Top 25 guitar riffs of all time

[Robert]

Check out the Top 25 guitar riffs of all time linked with videos.

Chosen by students from London music schools, the top 25 is dominated by "middle-aged" guitar riffs from more than 20 years ago, including Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix (1967), My Generation by The Who (1965) and Eye Of The Tiger by Survivor (1982).

Can you guess which riff is number 1? Shouldn't come as a surprise.

They sure don't make guitar riffs like they used to! (am I getting old? )

 

[SuperSwede]

Smoke on the water!

I wouldn´t have guessed that smells like teen spirit would end up 2nd.

 

[just strum]

I think The Who deserved more than one.

Since we have a Beatles theme going for the past couple of days - let's forget debating whether they belong or not, but if the were on the list, what song would it be.

Revolution? Edit: I meant Helter Skelter

No Stones - Satisfaction or Street Fighting Man?

Chuck Berry the only one representing the 50's?

Okay, there are only 25 slots and you can't have everybody.

 

[ted s]

Nothing for Weird Al ?

 

[Robert]

Interesting that 7 Nation Army made the list.

 

[Tone2TheBone]

Nothing for Weird Al ?

haha I've always loved that vid! Thanks for posting that. :bravo:

 

[Fretbuzz]

I'm not a big fan of anything on that list done after 1990. Call me old I guess.
I watched the live version of Jimi's Voodoo Chile on the list, that was amazing.
Some I like not that are not on the list:

Daytripper-Beatles
Stranglehold- Ted Nugent
Cat Scratch Fever-Ted
LaGrange- ZZ Top
Running w/ the Devil- Van Halen
Layla-Clapton
Frankenstein-Edgar Winter

That could be a huge list, I'll stop there.

 

[Robert]

There's a lot of Van Halen riffs that could be there. Eddie made such cool guitar riffs back in the day.

 

[Tone2TheBone]

There's a lot of Van Halen riffs that could be there. Eddie made such cool guitar riffs back in the day.

The one that always struck me as really cool was the riff to "Beautiful Girls". I loved the chord timbres on that one. Love that Marshall brown sound.

 

[player]

Check out the Top 25 guitar riffs of all time linked with videos.



Can you guess which riff is number 1? Shouldn't come as a surprise.

They sure don't make guitar riffs like they used to! (am I getting old? )

Sure we are getting older But in that respect We're also getting better figures one the simplest riffs gets the top vote though.

 

[Naz Nomad]

You have to remember that ..."Chosen by students from London music schools" ... doesn't automatically make it right.

 

[abraxas]

You have to remember that ..."Chosen by students from London music schools" ... doesn't automatically make it right.

Precisely. :bravo:

Just to mention one of my favorite bands, where is the opening riff for "(Don't Fear) The Reaper"?

 

[bigoldron]

Don't forget what I consider one of the ultimate rock guitar songs: Rock and Roll Hootchie Koo by Rick Derringer.

 

[peachhead]

That was a very interesting list. I must admit I don't know about half the songs on it.... I reckon I'm just gettin' old.

I wonder if the group here could come up with 25 that everyone agrees on?

 

[wingsdad]

...
Daytripper-Beatles
...

Oh, Pretty Woman - Roy Orbison.

 

[Naz Nomad]

I wonder if the group here could come up with 25 that everyone agrees on?

I think we could all agree on 25, but there would also be 25 thousand riffs that we think should be added to the list:master:

 

[evenkeel]

I'm not a big fan of anything on that list done after 1990. Call me old I guess.
I watched the live version of Jimi's Voodoo Chile on the list, that was amazing.
Some I like not that are not on the list:

Daytripper-Beatles
Stranglehold- Ted Nugent
Cat Scratch Fever-Ted
LaGrange- ZZ Top
Running w/ the Devil- Van Halen
Layla-Clapton
Frankenstein-Edgar Winter

That could be a huge list, I'll stop there.

Totally agree re; Daytripper and Layla. If my faded memory is right didn't Duane Allman actually create the Layla riff? I pretty sure he played on the sessions. And certainly Whipping Post seems like a good candidate.

If a great riff is one grabs you in 2-3 notes, then Satisfaction has got to be on the list.

 

[mrmudcat]

Totally agree re; Daytripper and Layla. If my faded memory is right didn't Duane Allman actually create the Layla riff? I pretty sure he played on the sessions. And certainly Whipping Post seems like a good candidate.

If a great riff is one grabs you in 2-3 notes, then Satisfaction has got to be on the list.

:bravo: :beer: :master:

 

[Fretbuzz]

Totally agree re; Daytripper and Layla. If my faded memory is right didn't Duane Allman actually create the Layla riff? I pretty sure he played on the sessions. And certainly Whipping Post seems like a good candidate.

If a great riff is one grabs you in 2-3 notes, then Satisfaction has got to be on the list.[/QUOTE]


I had no idea, great piece of trivia.

 

[sumitomo]

I agree with Naz 25 thousand.So guitar riffs would have to include some Joe Walsh too!! Sumi

 

[just strum]

Well, let's get started writing the top 25,000 guitar riffs. Although there will be those that point out that songs a are missing.

Wild thing
You make my heart sing
You make everything
Come on, wild thing

 

[Naz Nomad]

Ok, let's go back to when there were only three chords ... :master:


Intro to Status Quo's, 'Whatever You Want'


... only 24,998 to go :thwap:

 

[Iago]

That`s correct. Duane came with the Layla riff.

Definitely Whipping Post or any Allman Bros. song would be in a 25 top known riffs. Outside from the guitar playing-blues rock community, relatively no one knows the Allmans.. shame shame..

Weird there`s no Satisfaction!

And also Bad to the Bone by... forgot the guy`s name... (would also figure on a Who plays that? top 10 list) hey give me a break, I`m brazilian!

 

[Iago]

ah.. George Thorogood!

 

[mrmudcat]

Outside from the guitar playing-blues rock community, relatively no one knows the Allmans.. shame shame.

Well yea if your not counting the whole southern part of the states

Of course pretty much every newborn redneck(girls and boys:rotflmao: ) from now until the end time will know who The Allmans were/are:rockon: :dude:

 

[bigoldron]

Well yea if your not counting the whole southern part of the states

Of course pretty much every newborn redneck(girls and boys:rotflmao: ) from now until the end time will know who The Allmans were/are:rockon: :dude:

Even the transplanted Yankees down here know who the Allmans are. If they don't, then we're all too happy to educate them. :rockon:

 

[sunvalleylaw]

T. Outside from the guitar playing-blues rock community, relatively no one knows the Allmans.. shame shame..

Unless you are also a fan of old Saturday Night Live!

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Here is what I mean, I could not find a vid. Dan Aykroyd playing Jimmy Carter, Garret Morris as call in tripper, Bill Murray as Walter Cronkite. Classic!


Walter Cronkite: Looks like you've been doing your homework, Mr. President. I'd like to take this opportunity to say that none of these calls are screened, that the people of America are talking directly with the President. Our next call comes from a man who calls himself Dr. Midnight.

President Jimmy Carter: Hello, Dr. Midnight.

Dr. Midnight (on phone): Is Rosalyn there! I really like her!

Walter Cronkite: Alright, sir, thank you very much for calling..

Dr. Midnight (on phone): Hey, Cronkite! You stupid motherfu..

[ Carter jumps out of his chair to disconnect Dr. Midnight's call ]

Walter Cronkite: Thank you, Mr. President, ha ha! Our next call is Peter Elkin of Westbrook, Oregan, whom I am told is 17 years of age.

Peter (on phone): Hello? Hello?

President Jimmy Carter: Yes. Hello, Peter?

Peter (on phone): Is this the President?

President Jimmy Carter: Yes, it is.

Walter Cronkite: Do you have a question for the President?

Peter (on phone): Uh.. I, uh.. I took some acid.. I'm afraid to leave my apartment, and I can't wear any clothes.. and the ceiling is dripping, and uh.. I, uh..

Walter Cronkite: Well, thank you very much for calling, sir..

President Jimmy Carter: Just a minute, Walter, this guy's in trouble. I think I better try to talk him down. Peter?

Peter (on phone): Yeah..?

President Jimmy Carter: Peter, what did the acid look like?

Peter (on phone): They were these little orange pills.

President Jimmy Carter: Were they barrel shaped?

Peter (on phone): Uh.. yes.

President Jimmy Carter: Okay, right, you did some orange sunshine, Peter.

Peter (on phone): Very good of you to know that, sir.

President Jimmy Carter: How long ago did you take it, Peter?

Peter (on phone): Uh.. I don't know. I can't read my watch.

President Jimmy Carter: Alright, Peter, just listen. Everything is going to be fine. You're very high right now. You will probably be that way for about five more hours. Try taking some vitamin B complex, vitamin C complex.. if you have a beer, go ahead and drink it..

Peter (on phone): Okay..

President Jimmy Carter: Just remember you're a living organism on this planet, and you're very safe. You've just taken a heavy drug. Relax, stay inside and listen to some music, Okay? Do you have any Allman Brothers?

Peter (on phone): Yes, I do, sir. Everything is okay, huh Jimmy?

President Jimmy Carter: It sure is, Peter. You know, I'm against drug use myself, but I'm not going to lay that on you right now. Just mellow out the best you can, okay?

Peter (on phone): Okay..!

President Jimmy Carter: Okay.


(see http://snltranscripts.jt.org/76/76ocarter.phtml)

 

[mrmudcat]

BRILLIANT:bravo: :beer:

 

[Pickngrin]

BRILLIANT:bravo: :beer:

Classic skit... thanks for posting it.
I agree that the Kinks are sorely missing from the list....