When you are a teenager and first learn to play electric guitar, Iron Man by Black Sabbath or Day Tripper by the Beatles are some of the easier and more popular Riffs to play. A rock guitar riff is what makes the song catchy, not only to make you want to hear it over and over again, but entices you to act it out verbally or like air guitar etc. Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen and Keith Richards have created some of the best known guitar riffs of all time.
Below is the top 100 greatest rock guitar riffs from www.digitaldreamdoor.com. I frequently quote their lists because they are pretty accurate compared to other published lists. Though we all don't exactly agree about the songs or order on the list. For example, I don't see Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" or Pat Benatar's "Hit Me with Your Best Shot". My number 1 riff is based on being the very first in rock 'n roll, which is "Johnny B Goode by Chuck Berry". The list below is not about technique or level of difficulty it is all about popularity. Please comment on your favorite rock guitar riffs. - Kenny Leibow
Technical Definition of a Riff
In music, a riff is an ostinato figure: a repeated chord progression, pattern, refrain or melodic figure, often played by the rhythm section instruments orsolo instrument, that forms the basis or accompaniment of a musical composition. Though they are most often found in rock music, Latin, funk and jazz, classical music is also sometimes based on a simple riff, such asRavel's Boléro. Riffs can be as simple as a tenor saxophone honking a simple, catchy rhythmic figure, or as complex as the riff-based variations in the head arrangements played by the Count Basie Orchestra.
Greatest 100 Rock Guitar Riffs
1. Smoke On The Water - Deep Purple
2. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - Rolling Stones
3. Sunshine Of Your Love - Cream
4. Layla - Derek And The Dominos
5. Oh Pretty Woman - Roy Orbison
6. Iron Man - Black Sabbath
7. Johnny B Goode - Chuck Berry
8. Heartbreaker - Led Zeppelin
9. You Really Got Me - The Kinks
10. Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses
11. Purple Haze - Jimi Hendrix Experience
12. Day Tripper - The Beatles
13. Walk This Way - Aerosmith
14. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida - Iron Butterfly
15. Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin
16. Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd
17. Voodoo Child (Slight Return) - Jimi Hendrix Experience
18. Paranoid - Black Sabbath
19. Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne
20. Back In Black - AC/DC
21. Foxey Lady - Jimi Hendrix Experience
22. Frankenstein - Edgar Winter
23. Aqualung - Jethro Tull
24. Bad To The Bone - George Thorogood & Destroyers
25. Brown Sugar - Rolling Stones
26. Summertime Blues - Eddie Cochran
27. Money For Nothing - Dire Straits
28. Jumpin' Jack Flash - Rolling Stones
29. American Woman - Guess Who
30. Wild Thing - The Troggs
31. Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
32. Black Dog - Led Zeppelin
33. Rebel Rebel - David Bowie
34. Roadhouse Blues - The Doors
35. Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley
36. Breaking The Law - Judas Priest
37. Runnin' With The Devil - Van Halen
38. Enter Sandman - Metallica
39. The Hellion/Electric Eye - Judas Priest
40. Outshined - Soundgarden
41. Eye Of The Tiger - Survivor
42. Hells Bells - AC/DC
43. La Grange - ZZ Top
44. Master Of Puppets - Metallica
45. Kashmir - Led Zeppelin
46. Sultans Of Swing - Dire Straits
47. Rusty Cage - Soundgarden
48. Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love - Van Halen
49. Bring It On Home - Led Zeppelin
50. Man On The Silver Mountain - Rainbow
51. Panama - Van Halen
52. Maybellene - Chuck Berry
53. N.I.B. - Black Sabbath
54. Pinball Wizard - The Who
55. China Grove - The Doobie Brothers
56. Stranglehold - Ted Nugent
57. Ace Of Spades - Motorhead
58. Wipeout - The Surfaris
59. Paradise City - Guns N' Roses
60. Don't Fear The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
61. Five Minutes Alone - Pantera
62. All Day And All Of The Night - The Kinks
63. Up Around The Bend - Creedence Clearwater Revival
64. Bulls On Parade - Rage Against The Machine
65. Life In The Fast Lane - The Eagles
66. Start Me Up - Rolling Stones
67. Walk - Pantera
68. Welcome To The Jungle - Guns N' Roses
69. I'm Broken - Pantera
70. All Along The Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix Experience
71. Under The Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers
72. Working Man - Rush
73. Are You Gonna Go My Way - Lenny Kravitz
74. Pride And Joy - Stevie Ray Vaughan
75. The Boys Are Back In Town - Thin Lizzy
76. Whipping Post - Allman Brothers Band
77. Aenima - Tool
78. You Shook Me All Night Long - AC/DC
79. School Day - Chuck Berry
80. Born To Run - Bruce Springsteen
81. Honey Don't - Carl Perkins
82. Moby Dick - Led Zeppelin
83. Rockin' In The Free World - Neil Young
84. Wake Up Little Susie - Everly Brothers
85. Taxman - The Beatles
86. The Ocean - Led Zeppelin
87. Lola - The Kinks
88. Hangar 18 - Megadeth
89. Sharp Dressed Man - ZZ Top
90. Thunderstruck - AC/DC
91. Politician - Cream
92. The Trooper - Iron Maiden
93. I Feel Fine - The Beatles
94. Spirit Of Radio - Rush
95. Hallowed Be Thy Name - Iron Maiden
96. Man On A Mission - Van Halen
97. Fear Of The Dark - Iron Maiden
98. Raining Blood - Slayer
99. Scuttle Buttin - Stevie Ray Vaughan
100. Hysteria - Muse
2. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - Rolling Stones
3. Sunshine Of Your Love - Cream
4. Layla - Derek And The Dominos
5. Oh Pretty Woman - Roy Orbison
6. Iron Man - Black Sabbath
7. Johnny B Goode - Chuck Berry
8. Heartbreaker - Led Zeppelin
9. You Really Got Me - The Kinks
10. Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses
11. Purple Haze - Jimi Hendrix Experience
12. Day Tripper - The Beatles
13. Walk This Way - Aerosmith
14. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida - Iron Butterfly
15. Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin
16. Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd
17. Voodoo Child (Slight Return) - Jimi Hendrix Experience
18. Paranoid - Black Sabbath
19. Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne
20. Back In Black - AC/DC
21. Foxey Lady - Jimi Hendrix Experience
22. Frankenstein - Edgar Winter
23. Aqualung - Jethro Tull
24. Bad To The Bone - George Thorogood & Destroyers
25. Brown Sugar - Rolling Stones
26. Summertime Blues - Eddie Cochran
27. Money For Nothing - Dire Straits
28. Jumpin' Jack Flash - Rolling Stones
29. American Woman - Guess Who
30. Wild Thing - The Troggs
31. Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
32. Black Dog - Led Zeppelin
33. Rebel Rebel - David Bowie
34. Roadhouse Blues - The Doors
35. Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley
36. Breaking The Law - Judas Priest
37. Runnin' With The Devil - Van Halen
38. Enter Sandman - Metallica
39. The Hellion/Electric Eye - Judas Priest
40. Outshined - Soundgarden
41. Eye Of The Tiger - Survivor
42. Hells Bells - AC/DC
43. La Grange - ZZ Top
44. Master Of Puppets - Metallica
45. Kashmir - Led Zeppelin
46. Sultans Of Swing - Dire Straits
47. Rusty Cage - Soundgarden
48. Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love - Van Halen
49. Bring It On Home - Led Zeppelin
50. Man On The Silver Mountain - Rainbow
51. Panama - Van Halen
52. Maybellene - Chuck Berry
53. N.I.B. - Black Sabbath
54. Pinball Wizard - The Who
55. China Grove - The Doobie Brothers
56. Stranglehold - Ted Nugent
57. Ace Of Spades - Motorhead
58. Wipeout - The Surfaris
59. Paradise City - Guns N' Roses
60. Don't Fear The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
61. Five Minutes Alone - Pantera
62. All Day And All Of The Night - The Kinks
63. Up Around The Bend - Creedence Clearwater Revival
64. Bulls On Parade - Rage Against The Machine
65. Life In The Fast Lane - The Eagles
66. Start Me Up - Rolling Stones
67. Walk - Pantera
68. Welcome To The Jungle - Guns N' Roses
69. I'm Broken - Pantera
70. All Along The Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix Experience
71. Under The Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers
72. Working Man - Rush
73. Are You Gonna Go My Way - Lenny Kravitz
74. Pride And Joy - Stevie Ray Vaughan
75. The Boys Are Back In Town - Thin Lizzy
76. Whipping Post - Allman Brothers Band
77. Aenima - Tool
78. You Shook Me All Night Long - AC/DC
79. School Day - Chuck Berry
80. Born To Run - Bruce Springsteen
81. Honey Don't - Carl Perkins
82. Moby Dick - Led Zeppelin
83. Rockin' In The Free World - Neil Young
84. Wake Up Little Susie - Everly Brothers
85. Taxman - The Beatles
86. The Ocean - Led Zeppelin
87. Lola - The Kinks
88. Hangar 18 - Megadeth
89. Sharp Dressed Man - ZZ Top
90. Thunderstruck - AC/DC
91. Politician - Cream
92. The Trooper - Iron Maiden
93. I Feel Fine - The Beatles
94. Spirit Of Radio - Rush
95. Hallowed Be Thy Name - Iron Maiden
96. Man On A Mission - Van Halen
97. Fear Of The Dark - Iron Maiden
98. Raining Blood - Slayer
99. Scuttle Buttin - Stevie Ray Vaughan
100. Hysteria - Muse
