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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

Showing 5 responses by martykl

martykl
3,578 posts
 
Paul Westerberg "My Little Problem"
Todd Rundgren "Hammer in My Heart"
Clash "Clampdown"
Yardbirds "Train Kept A Runnin'"
Talking Heads "Crosseyed and Painless"
Patti Smith "Pumping (My Heart)"
Jefferson Airplane "Volunteers"
Outsiders "Time Won't Let Me" (later appropriated by Pretenders for "Time The Avenger")
Deep Purple "Smoke On The Water"
Allmans "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed"
etc,etc,etc
martykl
3,578 posts
 
Oops, forgot "Sweet Jane"
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.
martykl
3,578 posts
 
Smrex,

If you're gonna go all "Thin Lizzy" on this one, you should add "Jailbreak". 
martykl
3,578 posts
 
Just re-read this thread.  "Funk 49" by The James Gang rightfully got several mentions, but - in fairness - I'll add "Walk Away".

"You just turn your pretty head and walk away".  God bless Joe Walsh.
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