Greatest Rock Guitar Riffs

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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

Greatest 33 Rock Songwriters

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Look, it was just as difficult finding the greatest rock songwriters of all time as it was researching the greatest guitar players, drummers etc. Everyone's list is different. Forget the order except, no one argues that Lennon and McCartney are number 1. I finally found a list that sort of hits the mark at http://digitaldreamdoor.nutsie.com. I had to stop the list at 33 because then it starts to lose credibility. Blatantly missing is Robert Plant/Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin. The one thing I will agree on is that these 33 definitely belong in the mix as the greatest 100 rock songwriters. Please let me know who are your greatest rock songwriters of all time? - Kenny Leibow

1. John Lennon & Paul McCartney - The Beatles, Solo, 1960s, ("A Day In The Life", "Hey Jude", "Yesterday", "Let It Be", "Imagine") 2. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller 1950s, ("Jailhouse Rock", "Hound Dog", "Stand By Me", "Love Potion No. 9", "Kansas City") 3. Chuck Berry 1950s, ("Johnny B. Goode", "Maybellene", "Roll Over Beethoven", "Sweet Little Sixteen") 4. Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier & Eddie Holland 1960s, ("Where Did Our Love Go", "Please Mr. Postman", "Baby Love", "You Keep Me Hangin' On") 5. Brian Wilson - The Beach Boys, Solo, 1960s, ("Good Vibrations", "God Only Knows", "California Girls," "Wouldn't It Be Nice,") 6. Bob Dylan 1960s, ("Like A Rolling Stone", "Blowin' In The Wind", "Mr. Tambourine Man", "Knockin' on Heaven's Door") 7. Smokey Robinson - The Miracles, Solo, 1960s, ("Tracks Of My Tears", "My Girl", "You've Really Got A Hold On Me", "Shop Around") 8. Stevie Wonder 1970s, ("Superstition", "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", "Signed, Sealed Delivered I'm Yours") 9. Mick Jagger & Keith Richards - The Rolling Stones, 1960s, ("(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction", "Sympathy For The Devil", "Paint It, Black", "Jumpin' Jack Flash") 10. James Brown 1960s, ("Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", "I Got You (I Feel Good)", "Say It Loud - I'm Black And I'm Proud") 11. Carole King & Gerry Goffin 1960s, ("You've Got A Friend", "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman", "One Fine Day") 12. Fats Domino & Dave Bartholomew 1950s, ("The Fat Man", "Ain't That A Shame", "I'm in Love Again", "Blue Monday", "I'm Walkin'") 13. Buddy Holly 1950s, ("Not Fade Away", "True Love Ways", "Peggy Sue", "That'll Be The Day") 14. Elton John & Bernie Taupin 1970s, ("Candle In The Wind", "Your Song", "Tiny Dancer", "Crocodile Rock", "Bennie and the Jets") 15. Bruce Springsteen 1970s, ("Born To Run", "Thunder Road", "Born In The USA") 16. Pete Townshend - The Who, 1960s, ("My Generation", "Won't Get Fooled Again", "Baba O'Riley") 17. Jerome "Doc" Pomus & Mort Shuman 1950s, ("This Magic Moment", ""His Latest Flame", "Viva Las Vegas", "Save The Last Dance For Me") 18. Prince 1980s, ("When Doves Cry", "Purple Rain", "Nothing Compares 2 U", "Kiss") 19. Joni Mitchell 1970s, ("A Case Of You", "Both Sides Now", "Chelsea Morning", "Big Yellow Taxi") 20. Otis Blackwell 1950s, ("Don't Be Cruel", "Great Balls Of Fire", "Fever") 21. Sam Cooke 1960s, ("A Change Is Gonna Come", "You Send Me", "Bring It On Home To Me", "Chain Gang") 22. Paul Simon - Simon & Garfunkel, Solo, 1960s, ("Bridge Over Troubled Water'", "The Sounds Of Silence", "Mrs. Robinson") 23. Ray Davies - The Kinks, 1960s, ("You Really Got Me", "Waterloo Sunset") 24. Curtis Mayfield - The Impressions, Solo, 1970s, ("People Get Ready", "Superfly") 25. Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwich 1960s, ("Be My Baby", "Baby I Love You", "River Deep, Mountain High") 26. Van Morrison - Them, Solo, 1970s, ("Brown Eyed Girl", "Gloria", "Have I Told You Lately") 27. Felice Bryant & Boudleaux Bryant 1950s, ("Bye Bye Love", "Wake Up Little Susie", "All I Have To Do Is Dream") 28. David Bowie 1970s, ("Life On Mars", "Space Oddity", "Ziggy Stardust", "The Man Who Sold The World") 29. Neil Young 1970s, ("Heart of Gold", "Rockin' In The Free World", "Southern Man") 30. Bob Marley 1970s, ("No Woman No Cry", "One Love/People Get Ready", "Redemption Song") 31. Kenneth Gamble & Leon Huff 1970s, ("If You Don't Know Me By Now", "When Will I See You Again", "Me And Mrs. Jones", "Love Train") 32. Little Richard 1950s, ("Tutti Frutti", "Lucille") 33. Bono & The Edge - U2, 1980s, ("With Or Without You", "One", "Sunday Bloody Sunday")

Rock Concerts - Then and Now

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Through-out the 1980's there were incredible line-ups of Hard Rock and Heavymetal bands playing in medium towns and large cities all over the USA. From sports arenas like Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis, Missouri with a seating capacity of about 9,000 to RFK Stadium in Philadelphia which attracted 100,000 concert fans. Many of the arenas and stadiums from the 1980's don't exist today. I remember seeing the Rolling Stones in 1981 at RFK Stadium. It was more than just a concert, it was a party and an incredible experience that would be difficult to describe in a brief blog entry. Van Halen on tour with Iron Maiden or the Rolling Stones on tour with Journey, Bon Jovi headlining in Europe in 1987 with the Scorpions; this made the concert experience exciting from beginning to end. Concerts were more live with less technology and more imperfection.

The concert experience today is like going to a major Broadway show in New York. You save up your money to attend this one big event. It is very organized, choreographed to perfection, incredible stage, sound and light effects with the latest technology. A spectacle and experience of being overwhelmed like being in an IMAX theater. The band line-ups in many cases are sub-par compared to the headliner as you wait with anticipation. The security is tight, you proceed to your assigned seating as the event unfolds. The economics for this multi-million dollar performance costs you an evening of several hundred dollars sometimes just for the tickets alone. This type of event is great in its own right.

For those who really enjoy rock music, having the ability to see several rock concerts during the year; going with your friends and being mesmerized by a Neil Peart drum solo of "WorkingMan" or a Jimmy Page guitar solo; Angus Young of AC/DC playing his guitar artfully non-stop with the legendary losing of 5 pounds of weight for each performance; and the unexpected fan participating by being pulled on stage with complete improvisation - this is the experience you remember forever with the music you wanted to listen to without all the studio and technology mixed in. You see real talent by the band and appreciate the music even more. Today's cookie cutter, boiler plate, blue-printed stage production does not produce the same type of experience as a band getting up there and playing their guts out to the audience.

Disclaimer: I know my description of today's concert is not true of all bands or all concert events however there is certainly a lot more of it today especially for the big name bands and artists.

Below is an example of Iron Maiden Tickets in 1987-1988 for about $15; and the concert for Metallica in 2009 for $200-$800 a ticket. This is not just about economics; it is about the whole experience of attending a Rock Concert back in the 1980's compared to today (then and now). I welcome feedback on your concert experiences.




Metallica w/ The Sword
Sat, Jan 31 - 2009 7:00 PM
Prudential Center - Newark, NJ
Machine Head
Tickets $200 - $800 each