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