy Page
41. AC/DC - You Shook Me All Night Long (1980) Angus Young, Malcolm Young
42. Kansas - Carry On Wayward Son (1976) Rich Williams
43. Ozzy Osbourne - Mr. Crowley (1980) Randy Rhoads
44. Pearl Jam - Alive (1991) Mike McCready
45. Ratt - Round and Round (1984)
46. Asia - Heat of the Moment (1982)
47. Joe Walsh - Life's Been Good (1978) Joe Walsh
48. Eric Clapton - Cocaine (1976) Eric Clapton
49. Molly Hatchett - Flirting With Disaster (1980) Charlie Hargrett
50. The Eagles - Life In The Fast Lane (1977) Don Felder, Joe Walsh
51. Meat Puppets - Backwater (1994) Curt Kirkwood