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From blues-inspired classics to heavy metal masterpieces, join us as we celebrate the most influential and memorable guitar riffs ever recorded! Our countdown features legendary guitarists who changed music history with their innovative playing styles and unforgettable hooks that continue to inspire generations of musicians.
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most
00:10remembered and influential slices of guitar riff majesty.
00:15Go Johnny, go, go. Johnny be good.
00:21Number 30. 8-6-7-5-3-0-9. Jenny, Tommy Two-Tone. What constitutes quality riffage? Is it complexity?
00:33Ease? How about memorability? 8-6-7-5-3-0-9. Jenny hangs its creative hat on a lick that's
00:41tailor-made for air guitaring in the mirror. One that's immediately catchy and stuck in one set.
00:478-6-7-5-3-0-9. 8-6-7-5-3-0-9.
00:55The main verse riff to 8-6-7-5-3-0-9, Jenny, also provides a nice power chord mirror image to
01:03that super clean sounding guitar section that opens up the song.
01:13This balance lends the music arrangements a natural flow,
01:17one that totally makes sense. Tommy Two-Tone truly struck upon Power Pop Gold with this one,
01:24even if listeners with that actual number of 8-6-7-5-3-0-9 were none too pleased about its chart
01:31success.
01:328-6-7-5-3-0-9, that's it. No, wait, that's not it. Damn you, Tommy Two-Tone!
01:3829. Sunshine of Your Love, Cream
01:43The iconic power trio Cream are largely known today as one of the progenitors of heavy metal,
01:50even if drummer Ginger Baker notoriously pushed back against this appraisal.
01:55And sure, the jazz and blues influences are still very much prominent on 1967's Sunshine of Your Love.
02:10Yet, the song's main riff also has this lurching, hard-hitting groove that feels both
02:16serpentine and laborious, like the footsteps of a rhino.
02:27This trudging dirge makes the most of both Jack Bruce's bass work and Eric Clapton's
02:33generational guitar playing. Meanwhile, the aforementioned Baker is his
02:38usual fantastic self behind the drum kit, driving that same riff with toms that sound like cannon fire.
02:5128. Johnny B. Good, Chuck Berry Rock music may never die, but it certainly
02:58had a beginning, with many journalists pointing to Johnny B. Good by Chuck Berry as patient zero for
03:03the rock and roll disease. This energetic and hooky blues lick is played incredibly fast for 1958,
03:10and helped get an entire generation of young people out there on that dance floor.
03:23This accessibility has also made Johnny B. Good extremely coverable for just about everyone,
03:28from Judas Priest to Morty McFly. It's not at all hyperbolic to claim that Chuck Berry's guitar
03:42prowess inspired generations of players to pick up the instrument, and it's Johnny B. Good that helped
03:48pave the way. 27. Heartbreaker
03:59It may be true that Heartbreaker is a common song title for many historical rock bands, but the cream
04:07tends to rise to the top. Pat Benatar's Heartbreaker remains one of her defining tunes, a driving rock
04:14anthem anchored by Neil Giraldo's hard-hitting guitar. The song is actually a cover, having first been
04:26recorded by another woman, Jenny Deran, in 1978. That version is actually quite cool in its own right,
04:33but the arrangements for the Giraldo and Benatar version make what's already an aggressive song
04:39sound even more bold and brash. The latter's vocals also work in tandem with Giraldo's riffage to make
04:51what was already a great song even better. 26. Don't Fear the Reaper
05:04Blue Oyster Cult
05:06There's never been any shortage of amazing riffs to be found within the discography of Long Island's
05:12ultimate secret weapon, Blue Oyster Cult. Take your pick, Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll,
05:18Godzilla, or Astronomy. They're all great.
05:22Meanwhile, Don't Fear the Reaper stands in the corner, beer in hand, just waiting to hand it off
05:35to the next hard rock wannabe that thinks they've got the stuff. The atmosphere here is electric,
05:48and VOC lay down haunting gothic grooves one minute and fiery guitar pyrotechnics the next.
05:55What can we say? They call them classics for a reason after all. And yes, we'll have more cowbell
06:02pleas. 25. Walk Pantera
06:13Never underestimate the power of simplicity. Some Pantera songs contain more complicated riffing
06:20than others, such as Cowboys from Hell or some of the material from the band's hair metal heyday.
06:31Walk, in the meantime, is anything but complex. A one-eyed riff that knows what it is and doesn't
06:38pretend to be anything else. It's muscular and to the point. A tough song with a tough riff doing tough
06:46things. Walk is a mindset of aggression, presenting the sort of metallic sound that inspired legions of
06:59power groove wannabes to try their own hands at the Pantera Blueprint.
07:11Number 24. The Spirit of Radio
07:14Every Rush fan retains their own particular sweet spot when it comes to the band's discography.
07:21The spirit of radio exists at the crossroads of Rush's earliest, most progressive-minded music,
07:27and the commercial waters explored during the 1980s and 90s.
07:37There's a bubbling electricity to the opening lick by Alex Lifeson,
07:41an irresistibly energetic riff that immediately places us in a great mood.
07:46The Spirit of Radio is prog rock, sure, but it's also a hit tune that can appeal to pretty much
07:59anybody. Meanwhile, that riff at the bridge section really sells, pardon the pun, The Spirit of Radio,
08:07as a song that can be both progressive and hard-rocking at the same time.
08:18Number 23. Rocky Like a Hurricane
08:23The 1980s saw an about-face from the former prog and krautrock leanings that classified the early
08:29material from Germany's Scorpions. Long-extended instrumental jams were out, and hard-rocking
08:36anthems were most definitely in, including Rocky Like a Hurricane.
08:48The Scorps clearly knew what they had with that main riff, a hooky and meaty-sounding number that
08:54immediately places the listener in a certain time and place. Big hair, big songs, slick production.
09:01Scorpions were officially playing arenas with a sound that was heavy but also melodic.
09:13Rocky Like a Hurricane still sounds great today, too. A twin guitar anthem that sits proudly alongside
09:20other Scorpions killers, a la No One Like You.
09:31Number 22. Voodoo Child Slight Return The Jimi Hendrix Experience
09:37No list of big guitar riffs would be complete without a visit from one of the most iconic
09:43six-string maestros, Jimi Frickin' Hendrix.
09:53Purple Haze is undoubtedly a killer from the man's back catalog, but there's just something
09:59eternally cool and effortlessly slick about Voodoo Child Slight Return. It's riffs, such as the one
10:05that opens up this tune that carves in stone Hendrix's reputation as a guitar hero.
10:16Voodoo Child brings an over-amplified, bluesy swagger to the party, a song that oozes sensuality while
10:23also boasting a butter-smooth performance from Jimi. It's a timeless cut from the classic rock era
10:30that still makes heads knock and lighters go up in the air.
10:42Number 21. Hell's Bells
10:45ACDC To study the riff arsenal of ACDC is to stumble upon an embarrassment of riches.
10:53That's because these Australian legends have been cranking out the Voltage anthems for decades now,
10:59from the fan-favorite Thunderstruck to Back in Black, ACDC have delivered the goods.
11:11Hell's Bells is something a bit different, opening with a gloomy,
11:15tolling bell that seems to sound a mourning cry for the band's departed singer Bon Scott.
11:21Yet, before long, that malevolent main riff makes its presence known,
11:26and tells everyone that ACDC are back. And they brought Bryan Johnson with them.
11:38It's a 2.0 riff attack for a 2.0 era of the band that helped fly the flag for pure,
11:44unfiltered, rock and roll.
11:5520. Walk This Way
11:56Aerosmith
11:57Who doesn't crave a little Aerosmith to kickstart their day?
12:01Walk This Way may arguably be the band's best-known song, but that doesn't mean it doesn't deserve
12:10every damn bit of praise.
12:19A lot of this credit should be laid out at the feet of guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford,
12:24who lay down such a thick and funky groove that it makes Walk This Way basically impossible to resist.
12:30A major success in the 70s, the track later helped revitalize the band's career when Aerosmith collaborated
12:42with Run DMC for a reworked version of this song in 1986.
12:4619. Round and Round
12:58Don't sleep on hair metal riffs, especially when they're coming from musicians as talented as Rats,
13:03Warren Demartini, or Robin Crosby.
13:0620. Round and Round
13:12The genre was actually a breeding ground for skilled players who usually played as flashy as possible,
13:17but could also bring to the table a surprising amount of depth and texture.
13:21Round and Round boasts one of those instantly memorable riffs that's mid-paced and metallic,
13:26but poppy enough to create crossover appeal.
13:2920. Round and Round
13:30The song also has a superb harmony around the middle of the track,
13:39really letting Crosby and Demartini shine bright.
13:48This riff is a reminder that 80s glam metal wasn't only about big hair, but big hooks as well.
13:5318. No One Knows
14:01Queens of the Stone Age
14:03The ghosts of the desert loom high over Josh Homme's riffing on No One Knows,
14:08an echo to the star's past with pioneering stoner rock band Kyus.
14:19Queens of the Stone Age are comparatively more pop-friendly than Kyus,
14:23but that doesn't mean that No One Knows rocks any less.
14:32In fact, we'd argue that the quirky arrangement of the song is part of what makes the riffing
14:36stand out so much.
14:42Homme knows when to get funky, when to go heavy, and when to let the song breathe. As a result,
14:48No One Knows is something of a pop stoner jam anthem for the ages.
14:52But No One Knows
14:5617. Check My Brain
14:59Alice in Chains
15:01There had been a lot of mixed feelings for Alice in Chains fans when the band finally released their
15:06fourth album, the first without frontman Layne Staley, following his tragic passing.
15:11Thankfully, Black Gives Way to Blue had all the music elements their audience craved,
15:21along with new singer and rhythm guitarist William Duvall.
15:24California's alright! Somebody check my brain!
15:33Duvall actually brings a lot to the table here on Check My Brain, playing along with guitarist
15:38Jerry Cantrell for the song's heavy and sludgy main riff. It's a throwback to the band's early
15:43metallic period as heard on the Facelift album, and a welcome return to form from one of the greatest
15:49grunge pioneers.
15:5016. Eye of the Tiger
15:59Survivor
16:00You know it, you love it, you can sing every word by heart. It's Survivor's Eye of the Tiger,
16:07and it's a perfect pump-up song for any occasion.
16:18Of course, this melodic AOR rock jam became iconic thanks to being featured as the main theme to Rocky 3.
16:33But we'd like to think it would have been a hit regardless.
16:37It feels epic regardless of the context due to the impact and immediacy of that main riff.
16:50Guitarist and songwriter Frankie Sullivan keeps things anthemic and mid-paced.
17:00We defy anyone to hear Eye of the Tiger and
17:04not want to punch a heavy bag or engage in some kind of personal heroism.
17:0915. Beat It, Michael Jackson
17:13The king of pop may not have been hard rock or heavy metal, but he certainly knew a good
17:17musician when he heard one.
17:25Michael Jackson surrounded himself with the very best, both on tour and in the studio,
17:30which explains why he employed Toto's Steve Lukather on lead guitar for this track.
17:41The riffs on MJ's Beat It sounds as if it was brought down by the gods themselves,
17:46a killer and groovy staccato number that gives the song an authentically tough feel.
17:51Oh, and then there's the matter of that solo. A pitch-perfect example of Eddie Van Halen at his very best.
18:02It's the icing on the cake of this pop rock crossover masterpiece.
18:05It was the classic rock gallop heard round the world. It's heart with one of their best-known jams. So sing it with us now.
18:24Ooh, Barracuda.
18:26It's a radio staple for the Seattle-bred group and one that exemplifies that 70s rock sound that was so popular with fans.
18:37Smile like the sun. Kisses for everyone.
18:42Guitarist Nancy Wilson actually revealed in a 2019 interview with Gear Factor that the killer main riff from Barracuda
18:49was adapted and borrowed from their touring partners, Nazareth. Wilson went on to say that
18:54heart heard Nazareth's heavy cover of Joni Mitchell's This Flight Tonight and liked it so much that they
19:00tinkered with their own tribute.
19:07The end result was rock music's most famous fish. The world has never looked at a Barracuda the same way since.
19:20Number 13. Paranoid. Black Sabbath.
19:24Here's a question. If Black Sabbath were the honest-to-goodness first heavy metal band,
19:29does that make Paranoid the very first crossover pop single for the genre?
19:38For better or worse, Paranoid has become intrinsically linked with
19:42Sabbath's iconic early period with Ozzy Osbourne.
19:50Of course, there's no denying the immediacy of that main riff,
19:54and it's even more crazy to note that the band basically wrote it in a matter of minutes.
20:04Yep, Paranoid was an afterthought for the band's then-titled Warpigs album,
20:09but it only took one listen by Vertigo Records execs to immediately change those plans, and
20:14voila, the Paranoid album was born.
20:23Number 12. Wasted Ears. Iron Maiden.
20:27The next band on our list is better known for their melodies and guitar harmonies than riffs,
20:33but Iron Maiden should never be excluded from the conversation.
20:43The title track from the band's Power Slave album is a great example,
20:47while Wasted Years delivers the best of both worlds.
20:50The song opens up with a super melodic guitar run that moves into the relatively simple main verse riff.
21:08It drives Wasted Years into the memorable chords that serve as structure for the chorus.
21:12Before that, opening melody returns and joins the verse riff again for the solo.
21:17It's metal magic and an enduring hit for one of England's finest heavy exports.
21:30Number 11. Ain't Talkin' About Love. Van Halen.
21:35It's a song you've probably heard covered a million times by your favorite bar band,
21:40but you're still not sick of it. And to be honest, neither are we.
21:44Van Halen explored different musical moods, but many fans have preferred it when Eddie and company
21:55go full heavy metal on songs like Atomic Punk.
22:05And our pick Ain't Talkin' About Love.
22:07It's a song that hangs its hat on that opening riff. But what a riff it is. An aggressive call to arms
22:18that basically serves up a Sunset Strip hair metal prototype in just a few notes.
22:24Yeah, you're someone good looking. You're on the streets again.
22:30Eddie may have initially dreamt up the track as a play on punk rock, but Ain't Talkin' About Love went on
22:35to become a classic rock staple.
22:3810. Raining Blood – Slayer
22:41Simply stated, Slayer is the sound of all hell breaking loose.
22:51The faint of heart need not apply for Raining Blood,
22:54a thrash metal masterpiece that truly is the sum of its creative parts.
22:58After all, you can basically take your pick of badass riffs in this beast, from that iconic and
23:09dark opening harmony, to the breakdown to end all breakdowns just after the two-minute mark.
23:1610. Raining Blood – Slayer
23:22Oh, and did we mention that this song, minus the roughly one minute of rain noises,
23:26clocks in at just over three minutes? It's proof that you don't need any bloated posturing to create
23:32epic heavy metal. Slayer basically defines the genre.
23:429. Welcome to the Jungle
23:46Guns N' Roses
23:47Okay, so we easily could have given this ninth spot to any number of classic G&R jams,
23:54including Sweet Child O' Mine.
24:00Ultimately though, we settled on what has to be one of the best album openers ever,
24:05Welcome to the Jungle.
24:06Some songs just have that it factor, this nebulous power to put you in a specific time or place.
24:20Welcome to the Jungle, we got fun and game.
24:2310. In the case of Welcome to the Jungle, it's the 1980s, Sunset Strip, Los Angeles Sun,
24:29Nighttime Sleaze, and the hot neon of unrepentantly bad behavior.
24:34If there was any doubt that Guns N' Roses were truly living out the scenarios laid out in their
24:45songs, Welcome to the Jungle silence them with a riff that screams,
24:49This is the next big thing. Get used to it.
24:528. Money For Nothing
24:55Dire Straits
24:57Mark Knopfler isn't really about the flash, his playing style tends to be far more subtle.
25:02The Dire Straits lead vocalist and guitarist instead tends to focus on texture, melody,
25:14and finger-picking technique. That said, the main hook to the Money For Nothing
25:18riff is actually quite thick, by Knopfler's standards anyway.
25:228. Money For Nothing
25:28The riff and its very 80s-sounding synthesized production dates the song, but not really in a
25:34bad way.
25:40Instead, Money For Nothing brings a nostalgic smile to the faces of those who remember the decade,
25:45and perhaps imaginative musings of what could have been for those who weren't there the first time
25:50around.
25:51That ain't working. That's the way you do it. You play the guitar on the MTV.
25:577. Crazy Train
26:00Ozzy Osbourne
26:02Remember how we mentioned earlier that Michael Jackson always surrounded himself with the best
26:06musicians? The same could also be said of the Oz-man himself, Ozzy Osbourne.
26:18That's because the former Black Sabbath frontman always sought out and employed the best guitarist
26:23around for his solo career. Jake E. Lee, Brad Gillis, and Zach Wilde are just a few of the
26:29Axemen who've played with Ozzy. But the hearts of many fans lie with the dearly departed Randy
26:34Rhodes and his work on this classic Ozzy track, Crazy Train.
26:44Rhodes permanently left his mark on popular culture with this song. Crazy Train's main riff is a hook that
26:49just won't let go. It's a classic that's endured for a reason.
27:016. Master of Puppets
27:03Metallica
27:04Is Metallica's Master of Puppets the perfect thrash metal song? If not, we're not sure what is.
27:107. Master of Puppets
27:16This title track from the album of the same name is a veritable treasure trove of great riffs.
27:22From the charging opening salvo to the twin harmony bridge section,
27:26Master of Puppets is all killer, no filler.
27:29This is due largely to the impeccable arrangements of James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, who make sure
27:41that no riff overstays its welcome, while also creating many movements that drive the song ever forward.
27:478. Master of Puppets
27:51Hetfield's downpicked rhythm playing is arguably at its best here. Master of Puppets manages to make
27:59its near 10-minute runtime feel incredibly short.
28:035. You Really Got Me
28:05The Kinks
28:07Although most music historians point to the late 70s as the point where punk rock began to explode into
28:12the public consciousness, its origins can actually be traced back much further.
28:21Case in point, You Really Got Me by The Kinks, a classic rock track that really doesn't sound
28:27anything like other classic rock tracks of the day. That's got a lot to do with the aggressive main riff,
28:32and how unique this approach was in the early to mid 60s.
28:36The Kinks experimented with a lot of styles, from psychedelia to pop, but You Really Got Me is
28:47straight, pissed, and to the point. A perfect jump-off for similar attitudes explored by punk rock
28:53nearly a decade later.
28:574. Layla
29:05Derrick and the Dominoes
29:06Songwriting is a beautiful thing, especially when it works this well.
29:16Layla was one of those lightning-in-a-bottle moments where the members of supergroup Derrick and the Dominoes
29:21got a little help from their friends, and created a classic rock anthem in the process.
29:32That striking opening riff gets things going right away, of course. But the real brilliant move
29:37is how Layla then quickly changes key for the main verse.
29:40This decision makes the second section sound even more urgent and powerful,
29:51before that opening riff comes back for the chorus.
30:02As if that wasn't enough, that iconic piano exit smooths down everything after a blistering solo
30:09section from Eric Clapton and guest Dwayne Allman. It's pure rock genius.
30:223. I Can't Get No Satisfaction
30:26The Rolling Stones
30:28When you think of The Rolling Stones and iconic riffs, two particular songs come to mind.
30:333. Start Me Up
30:39One of them is Start Me Up. And perhaps even more popular is the band's famous hit,
30:44I Can't Get No Satisfaction.
30:52Keith Richards is never going to win any awards for flashy guitar heroics,
30:56but he doesn't need to, because the main riff here is simple but oh-so-memorable.
31:01It's a punchy lick that works great with Mick Jagger's unique vocals,
31:10and honestly never wears out its welcome. There isn't much deviation here with regards to arrangement,
31:16but when the riff is this good, why not hammer that sucker home for all it's worth?
31:212. Smoke On The Water
31:31Deep Purple
31:32Does Deep Purple have better riffs than Smoke On The Water? Maybe.
31:41Does Deep Purple have more complex riffs than Smoke On The Water? Definitely. But that doesn't make our
31:47penultimate pick any less iconic.
31:54After all, the band was already firmly entrenched as a force for British psychedelia,
31:59prog, and heavy rock when they released Smoke On The Water, back in 1972.
32:042. However, it only took the magic of Richie Blackmore's playing to turn what's essentially
32:15a basic blues riff into the early formations of heavy metal.
32:192. It's monolithic, lumbering, and oh-so-majestic in its simplicity,
32:313. And so it's naturally been covered to pieces by adoring bands all over the world.
32:361. Heartbreaker
32:56Led Zeppelin
32:57Okay, let's address the elephant in the room. Led Zeppelin have repeatedly faced accusations that they,
33:02well, let's say, were overly inspired by riff ideas from other artists. We'd argue, however,
33:09does that really matter when the end results are this good? Take your pick. It could be Whole Lotta Love,
33:21or Immigrant Song,
33:30or it could be our top choice, Heartbreaker, a twisted jam that's barely hanging on, but it's in the best
33:36possible way. Jimmy Page's opening riff is stumbling and messy, but possesses awesome, intense drive.
33:54It's steeped in Page's love of American blues, but amplified to oblivion and turned into an amazing,
34:01hydra-headed proto-metal behemoth. What to you makes a truly great riff? Let us know in the comments.
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